Family Education & Support Group Meeting: HRM Chapter of the SSNS

TODAY, 7:00 pm!

Family members, friends, co-workers, and other supporters of those living with schizophrenia and related illnesses are cordially invited to attend Family Education & Support Group meetings of the HRM Chapter. The next meeting is ...

Date
Monday, February 8th, 2009

Time
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Place
Room 1234, Halifax Infirmary
Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre
1796 Summer Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Agenda

7:00 pm to 7:45 pm

Topic:
Current Research on Schizophrenia

Dr. Phil Tibbo
Dr. Paul Janssen Chair in Psychotic Disorders
Dalhousie University

Medical Advisor
Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia


8:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Group Discussion

To download the HRM Chapter’s 2009-2010 Meeting Schedule, please click here (PDF).

To download the HRM Chapter's brochure, click here (PDF).

To join the HRM Chapter of the SSNS, or for more information, contact Donna Methot at (902) 462-8658 or send an email to hrmchapterssns@accesswave.ca.

The HRM Chapter of the SSNS will accept members from outside the boundaries of Halifax Regional Municipality.

Photograph of downtown Halifax by Derek Rodgers.

Photograph of Dr. Tibbo by Nick Pearce.

Novel Tech Ethics presents States of Mind

Tomorrow, February 9th, 7:00 pm!

Little Miss Sunshine

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

Also see:

States of Mind 2010: A Film Series on the Ethics of Mental Health

From Recovery to Discovery -- A New Peer Support Group in Halifax

This Thursday, February 11th, 6:30 pm!

ALL ARE WELCOME!

FREE!

Living with mental illness does not mean walking alone.

The Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia has started a new peer support group named From Recovery to Discovery.

The From Recovery to Discovery group is special because it moves beyond the expectation of simply existing with minimal symptoms of mental illness. Our message is that we all have the opportunity to manifest our strengths, to recover a sense of empowerment, and to live with meaning and purpose. Through sharing our own wisdom and experience with each other, we are reminded to reach for hope and fulfillment in our lives, and to help each other to reach our potential.

Open to anyone affected by any type of mental illness, the From Recovery to Discovery group started meeting on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009, as an organic offshoot of the Your Recovery Journey program completed in Halifax during October and November 2009.

The format of From Recovery to Discovery meetings involves an interactive presentation on topics of interest to the group in the first hour, and a group discussion during the second hour.

Meetings
Every Thursday Evening
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

The Hub
2nd Floor, 1673 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

An Interactive Presentation
on

Spirituality and Mental Health

by

Mr. Roy Ellis

Bereavement Coordinator
Grief and Bereavement Services
Capital District Health Authority

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

An Interactive Presentation
on

Gratitude

by

Ms. Laura Burke

Peer Support Facilitator
Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

An Interactive Presentation
on

Mindfulness

by

Dr. David Whitehorn
Consultant on Early Psychosis
Department of Psychiatry
Dalhousie University

Chair
Shambhala Working Group on Aging

If you have any questions, or would like more information on this exciting new group, please contact Laura Burke, Peer Support Facilitator, Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia, by phoning 465-2601 (toll free 1-800-465-2601) or sending an email to ssns2@ns.sympatico.ca.

Photograph of Barrington Street courtesy of Paul Darrow.

Photograph of Dr. Whitehorn courtesy of Shambhala.

Fatality Inquiry Into the Death of Howard Hyde -- Live Web-Cast and Video Archive

Ongoing

The Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (SSNS) has standing at this inquiry and is represented by a total of five lawyers, all of whom are working on a pro bono basis. The SSNS thanks Blair Mitchell (lead counsel), Angela Byrne, Michele Cleary, Marion Ferguson, and Sharmi Jaggi.

