Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - November 2014

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - October 2014

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - September 2014

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

LakeCity Employment Services Association -- Invitation to Comment

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The above letter can be downloaded in Microsoft Word format by clicking here. A PDF version of the above letter can be downloaded by clicking here.

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LakeCity Employment Services Association

Families Matter in Mental Health: An Education and Support Program -- Nova Scotia

Research has shown that family members experience less stress and feel more encouraged about caring for their relative and themselves when they understand about mental illness and how to cope with difficult situations.

The aim of this program is to provide family members of people living with mental illness the information, knowledge, common skills and confidence to deal more effectively with their role and to improve the quality of life for both the family member and person with the mental illness.

Families Matter in Mental Health is adapted from a program developed by The Meriden Family Programme. Based out of the UK, The Meriden Family Programme is a training and organizational development program which has been promoting the development of family-sensitive, evidence-based mental health services since 1998, with a particular emphasis on the implementation of family work. It is a National Health Services (NHS) program with extensive experience of working with organizations to ensure families remain at the heart of quality mental health service delivery.

To download the Families Matter in Mental Health provincial brochure (PDF), please click here.

To register to participate in an 11-week session of Families Matter in Mental Health in Nova Scotia, or to learn more about this family education and support program, please connect with your local Mental Health and Addictions Services, contact information for which is available by clicking here (for people living within the boundaries of the Capital Health district [including the IWK Health Centre], please contact the Healthy Minds Cooperative by calling (902) 404-3504, or by sending an email to hmnavigator@eastlink.ca).

Also see:

Supporting Families in Recovery - Capital Health Addictions and Mental Health Program

Road to Recovery: Employment and Mental Illness

To download the entire report, please click here.

Also see:

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - June 2014

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

2014 Road to Recovery Walk

The Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia’s

Held on Saturday, May 3rd, 2014

Road to Recovery walks were held on Saturday, May 3rd, 2014, in Baddeck, Bridgewater, Halifax, Inverness, Pictou County, Port Hawkesbury, Sydney, Windsor, and Wolfville.

NO MORE

Mental Illness = Shame, Misconceptions, Stereotyping, Prejudicial Attitudes, and Discrimination

People took ACTION!

Donations are accepted up until May 30th, 2014.  To donate,  please visit:

www.RoadtoRecoveryWalk.com

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To download a PDF version of the 2014 Road to Recovery Walk poster, please click here.

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Gateway to Curing Mental Illness

Sponsors

Supporters

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - May 2014

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

MHCC Webinar on Formalized Peer Support: The Road to Recovery

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Peer Support Accreditation and Certification (Canada)

Mental Health Commission of Canada

Nova Scotia Certified Peer Specialist Program

Webcast Recording - The Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program by Roy Muise

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - April 2014

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

Webcast Recording - The Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program by Roy Muise

Recording of the Webcast

The Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program

by

Mr. Roy Muise

Project Coordinator & Peer Mentor

Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program

Healthy Minds Cooperative

Presentation made during the March 11th, 2014, meeting of the HRM Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

To view the webcast recording, please click here.

Mr. Muise discussed the new and only province-wide Certified Peer Support Specialist Program in Canada. He defined what is meant by peer support and explained the program’s mandate. He also provided an overview of the current status of the program, and the plans for the future.

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - March 2014

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

Examining Schizophrenia (Video)

A video from PsyWeb.com:




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Elyn R. Saks

Webcast Recording - Review of the Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act by Stephen Ayer

Recording of the Webcast

Review of the Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act

by

Dr. Stephen Ayer

Executive Director

Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

Presentation made during the February 10th, 2014, meeting of the HRM Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

To view the webcast recording, please click here.

Royal Assent was given to Nova Scotia’s Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act on December 8, 2005. The Act came into effect on July 3, 2007. An independent review of the Act, conducted by the Honourable Justice Gérard La Forest and Professor William Lahey, was made public on December 12, 2013.

An overview of the Act and its application was provided, as was a review of some of the many important findings of the independent review. The availability of and access to a broad range of treatment and support options for people diagnosed with mental illnesses was also discussed.

National Guidelines for a Comprehensive Service System to Support Family Caregivers of Adults with Mental Health Problems and Illnesses

A report released on June 27, 2013, by the Mental Health Commission of Canada:

From this webpage:

A loved one’s mental health problem or illness often impacts family, friends and supporters. Caring for a person living with a mental illness often creates emotional, physical, financial and social burdens for caregivers. The Mental Health Commission of Canada has created guidelines for policy makers and service providers that seek to recognize and support family caregivers’ needs, including recommendations on services and supports caregivers find useful.

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Also see:

National Family Caregiving Support Guidelines

TED Blog -- 2013: The Year in Ideas

From a December 19th TED Blog posting:

It’s time to get personal about mental illness.

1 in 4 people in the world lives with some form of mental illness, and yet, the stigma remains. In 2013, several speakers stepped to the TED stage to share their personal stories of mental illness. Eleanor Longden explained what it’s like to have voices in her head. (Read her TED Book, Learning from the Voices in my Head.) Kevin Breel took us inside his world, giving “confessions of a depressed comic.” Just this week, Andrew Solomon spoke poetically about his experience with depression, and how he sees it a secret many people share. Punctuating it all — a talk from Thomas Insel [below], the director of the National Institute of Mental Health, on how moving from the term “mental disorders” to “brain disorders” could open up research possibilities.

This holiday season, please give your support to the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

To make an online tax-deductible donation to the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia, with an immediate tax receipt sent to you by email, please click here.

For information about the programs and services of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia, please click here.

Report of the Independent Panel to Review the Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act and Community Treatment Orders - Nova Scotia

A report released by the Government of Nova Scotia on December 12th.  For the media advisory related to the release of this report, please click here.

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Nova Scotia mental health concerns flagged

CAMIMH Calls for Canadians to Contribute to a Responsible Discussion on Suicide

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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH)

Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support - Mental Health Commission of Canada

A report released on December 2nd by the Mental Health Commission of Canada:

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Issue: Peer Support

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - December 2013

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

Examining the Nova Scotia mental health system

Dr. Michael Teehan, President of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, is interviewed by Global Television just prior to the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia's 25th annual conference held on November 15th, 2013. The theme of the conference was "Mental Health Services in Nova Scotia: What We Have and What We Need".





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The Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia's 25th Annual Conference: What We Have and What We Need

Please consider joining the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

As a provincial not-for-profit community organization, the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (SSNS) relies heavily on its members to continue working – through education, support programs, influencing public policy, and encouraging research – to improve the quality of life for those affected by schizophrenia and psychosis. When approaching the Nova Scotia Government and other decision makers, we are empowered by our grassroots membership.

The SSNS provides a much needed community-based network of knowledgeable and dedicated volunteers to support Nova Scotians directly affected by schizophrenia and psychosis, as well as their family members, friends, colleagues, and communities. Our core belief is that people with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and psychosis can live a life of meaning and purpose. The focus of the SSNS is to promote the goal that each individual will be able to return to a quality of life meeting each person's own perception of needs and expectations.

The vision of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia is:

• to reach all Nova Scotians who are directly or indirectly affected by schizophrenia and psychosis;

• to focus on the individual, not the illness;

• to promote wellness and recovery; and

• to reduce the stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and misconceptions so often associated, unfortunately, with mental illnesses.

To read about some of the specific work the SSNS does, please click here. Additionally, the SSNS will begin work focused on providing education & support services to residents of Cape Breton Island starting in September 2013, with a dedicated full-time staff member working out of Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia.

Annual individual membership is provided upon receipt of a tax-deductible donation of a minimum of $15.00 to the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia. You can renew you membership by filling out the Membership Form (PDF) available by clicking here and mailing it, along with a minimum donation of $15.00 to:

Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia
Room B-23, Purdy Building
P.O. Box 1004
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
B2Y 3Z9

If you prefer to obtain your SSNS membership by making a secure tax-deductible online credit card, Interac, or PayPal donation, please click here. You will receive an immediate tax receipt by email. Please type the words SSNS Membership in the “Message/instructions for Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia” box that appears when making your online donation. If you would also like to opt-in to membership with the Schizophrenia Society of Canada (SSC), at no additional cost, please type the words SSNS Membership and SSC Membership in this box. You can also note your chapter or support group affiliation in this box.

A final option is to obtain your SSNS membership by calling the provincial office at (902) 465-2601 or 1-800-45-2601 (toll-free in Nova Scotia) and using a Visa or MasterCard over the telephone. 

Thank you!

Media Advisory from the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

November 14, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

Media Advisory – Video, Photo, and Interview Opportunity

What: 

Mental Health Services in Nova Scotia: What We Have and What We Need

Who: 

Dr. Rudolf Uher of Dalhousie University, recently co-authored a study which found that the risk of severe mental illness in the sons and daughters of a parent living with the illness may be underestimated. Rather than the widely cited figure of 1 in 10 for the risk for familial transmission of severe mental illnesses, his research found that around 1 in 3 children of parents – one or both of which have a severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder – will develop such a disorder themselves by early adulthood.

In order to provide early intervention to reduce the risk of severe mental illness in these young people, Dr. Uher has launched the “Families Overcoming Risks and Building Opportunities for Well-Being” program in Nova Scotia. “We are working on programs that will help young people at risk for severe mental illness stay healthy,” says Dr. Uher. “At the end of this study we hope to identify the problems that young people need help dealing with, and how they can learn the skills that will improve their chances for well-being and reduce the risk of mental illness.”

Dr. Michael Teehan, President of the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University, will lead off the conference with a presentation entitled “Mental Health Services in Nova Scotia: What We Need”. The CPA, the national voice for Canada's 4,500 psychiatrists, says that recovery is possible if evidence-based treatments are available. “Treatments work if patients have access,” says Dr. Teehan. “Close to 100 per cent of my early psychosis patients have at least a partial response to treatment. For many, the response can be quite dramatic. They can go back to school, go back to work, and lead productive lives. What many people don't understand is that with adequate treatment and other supports, people do get better.”

Other presenters include Mr. Jacques Hendlisz who will be providing an update on the challenges and opportunities in developing the Transformational Research in Adolescent Mental Health (TRAM) Network; Dr. Phil Tibbo who will be speaking about early intervention within the context of the programs and services delivered by the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program; Mr. Roy Muise who will be talking about the new Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program, Dr. Alissa Pencer, a clinical psychologist at the IWK Health Centre who will be speaking about the importance of readily accessible psychological services to recovery from mental illness; and representatives from L’Abri en Ville in Montreal, including people with lived experience of mental illness, who will be talking about the benefits of long-term housing with social supports. Ms. Starr Dobson, President and CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, will be the morning conference emcee.

When: 

Friday, November 15, 2013, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

Where: 

McInnes Room, Student Union Building, Dalhousie University, 6136 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Conference Website:

www.ssns-conference.com

About the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

The Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia works to improve the quality of life for those affected by schizophrenia through education, support programs, influencing public policy, and encouraging research.

In addition to the offices located in Dartmouth and Port Hawkesbury, the society has chapters or support groups conducting weekly or monthly support group meetings in Cumberland County, Halifax Regional Municipality, Kings County, Lunenburg County, and Pictou County.

Media Contact

Dr. Stephen Ayer
Phone: (902) 465-2601
Cellular: (902) 237-0018
Email: ssns@bellaliant.com

Saturday Free Clinic - Halifax

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Also visit: saturdayfreeclinic.blogspot.com

National Conference on Peer Support - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Wednesday, April 30th, to Friday, May 2, 2014

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For further information, please visit: http://www.psac-canada.com/ncps/

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - November 2013

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

Websites referenced on page 4 of the newsletter:

Transitions

Because Your Mind Matters Youth Education Program

TRAM Expert Input - Day 2 - Patrick McGorry

Also see:

TRAM Strengthening Workshop Videos

Transformational Research in Adolescent Mental Health (TRAM): A Patient-Oriented Initiative

Capital District Mental Health Program - Satisfaction Surveys

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To download the PDF version of the above letter, please click here.

