Will intersperse with a little levity and photos.
Albert Camus, French-Algerian author, who wrote in the tradition of absurdism, said "Without Work, All Life Goes Rotten."Here from Abington Patch, is a list of jobs.
My friend CC sent me two articles from Oprah magazine about the mentally ill.
I found these stories really interesting.
Rev. Donna Allen, PhD, a survivor of PTSD and sexual abuse, says it does no good to pray to get healed. You gotta have help to fix yourself.
The Gould Farm in Massachusetts is a safe place where folks with very severe mental health issues may live. Also in Oprah mag, read about it here.
Mary Ann Copeland has regular retreats from her home in Vermont.
Read about her latest program.
Now we're gonna hear selected articles from Susan Rogers and Fran Hazam from their Key Update of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
HHS Issues Game-Changing Rules That Promise Increased Research Transparency
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has taken a
step toward creating more transparency in clinical research, NPR has
reported. Sharing the article on Twitter, prominent psychiatrist
@AllenFrancesMD, author of Saving Normal, wrote,
"Wonderful new rules force much more honest reporting of clinical research so that negative results don't get buried." According to NPR, "Since 2007, scientists have been required to post results of experiments on a government website, https://clinicaltrials.gov/.
But many top universities and drug companies have failed to meet those standards, according to academic studies and investigative journalists." The new rules take effect in January 2017; researchers will have 90 days to comply. For the NPR article, click here.
"Wonderful new rules force much more honest reporting of clinical research so that negative results don't get buried." According to NPR, "Since 2007, scientists have been required to post results of experiments on a government website, https://clinicaltrials.gov/.
But many top universities and drug companies have failed to meet those standards, according to academic studies and investigative journalists." The new rules take effect in January 2017; researchers will have 90 days to comply. For the NPR article, click here.
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September is Suicide Prevention Month. Read SAMHSA's Suicide Prevention notes here.
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Report on Smart Solutions to Our Growing Female Prison Population Is Available
The Oregon Justice Resource Center has issued An
Alternative to Women's Prison Expansion in Oregon: Presenting Smart
Solutions to Our Growing Female Prison Population and Identifying Who
Has the Power to Reduce It.
"The relentless growth in Oregon's women's prison population over the last 40 years shows why Oregonians can no longer hope to incarcerate their way out of problems such as trauma, addiction, mental illness, homelessness and poverty," the report notes.
Three of its suggested six "fixes" are "Expanding eligibility and use of the family sentencing alternative pilot program," "Streamlining the clemency process," and "Early release for terminally/severely ill, permanently incapacitated or elderly prisoners." For the other solutions and the rest of the document, click here.
"The relentless growth in Oregon's women's prison population over the last 40 years shows why Oregonians can no longer hope to incarcerate their way out of problems such as trauma, addiction, mental illness, homelessness and poverty," the report notes.
Three of its suggested six "fixes" are "Expanding eligibility and use of the family sentencing alternative pilot program," "Streamlining the clemency process," and "Early release for terminally/severely ill, permanently incapacitated or elderly prisoners." For the other solutions and the rest of the document, click here.
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New Resources, Including a Webinar, Are Available from the TU Collaborative on Community Inclusion
The Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion has published three new guides: Addressing
Sexuality and Intimacy Interests of Persons with Mental Health
Conditions: Recommendations for Program Administrators (for more information and to download, click here),
Adding Recreation to Your Coping Toolbox: An 8-Week Protocol (to download, click here), and Peer Facilitated Community Inclusion Toolkit (click here). In addition, the TU Collaborative will sponsor a one-hour webinar, Supporting College Students with Psychiatric Disabilities, on October 11 at noon ET. For more information and to register, click here.
Adding Recreation to Your Coping Toolbox: An 8-Week Protocol (to download, click here), and Peer Facilitated Community Inclusion Toolkit (click here). In addition, the TU Collaborative will sponsor a one-hour webinar, Supporting College Students with Psychiatric Disabilities, on October 11 at noon ET. For more information and to register, click here.
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Scientific American Reports on How the FDA Manipulates the Media
A recent report in Scientific American notes that the "U.S.
Food and Drug Administration [FDA] has been arm-twisting journalists
into relinquishing their reportorial independence."
