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Insurance Marketplace Assistance

Posted at http:/www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

Confused about the application and enrollment process for insurance marketplace? Go to
http://marketplace.cms.gov/getofficialresources/multimedia/multimedia.html to great step-by step, easy to understand videos on the process and answers to your most frequently asked questions.

Shared Decision-Making Guide Available from SAMHSA

Reposted at http:/www.darkestcloset.bloggerspot,

Shared Decision-Making Guide Available from SAMHSA
Released in September 2011, Shared Decision-Making in Mental Health Care: Practice, Research, and Future Directions is a nationally-developed resource providing an overview of shared decision-making (SDM), an intervention that enables people to actively manage their own health.  This free guide examines research on the effects of SDM in general and mental health care and includes specific recommendations for advancing SDM in practice. Download or order the guide.

http://store.samhsa.gov/product/Shared-Decision-Making-in-Mental-Health-Care/All-New-Products/SMA09-4371

TV Creators Tackle Mental Health with Mixed Success

Posted at Variety. ByRob Owens June 13, 2013 http://variety.com/2013/tv/awards/tv-creators-tackle-mental-health-1200496412/ Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

Specificity can be key to portraying serious issues in skeins 

Although debates about gun control gained more traction in the wake of shootings at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school in December, the issue of mental illness also re-entered the public conversation. In primetime, mental illness has been in the mix of social issues showrunners address head-on in serious dramas.

 “There are still shows that focus simplistically on making ‘crazy’ people violent or comedic,” says Dr. Carole Lieberman, a media psychiatrist who’s also been a consultant on TV shows, including daytime soaps “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful.” “Other shows make the effort to go beyond the stereotypes and create characters with specific mental illnesses.”

 

Lieberman says symptoms don’t appear out of nowhere, and TV shows that explain how they developed — in childhood trauma or through specific adult experiences — paint a more realistic picture.

 

Former “Homeland” writer Meredith Stiehm says she read popular and medical literature about bipolar disorder, an aspect of the show’s Carrie character (Claire Danes). Stiehm also attended a symposium at Princeton and spoke with Kay Jamison, a Johns Hopkins professor and leading expert on bipolar disorder.

 

“I feel a lot of responsibility about it,” says Stiehm, who co-wrote “The Vest,” a first-season segment in which Carrie experiences a manic episode. “I ended up doing the research, and I’m pretty interested in it. I know a lot about it — I have it in my family so by default, I became the de facto expert on Carrie’s bipolar disorder.”

 

Psychiatrist Dr. Eric Hollander of New York’s Montefiore Medical Center praises Homeland for mostly getting its depiction of bipolar right.

 

“Claire Danes did a terrific job in terms of depicting what it’s like for someone with bipolar disorder in a pretty realistic fashion,” says Hollander, “and showed a pretty broad range of symptoms, from mild hypermania to full psychosis.”

 

His only criticism was the way the show portrayed electroconvulsive therapy at the end of season one.

 

“When people have ECT, they’re given a muscle relaxant, so essentially they’re asleep,” he says, “and the only way you can see somebody having an induced convulsive seizure is small movements in their fingers or toes. They wouldn’t appear to be having a full seizure, but I can understand why they did that to dramatize that she was having ECT.”

 

Hollander also praised NBC’s “Parenthood” for its depiction of an adolescent with autism spectrum disorder, as seen in the character of Max Braverman (Max Burkholder). Parenthood exec producer Jason Katims says he was inspired to include a character with autism because of his own experience with his 16-year-old son, Sawyer, who is on the autism spectrum.

 

“I didn’t have any kind of noble reasons behind (including the character),” Katims says. “I did it because when I was coming up with the pilot episode of ‘Parenthood,’ I was trying to explore things I felt were relevant today.”

 

Katims adds that he’s happy more TV shows now identify characters with autism, rather than just present the characteristics of autism without naming the disorder.

“Television in general is getting much more sophisticated,” he says. “It not only allows for you to be more accurate when exploring issues of mental illness, it demands it.”

 

Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin, exec producers of A&E’s “Psycho” prequel “Bates Motel,” independently asked doctors about the Norman Bates character and what Norman could be suffering from, and both heard the same condition: dissociative identity disorder. The show has yet to diagnose Norman with that degree of specificity — a recent episode featured school authorities expressing concern about Norman’s “emotional instability” — but it could happen “maybe way downstream,” Cuse says.

