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| MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS for Violence Prevention Project Michael Bell, M.D. (left photo) and Fannie LeFlore, MS, LPC, serve as Co-Directors. Click here for their bios. Contact information: michaelbellsolo@sbcglobal.net www.michaelbellmd.net fannie@leflorecommunications.com www.leflorecommunications.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- See educational, referral and other information by clicking different links/PDF attachments below. Updates to this page and related pages will be made periodically. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Mental Health Matters Project Info: 2007 Conference Presentation PDF Research Paper by LeFlore and Bell, in publication from Hamilton Fish Institute 2007 Conference MHMVP 4-pg. Publication Press Release - June 1, 2007 MHMPoster.June News Release -- June 18, 2007 MHMPoster.July Commentary June 24, 2007 MHMPoster.August Local Resources for Healthcare/Behavioral Health Assessment and Counseling Services: www.impactinc.org (You can also Dial 2-1-1 or the toll-free number 1-866-211-3380 for standard information, referral services and resources). Milwaukee County Healthcare Resources Publication produced by Community Advocates Milwaukee's Community Health Centers Brochure from Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association Behavioral Health Workshops: Content overview of Writing and Personal Growth workshops offered by LeFlore Communications for youth and adults, to schools and social service organizations. Articles/Presentations on Mental Health, AODA and Violence Prevention Topics: Mental Health/AODA Overview Crisis Intervention Overview Dealing with Trauma Overview The Impact of Violence and Trauma by Michael Bell, M. D. & Kimberly Goins, MA, LPC. Fall 2006 Wisconsin Psychiatrist (pgs. 11-13) Winter 2006-07 Wisconsin Psychiatrist (pgs. 12-14) MH/Violence prevention: by Dr. Michael Bell and Fannie LeFlore. Self-Care Solutions(healing from stressors) by Michael Bell, M.D., Psychiatrist and Kimberly Goins, MA, LPC, Psychotherapist Reports: Hamilton Fish Institute, 2007 Conference Publication -- Proceedings of Persistently Safe Schools, with published papers from diverse presenters including Fannie LeFlore and Dr. Michael Bell: www.hamfish. org SAMHSA Report on Importance of Mental Health -- Nov. 2007. National Drug Abuse Report Info on National Institute on Drug Abuse Research- based guide. NIDA Release ----------------------------------------------------------- Nationwide Efforts for Parity The need for parity in coverage of mental health treatment is evident. Mental health disorders can be as disabling as physical illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, and up to half of all visits to primary care doctors are due to conditions caused or exacerbated by mental health issues including depression and anxiety, according to reports from SAMHSA and the U.S. Surgeon General. An estimated 1 in 5 people will be affected by a mental disorder at some point in their lives, and mental illness is the second leading cause of disability in America after arthritis, resulting in significant costs to the economy due to lost wages and productivity, according to former U.S. Surgeon General, Joycelyn Elders, M.D., during a July 2006 keynote presentation at a national conference sponsored by the American Mental Health Counselors Association. Dr. Elders cited data showing that one in 10 children has a serious, diagnosable mental health problem, but less than 1 in 3 get appropriate treatment. _______________________________________ From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel April 30,2010: "Health insurers will have to cover mental health, alcoholism and other drug treatment services at the same level as other types of medical treatment, under a bill Gov. Jim Doyle signed." For more information, see the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website. Learn more about the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation's efforts to promote mental health. More information is available on Wisconsin Women Equal Prosperity website. Other website links on insurance parity issue: http://www.dearshrink.com/mhparity.htm http://info.insure.com/health/mentalstate.html (info on state parity laws) http://www.wellstone.org/ http://www.mhlg.org/ Evidence-based Resources: Among current research and intervention efforts that identify violence prevention and mental health as national health priorities are Healthy People 2010; the National Education Goals (1997), which call for safe and drug-free schools; and the American Academy of Pediatrics' Health (AAP) Status Goals for 1997-1998, which call for a reduction in domestic, community, media, and entertainment violence, and various evidence-based resources available through the Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence. Disclaimer: As consumers of health and counseling services, individuals must be responsible for doing appropriate research to determine the credentials of professionals who provide services, and which agencies can best meet their needs. LeFlore Communications/CIP is providing these resources for informational purposes only. |
