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Information on Medicare coverage of Medications

Links to other Empowering Websites

New fact sheets available from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

Shared Decision Making in Mental Health

An archive of the January 21, 2010 Webinar, Shared Decision Making in Mental Health: Panel on Consumer Perspectives and Experiences, is now available on the SAMHSA Shared Decision Making website at http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/consumersurvivor/shared.asp.

New research study finds unlocked, mental health consumer-managed, crisis residential program produce better results than locked, inpatient psychiatric facilities

For adults with severe psychiatric problems, consumer-managed residential programs may be the way to go, a new study suggests. A recent American Journal of Community Psychology study compared the effectiveness of an unlocked, mental health consumer-managed, crisis residential program (CRP) to a locked, inpatient psychiatric facility (LIPF) for adults for severe psychiatric problems. Participants in the CRP experienced significantly greater improvement on interviewer-rated and self-reported psychopathology than did participants in the LIPF condition; service satisfaction was dramatically higher in the CRP condition.

Title of Study: A Randomized Trial of a Mental Health Consumer-Managed Alternative to Civil Commitment for Acute Psychiatric Crisis. Greenfield, TK, Stoneking, BC, Humphreys, K, Sundby, E, and Bond, J (2008). American Journal of Community Psychology 42 (1/2):135-144.

Additional Information:

Article announcing the study: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118619.php

Click to view the index of current issue on self-help for the American Journal of Community Psychology:

Practice Guidelines: Core Elements in Responding to Mental Health Crises

Individuals experiencing mental health crises may encounter an array of professionals and nonprofessionals trying to intervene and help: family members, peers, health care personnel, police, advocates, clergy, educators, and others. Their approaches in assisting those in crises often vary widely, contributing to the potential for ineffectual responses. Developed by a diverse expert panel that included individuals with mental illnesses, providers, public officials, and advocates, the guidelines presented here define appropriate responses to mental health crises across various situations and environments. (PDF, 384KB, 26 pages)

New Guidebook from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors

Paving New Ground: Peers Working in In-Patient Settings. The guidebook is 110 pages, and an excellent resource on Peer Support Recovery. (PDF, 934KB)

Comfort Rooms by Gayle Bluebird (PDF of a PowerPoint, 35 pages, 610KB)

Book Review:

Gayle Bluebird Reviews - Voluntary Madness, by Norah Vincent

Texas Crisis Alternatives Project

Cost Effectiveness of Nine Crisis Residential Modalities, 1996 (PDF, 188 pages, 9MB)

Consumer-Directed Medicaid Services more Effective than Professionally-Directed Services

See Also
In the Driver's Seat: Guide to Self-Direction in Mental Health

The Florida Self-Directed Care Program -A Practical Path to Self-Determination (PDF 181KB - 10 pages)

The Contribution of Self-Direction to Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services - A Major New HHS Study on Self-determination

The above SAMHSA funded study by Ce Shen, Ph.D. and others published in the November 2008 Psychiatric Services found that self-directed care works well for persons with mental illnesses. This study examined the effectiveness of the Cash and Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation program for those with a diagnosis of mental illness.

Adults with mental illnesses in the program compared to those receiving usual Medicaid services were found to be more satisfied with their paid caregivers reliability, schedule, performance, relationship, overall care arrangement and with their quality of life in general, had fewer unmet needs in terms of household activities, transportation and routine health care at home, had no more injuries or other adverse health outcomes, and were able to manage the cash option to hire caregivers and purchase care-related services and goods.

The study abstract can be found at web site http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/11/1299.

EEOC Issues Q&A Guide On Disabilities/Employment

Carrie Mason-Draffen Newsday September 4, 2008

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued what it calls a comprehensive question and answer guide on the rights of workers with disabilities.

The guides looks at how the Americans With Disabilities Act, which the EEOC enforces, applies, or doesn't, to a wide range of performance and conduct issues.

The topics discussed include performance and conduct standards, attendance, dress codes, drug and alcohol use and the circumstances in which employers can ask questions about employees' disabilities.

"The EEOC continues to receive numerous questions on these topics from employers and from individuals with disabilities, indicating that there is still a high level of uncertainty about how the ADA affects these fundamental personnel issues," said commission chair Naomi C. Earp.

To view the guide go to: www.eeoc.gov/facts/performance-conduct.html

Best Practices in Supportive Housing and Employment: The Employer's Perspective

Third in a series of webinars sponsored by the Corporation for Supportive Housing and Enterprise Community Partners

To truly be successful, an employment program for tenants of supportive housing must learn to cultivate positive relationships with employers.  Yet making the business case for hiring individuals with many (perceived or actual) barriers to employment—including criminal records, mental illness, substance abuse issues, and/or a limited work history—can be difficult and intimidating.  However, there is a strong business case to be made for why employers should hire your residents – and it really works.