Howard Hyde

Adapted from the Nova Scotia Department of Justice's Howard Hyde website (the proceedings commence at 9:30 am on each day listed below):

Pursuant to the Fatality Investigations Act, S.N.S. 2001 C. 31

Presiding:
The Honourable Judge Anne Derrick of the Nova Scotia Provincial Court

Inquiry Counsel:
Dan MacRury Q.C., Chief Crown Attorney for the Cape Breton Region

Schedule:
Resumes Tuesday, February 9th

Location:
Centennial Building, Hollis Street, 7th Floor, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Video and audio of the Inquiry will be streamed live on the scheduled hearing dates (above).

To view proceedings live, please click below:

LIVE WEB-CAST OF HYDE INQUIRY

To view archived recordings of completed proceedings, please click below:

HYDE INQUIRY ARCHIVE

Also see:

Howard Hyde Inquiry

Tuesday, February 2nd

Many clues Hyde was ill, expert says<

Wednesday, February 3rd

Hyde's cause of death challenged

Her life story goes from fearful to awesome

An article published in today's edition of The Province:

By Lora Grindlay

For the 11th year, Coast Mental Health will present six people with Courage to Come Back awards for overcoming injury, illness and adversity and for inspiring those around them while doing so. Recipients will be celebrated at a gala dinner at Vancouver's Hyatt Regency hotel on April 30. Today we profile the recipient in the mental-health category. Find more at coastmentalhealth.com

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No longer is Tina Tomashiro's life ruled by fear.

Her days are now measured in achievement and accomplishment: Three years since she last used crack cocaine; four courses of the 11 she needs to be a paralegal completed; a full-time job as office manager of Pivot Legal Society; the correct medication and the self-awareness to control her depression and paranoid schizophrenia; mastering the art of doing perfect circles on her rollerblades.

And now a Courage to Come Back award -- a testament to her willingness and determination to change the life she once lived. It was the life of a homeless, drug-addicted woman with an untreated mental illness suffering severe trauma following a violent assault in 2002.

"I was totally unemployable four years ago because of my mental health, because of self-esteem. I had low self-worth, very little support," said Tomashiro, 39 (pictured).

Tomashiro struggled with mental illness for years and was diagnosed with depression in 1999 and with schizophrenia in 2005.

In the years between the diagnoses she was the victim of a violent attack at the hands of someone she thought she knew.

"I'm a little too trusting, a little too nice," she said. "I actually thought I was going to die that night."

Tomashiro believes the attack triggered something inside her.

"I started being scared all the time," she said. "I think that somehow I snapped."

Following the attack, she lost her job of over two years at BCIT, began using crack cocaine and moved to Calgary where, when she wasn't living on the streets, she was in the psychiatric ward of a hospital.

Tomashiro returned to Vancouver in late 2004 and moved into the Stanley Hotel, a supported-housing program in the Downtown Eastside operated by the Portland Hotel Society. It was there that she reached rock bottom with a suicide attempt, but it's also where she started her comeback.

Dr. Bill MacEwan, a psychiatrist familiar to many in the Downtown Eastside, got her stabilized on medication. And she quit crack.

"Everything that happened from when I was assaulted, I just lived for fear," she said. "I used to use [crack] and it made me really scared. I just reached a point where I was tired of being scared. I was scared that I was going to wake up scared again."

Tomashiro now lives at the Portland's Pennsylvania Hotel in the Downtown Eastside, has renewed contact with her 17-year-old daughter and credits the Portland Hotel Society, Pivot Legal Society and MacEwan for investing in her life.

She's renovated and painted her single-occupancy room, repaired clothes for her neighbours, secured a $500-grant to plant a community garden, and threw a barbeque for the neighbourhood.

Tomashiro started an art program at the Carnegie Centre, promoted Pivot's Hope in Shadows calendar and has spoken publicly about her struggles with mental illness.

"I've changed so much in the last few years," she said.

Photograph by Nick Procaylo, The Province.

Learning to cope

An article published in the January 29th edition of The Truro Daily News:

Educating yourself key to dealing with mental illness

By Monique Chiasson

TRURO – Martha Rodler (pictured) has come to expect people uttering “stupid” or “crazy” under their breath within her earshot.

