RECOVER e-works: Issue No. 26

An electronic circular of the Center for Rehabilitation and Recovery, a project of the Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies.

The Center for Rehabilitation and Recovery provides assistance to the New York City mental health provider community through expert trainings, focused technical assistance, evaluation, information dissemination and special projects.

June 2006

This issue:

Education

• Coalition's Center for Rehabilitation and Recovery
• Coalition of Mainstream Employment Programs
• Hire Disability Solutions
• Job Accommodation Network
• Kaiser
• Orange County Mental Health Association
• SAMHSA

• SAMHSA
• US Department of Education
• US Department of Health and Human Services
• US Department of Labor
• US Social Security Administration

• Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies
• Kaiser
• NYS Office of Mental Health
• VSA Arts

• Boston University
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Kaiser
• MDRC
• NYS Office of Mental Health

Education:

• Coalition's Center for Rehabilitation and Recovery is launching a series of trainings on issues pertaining to transition age youth for mental health and other related providers in NYC. Beginning on July 6th and 7th, 9am-4pm, Dr. Hewitt Rusty Clark from the University of South Florida will present an Overview on the evidence-based Transition to Independence Process (TIP) System. Providers serving seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) youth are invited. For more information call Alysia Pascaris at 212-742-1600, ext. 201.

• Coalition of Mainstream Employment Programs will host "Maximizing Clients' Choices" on June 22nd from 9am-4pm at 350 5th Avenue, Room 314. To register call 212-741-0100.

• Hire Disability Solutions will host its Career Expo 2006 on June 20th from 10am-3pm at Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY and June 23rd from 10am-3pm at LaGuardia Community College, 29-10 Thomson Avenue, Room C-225, Long Island City, NY. For more information call 917-493-7010 or 718-557-6753.

• Job Accommodation Network is offering a webcast on July 11th called "The ADA at 16: Trends and Developments". More information.

• Kaiser: a webcast titled "Assessing Medicare Drug Benefit Implementation for Low-Income and Dual Eligible Beneficiaries" examines the experiences of Medicare Part D for dual enrollees. In addition, "Transitions 2006" is a video that examines similar issues. More information.
  

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  Kaiser has a selection of tutorials that include Consumer-Directed Health Plans, the HIV/AIDS Epidemic (nationally and globally) and Women's Health. More information.

• Orange County Mental Health Association with participation from Sullivan and Dutchess Counties will hold its 6th Annual Orange County Mental Health Conference on June 23rd from 8:30am-3:30pm in Goshen, NY. This event will focus on "Wellness Management and Personal Recovery". More information.

• SAMHSA has a training curriculum on the latest information and prevention strategies including alternative approaches reducing the use of seclusion and restraint. "The Roadmap to Seclusion and Restraint Free Mental Health Services for Persons of All Ages" outlines best practices and highlights self-care approaches and peer provided services. More information.
  
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  SAMHSA has a teleconference available entitled "Stigma in the Military: Strategies for Reducing Stigma Among Veterans and Active Duty Personnel". The teleconference includes information on anti-stigma efforts within the US Air Force Suicide prevention program, stigma reduction efforts by the Veterans Administration and the value of increasing peer support services. This econference was originally aired in March 2006.  More information. 

Funding and Grant Opportunities:

• SAMHSA has posted preliminary listings of its 2007 Discretionary Grant Funding Announcements including Adolescents at Risk, Campus Suicide and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. This is a tentative list of approximately 90 grants totaling over $18 million. More information.

• (7/27, 11/16)US Department of Education: funding is available to provide national leadership in expanding knowledge and understanding of education from early childhood education through postsecondary and adult education. The goal is to increase awareness on opportunities for all students. Two sets of competitions are scheduled. More information.

• (7/10)US Department of Health and Human Services, Compassion Capital Fund Communities Empowering Youth Program (CCF CEY), has $30 million available for not-for-profits and partners to submit proposals to build organizational capacity towards more effective social services and collaborations meeting the needs of disadvantaged youth. Awards will be as high as $750,000. Due date is July 10th. More information.
  
