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
 

Obama: PTSD stigmatization must end

August 30, 2011 2:21 PM  By Lucy Madison

President Obama called on Tuesday for an end to the stigmatization of veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and affirmed his recent decision to send condolence letters to the families of service members who took their own lives while serving.

Mr. Obama, speaking at the annual American Legion Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, emphasized his commitment to providing improved support for veterans both during and after their service - particularly in regard to mental health services and job opportunities.

"We're working aggressively to address another signature wound of this war, which has led too many fine troops and veterans to take their own lives--Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," Mr. Obama said. "We're continuing to make major investments--improving outreach and suicide prevention, hiring and training more mental health counselors and treating more veterans than ever before."

The president also explained his recent decision, as reported in July by CBS News, to reverse a long-standing policy of not sending condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide while deployed to a combat zone.

"The days when depression and PTSD were stigmatized must end," said Mr. Obama. "That's why I made the decision to start sending condolence letters to the families of service members who take their lives while deployed in a combat zone."

He continued: "These American patriots did not die because they were weak. They were warriors. They deserve our respect. Every man and woman in uniform, and every veteran, needs to know that your nation will be there to help you stay strong. It's the right thing to do."

Mr. Obama first revealed the policy change in a July statement, in which he said he made the decision in consultation with then Defense Secretary Robert Gates and military leaders after a "difficult and exhaustive review" of the policy.

"Our men and women in uniform have borne the incredible burden of our wars, and we need to do everything in our power to honor their service, and to help them stay strong for themselves, for their families and for our nation," he said in that statement.

In his Tuesday remarks, Mr. Obama also lauded those who have served in what he described as the "9/11 Generation," and touted the funding of a post-9/11 GI Bill, which aims to send veterans and their family members to college, as well as provide vocational training and apprenticeships - "so veterans can develop the skills to succeed in today's economy."

"Today, as we near this solemn anniversary, it's fitting that we salute the extraordinary decade of service rendered by the 9/11 Generation-the more than five million Americans who have worn the uniform over the past ten years," he said. "They were there, on duty, that September morning, having enlisted in a time of peace, but they instantly transitioned to a war-footing. They're the millions of recruits who have stepped forward since, seeing their nation at war and saying 'send me.' They're every single soldier, sailor, airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman serving today, who has volunteered to serve in a time of war, knowing they could be sent into harm's way."

He pledged to continue to work to create more jobs for former service members, and again called on Congress to enact tax credits for companies that hire unemployed veterans.

"We cannot, and we must not, balance the budget on the backs of our veterans," he said. "And as commander-in-chief, I won't allow it."

"America will never leave your side," he promised.

Political Hotsheet    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20099337-503544.html Reposted at darkestcloset/bloggerspot.com

Senators Push for Reversal of Policy on Condolence Letters

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and 10 other senators are calling on President Obama to reverse the current policy of not sending condolence letters to families of service members who take their own lives. Although the White House promised in 2009 to review the policy, there has been no progress as of yet. "Unfortunately, perpetuating a policy that denies condolence letters to families of service members who die by suicide only serves to reinforce this stigma by overshadowing the contributions of an individual's life with the unfortunate nature of his or her death," the letter says. "It is simply unacceptable for the United States to be sending the message to these families that somehow their loved ones' sacrifices are less important." (CNN, 5/26/11)

Facebook rolls out anti-bullying tools with White House support

Reposted at darkestcloset.blogspot.com

Facebook announced two new safety features Thursday in conjunction with a White House summit on bullying.

A new reporting tool will let Facebook users, including teens and younger users, to privately report troubling content not just to the site itself but to parents, teachers and others in their support system.

And an improved Safety Center, due out in the next few weeks, will provide educational videos, articles and other content created by bullying experts to help adults address the problem.

"Today's summit is about collaboration and being innovative in the ways in which we address safety," the networking giant wrote on its Facebook Safety page. "We hope these new resources will help all of us -- parents, teachers, kids, safety experts, and Facebook itself -- work together to create safer environments."

In a video posted on the safety page, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama encourage Facebook members to join in the effort to decrease bullying, both online and off.

"For a long time, bullying was treated as an unavoidable part of growing up," President Obama says in the video. "But more and more we're seeing how harmful it can be for our kids, especially when it follows them from their school to their phone to their computer screen."

Facebook said the "social reporting" feature is intended to get reports of bullying to the people with the best chance of stopping it.

Under the new system, a user could identify a photo, status update or other item as bullying them, then privately send a message to someone in their friend network about it.

"Safety and child psychology experts tell us that online issues are frequently a reflection of what is happening offline," Facebook wrote. "By encouraging people to seek help from friends, we hope that many of these situations can be resolved face to face."

The new Safety Center will constantly be updated with new information and tools, according to the post.

Health Reform's One-Year Anniversary

Today is the one-year anniversary of President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act into law, which when fully implemented, will cover 32 million Americans and begin to lower the rate of growth in health care spending. "The bill I'm signing will set in motion reforms that generations of Americans  have fought for , and marched for, and hungered to see," Obama said during last year's signing ceremony. "That our generation is able to succeed in passing this reform is a testament to the persistence -- and the character -- of the American people, who championed this cause; who mobilized; who organized; who believed that people who love this country can change it," he added. Health care advocacy groups around the nation  will host educational events in 33 states today to raise awareness about the law's benefits and the government's efforts in implementing the measure thus far.