Hear from an acclaimed employment placement agency that works with employers to find jobs for ”hard to place” individuals. Click to view an archived recording.

In the Driver's Seat: Guide to Self-Direction in Mental Health

The Bazelon Center and the UPENN Collaborative on Community Integration have produced a guide to help consumers and other advocates obtain policies that give consumers a primary role in their recovery planning and greater control over how resources are spent to meet their needs. Titled In the Driver’s Seat, the 40-page document includes advocacy strategies and examples of existing programs’ approaches to self-directed care. Fact sheets summarize important aspects such as financing. (link to PDF or to purchase hard copy)

National Warmlines for Mental Health Support

The Florida Self-Directed Care Program - A Practical Path to Self-Determination (PDF 181KB - 10 pages)

Information on New Medicare coverage of Medications

Consumer-Run Statewide Organizations

Systems Advocacy: What It Is and How to Do It

This free audiovisual presentation by the UIC National Research and Training Center covers grassroots organizing, how to create an advocacy plan, negotiation strategies and tactics, and "nuts and bolts" skills building including effective advocacy letter writing, phone calls to policy makers, and managing in-person meetings. Funded by NIDRR and CMHS, the archived webcast is available at www.cmhsrp.uic.edu/nrtc/advocacywebcast.asp.

Connectedness and Citizenship: Redefining Social Integration by Norma Ware et al (pdf- 81 kb, 6 pages)

Assessing the Promise

An Evaluation of the Work of the Consumer and Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Centers including the National Empowerment Center, 2002 Report (PDF 1,623KB, 63 pages)

ROSI (Recovery Oriented Systems Indicators)

Excerpted from the ROSI Research Team’s 2005 handout entitled Piloting the Recovery Oriented System Indicators (ROSI) Administrative Data Profile and Consumer Self-Report Survey. Please note additional use guidelines in the ROSI instrument description section (PDF - 320.41KB, 17 pages)

Measuring the Promise: A Compendium of Recovery Measures, Volume II

One of a series of materials produced by the Evaluation Center@HSRI  (PDF - 7,917KB, 254 pages) Please note: This is a very large file.

An Evaluation of Peer-Delivered Mental Health Disaster Relief Services in New York City - By Hardiman, et al. May 2005.

This is an evaluation of the impact of peer delivered mental health services as part of Project Liberty following 9/11 (PDF - 965.83KB, 79 pages)

Self-help Clearinghouse Newsletter on Role of Peers in Disaster Relief (PDF - 575KB, 4 pages, published June, 2006)

From Relief to Recovery

Peer Support by Consumers Relieves the Traumas of Disasters and Facilitates Recovery from Mental Illness.  By Daniel Fisher, National Empowerment Center (NEC), with assistance from Kay Rote, Oklahoma; LaVerne Miller, New York; David Romprey, Oregon; and Beth Filson, Georgia (PDF - 432KB, 15 pages, published September, 2006)

Voices of Transformation: Developing Recovery-Based Statewide Consumer/Survivor Organizations 

By the National Empowerment Center (NEC) and the Recovery Consortium, published October 2006.  Please note: This is a very large file.  For additional information go to the Recovery Consortium page. (PDF 2MB - 104 pages)

Empowerment from Participation in Consumer-run Organizations

Effects of participation in consumer-operated service programs on both personal and organizationally mediated empowerment: Results of multisite study by E. Sally Rogers, ScD; Gregory B. Teague, PhD; Carolyn Lichenstein, PhD; Jean Campbell, PhD; Asya Lyass, MA; Ren Chen, MS; Steven Banks, PhD.  (PDF, 15 pages, 233KB)

For Trauma-Informed materials & trainers, email jmckinney@mhasp.org

Supportive Housing for People with Mental Illness: Regaining a Life in the Community. 

View archived 9/25/2007 Webcast.  (Click to view details of this and links to other webcasts)

Bazelon Offers Model Policy for Addressing Student Mental Health

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has released a model policy to help colleges and universities develop a non-discriminatory, non-punitive approach to students in crisis because of mental health problems.  It is available as a free download at www.bazelon.org/pdf/SupportingStudents.pdf (518 kb, 10 pages)

Guide on Seclusion and Restraint

National Association of State Mental Health Planning Directors Guide on Seclusion and Restraint (pdf, 246KB, 35 pages)

Consensus Statement on Mental Health Recovery

SAMHSA Issues Consensus Statement on Mental Health Recovery - 2/16/06 (pdf, 142KB, 2 pages)

SAMHSA released its plan to implement the New Freedom Mental Health Commission Report

Federal Action Agenda: First Steps, 7/22/05

Dan Fisher's Presentations on Recovery