MHA's Blog: Chiming In

The Washington Post recently ran a story on Sean Duvalol, a homeless Gulf War veteran who called a suicide hotline. He was carrying a note to his family and a homemade gun. The counselor told him to stay put and that help was on the way. Police arrived and took Duvall, who was homeless and unemployed at the time of the incident in June 2011, to a psychiatric facility. He is now being treated for depression and has a job an apartment.  However, he has been charged with four federal counts involving manufacturing and possessing a homemade gun that carry a 40-year prison sentence. Mental Health America last week sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney calling on him to dismiss the charges, which you can read here.

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Mental Health America Celebrates Black History Month and African American Pioneers in Mental Health

Mental Health America (MHA) celebrates “Black History Month” and acknowledges pioneers in mental health who served as the impetus for raising awareness of the need for culturally competent care, mental health treatment services, as well as research and access to care for all Americans; particularly African Americans.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) statistics an estimated 19 million people in the United States experience depression each year. African Americans are a population that is less likely to seek help for mental illness. The lifetime prevalence rate of depression among African American women is 12.6 compared to 6.3 among African America men. African Americans shared history of inequality and discrimination has had its effects on the population. For more information and to read about African American Pioneers in Mental Health, go to our Black History Month page.

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An omnibus spending bill passed by Congress last week (H.R. 205)  includes increases for mental health and addiction services, as well as for biomedical research.

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The American Psychiatric Association is seeking your comments on proposed changes to the organizational structure of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health and other health professionals for diagnostic and research purposes. This restructuring of the DSM’s chapters and categories of disorders reflects the latest scientific thinking about how various conditions relate to each other, and may influence care.

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May 3 is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day-Building Resilience in Young Children Dealing with Trauma: National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is a key strategy of "Caring for Every Child's Mental Health", which is part of the Public Awareness and Support Strategic Initiative by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

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