 

“It would have to come from a doctor,” he notes, “and it’s so much the story of people who aren’t dealing with doctors, so I don’t know if it would happen. But the way we’re writing it is dissociative identity disorder.”

 

To balance an accurate portrayal with dramatic license, “Bates Motel” producers break their stories first and then consult with a medical authority.

 

“If we were doing ‘ER’ or ‘Chicago Hope,’ we would need to be held to some standard of medical veracity,” Cuse says. “This is a fictional show, and I think we’ve given ourselves an enormous amount of license to make the story play. Norman Bates is based on a character in a movie that was taken from a book that was based on a previously existing serial killer, so we’re now four steps removed from that. Right now our concern is about making Norman Bates a compelling character. That’s far more important to us than telling a medical story.”

 

“That being said,” Ehrin adds, “we do try to have some semblance of reality for the symptoms of the disorder and how it works. It’s not like we’re just making up stuff.”

Wipe out the stigma of mental illness

Reposted at http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/17/opinion/kennedy-mental-health/

By Patrick J. Kennedy, Special to CNN
Editor's note: Patrick J. Kennedy is the former U.S. representative for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district, serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a son of the late U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

(CNN) -- Fifty years ago, we stood at a moral crossroads as a nation.

The day was June 11, 1963. That morning, then-Gov. George Wallace attempted to block integration of the University of Alabama with his futile "stand at the schoolhouse door." Hours later, civil rights leader Medgar Evers would be gunned down in the driveway of his home by a white supremacist. In between, my uncle, President John F. Kennedy, took to the airwaves in a historic televised address on civil rights -- one that would forever change the way our nation perceived the struggle for racial equality.

"We are confronted primarily with a moral issue," President Kennedy said that night, hours before Evers was killed. "It is as old as the Scriptures and is as clear as the American Constitution. The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities." You can listen to his speech here.

It was a seminal moment in our history. President Kennedy defined for the nation the struggle for equality not just as a constitutional or legal issue, but as a moral one as well.
Five decades later, we're again at a crossroads as a country. As we mark the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's famous speech, the question he asked the American people that evening from the Oval Office remains strikingly relevant -- shouldn't all Americans be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities?

Sadly, when it comes to the treatment of people with mental illness, addiction and brain injury, equality remains unattained.

In America in 2013, thousands of our fellow citizens are still marginalized. They are still discriminated against. They face stigma every day. Today, too many Americans are told that they're less entitled to health care than those who have diseases like diabetes or cancer or asthma, just because the origin of their illness is in their brain. Without equality, or parity, insurers can refuse to cover mental illnesses at the same level as other physical illnesses, making it harder for people to get well and often further isolating them in their struggle. Together, we must change that.

The words [President Kennedy] used to describe the insufficient attention and resources devoted to mental health in 1963 could still be said today.
Patrick J. Kennedy

Eliminating the stigma of mental illness -- and finally achieving parity for its treatment -- is the next chapter in America's civil rights movement.

When I represented Rhode Island in Congress, I fought for the rights of people with mental illness, and was proud to sponsor -- along with my father, Sen. Ted Kennedy -- the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act to provide access to mental health treatment for tens of millions of Americans who previously were denied care. Signed into law by President Bush in 2008, this landmark legislation requires health insurers that offer coverage for mental illness and substance use disorders to provide those benefits in a no more restrictive way than all other medical and surgical procedures covered by the plan. This was a proud moment for me, but those with mental illnesses are still waiting for some pieces of this law to be implemented.

For those with mental illness, this October marks another landmark 50th anniversary -- President Kennedy's signing into law of the historic Community Mental Health Act. This legislation, and the words he used to describe it, laid the foundation for contemporary mental health policy.

These historic dates are important to remember, but as we look back, we are reminded not just of inspiration and achievement, but also where we have fallen short. Because while President Kennedy set us on the right course, the words he used to describe the insufficient attention and resources devoted to mental health in 1963 could still be said today: "This situation has been tolerated far too long. It has troubled our national conscience -- but only as a problem unpleasant to mention, easy to postpone, and despairing of solution."
He then said, "The time has come for a bold new approach."

This October, as we mark this important occasion, I am proud to launch the inaugural "The Kennedy Forum," an annual event that will serve as a vehicle to honor President Kennedy's efforts, celebrate the progress made in the past half-century, and rededicate the entire mental health community to further progress. We have to eradicate the stigma of mental illness once and for all, and treat mental illness equal to other physical illnesses, so that all Americans can lead dignified lives and share in the benefits of our society.