IMPLEMENTATION SUCCESS:  As a result of the law, states received  $250 million in federal funding to strengthen their ability to review, revise, or reject unreasonable premium rate hikes. Nearly four million seniors who fell into the Medicare Part D doughnut hole received federal assistance that helped them purchase medications and 150,000 seniors have undergone a free wellness exam this year. The government recovered $4 billion in fraud last year and the law provides more funds to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare and has been busily implementing new regulations that are designed to keep health insurers more accountable and increase access to coverage. As of this year, insurance companies can no longer discriminate against children with pre-existing conditions, drop coverage because of a simple mistake on an application, institute lifetime caps, limit choice of doctors, charge more for emergency services obtained out of network, or levy deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance for certain preventive benefits. More than a million young adults can stay on their parents' plans until their 26th birthday, and everyone will have the right to appeal insurer decisions to an independent third party. Similarly, four million small businesses have  access to $40 billion in tax credits and 12,400 Americans with pre-existing conditions are receiving coverage through temporary high-risk insurance pools that will provide coverage for sicker individuals until 2014. Americans can already compare available plan benefits, prices, and application denial rates at  HealthCare.gov. In 2011, the website will include pricing and comparison information  for small businesses.

LOOKING AHEAD:   Starting in 2014, individuals and families will have even more options through state-based health care exchanges that will allow Americans to select new regulated plans that will offer a comprehensive set of benefits. Under the law, if states fail to establish their own exchange, the federal government will build one for them -- something a surprisingly high number of conservative states  are willing to accept. States like Louisiana, Florida, Georgia and Alaska have refused to build their own unique marketplaces and have instead suggested that they would allow the federal government to step in. States that establish their own exchanges will be able to run their own markets (or partner if with other states), determine which insurance companies can offer coverage and dictate benefit rules. Americans below 133 percent of the federal poverty line (FPL) will be able to enroll in an expanded Medicaid program. In the coming year, the federal government  will issue more specific regulations about how much flexibility states will have to structure their health insurance exchanges and how generous those plans have to be. This year, restaurant chains and vending machines will be required to disclose nutritional content of food and Medicaid will stop reimbursing hospitals for conditions acquired during hospitalization.

REPUBLICANS PREDICTED THE WORST:   In the year since reform passed, Republicans in the House repealed the law (only to see the measure fall in the Senate) and are now attempting to defund reform. During the nearly 10-month legislative battle that preceded passage, the GOP characterized the bill as a "socialist" "government takeover" and warned Americans that the bill would destroy lives and American society, hurling apocalyptic warnings that seem downright satirical a year later. For instance, on the eve of passage now-House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said that passage of reform would result in "Armageddon" because the law will "ruin our country." Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) predicted "there will be  no insurance industry left in three years" and announced that seniors would "die soon," while Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) stated that "no new health insurance policies can be written once this federal plan comes into effect." Fox News pundit Sean Hannity said, "If we get nationalized health care, it's over; this is socialism" and Glenn Beck predicted "the  end of prosperity in America forever...the end of America as you know it." Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) suggested that seniors will be "put to death" by the government and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) lamented that a  similar fate faced American women. Potential presidential candidate and former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) warned that health reform "will destroy the country" because, "in the next year or so," America will have to "dramatically cut the military  because we can't pay for it."
From The Progress Report [progress@americanprogressaction.org]
Reposted at darkestcloset.blogspot.com

Joe Pantoliano Interview

http://washingtonscene.thehill.com/my-5-minutes-with-obama/8083-mental-illness-tops-list-for-joey-pants

One of today’s best character actors, Joe Pantoliano boasts more than 100 film, television and stage credits. Joey Pants — as he is affectionately known — has been revered and honored for his unique and entertaining portrayals, including killer pimp Guido in “Risky Business,” bumbling criminal Francis Fratelli in “The Goonies,” double-crossing bail bondsman Eddie Moscone in “Midnight Run,” cynical U.S. Marshal Cosmo Renfro in “The Fugitive,” turncoat Cypher in “The Matrix” and shady sidekick Teddy in “Memento.” In 2001, Pantoliano joined the cast of the hit HBO series “The Sopranos.” While portraying psychopathic mobster Ralphie Cifaretto — for which he won an Emmy Award — the actor published The New York Times best-seller “Who’s Sorry Now: The True Story of a Stand-Up Guy,” his memoir of his New Jersey childhood and his mother’s mental illness. Most recently, Pantoliano produced and starred in “Canvas,” a film that portrays a family’s struggle with mental illness. Inspired by his role in the movie, he created No Kidding, Me Too!, a nonprofit dedicated to removing the stigma associated with mental illness. He made his directorial debut, seeking to promote mental health and awareness, with the documentary, “No Kidding, Me Too!” Pantoliano is a former co-president of The Creative Coalition. ROBIN BRONK: If you had five minutes in the Oval Office with President Obama, what would you discuss with him? What issue would you like him to know about? JOE PANTOLIANO: Equal rights for our brains and the end of prejudice, discrimination and bigotry toward brain disease. RB: If you could give President Obama one piece of advice, what would that be? JP: Punt. RB: If you could ask President Obama one question, what would that be? JP: How is it possible that the all-American brain is 100 percent excluded from the parity of our other vital organs? RB: Would you ever consider a political career? JP: No. Bronk is a seasoned Capitol Hill strategist and advocate. She started her career at The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group for the arts and entertainment industry, in July 1998. During her tenure as CEO, Bronk has taken The Creative Coalition from a New York-based entity to a national organization. www.thecreativecoalition.org