She doesn’t approve of such rude actions, but she deals with it in a positive way.
“I feel bad for them because it’s their problem and they are looking for a reaction so I don’t give it to them,” said the North River resident who has learned how to deal with mental illness issues in a healthy way. Her mother and brother were both diagnosed with schizophrenia many years ago and while she has had to learn how to cope with their illness, she has also had to educate herself on how to handle society’s ignorance and intolerance of mental illness.

“There’s still a stigma that someone with mental illness is stupid and it can be shameful for some ... but you can’t let what other people think affect you,” said Rodler. “You need to see there’s a person beyond the illness and it wasn’t their choice to have it. It’s a challenge that has made me a stronger person.”

Before Rodler educated herself on understanding mental illness and enforcing healthy boundaries, she often felt “stress, resentment and anger.”

She said as important as it was for her to learn how to accept, understand and deal with other people’s mental illness, it is also vital the community becomes more understanding and tolerant as well.

“If a person with mental health (issues) has learned to live with it why can’t we (as a society)? It’s time to break the cycle of stigma,” said Rodler.

There are many ways of getting help, she said, including searching for information online, self help groups, therapy, books and tapes and through the local Canadian Mental Health Association.

The association hosted Wine, Women and Wellness at the Marigold Thursday night. The event was the first of its kind in Truro with the goal of bringing women together to become closer, share their experiences and help raise awareness about mental health. “It’s great,” said Rodler. “Women are very strong but we need each other.”

The association’s executive director, Crystal Hill, said such events are vital to the community.

“Everybody is affected by mental health and it’s important to recognize the importance of talking about it ... so people know there are resources available,” said Hill.

Also see:

Learning about Schizophrenia: Rays of Hope - A Reference Manual for Families & Caregivers (PDF)

Symptoms of Psychosis & Schizophrenia (PDF)

Photograph by Monique Chiasson, Truro Daily News.

Doctors and dentists who 'substance abuse' helped

An article posted on January 28th by BBC News:

A pilot project giving special help to doctors and dentists with health problems has treated 184 people in its first year.

By Jane Dreaper, Health Correspondent, BBC News

62% of them had mental health problems, while 36% were battling drink or drug addiction.

Of the 78 who weren't working when they came into contact with the scheme, 46% returned to work.

The medical director of the project said she had been surprised at the extent of substance misuse.

The project has been hailed a success and there are plans to expand it.

A third of the medics contacted the service because they were already involved in disciplinary proceedings.

Depression was the mental health problem most commonly diagnosed by the NHS Practitioner Health Programme (PHP) - but the service also uncovered six cases of psychosis that hadn't previously been treated.

Of the 67 doctors and dentists who attended the service with addiction problems, 51 were drinking too much alcohol while 16 were abusing a range of drugs - including heroin, ketamine and cocaine.

'Embarrassed'

The PHP was set up because NHS clinicians are often embarrassed to seek help for these sorts of problems.

It also has to ensure that patients aren't put at risk by doctors and dentists who are unwell.

Five of the scheme's patients removed themselves from their duties after being told they should do so - and on two occasions, the PHP contacted the regulators to express concern about its patients.

Psychiatrists, anaesthetists and paediatricians were the specialties most commonly attending the service.

The PHP's medical director, Dr Clare Gerada, said: "This has been a real eye-opener.

"I thought at first we'd see a bit of stress and burn-out. But it soon became apparent how troubled some of these doctors and dentists were.

"I've been surprised at the degree and extent of substance misuse that we've seen.

"They're not the easiest patients in the world - and behind them are patients who could potentially be harmed.

"They tend to present at a late stage, but very few dropped out of treatment, and most of them tend to do well."

'Abstinent'

More than 80% of the doctors and dentists who were treated for addiction were shown to have stayed abstinent afterwards - compared with about 10% of the general population.

