Monthly Archives: May 2012

Esperanza magazine is working on a story about dysthymia

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Interview Opportunity

 
 

Esperanza magazine is working on a story about dysthymia and would like to talk with people living with that specific diagnosis (There cannot be any co-morbid condition such as anxiety).

 
 

They are interested in hearing from people who have found significant or some relief through medication, talk therapy or other means or from people who are still struggling despite treatment. Esperanza will identify people quoted in the story by their full names in the print magazine, but only by last initials in the version posted on the Internet (so names won’t be “searchable”).

 
 

If interested, please contact the reporter, Josh Roberts, directly at
tcwriter@msn.com by Friday, June 8. Please include your name, city, and phone number, along with background information about your experience with the illness.

 
 

Thanks. Please feel free to forward this email to others. 

 
 




via

Judith Evans, Executive Director
NAMI Florida

Senate Approves Bill to Strike ‘Lunatic’ from Federal Law

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VICTORY ‘Lunatic’

 
 


Senate Approves Bill to Strike ‘Lunatic’ from Federal Law

 
 

By Brendan McLean, NAMI Communications Coordinator

 
 

It seems that there’s at least one topic that everyone in the Senate can agree on: the removal of the word “lunatic” from federal law. On Wednesday, the Senate unanimously agreed to strike the word from all pieces of federal legislation–a major victory for the mental health community.

 
 

“Federal law should reflect the 21st century understanding of mental illness and disease,” said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) when introducing the 21st Century Language Act with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) in late April. “The continued use of this pejorative term has no place in the U.S. Code.”

 
 

Although the elimination of this word is only a small step in eliminating the stigma associated with mental illness, the Mental Health Liaison Group, a coalition of 38 groups, including NAMI, believe that the legislation will help prevent negative stereotypes from being perpetuated.

 
 

“Deleting these terms from usage in the U.S. code is a simple means of demonstrating respect for individuals living with mental health conditions and will have no effect on the underlying federal laws,” they wrote in a letter of support.

 
 

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, which must also pass it before it can go to the President to be signed into law.

 
 

The word “lunatic” appears in the U.S. Code in Title 1, Chapter 1, which covers rules of construction. Language in the chapter states that when applying the law “the words ‘insane’ and ‘insane person’ and ‘lunatic’ shall include every idiot, lunatic, insane person, and person non compos mentis.”

 
 

According to the bill, the language also appears in banking laws associated with the authority to take receivership of estates.

SSI and SSDI Beneficiaries Living with Mental Illness (Webinar)

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Save the Date: Learn How You Can Help SSI and SSDI Beneficiaries Living with Mental Illness (Webinar)

  
 
 

When: Friday, June 15 at 2:00 p.m. ET


Where: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/webinars/HelpFindGoodRepPayees/


A Representative Payee is an individual or organization designated to receive SSI or SSDI benefits for individuals who cannot manage or direct someone else to manage their money. This service is essential to helping the most vulnerable beneficiaries manage basic necessities such as the daily and weekly costs of rent, food and clothing. In many parts of the country, there are serious shortages in the availability of qualified individuals and organizations to serve as Representative Payees.

NAMI is working with the SSA to help address this crisis and find more individuals and non-profits willing to serve as Representative Payees on behalf of SSI and SSDI beneficiaries living with serious mental illnesses. As part of this effort, the SSA is hosting a free webinar on Friday, June 15 at 2:00 p.m. eastern time for NAMI leaders and others in the mental health community s to learn about what they can do in their local communities to assist in finding individuals and non-profits willing to perform this vital service.

NAMI grassroots leaders and advocates are encouraged to participate. We would also appreciate anything you can do to reach out to others in your communities about this important webinar.

Visit the webinar page for more information and to register.

I’m Blogging About Bloggers Who Blogged Today For Mental Health And the APA Blog Party

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First I would like to thank the American Psychological Association hosting another awesome blog party! Getting bloggers in the blogosphere blogging with a focus on recovery and how to reduce discrimination. This event is without a doubt one of my personal highlights of mental health awareness month.

It’s not over yet you still have time to get your blog posts included in the blog party Roundup. Just write a post about stigma and how you feel it can be reduced and how others can be educated by learning more about mental illness. Then TWEET it (@APAHelpCenter & #mhblogday).

I am so amazed of the multitude of bloggers and the high quality of posts that are being written this year. I want to thank each one of you bloggers and advocate… I’ve been reading every post I possibly can get to… Below is a list of the blogs better than posted so far as of 7 PM.

Mental Health Month Blog Party 2012 – Round Up


Today’s APA Blog PARTY posts