The Recovering Life: February 2007

Monday, February 19, 2007

Senate HELP Committee Passes Mental Health Parity Legislation

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday voted 18-3 to approve a bill (S 558) sponsored by Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) that would require health insurers to provide the same level of coverage for treatment of mental illnesses and substance abuse as they provide for physical illnesses, CQ Today reports (Armstrong, CQ Today, 2/14).

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Transforming Housing for People with Psychiatric Disabilities

From Kathryn Wyeth:

A new report written by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
for the Center for Mental Health Services/Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (CMHS/SAMHSA) shares the
results of a study of board and care homes for people with
psychiatric disabilities and advances recommendations for a
recovery-oriented approach centered on principles of consumer
self-direction and community integration.

The report is a pdf file at the link.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Bipartisan Group Of Senators Introduces Mental Health Parity Legislation

A bipartisan group of senators on Monday announced that the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday will mark up a draft bill on mental health parity, CQ HealthBeat reports. Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) introduced the bill, which would require insurance companies to cover mental illnesses at the same level as they do physical illnesses. Unlike previous mental health parity legislation, the bill also would include substance abuse as a mental health condition eligible for coverage.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Senators Propose Protections For Americans With Mental Health Needs

Senate leaders today introduced legislation that holds the promise of ending insurance discrimination against people who participate in employer-sponsored health care plans and need help for a mental health or substance abuse problem. Mental Health America applauds the leadership of Senators Pete Domenici (R- N.M.), Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) and Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) in crafting this long-sought measure to bring fundamental insurance protections to the nearly 60 percent of Americans who rely on employer-sponsored coverage.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Repository of Recovery Resources

This web-based repository of recovery resource information was developed to assist state mental health administrators and consumers in state offices of consumer/recipient affairs in their work to create more recovery-oriented mental health systems.

Over the past two years, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation staff have collected information using a brief survey entitled Aspects of a Recovery-Oriented State Mental Health System to learn what resources are in use and what information would be helpful to promote more recovery-oriented services and systems. The information gathered was used to guide the formation of the repository categories.

This repository is intended to be an on-going work in progress. Suggestions of additional recovery resources and feedback on the site are welcome.

NYTimes Bashes Eli Lilly 3rd Day in a Row, Credits PsychRights

Two articles and now an editorial!

For the 3rd day in a row _The NY Times_ is blasting the huge drug
maker Eli Lilly for its fraudulent marketing practices of the
psychiatric neuroleptic drug Zyprexa.

Two NY Times articles (one on the front page!) were followed by
today's stinging editorial.

Links to the text for all three NY Times pieces this week can be
found here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/aff-spon/act/usa/psychrights/nytimes-vs-eli-lilly

or: http://tinyurl.com/vnvfw

_The NY Times_ investigation credits attorney Jim Gottstein, founder
of PsychRights for providing their reporter with documentation of the
fraud (NY Times even included a great photo of a smiling Jim).

Congratulations Jim!

For info on how to submit a letter to editor or "op ed" to _The NY
Times_ see:

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html

MindFreedom International is proud that PsychRights is a sponsor
group, for more info on PsychRights see http://www.psychrights.org

Please forward this very good news!

* Update #27 on Eli Lilly's Formerly-Secret Files *

Attorney Jim Gottstein appeared in person in the Brooklyn court room.
The hearing continues to tomorrow. MindFreedom board member Judi
Chamberlin and MindFreedom director David Oaks may be called to testify:

Friday, February 9, 2007

Recovery starts with people’s lived experience

Outside the Box is working with the
Scottish Recovery Network to support the
development of local recovery networks.
This is one of a series of resource leaflets
developed to support local recovery
networks in Scotland. The material in these
leaflets comes from the emerging experience
of the people in the pilot areas, feedback
from people in other places, and what we
know about the development of any network
which is supporting change.

Mental Health Recovery

Welcome to Mental Health Recovery Newsletter, begun in March 2000 and published quarterly from the office of Mary Ellen Copeland. This newsletter is for anyone who wants to learn more about recovering from uncomfortable, often disabling psychiatric symptoms.

Recovery

The introduction of recovery into our national mental health dialogue is nothing short of revolutionary."

Monday, February 5, 2007

MindFreedom News

This Wednesday: Latest News About Eli Lilly Zyprexa Censorship Battle

Ted Chabasinski is special guest this Wednesday, 7 February 2007, on
MindFreedom News Live Internet Radio at 4 pm EST, 1 pm PST. Just
click on click on http://www.theprn.org

Attorney Ted Chabasinski is representing MindFreedom in court to
defend the public right to know about fraudulent marketing of the
psychiatric drug Zyprexa. Ted is challenging a Restraining Order
obtained by Eli Lilly that is suppressing the free speech of
MindFreedom and others to disclose files to the public.

During the live show you are invited to phone in toll free with your
questions or comments. The number is announced each show. Or e-mail at
any time to radio(at)mindfreedom(dot)org. You may also listen later
via the archives, MP3 download or iTunes.