To complete the survey(s) online, visit:

Note: The links below work with Internet Explorer and Firefox, but not with Chrome.

Outpatient Satisfaction Survey:
https://survey.nshealth.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=88LJll86

Inpatient Satisfaction Survey:
https://survey.nshealth.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=88LJlo86

Family and Friends Outpatient Survey:
https://survey.nshealth.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=88LK3l86

Family and Friends Inpatient Survey:
https://survey.nshealth.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=88LK3m86

Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program

From the Healthy Minds Cooperative's May 2012 newsletter:

It's Official

The Department of Health and Wellness has chosen Healthy Minds Cooperative to oversee the advancement of the Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program!

Healthy Minds Cooperative has demonstrated a long term commitment and belief in peer support since our inception in 2005. We believe peer support is an integral component of recovery for people living with mental illness. Our organization has been a pioneer in delivering formal peer support on inpatient units since 2006. This ground breaking work was happening at a time when peer support was virtually unknown. It is incredible to know that beginning in 2013 it will now be available in health districts across our province.

We extend a sincere welcome to Roy Muise, the Peer Mentor for the NSCPSS program as part of our Healthy Minds team. Well known and respected Roy brings his extensive work with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, work with PSACC, a vast knowledge of peer support and many years’ experience delivering peer support. Joining Roy in this exciting work will be Vince Daigle who has 7 years’ experience providing formal peer support on an inpatient unit, Michael Smith and Irene Skehen. Together the entire Healthy Minds team possess unique and valuable skills that amount to about 40 years’ experience working in the field of mental health. When you add the soon to be newly certified peer specialists, that will be delivering peer support to every health district in the province to this team there is no doubt that there will be hope and recovery for many. The Department of Health and Wellness is committed to improving the mental health and wellness of all Nova Scotians. They listened to the people of Nova Scotia and developed the first ever mental health strategy for our province. Thanks to their vision and support the reality of individuals having access to peer support will expand and become a reality across our province.

Also see:

Nova Scotia Certified Peer Support Specialist Program

Healthy Minds Cooperative

Peer Support Accreditation and Certification (Canada) [PSACC]

N.S. puts $1 million into mental health program

The Aspiring Workforce: Employment and Income for People with Serious Mental Illness

A report released today by the Mental Health Commission of Canada:

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Issue: Aspiring Workforce

Family Support Group - Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Wednesday, January 29th, 7:00 pm

The HRM Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia

hosts the

Dartmouth Family Support Group

When a loved one is diagnosed with a mental illness, or you feel there are mental health issues not being addressed, it can be overwhelming. Many families find that talking with others who have had similar experiences to be very beneficial. This new support group provides an opportunity to learn about resources in the community, navigating the mental health system, strategies to promote recovery and enhance coping skills, and much more.

Meetings are held the last Wednesday of every month. The next meeting is ...

Date

Wednesday, January 29th, 2014

Time

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Place

Alderney Gate Public Library

Starr Room

60 Alderney Drive

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

For further information, please contact Donna Methot by phoning (902) 462-8658 or sending an email to hrmchapterssns@accesswave.ca.


Photograph by Robert Alfers

"60 Minutes" Focuses on Schizophrenia and Violence

From CBS's 60 Minutes:




Also visit:

Untreated mental illness an imminent danger?

Psychiatric News Alert: "60 Minutes" Focuses on Schizophrenia and Violence

American Psychiatric Association

Treatment Advocacy Center

Healthy Minds Cooperative Newsletter - October 2013

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Healthy Minds Cooperative

Mental Illness Awareness Week - 2013