The service tests their hair and blood for evidence of alcohol or substance abuse.

PHP has so far operated in Greater London. Talks have begun to set up similar NHS services in Newcastle and Avon.

The chief medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, had the idea for the service.

He said: "The problem is there in all medical workplaces around the world.

"Previously, doctors found it extremely difficult to access appropriate and confidential care.

"From the number of patients accessing PHP during its first year, it's clear there is a need for this highly specialised service."

Photograph courtesy of the Practitioner Health Programme.

Strengthening Families Together: Kentville

Beginning Tuesday, March 16th!

FREE!

Do you have a relative or friend with a serious mental illness?

Would you like to learn more about his or her illness?

Delivered by family members who have direct experience with the psychiatric illness of a loved one, and enhanced by invited speakers with topical expertise, Strengthening Families Together is a Canadian-based educational program for families and friends which provides information, skill-building, and support. The program is FREE and open to all family members and friends of those living with a serious mental illness.

You will learn about:

• Early intervention and recovery
• Treatments and supports
• Coping with challenges of daily living
• Navigating the mental health system
• The importance of taking care of yourself, too

In partnership with Annapolis Valley Health Mental Health Services, the Kings County Chapter of the SSNS will deliver Strengthening Families Together in Kentville beginning on Tuesday, March 16th, and continuing for nine consecutive weeks.

For an outline of the Strengthening Families Together program, please click here.

Registration

To register for this 10-week session of Strengthening Families Together, please contact Pat at (902) 678-8458 or or Penni at (902) 678-1229.

Quotes from participants of previous Strengthening Families Together sessions:

“I would like to say thank you so very much for taking the time and effort to have this program on Thursday nights. It has been a wonderful experience and I am sad to see it end.”

“This has been a blessing to me. I am very satisfied with my experience with the group, and my understanding of the health care options and support available to us has greatly increased. I would highly recommend Strengthening Families Together to any who will listen! Thanks.”

“Some solid strategies and ideas on how to help our son.”

“I feel this program is a wonderful launching pad; it equips us to participate in community events and gives us connections to others who are equally passionate about understanding mental illness. It’s a valuable resource.”

Blood test for schizophrenia could be ready this year

A January 20th media release from the American Chemical Society:

A blood test for diagnosing schizophrenia — the most serious form of mental illness — could be available this year, according to an article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine. The disorder, with symptoms that can include hallucinations and delusional thoughts, affects more than two million people in the United States and millions more worldwide.

C&EN Senior Editor Celia Henry Arnaud mentions the test as one part of a much broader discussion of how scientists are using non-brain cells to study schizophrenia in an attempt to speed the identification of biomarkers of the disease and develop new diagnostic tests. She notes that schizophrenia does not just involve the brain, but also abnormal levels of certain proteins that appear in other parts of the body. The article highlights groundbreaking research by a group of scientists in the United Kingdom indicating that 40 percent of the chemical changes in the brains of schizophrenia patients also occur in other body parts. The U.K. scientists are studying these biomarkers in the skin, immune cells, and blood of patients to provide a real-time picture of the disease. Most previous studies, in contrast, were done with brain tissue taken from patients after death, the article notes.

The scientists have already identified several schizophrenia biomarkers in the blood and are working with a company that plans to launch a blood test for diagnosing schizophrenia in 2010. The test could help confirm diagnoses made on the basis of psychiatric evaluations and allow earlier diagnosis so that patients can be treated earlier.

###

ARTICLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
"A Systemic Look at Schizophrenia"

This story is available at http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/88/8803sci1.html

Contact
Michael Bernstein
Email: m_bernstein@acs.org
Phone: 202-872-6042

Also see:

Expression Profiling of Fibroblasts Identifies Cell Cycle Abnormalities in Schizophrenia

Photograph courtesy of the American Chemical Society.