Saturday, February 3, 2007

LESSON 1 The Recovery Model

he mental health field in the United States is undergoing a quiet revolution. Former patients and other advocates are working with mental health providers and government agencies to incorporate spirituality into mental health care. While the significance of spirituality in substance abuse treatment has been acknowledged for many years due to widespread recognition of the therapeutic value of 12-step programs, this is a new development in the treatment of serious mental disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The incorporation of spirituality into recovery is one of four hallmarks of the recovery model that is becoming increasingly accepted as the reigning treatment approach in the mental health field.

A second perspective that distinguishes the recovery model from prior approaches is the assumption that people can fully recover from even the most severe forms of mental disorders. It creates an orientation of hope rather than the "kiss of death" that diagnoses like schizophrenia once held. One hundred years ago, Emil Kraepelin,MD, identified the disorder now known as schizophrenia. He described it as dementia praecox, a chronic, unremitting, gradually deteriorating condition, having a progressive downhill course with an end state of dementia and incompetence.

WRAP, Peer Support and Recovery

Even in these days, when recovery, peer support and Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) are buzz words throughout the mental health system, it is not uncommon in many mental health environments, including peer support, to hear people describe themselves as their label and to see themselves through a 'mental illness' lens.

Peer-to-Peer Resource Center

When you are faced with a mental illness, life is often confusing, and it can be difficult to focus on the idea of recovery. When we hear these are chronic illnesses, we begin to think only of our deficits and losses. Thoughts of recovery can seem far away or even impossible to us, those who treat us, and those who care about us.

But there’s a different way of looking at mental illnesses now, a vision focusing on recovery and self-determination, emphasizing the importance of peer support and focusing on the person with the mental illness, supporting and building on their dreams and desires. There’s a growing recognition, supported by increasing amounts of research, that recovery is possible when consumers are an integral part of their own treatment and support systems.

Friday, February 2, 2007

Internal Guidance Systems 2006-2008 USA Visionary Art Tour, Feb. 3 - 24

The term “outsider” once applied not only to artists creating work outside of traditional gallery/academic institutions, but also to artists who were outsiders themselves, marginalized by illiteracy, poverty, race, culture, mental illness or a combination of factors. Those differences resulted in a unique perspective, expressed in an unfamiliar fashion, with unusual tools and materials. Nowadays, “outsider” is practically a brand name, and the visionary qualities that inform the work of William Edmondson, Howard Finster or James Hampton are hard to find in the kitsch and “faux-k art” pretensions of artists who would adopt an outsider stance in the name of marketing. In February, TAG Art Gallery is set to host the Nashville stop of the Internal Guidance Systems 2006-2008 USA Visionary Art Tour. The Tour was created by Seattle artist Anne Grgich to highlight outsider artists selected from “a critical cross section from the vanguard of a new modern movement in visionary art.” Grgich specializes in multimedia portraits on canvas that make use of the aesthetic conventions associated with religious iconography. Yet it is in her more narrative work, especially her ink on paper drawings, where her inspiration truly does approach the visionary. —JOE NOLAN

Chipmunkapublishing

Chipmunkapublishing is the world's first Mental Health Publisher. Our books are changing the way the world thinks about mental health. We are the essence of Mind, Body and Soul publishing. 95% of our titles are written by people with mental health issues. Other titles include anthologies, carers' stories and academic texts.

We are a unique social enterprise focused on publishing both factual and creative literature. We want to prove that everything in life is a mental health issue and therefore, eliminates the humiliation that people with "mental illness" feel. This process is already happening. Do not let your children grow up not understanding people with mental health issues.

AstraZeneca and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Partner to Significantly Increase Number of Mental Illness Support Groups Nationwide

WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AstraZeneca today announced its exclusive multi-year sponsorship of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in expanding NAMI-C.A.R.E. [Consumers Advocating Recovery through Empowerment], a peer-based, mutual support group program for people with mental illness. This partnership will allow the existing NAMI-C.A.R.E. program to expand to all 50 states and Puerto Rico by 2009.

NAMI-C.A.R.E. sponsors support groups whose purpose is to help overcome isolation and to promote recovery for people challenged by any severe and persistent mental illness. During weekly 90-minute meetings, individuals share experiences, learn coping strategies and offer mutual understanding and encouragement as they seek to move forward in their lives.

National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mental health consumer/survivors have formed a national coalition to ensure that they play a major role in the development and implementation of health and mental health care and social policies at the state and national levels.

How the National Coalition was Formed

October 26 - Our First Face-to-Face National Meeting

Statement of Purpose and Teleconference Notes

NCMHCSO Steering Committee

Membership Application

“The creation of the National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations (NCMHCSO) is a milestone,” said the group’s Director of Public Policy, Lauren Spiro. “The formation of this Coalition takes us to the next level- it enables us to raise our collective voice, based on our experience of mental health recovery, and be heard at the seat of power. The Coalition embraces the disability movement’s motto, ‘Nothing about us without us.’ ” The Coalition will collaborate with other advocacy groups to ensure that consumer rights policies continue to move towards promoting full participation and integration in the community.

The Recovering Life