We are confronted with a moral issue but also a historic opportunity. We have the chance to take action and live up to the principle upon which America was founded: that all people are afforded equal rights and equal opportunities.

Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion. 

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Patrick J. Kennedy.

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day

Thursday, June 27 is National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is an annual campaign to encourage people of all ages to "Take the Test, Take Control."

Too many people don't know they have HIV. In the United States, nearly 1.1 million people are living with HIV, and almost one in five don't know they are infected. Getting tested is the first step to finding out if you have HIV. If you have HIV, getting medical care and taking medicines regularly helps you live a longer, healthier life and also lowers the chances of passing HIV on to others.

Find a local testing location here

Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com, http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

Building the Case to Support Tobacco Cessation

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Webinar Date: Friday, June 28, 2013, 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern

Speaker: Chad Morris, PhD, Director, Behavioral Health and Wellness Program, University of Colorado

Register for Free at www.thenationalcouncil.org/events-and-training/webinars

Almost half of the 430,000 deaths in the U.S. annually are from tobacco-related disease, and nearly half of these deaths occur in persons with behavioral health disorders. Persons with mental illness consume over 34% of all cigarettes smoked and smoke 2-4 times the rate of the general population while receiving far less tobacco cessation support. With its focus on addictions prevention, National Council offers training in how to screen, assess, and treat tobacco dependence. This webinar shows behavioral health organizations how to build the case for integrating tobacco cessation into standard practice by obtaining buy-in from board members, staff, and persons served. Value-based and business development perspectives are discussed. Join us to learn why tobacco cessation is essential to health reform and other emerging standards of care and how to overcome common concerns like competing demands, staff apprehension, and potential loss of business.

Learn more about upcoming webinars at www.thenationalcouncil.org/events-and-training/webinars.

Health Disparities and Peole with Disabilities

By Guest Blogger Stanley Holbrook, President and CEO of Three Rivers Center for Independent Living and Diversity Chair of National Council on Independent Living

Reposted at  http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

In spite of startling evidence of health disparities among people with disabilities and the inherent costs to treat preventable conditions, current federal law does not consider individuals with disabilities as a “medically underserved population.” It also does not include disabilities under requirements for cultural competence and fails to recognize disabilities under any federal program that addresses health disparities.

Overall, people with disabilities have been reported to experience fair or poor health approximately four times more than their peers without disabilities. In addition, a disproportionate percentage of people with disabilities experience the social determinants of poor health (CDC Health Disparities and Inequities Report United States 2011).
See article full at http://disparitiesinhealth.blogspot.com/,

From the Sidelines: Another Day, Another Referral Spammer

From the Sidelines: Another Day, Another Referral Spammer

Warning about Blog Scams

http://from-the-sidelines.blogspot.com/2013/02/another-day-another-referral-spammer.html

Please read this important information about blog spam.

If you notice another Blogger site by the name of www . kmzackblogger . com in your referrals, know that it is a blog setup to get you to pay for better YouTube video placement. It showed up on the blog I just started for my grandmother's diaries, so I was curious enough to check it out.
www . bthemes . info
This looks somewhat legitimate in that it has themes for Blogger. But the fact they use referral spam makes them look quite shady. I don't advise using them for that alone.

vampirestat and zombiestat
These are run by the same people using the same templates with different graphics and purport to show the monetary worth of websites. Do not go there.

UPDATED:

Yet another referral spammer on Blogger showed up with 11 page views on February 28.

make-money-with-your-blog . review-blogspot . com is another get rich quick scheme making the rounds. "Mary" even has a short bit on the page about people reporting her blog is a scam and that she has "the approval of Blogger." Of course there is only the one post containing a shortened link.

Avoid at all costs.

Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.bloggerspot,

National Practice Standards for Peer Recovery Supporters

National Practice Standards for Peer Recovery Supporters: Comments Welcome

A draft of the National Practice Standards for Peer Recovery Supporters is open for public comment until June 24, 2013. When finalized, the National Practice Standards will be used to set policy and shape the future of peer support services. If you have already commented on the draft, thank you for your input. Please be sure to share this opportunity with others. Every voice matters! The deadline for comments is June 24, 2013. To access the draft, visit http://na4ps.wordpress.com/national-standards. Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

the Connection Between Tobacco & Mental Health

Posted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

I am serving as a presenter for SOPHE’s webinar, “Determining the Connection Between Tobacco & Mental Health” coming up on June 20, 2013.

