Posted on July 18, 2019
Kaiser Health News
Reports that while a diagnosis of cancer might garner sympathy at work and a casserole for the family, an admission of a psychotic disorder might elicit judgment, fear and avoidance among co-workers. The pressure is growing on employers to adopt better strategies for dealing with mental health. Companies have been working to support employees is by pressuring their insurers to offer a more robust array of mental health benefits. “Employers can often feel that they’re at the mercy of health plans. But employers have the power of the pocketbook,” said Angela Kimball, acting CEO, NAMI. “They have an enormous ability to change the market by simply demanding better.”
READ MOREPosted on July 15, 2019
A growing number of people in the St. Louis region are seeking mental health treatment in emergency rooms, according to a report from the St. Louis County health departments. The report found an increase of more than 40% for people seeking mental health care in emergency rooms. “The one-time treatment given in emergency room departments, even at the best hospitals, is often incompatible with the treatment needed to treat mental health problems,” said Jennifer Snow, Public Policy Director, NAMI. “Illnesses such as depression, addiction and schizophrenia often require regular doctors’ visits to monitor treatment and provide counseling or other types of therapy,” she said. “We need to make mental health care more accessible so people can get treated before they get to a situation where they are in crisis and have nowhere else to turn other than go to the ER,” Snow said.
READ MOREPosted on July 1, 2019
SELF
The goal is to help you make an informed decision between the many professionals capable of helping you. “It’s difficult to determine whether one type of mental health professional is better than another based solely on their degree or training,” Teri Brister, Ph.D., L.P.C., Director of Information and Support for NAMI. “You should look at their interests and specialties to make sure they align with your goals for therapy.” “While it is important for therapists to be educated, trained, and up-to-date on current practices, there is so much more to a good therapist than just their background and education,” says Brister.
READ MOREPosted on June 18, 2019
Associated Press
Reports that more than four years after Congress required the Department of Justice to assemble information about those who die in police custody, the agency has yet to implement a system for collecting that data or release any new details of how and why people die under the watch of law enforcement. The information vacuum is hampering efforts to identify patterns that might lead to policies to prevent deaths during police encounters, arrests and incarceration.
READ MOREPosted on June 10, 2019
MSN
Looks at how literature has shifted to include more themes of mental illness in recent years and the spike in authors sharing their stories through memoirs and novels contributes to the greater effort to break down stigma.
READ MOREPosted on June 10, 2019
STAT
Reports that NAMI, along with seven other organizations, has launched Mental Health for US, a nonpartisan educational coalition dedicated to elevating mental health and substance abuse in policy conversations around the country.
READ MOREPosted on June 4, 2019
VICE
Detailed perspective of minority children’s struggles to receive mental health treatment. Young Black and Latinx people in the U.S. have a very different relationship with mental illness than their white peers, including higher rates of attempted suicide. In communities of color, it’s still largely taboo to talk about mental illness openly, let alone seek help for it. Many of these young people don’t seek it, or when they do, have very limited access.
READ MOREPosted on June 4, 2019
USA Today
San Francisco residents could soon receive free mental health care and substance use disorder treatment under a proposed universal mental health care system aiming to be the first of its kind in the country. The plan, which is called “Mental Health SF,” would include a 24/7 treatment center for any city resident in need of help, whether that’s counseling for anxiety or emergency care to treat a psychotic episode.
READ MOREPosted on May 31, 2019
PEW Stateline
Reports that in Washington state, police are now required to undergo de-escalation and mental health training. National failures in the mental health system have led family and community members to rely on law enforcement when dealing with crises.
READ MOREPosted on May 29, 2019
C-SPAN Washington Journal
Angela Kimball, Acting CEO, was on Washington Journal for a 30-minute segment about the state of mental health in America. Angela discussed mental health issues, the importance of parity, WhyCare? campaign and reducing stigma and discrimination around mental illness. The segment also included call-in questions from the public where Angela talked with individuals who face the day-to-day reality of mental illness.
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NAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “helpline” to 62640, or chat online. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).