Strengthening Families Together: Kentville

Beginning tomorrow, 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

The Kings County Chapter of the SSNS will deliver Strengthening Families Together at the CMHA Kings County Branch office, 49 Cornwallis Street, Suite 109, Kentville, Nova Scotia, beginning on Tuesday, March 16th, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, 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 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.”

Lunenburg County Chapter of the SSNS

Tomorrow, March 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, please click here.

Cumberland County Chapter of the SSNS

Tomorrow, March 16th, 7:00 pm!

Cumberland County Chapter meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month, beginning at 7:00 pm, in the Dr. Carson & Marion Murray Community Centre, 6 Main Street, Springhill, Nova Scotia. Meetings are not held during the months of July and August.

Photograph courtesy of the Town of Springhill.

Positive news helps remove stigma of mental illness

A letter to the editor published in today's edition of the Des Moines Register:

Newspapers have the job of reporting the news - the good and the bad. It was a pleasure to read a positive article such as the one in the March 7 Register regarding mental illness, and schizophrenia in particular, "Crimes Distort Disease's Reality."

The article emphasized that mental illness is treatable. As in other illnesses, early diagnosis is imperative for health to improve. Diagnosis, therapy and medication, and sometimes hospitalization, are all components essential to a person with schizophrenia, not unlike other illnesses.

Positive journalism regarding schizophrenia is a welcome window for family members who are living with a stigma that still permeates. More positive knowledge might improve that stigma.

- Patricia Schafer, Ankeny

Kings County Chapter of the SSNS

This Wednesday, March 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.

March Presentation

Understanding psychosis: A discussion of new research findings

Dr. Phil Tibbo

Dr. Paul Janssen Chair in Psychotic Disorders
Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University

Director
Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program

Medical Advisor
Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

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.

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

This Thursday, March 18th, 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, March 18th, 2010

A Film Viewing and Interactive Presentation
on
Orthomolecular Medicine

by

Connie Littlefield

Connie Littlefield is an innovative film maker, who has produced a groundbreaking new film on the field of orthomolecular medicine. This movement, originated by the late Abram Hoffer, explores alternative approaches to treating mental illness. The foundations of this treatment involve very large doses of common and affordable vitamin supplements, which serve to compliment western medication, and augment potential for recovery. There will be a local naturopath (TBA) present to comment and answer questions on the content of the film.

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. Steele courtesy of CFQ Healing Qigong Society of Atlantic Canada.

Photograph of Connie Littlefield courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada.

MENTAL HEALTH: SPECIAL REPORT

From the March 8th edition of The Chronicle Herald:

Is the mental health system broken? Find out, starting in Tuesday’s edition of The Chronicle Herald.

The Articles and Videos

Addressing mental health malaise difficult in tough times, but necessary (March 12th)

Desperate measures (March 12th)

Reaching the breaking point (March 12th)

Getting help instead of being put behind bars (March 12th)

Taking treatment to kids (March 11th)

Payment scheme keeps patient numbers down (March 11th)

Balancing treatment, research (March 11th)

Much work to do (March 10th)

VIDEO: Health Minister Maureen MacDonald says mental health care is a priority (March 10th)

Real success or just a mirage? (March 10th)

Integrated care in community best, cheapest (March 10th)

Help just down the hallway (March 10th)

When an option is denied (March 10th)

Mental health: Is our province’s system hurting or helping? (March 9th)

Desperately seeking help for Donnie (March 9th)

The long road to mental health (March 9th)

Mental illness problems common among homeless (March 9th)

Also see:

Success stories

Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act (Nova Scotia)

Nova Scotia's Mental Health Court Program

Spring Lake Ranch

Home on the farm: Working therapeutic farm communities (An article from the fall 2007 edition of Schizophrenia Magazine, PDF)

Brain Awareness Week

Ongoing to Friday, March 19th!

Please click on the image to magnify it.

Modest Investments for People with Disabilities and their Families in Federal Budget 2010: Update from CACL

Please click on the images to enlarge them.

Mental Health Learning Lunches - Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Wednesday, March 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, 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.

A Night in Renaissance Vienna

Wednesday, March 24th, 7:00 pm!