We are at our registration capacity (125 people) for the live webinar, but the webinar will be posted/archived to SOPHE’s Center for Online Resources (CORE) within two weeks of the presentation. Anyone can create a free CORE account or log in with their SOPHE username and view the presentation.

Thank you for your interest. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or are searching for resources.

Sincerely,
Kristen Frame
kframe@mail.com

Deep brain stimulation appears to be safe for obese patients

Deep brain stimulation appears to be safe for obese patients
Deep brain stimulation appeared safe and helped two of three severely obese patients who failed to lose weight following weight-loss surgery to shed pounds temporarily, according to a study in the Journal of Neurosurgery. Researchers noted some short-lived side effects associated with the procedure, including nausea and anxiety. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (6/13)

Medicaid Coverage of Behavioral Health Services for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Significant Mental Health Conditions

Posted at http://gucchdtacenter.georgetown.edu/resources/TAWebinars.html Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

June 20, 2013, 1:00 - 2:30 PM E.T.

Webinar Description: This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Joint Informational Bulletin issued on May 7, 2013, entitled "Coverage of Behavioral Health Services for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Significant Mental Health Conditions".

This bulletin provides important information to assist states in designing a service array to enable children with complex behavioral health needs to be served in their homes and communities. In addition to describing important services to include in a benefit design such as Intensive Care Coordination using a Wraparound approach, parent and youth peer support services, intensive in-home services, respite care, mobile crisis response and stabilization and flex funds, the document provides links to helpful resources from states who have successfully been using these services.

Comprehensive information is provided about the various Medicaid Authorities and Demonstrations that can be used to provide the kind of coverage described in this bulletin. Much of the information in the bulletin is based on the experiences of states and communities supported by two major CMS and SAMHSA initiatives - the Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTF) Waiver Demonstration and the Children's Mental Health Initiative. In this webinar, two states who have experience with both of these initiatives will share their lessons learned from the beginning stages of benefit design, through the successes and challenges in providing the services, and finally to their sustainability plans using several of the Medicaid Authorities and Demonstrations described in the bulletin.

Everybody Plays a Role in Suicide Prevention

Posted at http://www.blsmeetings.net/everyoneplaysarole/  Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

About 100 Americans die by suicide each day, more than double the average number of homicides.

8 million adults in the United States had serious thoughts of suicide within the past 12 months.

Fortunately, suicide is preventable. There is strong evidence that a comprehensive public health approach is effective in reducing suicide rates.

 

June 27, 2013 Participate via live webcast 9-11 Central time or 9-12:30 p.m. Northwesternn Law School

 

LEARN:More about the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, available tools, resources, and dramatically the ultimate goal of eliminating the tragic experience of suicide

HEAR FROM:Surgeon General VADM Regina Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A.
Richard McKeon, Director, SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Branch
Jerry Reed, Director, Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Dan Reidenberg, Executive Director, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
Panel: High-Risk groups–Veterans, American Indians, LGBTQ

ACTION SESSIONS:Preventing Suicide in:
Middle and High Schools	The Workplace
Colleges and Universities	Faith-Based Communities
Primary Care Settings	Community-Based Organizations

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT: Continuing Education Units (CEUs) have been applied for by the Great Lakes ATTC with the National Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) and the Illinois Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODAPCA).
Oakton Community College Continuing Education for Health Professionals is an approved sponsor of continuing education for this program by the State of Illinois, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for the following professions: 3.0 clock hours offered LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC, LMFT, SLP, 3.6 contact hours for OT. 3.0 Universal training hours will be provided for all other professions

For more information contact EveryonePlaysARole@samhsa.hhs.gov.

 

Understanding the Angry Child: Strategies for Living with Emotional and Behavioral Health Disorders

Act Now! A Conference Opportunity on June 14, 2013

Understanding the Angry Child: Strategies for Living with Emotional and Behavioral Health Disorders

Parents, caregivers, foster families, kinship families, adoptive families, respite families, advocates, school mentors, teachers, social workers, counselors, case managers, psychologists and others who work with children will gain valuable knowledge and can earn up to 6 hours of continuing education credit for the low price of $50.

Scholarships are also available to parents and caregivers on a first come first serve basis.

