Spreading Hope Through Peer Support

August 1, 2018 | By Michael Haines

What does it mean to be a peer support specialist?

To me, it means providing a voice for people when they struggle in finding their own. It means advocating for people, encouraging their recoveries and even sometimes standing in courtrooms as a show of support. And it often means educating community members and outside providers about First Episode Psychosis (FEP) programs like the Early Assessment and Support Alliance (EASA)—a program where I transformed from a Read More

NAMI’s New President Outlines Priorities For Serious Mental Illness

July 17, 2018 | By Adrienne Kennedy

On June 30, among the 15 of my board member peers, I was elected to serve as President of the NAMI Board of Directors for 2018/2019. I am honored and humbled to be provided the opportunity to represent the hundreds of thousands of families, peers and avid supporters who comprise this important movement.

When I found NAMI in 2005, our son and our family had logged 6 years coping with serious mental illness: five Read More

Washington hospital is ‘like going into hell’

July 6, 2018 | foxnews.com

Behind tall brick walls and secure windows, hundreds of patients at Washington state’s largest psychiatric hospital live in conditions that fail U.S. health and safety standards, while overworked nurses and psychiatrists say they are navigating a system that punishes employees who speak out despite critical staffing shortages.

“They don’t have enough staff to protect patients, or provide them with the bare minimum of care,” said Lisa Bowser, whose mother spent two years at Western State Hospital Read More

The tipping point: Service sector employees are more susceptible to mental health issues

July 31, 2018 | eurekalert.org

Approximately 102 million Americans work in the service industry, according to the Pew Research Center, filling critical positions in restaurants, salons and transportation. In many cases, these jobs offer base pay at rates up to 71 percent lower than federal minimum wage, with the expectation that tips, which are highly unpredictable, will make up the difference.

However, service workers who rely on tips are at greater risk for depression, sleep problems and stress compared with employees Read More

5 Ways I Help Myself When My Job Is To Help Others

By Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES | Jun. 22, 2018



g my recovery and myself has allowed me to be a better friend, a better partner and a better person; it’s also allowed me to be more successful. I’m much better at helping my clients knowing that I have learned how to help myself.

Here are five ways I help myself, so I can better help those I serve.

Adopt A Self-Care Mindset

Self-care. Self-care. Self-care. I preach these words to client after client. As Read More

Health Information-Sharing Bill Passes House

We did it! Thanks to your advocacy, the House passed H.R. 6082, the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act, yesterday with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 357-57!

This victory is because of you. Your advocacy made this possible.

H.R. 6082 aligns 42 CFR Part 2—the regulation that keeps health care providers from accessing information about a person’s substance use condition—with HIPAA.

This will ensure that physical health, mental health and substance use records are treated fairly and equally. This allows for better treatment Read More