Industry-Academic Consortium Set Up to Bolster Schizophrenia and Depression R&D

An article posted today by Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News:

A newly established international industry-academic consortium is to receive funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) to develop new models and methods for the discovery of treatments for schizophrenia and depression. Led by H. Lundbeck and Kings College London, the NEWMEDS (novel methods leading to new medications in depression and schizophrenia) project plans on partnering with major academic institutions in Europe and Israel as well as global pharma companies like AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Novartis, Orion, Pfizer, Roche, Servier, and Wyeth.

The research will focus on developing new animal models for the identification of treatments for schizophrenia. It will also examine how genetic variations influence drug response. Additionally, the project aims to develop new approaches that will allow shorter and more efficient clinical trials.

The consortium believes there are currently a number of major bottlenecks preventing the translation of knowledge and research findings relating to schizophrenia and depression to the clinic. These include a lack of accurate animal models for drug discovery, a scarcity of tools and tests in healthy volunteers to provide early efficacy data, and the reliance in clinical trials on symptom-based diagnostic and statistical manual categories.

“While the biology of psychiatry has made remarkable progress, we have been slow in converting that into innovative and new medications,” points out Shitij Kapur, M.D. (pictured), at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry. “This is a joint challenge for academia and industry. NEWMEDS is a joint response. It is not only scientifically innovative, but it is also an innovation in creating a cluster of nearly 50 scientists from both sides to work together to achieve a common goal of better, safer, and more effective medicines more quickly.”

Tine Bryan Stensbl, M.D., divisional director for discovery pharmacology research at Lundbeck, adds, “NEWMEDS embodies a novel collaborative effort where companies join forces and together with academia answer scientific questions in a precompetitive environment that will form the basis of tomorrow’s medicines. This joint effort will provide novel insights that undoubtedly will be to the benefit of the patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression.”

The IMI, which will provide funding to NEWMEDS, is public-private partnership between the pharma industry’s European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations and the EU. The initiative’s goal is to promote and support Europe’s position in drug discovery and development. The IMI’s overall funding scheme has a budget of €2 billion, half of which will be provided by the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme and half by EFPIA member companies.

I thank John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Photo credit

Understanding What Causes Schizophrenia: A Developmental Perspective

An editorial published in the January 2010 edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry:

By John H. Gilmore, M.D.

Understanding what causes schizophrenia is becoming harder and harder. We know that schizophrenia has genetic causes, since the most significant risk factor is having a first-degree relative with schizophrenia. However, most people with schizophrenia do not have an affected relative, and while the overall genetic contribution to schizophrenia may be large, the contribution of specific genes is very small. Candidate gene studies and more recent genome-wide association studies have had inconsistent results and indicate, at best, individual genes increase risk by less than 2 times—from an average population rate of 1 in 100 to 1.5 in 100. Pre- and perinatal complications and environmental exposures appear to have somewhat stronger effects than individual genes, as prenatal exposure to infection or hypoxia increases risk of schizophrenia from 1 in 100 to 2–4 in 100 (1). Schizophrenia is likely the result of an interaction between genetic risk and environmental exposures, and recent studies have attempted to describe that interaction.

To read the entire editorial, please click here.

I thank Dr. David Whitehorn for bringing this article to my attention.

Coping Tips and Other Helpful Tidbits

A January 9th posting on the blog, Suicidal No More: Choosing to Live with Schizophrenia:

I've received some emails recently, from people who have read this blog, asking me for input and suggestions one what to do about their own battle with Schizophrenia or their family member's dealings with it. From time to time, over the past few years that I've been writing here, I have been asked questions, or, sometimes, told that things I've written were helpful to those readers who were new to this illness and sometimes had little hope. If I can inspire anyone to have hope, that is perhaps the greatest gift I could create with this blog. So, I thought I'd write some tips and pointers, for the uninitiated, and even for those who, like me, have been dealing with this illness for a very long time, but may have lost heart and are not sure what to do to cope.