 Hope to see you there NEXT FRIDAY, June 14, 2013 at the Quest Center in Columbus, OH. Time is running out, register<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001gBZJO1sd4XLCM3vSwVOqOmupTEJmoi4wJDJvP9s8KgLubX3k7826aE1WgvxM5IBg8XgVrPOWBp9cWDwynOHObF9wRNewkypWCT6a5ehQ53vam8hR6-FWNR0Y66z6KJGcmvKaM82HNDC6n9c0gEbgvEaZ0v-3lB6POZEyM8yV4nNj9C-ahaulv3pCAG7-FvwE6WGDRWSNQz4bwN9Ym7nrvSK_7mQedgHdrpa7B2g82MM=> today!

NAMI Ohio namiohio@namiohio.orgmailto:namiohio@namiohio.org 

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001gBZJO1sd4XKsJ2ld0L43s74YEnEsQobsvqDj4FWpdEtl-9wmOmabxZkmfwNwrQSusc03zyjyX3HKOLI1VBLi45-ldjg2bw8WXdVoYyWuXHHfJv_6MMS6-A==

614-224-2700 or 800-686-2646

Reprinted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

BRAVO Alert: Columbus Area Hate Crimes

Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

Buckeye Regional Anti-violence Organization (BRAVO) has recently received multiple reports of anti-LGBTQ hate crimes. The incidents have occurred in the vicinity of LGBT establishments both in the Short North area and on the South side. Several of the incidents have involved both physical assault and robbery. BRAVO has good reason to believe that these attacks are anti-LGBTQ motivated.

According to Gloria McCauley, BRAVO Executive Director, "BRAVO believes that these incidents underscore the importance of a renewed discussion and action on hate crimes against LGBTQ people. Sadly, we know that hate violence is intended to send a message of hate and to instill fear throughout the entire community. Hate crimes are largely under-reported or not reported at all, and people are left feeling alone and vulnerable. BRAVO is a great resource – we are asking people to call and report – we can help."

It is Gay Pride season and BRAVO wants everyone to have a fun and safe Pride! Be alert, walk in groups, walk each other to your cars and be aware of your surroundings. Additional safety tips are available on our website. WWW.BRAVO-ohio.org.

For further information BRAVO can be reached at
614-294-7867 or 866-86-BRAVO.

All reports to BRAVO are confidential and may be made anonymously. All BRAVO services are free.

STAY ALERT
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
BE AWARE

Don’t take it. Report it.

BRAVO Alert for Hate Crimes

Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,

Buckeye Regional Anti-violence Organization (BRAVO) has recently received multiple reports of anti-LGBTQ hate crimes.  The incidents have occurred in the vicinity of LGBT establishments both in the Short North area and on the South side.  Several of the incidents have involved both physical assault and robbery.  BRAVO has good reason to believe that these attacks are anti-LGBTQ motivated.

According to Gloria McCauley, BRAVO Executive Director, "BRAVO believes that these incidents underscore the importance of a renewed discussion and action on hate crimes against LGBTQ people. Sadly, we know that hate violence is intended to send a message of hate and to instill fear throughout the entire community. Hate crimes are largely under-reported or not reported at all, and people are left feeling alone and vulnerable.  BRAVO is a great resource – we are asking people to call and report – we can help."

It is Gay Pride season and BRAVO wants everyone to have a fun and safe Pride!  Be alert, walk in groups, walk each other to your cars and be aware of your surroundings.   Additional safety tips are available on our website.   WWW.BRAVO-ohio.org.

For further information BRAVO can be reached at
614-294-7867 or 866-86-BRAVO.

All reports to BRAVO are confidential and may be made anonymously. All BRAVO services are free.

STAY ALERT
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
BE AWARE

Don’t take it. Report it.

Obama Says U.S. Must Take Mental Health Treatment Out of Shadows

Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com
President Barack Obama said he wants mental health issues elevated to a national discussion as he convened aconference today that follows up on last December’s shootings at a Connecticut elementary school that killed 20 children and six educators.

Obama said his goal is to “bring mental illness out of the shadows.” “We want to let people living with mental health challenges knowthey aren’t alone,” Obama said at the White House as he opened the one-day meeting with Cabinet members and advocates.

The issue affects many returning veterans and millions of people who suffer in isolation or without treatment, he said. While Obama didn’tdirectly mention the Connecticut shootings, he said the impact can be seen “in the tragedies that we have the power to prevent.”

