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

• Dr. Erlanger Turner’s Blog – Seeking Therapy for Your Child: Every Parent has a Different Journey
  
• Priscilla Warner’s Blog – Happiness
  
• Just Call Me Frank: One Womans Endeavour at Being Frank – A Message To Your Diagnosis
  
• So Now You Know – Sometimes you have to die to live
  
• Redesigning Mental Illness – Getting closer to people with mental illness in your church or community
  
• Psych Thoughts – Lagniappe
  
• Julie Sutter – Why I love my new job marketing mental health at Sage
  
• beautyfrompainblog – Feeling suicidal is not something to be ashamed of
  
• Madmannomore’s Blog – Desert Island (Slipped) Discs
  
• Mindfulness Muse – Rise Above Stigma: Increase Awareness of Mental Health Issues
  
• Robyn’s Online World – May is Mental Health Month – Why It Is Important To Me
  
• Dr. Nabil Hassan El-Ghoroury’s Blog – Juxtaposition of the Autistic and the Artistic
  
• MM172001’s Blog – May 16th Blog for Mental Health
  
• Where Do We Go Now – The Importance of Prioritizing Your Mental Health
  
• Sage Neuroscience Center – Why is Mental Health Important?
  
• Mental Health Humor (a PsychCentral blog) – I’m Blogging For Mental Health: May 16th, 2012
  
• Little Cheesehead on the Prairie – Mental Health Awareness Month: Ending the Stigma
  
• Running on the Rhode – Blogging for Mental Health. Yes, it relates to running
  
• CCTBeveryCentCounts – May is Mental Health Month!
  
• Mental Illness in the Family ( a HealthyPlace blog )- Diagnosis: Mental Illness. The Moment of Truth
  
• Coping With Depression (HealthyPlace Blog) – What’s Not True About Depression
  
• Dr. Ann Becker Schutte – Blogging For Mental Health : My Time in the Dark
  
• The Jessica Dall Blog – Mental Health Month
  
• Hearting Handmade – Secret Week 3: I Was Kidnapped
  
• Child Space – Stigma- What It Is and Why It Gets In The Way of Children Receiving Mental Health Treatment
  
• Losing the Shadow Behind Me – 2012 I’m Blogging About Mental Health Day
  
• Judith Barnard’s Blog – Still Frightened of Mental Illness?
  
• The Bipolar Burble – The Desperation of Mental Illness and Depression
  
• Watchtower 2.0 – Dealing with Mental Illness
  
• Safe Start Center – Children and Stress
  
• If You’re Going Through Hell Keep Going – Love, Labels and Lies
  
• Mombita – La importancia desconocida de la salud mental (in Spanish)
  
• The Real Me: No Holding Back – Where is my Resurrection?
  
• Healthy Place – Writing Off People with a Mental Illness Hurts You, Not Us
  
• Rain City Badger -What To Do if Someone You Know Comes Out With a Mental Illness
  
• Panic about Anxiety (PsychCentral Blog) – Video: Why do I blog about my own mental health
  
• BeePea.com – Bipolar Motherhood: What it Means to be “Mom Enough
  
• Life Your Way – Underground Fight Club
  
• SoundScape Music Therapy – Song Spotlight: “Smile” – In Honor Of Mental Health Awareness Month
  
• High Heels and Hot Flashes – Menopause, Mental Health and Me
  
• Melissa’s House – Melissa’s House: Providing a Home and Peace of Mind
  
• The Little Theatre of Alexandria – Mental Health & Theatre: Artistic Temperaments
  
• Metanoia – Blogging for Mental Health
  
• Do the Right Thing (a Psychology Today blog) – Mental Health Treatment: Don’t just take a Pill
  
• Feisty Blue Gecko- A Tail of the Unexpected – Blogging for Mental Health
  
• ReachOut – 6 reasons why volunteering is good for you
  
• My Florida Families – Anger had built up. I got help.
  
