Friday, January 21, 2005

Mental Health Screening Will Save LivesPage at the NAMI web site - "Our nation simply cannot afford to continue to fail our youth with mental disorders who need treatment. The tragic consequences of our failure to identify youth through early assessment and to intervene with appropriate mental health treatment and services are well documented..." See also NAMI's recently adopted position paper on mental health screening.  
  

An Empowerment Model of Recovery From Severe Mental Illness An "Expert Interview" in Medscape Psychiatry & Mental Health with Daniel B. Fisher, Executive Director of the National Empowerment Center - "Our description of mental illness is a combination of severe emotional distress and an interruption of a person's place in the community and social role -- being a worker, parent, student, a participant in overall community life -- which is not dissimilar from what is considered a mental disorder in DSM-IV. The most important finding in our research is that people who have shown significant or complete recovery from severe mental illness -- by that I mean schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder -- have cited hope as an extraordinarily important component in their recovery. Part of the recovery was being around people who saw their condition as not permanent, a condition from which they could take increasing control of their life and reestablish a place in society." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Vermont Teddy Bear to meet with advocates Times-Argus story - "The makers of a controversial teddy bear wearing a straitjacket announced Thursday that it would meet with mental health advocates early next month. The Vermont Teddy Bear Co., based in Shelburne, has been the subject of protest by mental health advocates who say the company's 'Crazy for You Bear' is offensive and in poor taste."