Please click on the image to magnify it.

Also see:

Halifax Housing Help

Guppy's Place Family Restaurant -- LCC-SSNS Fundraiser

Wednesday, March 31st, 4:00 pm!

The Lunenburg County Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (LCC-SSNS) invites you to join us at Guppy’s Place Family Restaurant on Wednesday, March 31st, between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Guppy's is located at 4744 Highway #10, New Germany, Nova Scotia, just 15 minutes from Bridgewater on the beautiful South Shore.

Come and enjoy some great food as well as the music of both Bernard Sharpe and The One Man Band – country, rock n’ roll, and Newfoundland music – something for everyone!

Try your luck with our 50/50 draw!

Guppy’s will donate 20% of the gross food sales to the LCC-SSNS.

We hope to see you there!

'Spring' For Recovery

Friday, April 9th, 6:30 pm!

Please click on the image to magnify it.

Centre to study mental health, addiction, inequality

A posting from the Simon Fraser University website:

How do the intersections of gender, race, poverty and other social factors affect services and outcomes for people with mental health and addiction issues?

That’s one of the questions SFU’s new Vancouver campus Centre for the Study of Gender, Social Inequities and Mental Health plans to address.

The centre will investigate why there is unequal access to services and health outcomes for people with mental illness and substance-use problems.

It will also help develop programs, policies and interventions to resolve these issues, with the goal of improving adult mental health both in Canada and abroad.

SFU health scientists Marina Morrow [pictured] and Elliot Goldner and the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Howard Chodos will lead the centre, which will include more than 30 national and international co-investigators and collaborators.

Morrow, a community psychologist, specializes in research related to gender and mental health and mental-health reform.

"I would say women are still under-served—most services don’t take gender into account," she says.

"Yet within the female population, women are more at risk of sexual exploitation and violence, particularly if they suffer from mental health issues."

Centre activities will focus on mental health reform; recovery and housing; reproductive mental health; violence, mental health and substance use; and the criminal justice system, mental health and substance use.

"The centre has three main functions," explains Morrow. "To foster research in the key priority areas, to develop knowledge exchange that will encourage implementation of our research findings, and to mentor and train students and community-based researchers who can build capacity in the field of social inequities and mental health."

"There’s a pressing need for this centre," she says, "because there has been very little attention to the ways in which social and structural determinants affect people with mental health issues."

The centre is being funded with nearly $2 million from the Institute of Gender and Health, part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Photo credit

Walk the World for Schizophrenia: Bridgewater

From the Lunenburg County Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (LCC-SSNS):

Sunday, May 16th, 12:00 noon!

Please click on the image to magnify it.

This Valley Life: Student speakers advocate for change

An article published in the March 4th edition of the Contra Costa Times:

By Jim Ott

Earlier this week, Dublin High School senior Annie Arcuri stood in front of more than 90 people at a regional Rotary breakfast in Livermore and shared a story about her older brother, Louis.

"I lost my older brother to schizophrenia," she said into the microphone, stepping away from the safety of the lectern. "He had been a straight-A student, a star athlete, but he became lost to an illness that no one wants to talk about."

To read the entire article, please click here.

Scientists identify age-associated defects in schizophrenia

A March 1st news release from The Scripps Research Institute:

Gene network-based analysis reveals unexpected results

LA JOLLA, CA – March 1, 2010 –The underlying causes of the debilitating psychiatric disorder schizophrenia remain poorly understood. In a new study published online in Genome Research March 2, 2010, however, scientists report that a powerful gene network analysis has revealed surprising new insights into how gene regulation and age play a role in schizophrenia.

Researchers are actively working to identify the direct cause of schizophrenia, likely rooted in interactions between genes and the environment resulting in abnormal gene expression in the central nervous system. Scientists have been studying expression changes in schizophrenia on an individual gene basis, yet this strategy has explained only a portion of the genetic risk.

In the new work, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Elizabeth Thomas [pictured] of The Scripps Research Institute has taken a novel approach to this problem, performing a gene network-based analysis that revealed surprising insight into schizophrenia development.