• HealthyPlace – My Experience With Mental Illness and Addiction
  
• The Wolf 101.5 FM- Wounded Warriors
  
• Happy in Nepa – May is Mental Health Month
  
• Private Practice Toolbox (a PsychCentral Blog) – 20 Ways Shrinks Stay Sane
  
• My Fabulous Forties – Random adventures in life – I’m blogging for mental health
  
• divyne n healthy – I’m Blogging for Mental Health…And Why You Should Care
  
• BPHope.com – I’m Blogging for Mental Health – Mental Health Month Blog Party – May 16, 2012
  
• Prozac Monologues – Prozac Monologues
  
• Insight – Blogging about Mental Health for Family and Friends
  
• 20 Commandments for Mental Health Workers – The Importance of Family Support
  
• Life on the Hill - I have mental illness and I take medication so that I’m OK
  
• Surviving with Bipolar Disorder – To Share or Not to Share…That Is the Question
  
• Madmannomore’s Blog – Desert Island (Slipped) Discs
  
• Pursuit of Peace – The Dangers of Stigma
  
• Running for Autism – The Truth About Postpartum Depression
  
• Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer – Blogging for Mental Health
  
• Candidaabrahamson – Just the Facts, Ma’am; The Numbers Don’t Lie: Not Servicing the Mentally Ill
  
• Research Digest- Blogging for Mental Health
  
• The Voice of Our Song- Nobody Knows
  
• Verbal Abuse in Relationships (a HealthyPlace blog) – Domestic Abuse and Depression
  
• Anxiety-Schmanxiety (a HealthyPlace blog) – Are You Deciding Whether to Use Medication for Anxiety?
  
• Coping with Depression (a HealthyPlace blog) – What’s Not True About Depression
  
• Funny in the Head (a HealthyPlace blog) – An Alcoholic Bipolar Bear Reveals The Irony Of Reversible Stigma
  
• More Than Borderline (a HealthyPlace blog) – Original Song: Not Beaten Yet
  
• Champions Career Center- Samantha’s Story: One of our Clients Gets Her Dream Job
  
• Stacy’s Flutterings – Talking About Mental Illness
  
• Semi Urban Homesteading – A Journey Through Mental Illness Toward Wholeness
  
• From Where I Stand – The Invisible Wounds of Trauma
  
• A Social Worker Believes – Your Therapist is in Therapy
  
• NochNoch – for me the bells toll – taking a break, getting married
  
• The Mood Ring – Mental Health Month Blog Party
  
• OCD Talk – Mental Health Blog Party
  
• Healthy Place – Mental Health Awareness: How Early Experiences Shape Self-Esteem
  
• SimpLee Serene – #mhblogday There is no stopping or starting – only doing!
  
• Mental Illness in the Family (a Healthy Place blog) - Parenting and Schizophrenia: A Degree in “MRG”
  
• Freelance Writer and Social Worker – Living and Writing with Bipolar Disorder – Staying on the Road
  
• Ameliamims –  Let’s End Stigma
  
• Healthy Place – Addiction Stigma and Celebrating Mental Health
  
• Soundscape Music Therapy – Song Spotlight: “Smile” – In Honor Of Mental Health Awareness Month
  
• Raisin Questions – What do fish cakes have to do with mental health?
  
• Debunking Addiction Blog (a HealthyPlace blog) - My Experience with Mental Health Stigma
  
• The PsychContinuingEd.com Blog – We can’t be bystanders on mental health care disparities
  
• Hands On Blog – May is Mental Health Month
  

FACT Programs

MHRC is currently recruiting for Peer Specialists to join our Tampa, Clearwater, and Naples FACT teams.

The FACT program is a multidisciplinary mental health team that serves persons with severe and persistent mental illness. In order to be eligible for this position, a person must have personal, practical knowledge and experiences in being a recipient of mental health services and be willing to share these experiences for the benefit of the FACT team and the persons served by the team.

