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Announcements of InterestThe Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law provides this page for announcements sent to us by colleagues in the mental disability advocacy community. We select those to post and may edit items for length or clarity. The Bazelon Center takes no responsibility for the accuracy, currency or reliability of any item. Current Announcements
How to Submit your ItemEmail your brief announcement to webmaster@bazelon.org in the form you'd like us to post it. Include links to other web sites if you wish (URLs or hypertext). Please supply your e-mail address and telephone number for interested parties to contact you. Finally, tell us when your information will no longer be current. (As the page fills up, we will delete from the bottom up.)
National Conference Planned on Mental Health & Housing(April 26, 2004)—The Mental Health Association in Tulsa (MHA-Tulsa) is sponsoring a national housing conference, A Place to Call Home: Exploring innovative approaches to housing for people with mental illness. The conference, which will take place September 29, 30 and October 1, 2004 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will focus on six primary areas: planning and development, fundraising, coalition building and consensus reaching, model housing options, community services and supports, and clinical wraparound services. The MHA in Tulsa is sponsoring the conference in collaboration with several organizations, including Habitat for Humanity International, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, National Mental Health Association and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Michael Allen, Senior Staff Attorney at the Bazelon Center, will be speaking about what integrated housing means for people with mental illness, focusing specifically on what is required by the Olmstead decision and housing models that consistent with the President’s New Freedom Commission recommendations. To learn more about this event, including the preliminary agenda and financial assistance opportunities, please visit www.mhat.org or email zarrowinfo@mhat.org. Summer Training Institutes on Systems of Care for Children with Mental Health Needs(Dec. 12)—The National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health at Georgetown University announces its training institutes, Developing Local Systems of Care for Children and Adolescents with Emotional Disturbances and their Families: Early Intervention, which will be held June 23 - 27, 2004 in San Francisco, CA. The institutes will provide in-depth, practical information on how to develop, organize, and operate coordinated, community-based, family-focused, culturally competent systems of care for children and their families and how to provide high quality, effective clinical interventions and supports within them. Special emphasis will be given to early intervention and providing mental health services to young children and their families. For more information, contact: The National Technical Assistance Center
for Children's Mental Health at Georgetown University New Website Offers Testimonies on Recovery from Mental Illness(Dec. 4, 2003)—Two years ago, the story of Sr. Ann Catherine Veierstahler's life-long struggle with mental illness was featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In response to the story, Veierstahler received many letters from readers who identified with her experience and were living successfull lives despite the challenges of having a mental illness. Hoping to share these stories, she has launched www.hopetohealing.com. The site relates the experiences of ordinary people who are raising their families, going to school, working, volunteering, going to church and actively involving themselves in their communities. Veierstahler is seekling more success stories for the site and for a book she is currently writing. To share yours, visit www.hopetohealing.com or contact her using the information below: Sr. Ann Catherine Veierstahler, SCSJA, RN
Richardson Calls for Mental Health Changes in NM(Oct. 10, 2003)—On Sept. 12, 2003, Governor Bill Richardson (D) directed several of New Mexico's state agencies to consolidate mental health care and behavioral health care services. Richardson's plan combines all behavioral health funding (including funds from Medicaid, and other state agencies) into a single carve-out that will be bid out through a competitive Request-for-Proposal (or RFP) process. New DC Non-Profit Wins Contract to Advocate for People with Mental Illnesses(Sept. 12, 2003) — People enrolled in the District of Columbia (DC) mental health system can call on a new and independent consumer organization to help them protect their rights and get the services they need. On September 3, 2003, Consumer Action Network (CAN) was awarded a contract with the DC Department of Mental Health to develop a Grievance System and Peer Advocacy program for recipients (consumers) of mental health services. CAN’s focus will be to empower consumers to advocate for themselves; educate consumers about the new grievance system and help them file grievances; support and mentor consumers’ recovery through planning and goal-setting; enable consumers to exercise their choices in care; and help consumers to be accountable for their choices. CAN plans to work cooperatively with all other mental health advocacy and stakeholder organizations, focusing on the development of a strong, coordinated, and self-sufficient network of consumer advocacy agencies. CAN also will provide academic and public educational opportunities to combat stigma against mental illness and promote recovery principles as best mental health practices. For more information, e-mail: info@can-dc.org. Internship / Employment Opportunities at the National Mental Health Association(Aug. 18, 2003) — The National Mental Health Association, a nonprofit
organization addressing
all aspects of mental health and mental illness, is seeking undergraduate
and graduate students for its internship program. The program is designed
to
provide a unique opportunity for students to gain real-world work experience
relevant to their academic and career goals. Internships are available
in
Administration, Adult Mental Health, Affiliates, Communications/Media,
Fundraising/Development, Healthcare Reform, Juvenile Justice, Marketing,
NAMHPAC, Public Education, Publications, Research, Resource Center, and New Program Treats Rural Youth And Targets Barriers To Care(July 29, 2003) —Adolescents and teens with emotional and behavioral problems will receive treatment as part of a new study in eight of the poorest Appalachian counties in Eastern Tennessee. Researchers will work with judges, school administrators, and community leaders to overcome barriers to mental health services. The project is structured to ensure that successful therapies and partnerships with state funding agencies and organizations will continue after the study ends. The 5-year, more than $4 million grant to the University of Tennessee was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information, see http://www.nimh.nih.gov/events/prappalachian.cfm SAMHSA Releases Reports on Public and Private Sector Financing of Mental Health Services(July 24, 2003) —The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today released three reports that examine public and private sector financing of mental health services. The reports include:
All three reports can be accessed electronically at www.samhsa.gov and are available from SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center at 800-789-2647. SAMHSA, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead federal agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services in the United States. New Book: Outta My Head and In Your Face(Jan. 17, 2003) -- Author Mara McWilliams has released Outta My Head and In Your Face, a collection of selected poems and artwork that reflect her journey as an undiagnosed bipolar person to diagnosis and acceptance. Learn more online at http://www.maramcwilliams.com Florida Children's Conferences Announced(Jan. 17. 2003) -- The Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS) at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida in Tampa announces a series of conferences throughout the year to address the needs of children with:
For more information on these conferences, visit their website at http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu/ CSX Run Network Launches New Discussion List(Sept. 9, 2002) -- The CSX Run Network has launched a discussion list for people involved with mental health consumer/survivor/ex-patient peer run support and advocacy organizations or with services controlled by mental health consumers/survivors/ex-patients. To Join: Send an email to: csx_run_net-subscribe@topica.com SAHMSA Releases New Self-Help Booklets to Promote Recovery For People with Mental Illnesses(July 11, 2002) -- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today released a series of self-help guides developed to assist persons living with mental illness to achieve higher levels of wellness, stability and recovery. Among other issues, the booklets cover techniques to help reduce the effects of trauma, make lifestyle changes to positively affect emotional well-being, and build strong relationships. Copies of the self-help guides are available free of charge by calling SAMHSA's Clearinghouse at 1-800-789-2647; TTY 301-443-9006 or by visiting www.samhsa.gov. |
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