The group analyzed gene expression data from the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain associated with schizophrenia, sampled post-mortem from normal individuals and schizophrenia patients ranging from 19 to 81 years old. However, instead of just looking at genes individually, Thomas and colleagues at the Scripps Translational Science Institute, Nicholas Schork and Ali Torkamani, considered interactions between genes, as well as groups of genes that showed similar patterns of expression, to identify dysfunctional cellular pathways in schizophrenia.

"Once gene co-expression networks are identified," said Thomas, "we can then ask how they are affected by factors such as age or drug treatment, or if they are associated with particular cell types in the brain."

The gene network analysis suggested that normal individuals and schizophrenia patients have an unexpectedly similar connectivity between genes, but the most surprising finding was a significant link between aging and gene expression patterns in schizophrenia. The team identified several groups of co-expressed genes that behaved differently in schizophrenia patients compared to normal subjects when age was considered.

A particularly striking age-related difference in co-expression was found in a group of 30 genes related to developmental processes of the nervous system. Normally these genes are turned off as a person ages, but in schizophrenia patients the genes remain active. This critical finding strongly suggests that age-related aberrant regulation of genes important for development can explain at least part of the manifestation of schizophrenia.

Thomas explained that these findings help to refine the developmental hypothesis of schizophrenia, which states that one or more pathogenic "triggers" occur during critical periods of development to increase risk of the disease. Specifically, this work indicates that abnormal gene expression in developmentally related genes might be a significant pathogenic trigger, occurring over a broader time-scale than expected.

"Rather than a pathological trigger occurring at a critical developmental time point," said Thomas, "the trigger is ongoing throughout development and aging."

Furthermore, Thomas noted that the new study supports early intervention and treatment of schizophrenia. Treatment approaches aimed at averting gene expression changes and altering the course of the disease could be specifically tailored to the age of the patient.

###

In addition to Thomas, Torkamani, and Schork, authors of the study, "Coexpression network analysis of neural tissue reveals perturbations in developmental processes in schizophrenia," include Brian Dean of the Mental Health Research Institute (Australia). See Genome Res doi:10.1101/gr.101956.109.

This work was supported by the Scripps Translational Science Institute Clinical Translational Science Award, the National Institutes of Health, and a Scripps Dickinson Fellowship.

Interested reporters may obtain copies of the manuscript from Peggy Calicchia, Editorial Secretary, Genome Research (calicchi@cshl.edu; +1-516-422-4012).


About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations, at the forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend the most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic vaccine development. Established in its current configuration in 1961, it employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate students, and administrative and technical support personnel. Scripps Research is headquartered in La Jolla, California. It also includes Scripps Florida, whose researchers focus on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development. Scripps Florida is located in Jupiter, Florida.

Contact: Keith McKeown
kmckeown@scripps.edu
858-784-8134
Scripps Research Institute


About Genome Research

Launched in 1995, Genome Research (www.genome.org) is an international, continuously published, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on research that provides novel insights into the genome biology of all organisms, including advances in genomic medicine. Among the topics considered by the journal are genome structure and function, comparative genomics, molecular evolution, genome-scale quantitative and population genetics, proteomics, epigenomics, and systems biology. The journal also features exciting gene discoveries and reports of cutting-edge computational biology and high-throughput methodologies.


About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a private, nonprofit institution in New York that conducts research in cancer and other life sciences and has a variety of educational programs. Its press, originating in 1933, is the largest of the laboratory's five education divisions and is a publisher of books, journals, and electronic media for scientists, students, and the general public.

Photo by Dana Neibert.

Musical Benefit for Veith Street Gallery

Monday, April 12th, 7:30 pm!

The Wyndrock Quintet

presents

A Musical Bouquet!

Date: Monday, April 12th, 2010

Time: 7:30 pm

Place: The Music Room, 6181 Lady Hammond Road

Tickets: $20 ($15 for seniors 60+ and students)

An evening of music with flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and the grand piano.

Known for their wide repertoire of classical, jazz, ragtime, popular and opera, this ensemble will delight everyone. For music samples visit: www.myspace.com/wyndrockquintet and
www.wyndrock.altpro.net.