To read the entire post, please click here.

Teaching police officers about mental illness..why?

The Top Ten Reasons To Make Sure Everybody’s Got Basic Training For Working With Individuals With Mental Illness

To read this article by Dr. Dorothy Cotton (pictured), please click here and scroll up to the top of the webpage that appears.



Also see:

The Police / Mental Health Liaison Website

Photo credit

Laing House Family Support Group

Monday, March 1st, 6:30 pm!

The Laing House Family Support Group is a self-help group for family/friends of an adolescent or young adult up to the age of 30 who has a mental illness (not restricted to any one illness in particular). Since January 2008, the Laing House Family Support Group has operated as a stand-alone group, at arm's length from Laing House, but with Laing House's support.

Because the Laing House Family Support Group it is now run BY family members FOR family/friends, it is meant to be inclusive rather than exclusive and there is no requirement for the youth themselves to be members of Laing House or for families to have the youth's permission to attend.

The goal of the Laing House Family Support Group is to provide support and education according to the needs determined by the Support Group members. Meetings always include a time for sharing and support amongst the Group and we invite speakers when a specific interest is identified by the Group.

The Laing House Family Support Group meets on the first Monday evening of each month at 6:30 pm.

There is no commitment to attend group meetings beyond what families find is helpful or convenient. Laing House is located at 1225 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Contacts:

Dani Himmelman, parent facilitator: phone (902) 826-224 or email dhimmelman@eastlink.ca.

Judy Bell, Team Leader, Laing House: phone (902) 473-7743.

Support for Family and Friends of Persons Living with Mental Illness

Monday, March 1st, 7:00 pm!

A Self-Help Group in Kings County, Nova Scotia

Caring for a loved one who is dealing with a mental illness can require emotional and practical support. You are not alone. This self-help group was started in the fall of 2008 to share personal experiences in response to the need of support for the families and friends of persons living with serious mental illness.

While it originated through families involved in the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (SSNS), the group feels it can offer support to families dealing with a wide range of brain illnesses, including psychosis (a break with reality), major depression, and bipolar disorder. This is not a resource group to provide technical, medical or legal aid, or for advocacy - although our experiences may have touched on these issues.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) in Kentville have kindly offered the use of their space, and everything shared within the group is confidential.

We meet on the first Monday of each month from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Location
CMHA Offices (Suite 109)
49 Cornwallis Street
Kentville, Nova Scotia

If someone you know or meet might be interested, please encourage them to contact us through the SSNS by calling 1-800-465-2601 (toll-free in Nova Scotia) or by emailing us directly at kc_schizophrenia_society@hotmail.com.

The Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia exists to improve the quality of life for those affected by schizophrenia and psychosis through education, support programs, public policy and research ... including their families.

Helping hands graphic courtesy of Lincalinca.

safeTALK - Suicide Alertness for Everyone

Friday, February 12th!

An email recieved on December 23rd, 2009, from Keith Brumwell, Co-Manager, Canadian Mental Health Association, Halifax-Dartmouth Branch:

Learn four basic steps to recognize persons with thoughts of suicide and connect them with suicide helping resources. safeTALK three-hour training can help you make a difference.


Why come to safeTALK?

Most people with thoughts of suicide invite help. Often these opportunities are missed, dismissed, or avoided — leaving people more alone and at greater risk. safeTALK training prepares you to help by using TALK (Tell, Ask, Listen and KeepSafe) to identify and engage people with thoughts of suicide and to connect them with further help and care.


Who should attend safeTALK?

safeTALK is for everyone who wants to help prevent suicide: front line workers, clergy, volunteers, parents, youth*, teachers, law enforcement, … anyone who wants to be a suicide alert helper. safeTALK is brief, affordable and internationally recognized. safeTALK is for anyone age 15 and older. This is an excellent course and is a life skill anyone can use.

*Younger persons may attend with the consent of parents or guardian.