National MHA president Wayne Lindstrom was joined by about 150 health-care providers, mental health experts and advocates, lawmakers, religious leaders and representatives of state and local government.

The day-long conference, one of 23 executive orders signed by the president after the Connecticut shootings, comes after the Senate rejected Obama’s proposal plan to widen background checks for firearms purchases and banassault weapons.

Obama said the Veterans Affairs department will conduct conferences at its 151 health-care centers between July 1 and September 15 to help boost awareness of mental health programs for veterans.
The government started a new website today, www.mentalhealth.gov,a clearing house for information, including a section on how to get help.

For full article post see http://www.ffcmh.org/article/obama-says-us-must-take-mental-health-treatment-out-shadows
 

Upcoming Webinar on Eating Disorders

Please join us as Dr. McShane, PhD, CEDS, auth or of Why She Feels Fat and Eating Disorders specialist as she shares about the challenges and rewards of treating long-term Eating Disorders. 

Location: Casa Serena 1868 Clayton Road, Suite 123, Concord CA 94520

Time and Date:  Friday, June 21th from 12:00 to 2:00 PM
Cost:   $35.00 includes lunch and 2 continuing education units
Presenter: Johannah McShane, PhD, CEDS, Eating Disorders specialist and author of Why She Feels Fat

Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.bloggerspot,

April 29 Japan's "Greenery" or "Showa Day" Draws Attention to Suicide

Posted at http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4908320&page=1#.UEeyDrJlQ3h

Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot,

The following article, published by ABC News in 2012, draws attention to the efforts made to address the growing rate of suicide in Japan. April 29, is "Showa Day", a holiday formerly known as "Greenery Day." This holiday period marks the highest rate of suicide each year in Japan.

Terrible Twist in Japan Suicide Spates. By NORIKO NAMIKI. TOKYO, May 22, 2008

Japan's recent series of suicides took a new twist today.

A 34-year-old farmer trying to kill himself by drinking pesticide was rushed to a hospital in southern Japan, Wednesday night, where workers feverishly pumped his stomach in an attempt to save his life.

But the man threw up inside the hospital, releasing toxic fumes that sickened more than 50 people, including doctors, patients and hospital workers.

The man later died.

At least 90 hospital personnel had to be called in to help with the emergency, said Tomoko Nagao, spokeswoman for the Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital in southern Japan.

The man's toxic vomit contained chloropicrin, officials say, a highly volatile pesticide with a pungent odor that can cause breathing difficulties and sometimes death when inhaled in large amounts.

Seishi Takamura, a doctor who treated the farmer, said he could not stop coughing after inhaling the fumes, which smelled like chlorine, Kyodo News agency reported.

Gas Suicides Spreading

A different kind of toxic gas suicide has made headlines recently across the country. More than 130 people have killed themselves by mixing store-bought detergent and chemicals.

The volunteer staff at the Suicide Prevention Center in Tokyo spent this year's "golden week" holidays in early May taking many calls from those who wanted to kill themselves.

"We set up a special hot line during golden week this year," said Yuzou Kato, the director of the center, referring to the popular annual bash of four national holidays packed into a single week. "We wanted to put a stop to the increasing number of gas suicides, which have been spreading all over Japan."

The Japanese epidemic of suicides has become particularly lethal in the last year with the introduction of a new method: mixing store-bought detergents and chemicals to create toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. The gas almost always kills and sometimes the victims of the poisonous fumes are passers-by or rescue personnel.

Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 145 such suicide cases have been reported in the last few months, killing 136 and injuring 188 others. Kato said many callers had started to talk about this gas method in the last year.

"This is fairly a new method of suicide, and people seem to learn about it through the Internet," Kato said. "What is scary about this type of suicide is the powerful gas fumes can easily kill passers-by and rescuers. As they try to kill themselves with this type of gas, they can easily kill innocent people."

Early this month in northern Japan, about 350 neighbors had to seek shelter at a nearby school playground as a 24-year-old man mixed the concoction in his house and killed himself. The man died and his mother, who tried to help him, inhaled the gas and became unconscious.

Last month, the Peninsula Tokyo hotel had to evacuate guests from a few floors as one of their guests attempted suicide by generating hydrogen sulfide in his hotel room.

Firefighters who tried to rescue the man found a few bottles of detergent and chemicals -- all of which can be purchased at stores. The man also left a note on a chair in his room warning of the toxic gas in his room.