This position is responsible for providing needed treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to individuals served by the FACT Program in order to reduce or eliminate the need for hospitalization and to enhance their independence, autonomy and quality of life. A minimum of 75% of services are provided in the person’s home and/or community environment.

Please contact the following individuals, if you are interested, or know of someone who may be interested, and would like additional information.

Tampa position: Clarice Roberts – (813) 874-4400

Clearwater position: Roberta Clark – (727) 449-8331

Naples position: Peter Schleh – (239) 961-6019

The Able Trust announces the open nomination period for the 2012 Ability Awards!

Nominations are due this Wednesday May 9th for the following categories:

1.) Beverly Chapman Award for Outstanding Employment Placement Program

Beverly Chapman was named the 1989 Disabled American of the Year and the Floridian of the Year and is remembered for her advocacy for employment and independence for persons with disabilities. The Beverly Chapman Award provides recognition and high visibility for outstanding job placement programs for persons with disabilities in Florida. This award is presented to a Florida nonprofit disability organization.  

2.) Dr. George L. Spelios Leadership Award 

Dr. George Spelios was a founding director and past Chair of The Able Trust who touched the lives of many through his passion and commitment to serve people with disabilities. As a tribute to his years of dedication and service, this award recognizes the outstanding leadership and advocacy efforts of an executive director or president of a Florida nonprofit disability organization.

3.) Media Representative Award

Media plays a vital role in the public’s perception of individuals, products and services, especially for the disability community. This award honors an individual member of the media or a media organization for excellence in presenting and/or reporting about people with disabilities.

4.) Employer of the Year Award

Because employers offer valuable resources to Florida’s citizens with disabilities, this award recognizes a small (1-49), medium (50-99) or large (100+) business with an exceptional record of disability friendly practices, including hiring persons with disabilities, making reasonable accommodations and demonstrating efforts beyond simple compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act  as amended.

5.) Adult Leadership Award

This award will be presented to an adult over age 21 with a disability. This individual exhibits statewide, community and nonprofit leadership, is employed full time or part time and serves in a volunteer leadership position with a local organization. (e.g. nonprofit board member, community committee member, commission council, etc.)

Awards will be presented during a luncheon on Friday June 15, 2012, at the Golden Eagle Golf and Country Club in Tallahassee, Florida.

Please visit www.abletrust.org for nomination information and nomination forms, or

2012 Annual Conference
& Justice Institute

in Partnership with the Florida Association of Drug Court Professionals

Confirmed national speakers:

National, state and local experts will present the latest developments in criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse programs including effective diversion and re-entry programs, mental health and drug courts, employment opportunities, peer specialists, housing, veterans’ issues and more.

The Conference Registration is $125.00

Addition of statement on “behavioral health” to “Stigma and Discrimination” in NAMI’s Public Policy Platform

Final Report – April 25, 2012

Fifty-three individuals responded with feedback.

• 17 percent are state presidents,
• 28.3 percent are executive directors,
• 13.2 percent are Consumer Council members,
• 15.1 percent are Veterans and Military Council members and
• 26.4 percent are not affiliated with any of the four councils.

Leaders were given three options to describe their opinion of the proposed changes: “Support“, “Support with reservations” and “Do not support“.

• 83 percent (44 individuals) said they support the changes,
• 11 percent (6 individuals) said they “support with reservations” and
• 6 percent (3 individuals) did not support the changes.