How can I get safeTALK training?

There will be a course held on Friday, February 12th, at the Bloomfield Center, 2786 Agricola Street, Halifax, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, and the same course repeated from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The cost of the course is $30. Certificates are given to those completing this training.

The facilitator will be Keith Brumwell, a registered trainer with Livingworks, a safeTALK trainer, and a Master Trainer who has facilitated over forty ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) courses. Keith works with individuals living with mental illness, he has extensive experience in suicide intervention, and working with persons at risk for suicide.

Please contact Keith at brumwell@ns.sympatico.ca if you are interested and he will provide you with registration information.

You may also get further information on safeTALK by visiting www.livingworks.net.

I took the liberty to edit the email a bit.

Lunenburg County Chapter of the SSNS

Tuesday, February 16th, 7:00 pm!

The Lunenburg County Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia meets the third Tuesday of each month beginning at 7:00 pm, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 25 Phoenix Street, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. For a map, click here.

Cumberland County Chapter of the SSNS

Tuesday, February 16th, 7:00 pm!

Cumberland County Chapter meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month, beginning at 7:00 pm, in the Conference Room, All Saints Springhill Hospital, 10 Princess Street, Springhill, Nova Scotia. Meetings are not held during the months of July and August.

Kings County Chapter of the SSNS

Wednesday, February 17th, 7:00 pm!

Meetings of the Kings County Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia are held the third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 7:00 pm, at the Kentville Lions Club, 78 River Street, Kentville, Nova Scotia.

February Presentation

Youth Mental Illness and Early Intervention

Dr. Glen Berry

Open to the Public -- Refreshments

The December meeting will consist of a Holiday Season party. Meetings are not held during the summer months of July and August.

A New Kind of First Aid

Monday & Tuesday, March 1st & 2nd!

From the Nova Scotia Department of Health website:

Research shows that at some point in their lives, mental health problems affect one in three Canadians. So the chances are good that each of us knows someone with a mental health problem such as a substance-related disorder, depression, anxiety, or a psychotic disorder.

While thousands of people across the country know how to provide first aid to someone with a physical injury, a lot fewer people are able to recognize the signs of and support someone needing mental health first aid. But that’s changing thanks to a new mental health first aid training program for the general public, being offered coast-to-coast by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Canada.

“Mental health first aid is help for a person experiencing a mental health problem or a mental health crisis. Just like physical first aid, the goal is to offer a person immediate assistance until they can receive appropriate professional treatment or until the crisis is over,” says Tony Prime, Instructor MHFA .

MHFA Canada is an interactive course for anyone and no previous mental health experience is necessary. It can benefit teachers, health care professionals, emergency service workers, human resource professionals, employers, managers and supervisors, community groups, and the public.

The 12-hour course provides general information about what is meant by mental health problems and illnesses, how to identify signs of mental health problems in yourself and others, effective interventions and treatments, and how to support an individual and help them find out about and access the professional help they may need.

It also dispels common myths surrounding mental health problems and reduces the stigma around mental illness, since estimates suggest that more than half of people with a mental health problem will never seek treatment.

“The course doesn’t train people to diagnose mental illness or be a therapist or counselor,” says Prime. “It provides the first aider with actions to guide a person in need to appropriate professional help when a problem first arises. We know the sooner a person with a mental health problem gets help, the better their chances of recovery.”

More information about mental health first aid can be found at www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca.

For more information, contact:

Tony Prime, Instructor
Phone: (902) 424-7235
Email: primets@gov.ns.ca


Schedule

Adults Interacting With Youth (14 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, March 1 & 2, 2010
Boardroom 11
Joseph Howe Building
1690 Hollis St., Halifax, Nova Scotia

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, April 26 & 27, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, May 10 & 11, 2010
Same location as above.

Adults Interacting With Youth (14 hours)
Tuesday & Wednesday, June 1 & 2, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, June 21 & 22, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, July 12 & 13, 2010
Same location as above.

