Speaker Presentations from “Access to Community Living: Promoting Independence and Choice”

Note Pam's presentation as well as others.

Connecting Tags; Recovery, community-based, peer, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

Senate, House Should 'Move Aggressively' To Pass Mental Health Parity Legislation, Editorial States

The Senate and House "should move aggressively" to pass mental health parity legislation and "send it to President Bush for his signature," a New York Times editorial states. According to the editorial, "the prospects look good for ending the long stalemate" over mental health parity, as Bush has endorsed the practice and "both houses seem poised to enact it." The "most striking development this year is the broad consensus" behind the Senate version of the bill, "the fruit of extended negotiations with employer groups and insurance plans" that previously have opposed similar legislation, the editorial states. The Senate version of the bill, which "focuses simply on ensuring equal cost-sharing and treatment limits," might "not be perfect, but it gives mental health advocates much of what they want," according to the editorial. The House version of the bill would require health insurers to cover the mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders currently covered by the health plan with the largest enrollment of federal employees, the editorial states. The editorial concludes that the House "will need to be careful not to overreach and upset the carefully built compromise" reached with "recalcitrant insurers and employers" (New York Times, 3/24).

Connecting Tags; Recovery, tool, economics, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

Lawsuit Seeks to End Segregation of Mentally Ill Prisoners

An advocacy group filed a federal lawsuit today alleging that the state Department of Correction's segregation of mentally ill prisoners in isolated cells for 23 hours a day has led to numerous prisoner suicides and self-mutilations.

Connecting Tags; rights, abuse, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

Compeer: Making Friends, Changing Lives

Compeer Inc. is an international, non-profit organization that helps adults and children overcome the devastating effects of mental illness, such as loneliness, isolation and low self-esteem – through the power of friendship. Our volunteer-based programs and services, which serve as a complement to therapy, provide supportive friendships for people in mental-health care – helping them on their recovery journey.

Connecting Tags; Recovery, international, peer, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

A Vision for a Recovery Model in Irish Mental Health Services

This is a long but interesting discussion of Recovery from Ireland.

Connecting Tags; Recovery, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

A Conversation with Jim Rohl

Jim Rohl is currently the administrator of Break the Circle of Stigma, an organization that he co-founded with Molly Rich in 1996. Break the Circle is dedicated to educating the public on issues of stigma and mental illness. The group’s work is done mainly through public speaking and the development of educational materials. Jim is also the founder of the Serenity Club, a self-help group for persons with mental illness. He met with Mental Health World to discuss his personal recovery from bi-polar illness and his plans for the future.

"I always remember feeling different when I was a kid. This was especially true when I was in middle school. My attention span was not very good. I grew up in a family where I needed to take my mind off of things. I always put myself some place else. I would get lost in the hallways. I could not find my locker. I was always in a fog and confused. I had a lot of anxiety. I had no confidence or self-esteem. When you do not have these things, it is hard to do well.

Connecting Tags; Recovery, peer, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

Poets in Recovery Slam "Mental Illness"!

Hi, I’m Carl and I’m in recovery from mental illness. My life took a leap forward at the Sacred Poetry Slam, January 8. Now, I’m trying to catch up with this review:

A slam is usually violent. So you might think a Sacred Slam is a contradiction in terms. But insert the word “poetry” and you have “Sacred Poetry Slam.” Poetry can unleash the sacred and absorb the pain of a slam. The result is creative energy.

Connecting Tags; Recovery, community-based, education, tool, peer, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

The Stories Behind the Statistics

In South Carolina there are seven consumer-run initiatives made possible through State Planning Council Block Grant Funding. These seven initiatives are listed below.

Each project provides people with needed, unduplicated services in the public mental health system. All of the following projects are managed or are staffed by service providers who are self-identified consumers of mental health services.

Connecting Tags; economics, community-based, Recovery, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy

Community Resource Connections of Toronto

Welcome to CRCT's web site. We are working to provide a comprehensive source of information which meets the needs of consumer/survivors, family members and service providers.

Connecting Tags; tool, social production, rights, peer, Recovery, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy