MHA's Blog: Chiming In

Mental Health America will host a briefing by policy experts on critical mental health issues and their relationship to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on Thursday, March 7, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News will moderate a distinguished panel, which includes representatives of Mental Health America’s Regional Policy Council (RPC), a network of affiliate leaders who monitor and advocate for ACA implementation efforts in the states.

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Today marks the 104th anniversary of the founding of Mental Health America. Mental Health America was established by Clifford W. Beers. During his stays in public and private institutions, Beers witnessed and was subjected to horrible abuse. From these experiences, Beers set into motion a reform movement that took shape as Mental Health America. To those who suggested that he found his movement anonymously, Beers responded: "I must fight in the open." View this video about our history: http://bit.ly/10ofaMV.

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Fifty years ago, on February 5, 1963, President John F. Kennedy sent a special message to Congress about the state of mental health.The message marked the first time a President of the United States took specific cognizance of mental illness and mental retardation and stated a national policy. Kennedy called for a bold new approach and emphasized the need to develop preventive programs. His statement contributed to meaningful change in the way Americans view mental health care in the United States.

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Mental Health America's thoughts and prayers are with those who are affected by Hurricane Sandy. Please maintain and protect your health by getting sufficient rest and social support. Some resources that may help:

·     The Disaster Distress Helpline is a national service that offers phone- and text-based crisis counseling and support to people in distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster, to help them move forward on the path of recovery. You may reach the Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or by texting "TalkWithUs" to 66746.

·     Mental Health America has several tips on dealing with stress during a national disaster.

·     Dr. Mark Lerner and the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress share 21 things you can do while living through a traumatic experience.

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(We are pleased to publish this guest post by Marilyn Schmitt, Ph.D., on the 75^th anniversary of Recovery International.)

In 1937, a movement began to be shaped that would improve the lives of many thousands of people suffering from mental and nervous disorders.  The movement became a group-based training protocol developed by a Chicago neuropsychiatrist, Abraham Low, M.D.  In the heyday of Freudian psychoanalysis, Low saw his patients in the University of Illinois Psychiatric Research Hospital discharged and returning in a revolving door of relapse.  He began to experiment with tools that would train them to manage their symptoms and develop resistance to the illness.  And he founded an “association of patients,” choosing the word “Recovery” as its name.  Today its name is Recovery International.

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