Adults Interacting With Youth (14 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, August 9 & 10, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, August 23 & 24, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, September 13 & 14, 2010
Same location as above.

Adults Interacting With Youth (14 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, October 4 & 5, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, October 25 & 26, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, November 1 & 2, 2010
Same location as above.

MHFA Canada (12 hours)
Tuesday & Wednesday, November 23 & 24, 2010
Same location as above.

Adults Interacting With Youth (14 hours)
Monday & Tuesday, December 6 & 7, 2010
Same location as above.


Registration

Registration Fee:

Registration fee is $50, lunch on own, Department of Health location.

For workshops in your community or workplace:

If room rental and catering for breaks is required and/or travel for instructor the registration will be $120.00 with lunch on own.

If room rental and catering for breaks is required and/or travel for instructor the with workshop not on 2 consecutive days registration will be $150.

Register by phone or email:

Instructor: Tony Prime
Phone: (902) 424-7235
Email: primets@gov.ns.ca

Mental Health Learning Lunches - Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Wednesday, February 24th, 12:00 noon!

The Lunenburg County Chapter of the SSNS, the Lunenburg-Queens Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) are partnering to deliver Mental Health Learning Lunches at the NSCC Lunenburg Campus, 75 High Street, Bridgewater Nova Scotia.





The objectives of the Mental Health Learning Lunches are:

• To raise awareness about the importance of maintaining good mental health

• To provide clear, concise, and current information about mental health issues and the possibilities for recovery

• To dispel the myths surrounding mental illness in order to reduce stigma and encourage students experiencing symptoms of mental illness to seek help

• To assist students in navigating the mental health system by providing contact information for mental health services and supports available in the community

Schedule

Sessions begin at 12:00 noon and run until 1:00 pm. Soup will be available at 11:30 am while supplies last. Please bring your own cup and spoon!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
Eating Disorders
Tanya Hamilton
The IWK Eating Disorder Outpatient Clinic

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Autism
Cynthia Carroll
Executive Director
Provincial Autism Centre


For more information please contact:
Barbara Feeney
Campus Support Associate
NSCC - Lunenburg Campus
75 High Street
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
B4V 1V8

Telephone: (902) 543-0610
Fax: (902) 543-0190
Email: barbara.feeney@nscc.ca


Youth Survey

The Lunenburg County Chapter of the SSNS is also working with the Lunenburg-Queens Branch of the CMHA, the NSCC Lunenburg Campus, and the Youth Advocacy Committee to produce a Youth Survey in order to get input with regard to existing mental health services. Plans are to hire two youth with existing mental health/addictions issues to conduct the Youth Survey. The NSCC Lunenburg Campus, Bridgewater Probation Services, and Empire House in Bridgewater have agreed to encourage youth to participate. We are particularly interested in the reaching individuals between 17 to 30 years of age as this demographic continue to be left behind with respect to recovery programs.

Photograph of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, by Robert Keereweer. Used under a Creative Commons License.

The Lunenburg County Chapter's Annual Christmas Party

The Lunenburg County Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia's Annual Christmas Party was held on December 16th, 2009. A total of 46 members and guests enjoyed a meal FIT for the Lunenburg County Chapter as prepared its members.

The winning ticket from the raffle of an original painting by Richard Balser, held in support of the Lunenburg County Chapter's Education and Community Access Fund, was drawn by Cassidy Eisnor. The holder of the winning ticket was Sandy Conrad, one of the guests at the Annual Christmas Party.


Richard Balser, a member of the Lunenburg County Chapter, presenting his artwork to Sandy Conrad.


Rita and Jennifer, winners the Best Elf Contest.


Kaye Joudrey, Santa's favourite elf, helps Santa (a.k.a. Linda Dagley) hand out some early Christmas gifts.


Jean Covert and Denton Conrad elfing it up!


Please click on any photograph to enlarge it.

All photographs by Jan House.