Struggling to Save Citizens From Themselves

Japan already has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. The number of suicides reached 30,000 in 1998 and has not gone below that number for nine consecutive years.

The Japanese government has made suicide a national concern.

According to a recent survey by the government, one in five Japanese adults has considered suicide. Last year, the government published its first white paper on suicide prevention and vowed to cut the number of suicides by 20 percent in 10 years. It also committed roughly $220 million for anti-suicide programs to help those with depression and other mental health conditions.

The Japan Association of Chain Drug Stores asked its 190 members to voluntarily suspend the sales of detergents and chemicals that can be used for suicides.

The National Police Agency has designated Web sites showing how to mix the chemicals as a source of "harmful information" and has asked Internet providers to delete sites or pages that contain such information.

It said many people seem to obtain information on how to die with the gas through the Internet. More than 50 Web sites included instructions on how to create the poisonous gas.

"Deleting sites or information from the Internet does not lead to a long-term solution," said Mafumi Usui, a psychology professor at Niigata Seiryo University. "You can tell them to ban the word 'suicide' from the Internet, but people will find a way to use that word, maybe by substituting another word to mean suicide."

Usui, who has been studying suicides in Japan, said young people tend to use the poisonous gas method because many want "an easy and less painful way to die," which Usui calls a misconception.

"It may be easy to mix up the chemicals but it does not necessarily kill you easily," he said. "There is absolutely no easy way to die."

Usui said what many of those who attempt suicide are seeking is not necessarily death but a solution to their problems.

"It may be bullying, it may be loneliness, they may simply have a hard time finding a purpose in life," said Usui. "That does not mean they want to die but they choose death because they cannot find a solution to their problems. They do not necessarily want to die, but if they have to die, they do not want to suffer and they do not want to look gross or ugly."

Offering Life as an Alternative

While the authorities grapple with the nation's high rate of suicides and try to eliminate information on how to die, one man is trying to stop suicide by offering people tips on how to live.

"When you Google the word suicide, it shows all those Web sites and chat rooms that show you how to kill one's self," said Ryuichi Okita, CEO of Posi-media in Tokyo, a company that tackles social issues including suicides. "But no one shows you how you can solve life issues, which can give you an option to live."

A 31-year-old owner of a design company, Okita said he once suffered depression.

"I did not necessarily want to die, but I certainly wanted to disappear," said Okita. "I wanted to disappear from everything. I luckily managed to come up with a few solutions or alternatives to suicide such as returning to my hometown. If you can find one solution or alternative, you may realize that death is not your only option for a way out."

Building on that notion, Okita created a Web site in March 2007 called Ikiteku (techniques on living) that shows survival tips from people who once were on the brink of committing suicide.

The Web site shows an archive of personal accounts that are divided into eight circumstances such as "bullying," "violence," "personal debts" and "sickness." Under each category are the stories of people who have experience in those fields and their solutions to life issues.

The site shows more than 200 entries so far. It also shows survival techniques broken into seven categories that include changing circumstances, a job or residence and learning about legal protections available to those in debt.

"Why don't we help people find ways to solve their issues instead of telling them not to die," said Okita. "Emphasizing the importance of life may not really help someone when that person will have to face a debt collector the next morning."

Okita realizes this may not be a panacea for suicides. He also knows what may have worked for one person does not necessarily apply to another. "But by showing as many examples as possible, people can choose a solution they like," said Okita whose goal is to cut the current number of suicide by 25 percent in 18 months.

The Web site now has more than 100,000 visitors a day. Although Okita finds this number "encouraging," he feels his work is not over yet.

"Many people do not know there are alternatives to death," said Okita. "If our site can make them think a moment, it then could delay their action by one day. You never know what difference that one day can make."

"People may have a different view on life when they wake up next morning. They may be able to shift their focus from dying to living."

IHA Health Literacy Conference Features Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes Leaders

The Institute for Healthcare Advancement will hold its12th Annual Health Literacy Conference May 8-10 in Irvine, California and Alliance program leaders from Chicago, Dallas and Memphis as well as the Alliance’s program evaluator RTI International will participate.

 Click here to register and use the discount code ARDD13 to receive a $50 discount on the registration cost.

 See below for highlights of the Chicago and Dallas poster presentations. Make sure to visit the Alliance’s Twitter and Facebook pages for more information and to share your thoughts. Stay tuned for our next E-Blast that will feature the presentations from the Memphis program and RTI International. 