Comments:

1. Reviewed by our Board. Looks good to us.
   ~ Gay H, executive director, NAMI Pinellas (Fla.)
2. Everything in the revisions represent every activity that NAMI is involved with, which is all improving the lives of all people with mental illness.
   ~Anonymous Consumer Council member
3. I wholeheartedly agree with the proposed revisions. Unfortunately, the military forces need to do so much more to help our active duty members before they become veterans.
   ~Char C, Veterans and Military Council member
4. I am glad the board is going to put this through. I think it should have been done years ago. Good Job!!!!
   ~Tom S
5. Strongly support NAMI stance on excluding the words “behavioral” when referring to individuals with mental disorders.
   ~Anonymous
6. I wholeheartedly agree with the statement on behavioral health!
   ~Barbara C

1. I do have a small issue with the choice verbiage. I know a lot of behaviors and actions are hard to control but I also don’t think we can say that not taking personal responsibility from their actions is correct either. As a consumer I can’t always control my actions but in some cases I can and there are consequences for my actions. On the issue of serving in the military I do think you have to take someone’s mental health situation into consideration. Factors that can cause a person to obtain standing effects from war, or already having a pre-existing condition can be a major factor. I think it can more detrimental to a person serving than not continuing in the military.
   ~Anonymous Consumer Council member
2. I agree 100% with the statements in the policy and the rationale behind it, specifically that the term “behavioral health” is stigmatizing. Virginia is moving towards the term “behavioral health” and it concerns me for the very reasons expressed in the proposed policy revision.
   ~Mira S, executive director, NAMI Virginia
3. I agree 100%.
   ~Linda W
4. Although there is a large segment of those who have mental health conditions who can tie them to biological factors, this excludes many who – develop mental health issues as a result of their environment and trauma. In addition, this focus on biology has been proven to have a more stigmatizing effect on some in that it puts things, in the “medical model” framework. Meaning, there is a “disorder” (another stigmatizing term) that is permanent, leaving an individual “damaged.” The statement can be improved by including positive alternatives. It starts out by stating what they condemn, but what is missing is what they would praise or want to see. (For example, condemning the linkage with violence is appropriate – but there is a need to follow that up with the need for more positive portrayals showing people living well, and living successful lives.) The term “behavioral health” – does not move the conversation forward because it does not offer a more positive alternative. Overall our feeling of the statement is that it sounds overbearing, rather than positive – which is really where we need to go here. My hope for the completion of the statement is that, moving forward, peers would be driving its language and purpose.
   ~Anonymous executive director
5. I think it is time to move beyond the word stigma. Stigma is a very much misunderstood word, and historically a stigma is owned by the person who is different.. the reality of mental illness is much of our community is at best ignorant at worst discriminatory. Lets call it what it is. and not use language that most folks don’t understand, whether intentional or not.
   ~Greg G, executive director, NAMI Lee County (Fla.)
6. I agree with the proposed revisions and the reasoning for making them.
   ~Sherry C
7. Behavioral Health does not describe the situation at all. If a person is mentally ill they are mentally ill.
   ~Jerry F
8. I have always been uncomfortable with the term “Behavioral Health.” Thank you for clarifying why that term is not acceptable.
   ~Deb N, executive director, NAMI Central Iowa
9. I fully agree with the NAMI statement; the term, “behavioral health”, implies that mental illnesses are only behavioral and can be overcome.
   ~Jackie S
10. re: Behavioral Health - Change may hurt more than helps. The meaning that emerged through the years does not indicate that mental illness behavior is willful. Term behavioral health refers to health maintenance and prevention of illness.
    ~Carole J, executive director, NAMI Lake County (Ohio)
11. This is a great and much needed addition to our Public Policy. The term “Behavioral Health” is very stigmatizing and says nothing about mental illness being about moods, thoughts, perceptions etc. We could take it one step further and support the development of another term that more aptly describes these disorders.
    ~Carol C, executive director, NAMI Montgomery County (Pa.)
12. Yeah! We hate the term “behavioral health” and are working on getting all our hospitals to stop using it.
    ~Anonymous executive director
13. Comment from board member: If NAMI is going to condemn the use of Behavioral Health they are obligated to come up with what terms are acceptable.
    ~Anonymous executive director
14. This belief statement is too one-sided identifying only the brain/body perspective of mental illnesses. perhaps a more balanced statement, or softer wording could be used to leave open the fact that diagnosed individuals are responsible to work on recovery and be planful in attending to early warning symptoms to avoid destructive behaviors that we have demonstrated in the past and continue to be responsible for today.
    ~Catherine R, Consumer Council member
15. If this is something that is adopted as a NAMI position, I think that would be wonderful. I would hope that you will notify all NAMI orgs and affiliates so that we can use this policy as a guide for our work. I wonder if this position is adopted, how that will effect the information that NAMI publicizes and the collaborations that NAMI makes with other orgs? Behavioral Health is used currently so widely by other groups. If this is NAMI’s position, will we still promote and support initiatives, trainings, resources, etc that use the BH term? Thanks.
    ~Anonymous executive director
16. Yes!!! Finally! Finally someone speaking out against the term “behavioral health”! Your thoughts on this issue express my thoughts exactly! The use of that term is very stigmatizing and connotes that we consumers “behave” bad.(P.S.- I am a member of Nami and also of Nami Connections, though am not on any council. )
    ~Marsha A
17. Looks good to me.
    ~Anonymous Consumer Council member
18. I support the position. Would be helpful if we had a proposal for those who improperly portray and discriminate against those with mental illness on how they could address the mental illness issue without stigma or discrimination. I must admit that I do not have the words for the proposal, but would be eager to either see what others have proposed or work to create a sound and well considered proposal.
    ~Mike S
19. Behavioral Health for State of Louisiana is still at such a stalemate as for as Stigma. Meaning, treatment by with and for workers not wanting to be involved in Co-Occurring treatment. Federal dollars are and have been discriminating across disabilities, with mental health organizations creating Stigma over said dollars.
    ~Denver N, Consumer Council member

1. We deal with the behavioral stigma with our state legislators. It is time that they, and the general public, learn that mental illness is a disease, not a behavior.
2. ~Margaret Ballard
3. I never liked the term “behavior health.”
   ~Tom W
4. I agree with the statement, but I don’t think this is a battle worth fighting when so many other things are more important and when we can’t do anything to people who continue to use the term, some of whom are our friends.
   ~Anonymous state president
5. The term behavioral health has bothered me ever since it became the new in terminology. Thank you for addressing this and hopefully leading the charge to get rid of it.
   ~Kim S, president, NAMI Oregon
6. Excellent!
   ~Patti Jo S, president, NAMI Wisconsin
7. Stigma, which family members endure, was brought up at one of our recent meetings. Should a statement be made concerning the stigma that family members face?
   ~Anonymous state president
8. NAMI further believes that mental illness is a medical condition, biological in nature, which involves psychological processes such as cognition, emotion, temperament and motivation and which disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. NAMI does not favor using the inaccurate term “behavioral health”, as the very term obscures and hinders effective treatment and can add to the stigma and discrimination endured by people living with a mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
   ~Silvia A, executive director, NAMI Puerto Rico
9. Very well done; thank you. I do, however, have two comments: 1) Some times mental illness is used; other times the term mental illnessES is used. Perhaps, the terms should be consistent throughout the document. 2) It is said that NAMI “believes…”. I would respectfully suggest using a stronger word such as CONVINCED.
   ~Sherry G, president, NAMI New York State
10. The stigma and nonsense must stop; lives are being lost because of it….mine almost several times. I am a former missionary to Guatemala for twenty years and showed no signs of Bipolar until an MA at University of Penn. I finished the MA and returned to the field. I ended up in Wi by accident but have become “manic” (fine) in my advocacy.
    ~Julie S, chair, Wisconsin Consumer Council
11. This is well put together and seems like a lot of time and effort was put into this to get the wording just right. It’s clear concise and should make sense to any one that is reading this.
    ~ James B, Veterans and Military Council member
12. I do not think that ‘primarily biological’ is correct; rather it be worded ‘primarily biological and environmental’.
    ~Kyle L, Veterans and Military Council member