Mental Health Association of Nebraska

Ex-Convict Uses Battle With Addiction and Mental Health Issues to Help Others

The mental health care system has long made use of former patients as counselors and the practice has been controversial, in part because doctors and caseworkers have questioned their effectiveness. But recent research suggests that peer support can reduce costs, and in 2007, federal health officials ruled that states could bill for the services under Medicaid — if the state had a system in place to train and certify peer providers.

In the years since, “peer support has just exploded; I have been in this field for 25 years, and I have never seen anything happen so quickly,” said Larry Davidson, a mental health researcher at Yale. “Peers are living, breathing proof that recovery is possible, that it is real.”

via www.nytimes.com

New Partnership Between Facebook, SAMHSA and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Facebook is an important part of that partnership, and I’m excited about the new initiative to augment its response to potentially suicidal members by offering the opportunity for a private chat with a trained crisis representative from the Suicide Prevention Lifeline in addition to providing the Lifeline’s phone number. This service will be available to people who use Facebook in the United States and Canada. The new service enables Facebook users to report a suicidal comment they see posted by a friend to Facebook using either the Report Suicidal Content link or the report links found throughout the site.

via blog.samhsa.gov

Drugging the Vulnerable: Atypical Antipsychotics in Children and the Elderly

Pharmaceutical companies have recently paid out the largest legal settlements in U.S. history — including the largest criminal fines ever imposed on corporations — for illegally marketing antipsychotic drugs. The payouts totaled more than $5 billion. But the worst costs of the drugs are being borne by the most vulnerable patients: children and teens in psychiatric hospitals, foster care and juvenile prisons, as well as elderly people in nursing homes. They are medicated for conditions for which the drugs haven't been proven safe or effective — in some cases, with death as a known possible outcome

via healthland.time.com

Man Uses His Schizophrenia to Gather Clues for Daily Living - NYTimes.com

ATHENS, Ohio — She was gone for good, and no amount of meditation could resolve the grief, even out here in the deep quiet of the woods.

Damon Winter/The New York Times

“When I began to see the delusions in the context of things that were happening in my real life, they finally made some sense," Milt Greek said. "And understanding the story of my psychosis helped me see what I needed to stay well.”

Milt Greek pushed to his feet. It was Mother’s Day 2006, not long after his mother’s funeral, and he headed back home knowing that he needed help. A change in the medication for his schizophrenia, for sure. A change in focus, too; time with his family, to forget himself.

via www.nytimes.com

SAVE THE DATE!! STATEWIDE CONFERENCE MAY 21-23 2012!!

Success, Hopes and Dreams

Facing Challenges - Creating Solutions - Celebrating Recovery

May 21-23, 2012 / Lincoln, Nebraska

Keynote Speakers

Paolo Del Veccio, Director CMHS/SAMHSA
And Pat Deegan, Ph.D

 

Conference Registration, Workshop Applications, Exhibitor Registration, Award Nominations, and Sponsorship Opportunities now available at  www.nebraskastateconference.org 

For more information, contact Pat Talbott at: (402) 441-4373 or email: Pat Talbott

Centerpointe Community Education Center

Centerpointe Community Education Center

The Community Education Center provides interactive online courses on a variety of topics. There is no charge for taking the courses.

Definitely an informative resource worth checking out.