Dallas Program Addresses Health Literacy Outside the Doctor's Office With Community Health Workers (CHWs) 

The Alliance’s Dallas program, the Diabetes Equity Project (DEP), aims to reduce disparities in diabetes care and diabetes outcomes in the largely Hispanic, medically underserved communities surrounding Baylor Health Care System hospitals. CHWs work to extend the patient-provider relationship and increase access to health services and education. Initial program results show that DEP patients had significantly higher scores on the Perceived Competence Scale in Diabetes (PCSD) one year post-baseline. The high rates of success in the program indicate that the use of CHWs to coordinate care and provide diabetes education to underserved populations could be an effective model for use with similar populations in other cities.

Read Dallas’ IHA abstract submission here for more information on the use of CHWs to improve health outcomes in underserved populations.

Chicago Program to Present Poster at IHA on Benefits of Combining Tailored Education and Shared Decision-Making

Leaders from the Chicago program have teamed up with local community health centers and community partners to empower patients to better manage their diabetes. The intervention addresses two well-known barriers facing racial/ethnic populations and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds: limited health literacy and lack of cultural tailoring of programs. The program consists of 10-sessions co-taught by nurses, diabetes educators and dieticians, and program participants showed improvements in diabetes self management skills and clinical measures.

Read the IHA abstract submission here for more information on the Diabetes Empowerment Program.

About the Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes

The Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes, a national program launched and supported by the Merck Foundation, works to improve health care delivery among those populations most at risk for diabetes – African-American, Hispanic/Latino and Native American adults. The five health care delivery sites that comprise the Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes have implemented multifaceted evidence-based approaches designed to eliminate gaps produced by inequity and lack of targeted attention to those adults and their families who are most likely to be severely burdened by diabetes.

The Center for Managing Chronic Disease | University of Michigan
1415 Washington Heights | Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 | 734-763-1457  

Reposted at http://darkestcloset.blogspot.com

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IHA Health Literacy Conference Features Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes Leaders   The Institute for Healthcare Advancement will hold its12th Annual Health Literacy Conference May 8-10 in Irvine, California and Alliance program leaders from Chicago, Dallas and Memphis as well as the Alliance’s program evaluator RTI International will participate.   Click here to register and use the discount code ARDD13 to receive a $50 discount on the registration cost.   See below for highlights of the Chicago and Dallas poster presentations. Make sure to visit the Alliance’s Twitter and Facebook pages for more information and to share your thoughts. Stay tuned for our next E-Blast that will feature the presentations from the Memphis program and RTI International.      Dallas Program Addresses Health Literacy Outside the Doctor's Office With Community Health Workers (CHWs)    The Alliance’s Dallas program, the Diabetes Equity Project (DEP), aims to reduce disparities in diabetes care and diabetes outcomes in the largely Hispanic, medically underserved communities surrounding Baylor Health Care System hospitals. CHWs work to extend the patient-provider relationship and increase access to health services and education. Initial program results show that DEP patients had significantly higher scores on the Perceived Competence Scale in Diabetes (PCSD) one year post-baseline. The high rates of success in the program indicate that the use of CHWs to coordinate care and provide diabetes education to underserved populations could be an effective model for use with similar populations in other cities. Read Dallas’ IHA abstract submission here for more information on the use of CHWs to improve health outcomes in underserved populations.     Chicago Program to Present Poster at IHA on Benefits of Combining Tailored Education and Shared Decision-Making

Leaders from the Chicago program have teamed up with local community health centers and community partners to empower patients to better manage their diabetes. The intervention addresses two well-known barriers facing racial/ethnic populations and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds: limited health literacy and lack of cultural tailoring of programs. The program consists of 10-sessions co-taught by nurses, diabetes educators and dieticians, and program participants showed improvements in diabetes self management skills and clinical measures. Read the IHA abstract submission here for more information on the Diabetes Empowerment Program.

About the Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes The Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes, a national program launched and supported by the Merck Foundation, works to improve health care delivery among those populations most at risk for diabetes – African-American, Hispanic/Latino and Native American adults. The five health care delivery sites that comprise the Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes have implemented multifaceted evidence-based approaches designed to eliminate gaps produced by inequity and lack of targeted attention to those adults and their families who are most likely to be severely burdened by diabetes.   Sponsored By:     Share   Tweet   Forward to Friend   The Center for Managing Chronic Disease | University of Michigan 1415 Washington Heights | Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 | 734-763-1457  unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences