Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

from DBSA: 

Educational Programs & Events

DBSA hosts a variety of educational and fundraising events throughout the year. We encourage you to check our events calendar often to find out upcoming opportunities to participate! 

View a full range of events by visiting:

 DBSA Events Calendar (DBSA National hosted events)

 Events Outside of DBSA (Events hosted by organizations outside of DBSA)

 DBSA Local Chapters (Check the DBSA Chapter pages to find regional events in your area, like Facing Us Events.)

DBSA National Confernce
September 10-14, 2008

Get all the details.

Tap into the "Power of Peers" this September as DBSA presents a conference of compelling educational workshops, pre- and post-conference institutes and an unprecedented lineup of renowned keynote speakers:

Peer Specialist CE
Live Webinar
October 14, 2008

Moving from Peer to Peer Provider

Presenters:
Lisa C. Goodale, ACSW, LSW and Terry O'Connor

Register for Live Webinar

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

NAMI Michigan NAMIWALK

from WHERE'S MARTY RECOVERY TOUR: 


Today I took the Silverwing to the NAMI Michigan NAMIWALK on Belle Isle. It was a great walk. There were lots of people there. I couldn't walk today as I have broken a bone in my foot so my ability to stand, much less walk is limited.

What I saw was many people walking, talking and having a great time. People with a mental illness, people who had family members who have a mental illness, friends of people who have a mental illness. There are more families involved now, I mean the ones with young kids. For a long, long time it always seemed to me that the people with an illness were around; sometimes they had parents and sometimes they didn't.



But now, there are families with younger kids involved. I am so glad that I have grandkids. (See grandkids to the left; Can't you just feel the love?) They would have been there today, but the truck was broken. 

I would love to tell you that my meds changed everything, but what made the biggest change for me was the support that I got from people and for me, many of the people who did the supporting were NAMI members (both family and consumer members; I always get asked.) And yes, I am often a fan of NAMI Michigan. We don't always agree, but they are a major reason I am well. Of course they are also a major reason that I have learned to become a great advocate.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Congress passes mental health parity bills, final enactment may be near

from Mercer Select: 

The House and Senate each passed mental health parity legislation, bringing months of negotiation to a near close. While the legislation would expand current parity rules, employers could define the mental health and substance abuse conditions covered by their plans and use medical management techniques. States could establish stricter rules for insured health plans. Although House and Senate provisions are identical, because they are contained in different bills, it's not clear yet how the two will be reconciled. The law would be effective for plan years beginning a year after enactment.  (Select News, 24 Sep 2008)

• Full text of HR 6049 (PDF)
• Full text of HR 6983 (PDF)

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Public Comment on Use of Block Grant Funding

Public Comment Request


Public comment is requested on the Michigan Department of Community Health’s annual application for Community Mental Health Block Grant funding. The application is for funding of $13,088,713 for the fiscal year that begins October 1, 2008. These annual funds are used to improve public community-based mental health services for adults who have serious mental illness and for children who have serious emotional disturbance.

The plan can be accessed at the following site: http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2941_4868_4902-125922--,00.html. There is a link at the site that may be used to submit comments. Comment may also be made in person at meetings of the Advisory Council on Mental Illness.

If you would like a copy of the plan mailed to you, or would like information on the Advisory Council meetings, please call Karen Cashen at (517) 335-5934 or e-mail her at cashenk@michigan.gov



Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Wall Street Journal: Mental Health Parity Bill Passed by Congress

from tonehall:

In a bleak news day, it was good to see that Congress finally gets it - mental health should be treated with the same seriousness as other health-related matters.

Though the bills that were passed exempt companies with less than 50 employees, it's a start in the right direction toward healthcare equity for those with mental health issues.

Here's an excerpt from Jacob Goldstein's piece:

A long fight over putting the coverage of mental health on par with other health conditions is nearly over.

Both houses of Congress yesterday passed bills that would prohibit employers who offer mental health coverage from doing things like charging higher co-pays for mental health services than for other kinds of health care. That’s long been a common practice.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Update: House passes Rep. Kennedy's mental-health bill

from Progo 7 to 7 News Blog 

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives passed Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy's mental-health parity legislation on a 376-to-47 vote tonight.

The Rhode Island Democrat's bill now awaits Senate action that may not be easy to secure this week because of the crush of urgent business, including the bail-out of the nation's financial system.

Read more about his proposal, and its path through Congress.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Bipolar in Louisville

I got a call this a.m. from a Congressional office (Yarmuth's) after a query about WHEN the Mental Health Parity Bill would come before the House and Senate. The word I got was that this would be tomorrow-- Tuesday, September 23, 2008. The nice lady to whom I talked said that the proceedings would 'probably' be broadcast on C-SPAN. [Those like me who lack cable with this specialized channel can Google C-SPAN on Internet and watch online.]  More... 

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Michigan Recovery Council Meeting, Part 6

REE Implementation in Michigan:

Darby from Advocates for Human Potential
Hired to implement the REE in Michigan

Implement the REE in Each CMH and each Provider Agency. with people who have been in the system for 90 days

Planning:

1. CMH make Narrative Plan
1. Sampling plan table
2. Describe how to pick consumers
3. How the REE will be administered
   
2. Monitors will administer instrument.
1. ACT
2. Target Case Management
3. Psychosocial Rehab
4. Consumer run drop-ins
5. Supported Employment
6. Medication Clinics
7. Group Homes

Various methods for sampling were discussed..

The surveyors may be peer specialists, staff of consumer programs, individual contractors, etc. Can't have conflict of interest. Much to be decided on this yet.

Preferred way for administering survey: Given on site at a program by consumer surveys to groups of consumers. Other ways can also be used.. there will be a web based version on Survey Monkey.

Not yet a bilingual  version.  This problem must be solved. Many other issues of logistics and detailed implementation came up.

Irene summarized the discussion by saying that the initiative will try to touch every aspect of the system with recovery.

Accommodations will be provided to assure that each person will be able to do the survey regardless of characteristic.

Data Collection will be over a 10 month period during 2009.. Each area will have 2 months to administer per area.

There will be some learning curve on this effort. There will be training for the Surveyors. There will also be a manual and a 1-800 number for questions.

No individual info will be reported in any form
Aggregated results will be provided to DCH
Reports for individual agencies and programs will be provided to each agency, but will not be public.

Rich talked about RCE's involvement in the REE implementation. There was also a discussion about using consumer run centers as a source of surveyors.

See you in two months.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

NAMI Fund For Hurricanes Gustav & Ike Disaster Relief To Help People With Mental Illnesses

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has established a special fund to provide relief to individuals and families affected by serious mental illnesses in Lousiana and Texas communities devastated by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Donations to the NAMI Hurricane Relief Fund can be made on-line athttp://www.nami.org/HurricaneRelief. One hundred percent of funds raised will go directly to individuals and families through local NAMI affiliates.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Michigan Recovery Council Meeting: September 19, 2008, Part 5

After Lunch

Questions came up during lunch. People were concerned about reliability and validity. Priscilla went over the evidence for both.

The Special Needs section will be tweaked for language. Then a final version will be issued for use in Michigan. The Special needs section is only filled out by people who are in the respective categories.

Recovery Markers Section:

Outcomes are a less useful concept than markers as signs on the journey. There is a proportional relationship between number of markers and where on the journey you are.

Last Section has continuum responses.  The responses can point to system needs assessment information.

Many questions about possible uses. It seems that most are possible.

End of  REE Overview

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/