Proceeds will benefit the Veith Street Gallery and Studio Association serving artists with disabilities.

Limited seating, reserve early. Call Sheila Morrison at 429-8094 for tickets.

What patients think about involuntary treatment

Posted on February 26th by Mental Health Update:

All over the world large numbers of people are admitted to psychiatric hospitals. The laws governing this are controversial and in the U.K. are governed by the 2007 Mental Health Act. Most laws are based on the assumption that people who are compulsorily admitted to hospital do not recognise their need for care at the time so research has tended to concentrate on whether - looking back on things - people think it was a good idea that they received treatment. A team of researchers, led by Stefan Priebe [pictured] from Newham Centre for Mental Health, London led a study of 1,613 people in 11 different countries. They were interviewed within a week of admission and again after a month and three months. The number of people who were happy with the decision to involuntarily treat them varied a lot between the different countries and ranged from 71% in Italy to 39% in Lithuania after a month and from 46% in Sweden to 86% in Italy after three months. (The figures for England were 47% and 54% respectively.) Women, people living alone and people with schizophrenia were more likely to be unhappy with their admissions.

Priebe, Stefan ... [et al] - Patients' views of involuntary hospital admission after 1 and 3 months: prospective study in 11 European countries. British Journal of Psychiatry. March 2010, 196(3), 179-185.

Photo credit

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

Monday, April 12th, 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, April 12th, 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 8:00 pm

Topic:
Schizophrenia & Cognitive Deficits

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. Gardner courtesy of Dalhousie University.

McGorry urges mental health overhaul

An article published in today's edition of The Sydney Morning Herald:

By Julia Medew

The Australian of the Year, Patrick McGorry [pictured], has called for a massive overhaul of the mental health system to direct funds away from acute hospital services to more community-based care.

Only weeks after accepting his award, Professor McGorry has moved to capitalise on his role by asking the federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, for at least $200 million in new services this year.

On top of his list is a significant expansion of specialised treatment facilities for young people aged 15 to 24 who are experiencing early psychosis and other serious mental health disorders such as schizophrenia.

He said the only such facility in Australia, Orygen Youth Health, should be used as a model for 10 new centres in other cities this year, with a commitment to another 10 in regional hubs over the next five years.

The rollout would cost $100 million this year, he said, with recurrent spending rising to about $250 million a year when all 21 centres are operating.

"This investment will be recouped three times over because early intervention is highly cost-effective and rapidly shrinks the need for care in the medium to long term," he said.

"This will free up resources for the long-term disabled cases and the broader range of mental disorders. The health economics case is unassailable."

Professor McGorry, who directs Orygen Youth Health, said he had also asked for 60 new "headspace" centres, which currently provide mental health, education, employment and drug and alcohol services to young people aged 12 to 25 at 30 sites across the country.

He said this expansion, which would cost $100 million to set up and the same in recurrent spending, would make headspace centres the first port of call for young people showing signs of mental illness, who could then be referred on to the specialised treatment facilities if need be.

"This is a low-risk reform strategy with rapid and dramatic benefits in health gain and cost savings. Failure to invest in early psychosis reform will result in another lost generation of young Australians consigned to unnecessary disability as well as premature death from suicide and cardiovascular disease," he said.

Professor McGorry said he wanted to see the centre of gravity of mental health services shifted away from hospitals to community-based facilities because the sector had suffered enormously from being moved out of "asylums" and into hospitals in the 1990s. He said the transition was like "boarding a sinking ship" for mental health professionals who had struggled to work with scarce funds ever since.

''The acute pressure [on the hospital system] has made mental health budgets very vulnerable,'' he said. ''The mental health system needs to be scaled up significantly now. It needs to double in size and the states can't do it alone.''

Professor McGorry said that after consulting widely in recent weeks, he also hoped federal and state and territory governments would fund more mobile treatment teams for people with delayed recovery and persistent conditions so they were not forced to go to hospital emergency departments during crises.

"We need to disinvest in emergency departments as the place for acute and crisis care. EDs are the wrong places for people with mental health problems to be treated," he said.

Photo credit