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  (varied)The National Institutes of Health's Research on Community Reintegration for People with Psychiatric Disabilities Program has numerous research grant opportunities exploring individual, social and service system conditions that could expedite community reintegration for people with psychiatric disabilities. More information.
  
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  (varied)The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Mental Health Early Identification and Treatment of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents Program has a funding opportunity inviting investigator-initiated research grant applications for studies including early diagnosis, development of new interventions and the safety of existing treatments. More information.
  
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  (varied) The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) invite research grant applications reducing the burden of suicidality including deaths, attempts and ideation. Mental disorders including substance abuse disorders are of particular interest. More information.

• (7/3)US Department of Labor: the Office of Disability Employment Policy's Self-Employment for Adults and Youth With Disabilities Research and Technical Assistance (TA) Program has $5 million in funds available for national and sub-national TA and research cooperative agreements to investigate and develop systems models aimed at increasing employment for individuals with disabilities. The due date is July 3rd. More information.

• (7/1)US Social Security Administration: has issued a new RFA for the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program (currently known as the Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach, or BPA&O Program). The purpose of the program is to disseminate information on work incentives assisting people with disabilities in making informed decisions about work. More information.

News Briefs/Events:

• Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies will hold its 22nd Annual Mental Health Awards on June 8th from 5pm-8pm at the Pfizer Building at 235 East 42nd Street. Honorees will include the NYS OMH Commissioner Sharon Carpinello, noted author Bebe Moore Campbell and Alan Siskind. Tickets and more information.

• Kaiser has a weekly Question and Answer column on line that explains the basics of Medicare Part D, provides consumer-oriented information and advice. Questions can be forwarded to Medicare Q and A, Kaiser Family Foundation, 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 or via email to MedicareQ@kff.org.  More information.

• NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) with the University of Rochester Medical Center, is launching the second phase of the family psycho-education initiative through statewide informational forums. The goal is to invite mental health leadership to learn about the initiative designed to expand research driven family services for adults. The NYC forums will be held at the OMH NYC Field Office, 330 Fifth Avenue on June 14th from 1pm-4:30pm and June 15th from 10am-1:30pm. For more information and to RSVP call 585-275-7128 or 917-613-3825.

• VSA Arts with Volkswagen of America, Inc. is sponsoring "destination anywhere: A National Juried Exhibit for Young Artists with Disabilities, Ages 16 – 25" with prizes ranging from $2,000-$20,000. The deadline for submissions of art work is July 14th. VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts providing resources for art programs in schools and communities. Fifteen finalists will be part of an awards ceremony on Capitol Hill followed by a national touring exhibit. More information.

Publications:

• Boston University's Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation has a free fact sheet called "Recovery from Serious Mental Illnesses" (June 2006). The fact sheet includes a consumer definition and description of recovery. More information.

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has posted a report itemizing the cost of 30 common elective procedures and other hospital admissions possibly needed by mental health recipients. "Hospital Payment Information"(June 2006) indicates the range of payments by county and the variety of treatments provided. More information.

• Kaiser: "The Survey of Americans on HIV/AIDS" (May 2006) is comprised of a national sample of interviews conducted in March and April. Included is information on HIV/AIDS nationally, perceptions of HIV/AIDS and domestic HIV spending priorities. More information.

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  "Premiums and Cost-Sharing Features in Medicare's New Prescription Drug Program, 2006" (May 2006) is a brief that compares Medicare Stand-Alone Drug Plans with Medicare Advantage Plans. Included is a close look at premiums, deductibles and cost-sharing features. More information.
  

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  A new fact sheet is available (May 2006) summarizing and explaining trends in Medicaid spending and enrollment between 2000-2004. More information. 

• MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation) in collaboration with the Center for Employment Opportunities published "The Power of Work" (April 2006). This report describes a model created by the Center examining the national effects of increased incarceration rates over the past 25 years. The challenges of employment upon re-entry are discussed. More information.

• NYS Office of Mental Health has a Chinese language version of SPEAK- a suicide prevention, education and awareness campaign (May 2006). SPEAK is available in English and Spanish with a Russian version in progress. More information.