"[T]he FDA assures the public that it is committed to transparency," the article continues, "but the documents show that, privately, the agency denies many reporters access-including ones from major outlets such as Fox News-and even deceives them with half-truths to handicap them in their pursuit of a story.
At the same time, the FDA cultivates a coterie of journalists whom it keeps in line with threats." For the story, click here.
"[T]he FDA assures the public that it is committed to transparency," the article continues, "but the documents show that, privately, the agency denies many reporters access-including ones from major outlets such as Fox News-and even deceives them with half-truths to handicap them in their pursuit of a story.
At the same time, the FDA cultivates a coterie of journalists whom it keeps in line with threats." For the story, click here.
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An Opera Based on the Life of Elyn Saks Can Be Viewed for Free Online
An opera about Elyn Saks, the MacArthur Award-winning law
professor whose memoir chronicled her recovery from a diagnosis of
schizophrenia, is available for free viewing on the Mental Health
America website.
Saks co-wrote the libretto for "The Center Cannot Hold" with composer/psychiatrist Kenneth B. Wells. "I am delighted and just a little overwhelmed to have Ken make an opera out of my story," Saks told MHA. "I feel as if Ken has captured my experience and my voice." To view the opera, click here and scroll down to "View the Full Opera."
Saks co-wrote the libretto for "The Center Cannot Hold" with composer/psychiatrist Kenneth B. Wells. "I am delighted and just a little overwhelmed to have Ken make an opera out of my story," Saks told MHA. "I feel as if Ken has captured my experience and my voice." To view the opera, click here and scroll down to "View the Full Opera."
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Y A W N !!!!!
Snack Break.
Peanuts and Raisins.
Y A W N !!!!!
Snack Break.
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Rally to Close Rikers Island Tomorrow, September 24, in NYC
Tomorrow, September 24, at 1 p.m., people will gather at a
march and rally with the goal of shutting down Rikers Island, an
infamous correctional facility in New York City.
As The New York Times has editorialized, "The sensible thing to do with Rikers is to close it." Just Leadership USA, which is organizing the event, is helmed by Glenn E. Martin, who served time on Rikers as well as several years in a state prison and has become a nationally known advocate for criminal justice reform. In a long interview published by The Atlantic, Martin said, "It seems like such an abomination for us to have this facility continue to operate." For the revised details about the event, click here.
As The New York Times has editorialized, "The sensible thing to do with Rikers is to close it." Just Leadership USA, which is organizing the event, is helmed by Glenn E. Martin, who served time on Rikers as well as several years in a state prison and has become a nationally known advocate for criminal justice reform. In a long interview published by The Atlantic, Martin said, "It seems like such an abomination for us to have this facility continue to operate." For the revised details about the event, click here.
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And finally a word from State Senator Stewart Greenleaf about Legal Aid
Numerous people in our group need expensive legal help, so why not try Legal Aid if you qualify.
When my former husband and I divorced many yrs ago - he lived in Texas - and I lived here - I used Legal Aid as my counselor. Is that the correct term, Ron?
Civil Legal Aid
For those who cannot afford legal representation, there is a state-wide network in place to provide legal aid to resolve critical civil matters such as child custody, illegal evictions by a landlord, or home foreclosure. Today, only about half of the 2 million Pennsylvanians who qualify for legal aid get the help they need. Funding for legal aid has fallen sharply in recent years, even as poverty has increased. As of 2014, out of the state’s 12.8 million residents, 1.8 million were living in poverty, up from 1.6 million in 2012.With the legal system far too complex for a lay person to navigate, many are left without recourse for wrongs done to them or when they have been denied basic needs. When an individual comes to court without representation, the process can be very long and burdensome to both the plaintiff and the court system.
In 2007, the Pennsylvania Bar Association passed a resolution stating that the Commonwealth should provide legal counsel as a matter of right to low income persons where basic human needs are at stake. They pointed to research that has shown that for every dollar spent on legal aid, there is more than a 10 fold savings in costs of shelter and basic needs.
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This note was so much easier to write on my blog than on the cumbersome email marketing tool I use.
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Have a great Friday night and weekend!
Ruth Z Deming, MGPGP, Founder/Director
New Directions Support Group since 1986
Donations available on our above website!
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