Mental Health and Addictions Events

45th Annual Southwestern School for Behavioral Health Studies, August 18 – 22, 2013, in Tucson, AZ.

Reports and Papers

North Carolina Task Force on Suicide Prevention releases its Suicide Prevention And Intervention Action Plan: www.nciom.org.

Together RX: Helping Uninsured Americans Understand the Affordable Care Act

Building Bridges to Support Military and Veteran Families: Healthcare Providers Resource Guide by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury  is designed to assist medical and mental health providers with their work in helping service members, veterans, and their families maintain health and positive family functioning.

Mental health and human services lag far behind general healthcare in access to health information technology (HIT), according to a national survey of nearly 500 organizations. Lack of financing is the primary barrier to the widespread adoption of HIT. The 2009 Behavioral Health/Human Services Information Systems Survey was conducted under the direction of the Mental Health Corporations of America, National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems, National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, and the Software and Technology Vendors Association. 

Mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in young people cost the nation approximately $247 billion annually with an estimated 14 to 20 percent of youths experiencing the conditions, according to the Institute of Medicine report "Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People" First symptoms of the conditions occur two to four years before the onset of a full-blown disorder “creating a window of opportunity when preventative programs might make a difference,” according to the report.

Morbidity and Mortality in People with Serious Mental Illness: a report from the NASMHPD Medical Directors Council

Grading the States: A Report on America’s Health System for Serious Mental Illness, from NAMI.

Executive Summary of the Final Report of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.

Executive Summary of Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General.

National Business Group on Health’s report, Employer's Guide to Behavioral Health Services.

Clinical, Business, and Workforce Resources

Wanted: Contract Writers for E-Learning Courses!

Essential Learning, LLC is the nation’s largest provider of e-learning in the health and human services industry with over 400,000 active learners. We are currently recruiting authors to work as hourly contractors to assist with the ongoing revision of online trainings. No previous experience writing e-learning courses is required, but a strong background in training, ability to write clearly, and familiarity with evidence based practices in behavioral health are preferred.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Write and revise content for existing e-learning courses
• Research content for courses as necessary
• Participate in online meetings as necessary

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Ability to write following specific guidelines and recommendations with regard to style and grammar
• Ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel
• Ability to communicate effectively and promptly via email
• Ability to learn to use an online project management system as well as an online learning management system

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

Expertise in one or more of the following:

• General Behavioral Health
• Developmental Disabilities
• Addictions
• Children, Youth, and Families
• Human Resources/”Soft Skills”/Leadership Development
• Corporate Compliance/Safety

COMPENSATION:

• Compensation is commensurate with training, experience, and depth of expertise.
• Essential Learning will provide qualified applicants with paid orientation to authoring e-learning courses.

Individuals interested in applying should submit an updated CV/resume, a writing sample (ideally a document that demonstrates well-organized material for training purposes—not a scholarly publication), and anticipated number of hours available to work per week in an ongoing way to:

Justin Hess, M.S.
Project Specialist, Curriculum Development & Research
Essential Learning
jhess@essentiallearning.com
 

Learn How Uninsured Americans Can Save on Prescription Medicines: Together Rx Access, a free prescription savings program sponsored by many of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies, helps eligible uninsured Americans save on the medicines they need to stay healthy and to manage chronic conditions. Medicines in the Program include those used to treat depression, asthma, allergies, high cholesterol, diabetes, and many other common conditions. Cardholders simply bring their Together Rx Access® Card to their neighborhood pharmacist along with their prescription, and the savings are calculated right at the pharmacy counter.

For more information and eligibility requirements, visit www.TogetherRxAccess.com or call 1.800.250.2839. Healthcare professionals interested in receiving a supply of enrollment materials for distribution to uninsured individuals, visit www.togetherrxaccessonline.com/order/.

The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare commends the establishment of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, created as a result of efforts by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to accelerate our nation’s efforts to prevent suicide.

The AOS Behavioral Health Initiative is an awareness campaign initiated on behalf of the Service Members and their Families. The intent of the campaign is to raise awareness among health professionals of the behavioral needs that are arising from our Military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. AOS is working with The Citizen Soldier Support Program and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to familiarize health professionals with a free online course, The Invisible Wounds of War and the unique mental health needs associated with service in the Armed Forces.

Through its work to ensure accessible, high quality, recovery-oriented
services to members and families in southern and southeastern Arizona,
The Community Partnership of Southern Arizona (CPSA) identified mental health and social service information and resources that individuals in the recovery process need regardless of where they live. Because having that information is so important, CPSA compiled their 20 most important resource links for each of the 50 states (and Washington, DC). Click on the interactive map and find resources for: protection and advocacy, psychiatric advance directives, housing, employment services, mental health authority, national association local offices, and much more.

Learn how the ACTION Campaign can help provider organizations increase access to addictions treatment and keep clients engaged in treatment for improved outcomes.

The American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work, a unit of the Center for Clinical Social Work, sets national practice standards, issues an advanced-practice certification and specialty credentials, and publishes reference information about board-certified clinicians.

SAMHSA’s Co-Occurring Center for Excellence offers resources on co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Order “Voices of Hope and Recovery: Our Stories, Our Lives” a series of CDs — produced by the National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations — featuring the personal stories of those who have recovered from mental illness.