| "Mind Your Health" Resources for Mental Health and Violence Prevention Mental Health Month is celebrated each year in May to raise awareness about mental illnesses and the importance of mental wellness for all. From the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA): According to AMHCA's past president Gary Gintner, Ph.D., Americans need to recognize the difference between the lack of Mental Health and the process of creating Mental Health Awareness. Cultivating this awareness will help people avoid the consequences of untreated anxiety, untreated depression and physical deterioration. The clearer a person’s thought process is, the more opportunity he or she has to deal with and grow beyond the stressors. This will HELP to PREVENT the occurrence of domestic violence, child abuse and family instability. For more information: www.amhca.org Websites and Other Information www.whatadifference.org: Resources for yourself and how you can be supportive of friends and loved ones affected by mental illness. For access to educational materials, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) can be reached at: nimhinfo@nih.gov Phone numbers: 1-866-615-6464 (toll-free) 1-866-415-8051 (TTY toll-free) Mental Health America offers free documents/PDFs on several topics including managing life's challenges, checklist of signs of depression and helping children grow up healthy in mind and body: mentalhealthamerica.net Network of Care for Mental Health -- an interactive website for consumers, community-based organizations and others to access comprehensive information about mental health resources, to improve access to mental health services. ________________________________________ CRISIS SITUATIONS: The NIMH recommends that if you or someone you know is thinking about doing harm to self, seek help immediately: Tell someone who can help by calling your doctor's office; calling 911 for emergency services; going to the nearest hospital emergency room; or calling the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1- 800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you. Children and Adolescents Mental Health Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): samhsa.gov National Institute of Mental Health: www.nimh.nih.gov. ------------------------------------------------------------- Anxiety and Depression Freedom From Fear, a national non-profit advocacy organization: freedomfromfear.org ------------------------------------------------------------- Schizophrenia National Schizophrenia Foundation: nsfoundation.org ------------------------------------------------------------- National Crime Victims' Rights: The NCVRW Resource Guide is a ready-made guide containing materials such as posters, model speeches, press releases, public service announcements, camera-ready artwork, and crime victimization statistical overviews for use when planning for local NCVRW events across the nation, and to help communities promote awareness of crime victim issues throughout the year. Visit the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) at www.ncjrs.gov or www.ovc.gov/ncvrw. ------------------------------------------------------------- October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month As Mary Beth Buchanan, Acting Director of the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), reminds us, "Domestic violence is not only a personal tragedy, it is a serious crime that negatively afects women, men, children, neighborhoods and communities. We must join together to address the causes of this crime so that each and every home can be a place of peace and safety." OVW has a national information campaign on its website Enditnow.gov, a comprehensive online resource for victims of domestic abuse. For further information and additional resources to assist victims of domestic violence, visit http://www.enditnow.gov. National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233 Sobering Statistics In the United States, thousands of lives are lost each year, and billions of dollars in medical care and direct and indirect losses are attributed to violence, according to data compiled for the national ERIC Digest, which is funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. Whether it involves child abuse or other domestic conflict, assaults, gang aggression, gunshots that result in death, disability or injury, aggression and crime affects individuals, families and communities in multiple ways. (Report by Marilyn S. Massey for the ERIC Digest, which focuses on research and resources for reducing and preventing violence). ------------------------------------------------------------- Influence of Media and Culture Various experts interviewed for a recent (2006) A&E TV documentary titled “Copycat Crimes,” acknowledge that popular culture and media can negatively influence the thinking and behavior of many. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), in a publication titled, “Media Violence & Children: A Guide for Parents (1998)” cited the following relevant problems: 1) Children are more likely to behave in aggressive or harmful ways toward others when they see violence as a normal and acceptable means of resolving conflict; 2) Viewing violence stimulates children to view other people as “enemies,” and children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, as well as show less remorse about their own aggressive behavior; 3) Children may become more fearful of the world around them, and exposure to media violence may compound some children’s natural anxieties; 4) Violent programming presents limited models of language development when the development of language is critically important; 5) Media that regularly depict violence promote toys that encourage children to imitate the actual behaviors seen on TV or in movies and 6) When children are glued to a screen, they are not interacting actively and positively with the environment or absorbing the foundations they need for learning in school. |
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