First, we just finished setting up a form that users can use to create a new event on the MHTonline calendar.  You can submit an event at https://www.mhtonline.org/S=01dd37abb0db9d0529c47de36a570912fedb9472/calendar/submit/.  New events are initially marked as pending, they get approved, and then they’ll be available on the calendar for everyone to see.  So if you have any kind of event that you want to spread the word about, MHTonline’s calendar would be one way to do that.

Second, with that out of the way the Web developer is going to get started on a resources page for you.  Once it’s ready, I’ll let you all know and we can see how it works, what you might like changed/improved, etc.

Finally, what do you all think about a more publicly available forum?  Do you have interest in having something set up for the public where you could post information for other people to see - like minutes of meetings and such?  Or do you want to wait on that?

More updates to come!

The form currently makes you pick between handbooks and presentations as the two categories of content, but we can add more categories over time - those just seemed like obvious ones to start with.

If you have any trouble using that, or have any questions, just drop me an e-mail!

Alex

Texas Catalyst for Empowerment has a conference call planned for Monday, July 12.  We have some exciting issues to discuss, such as Via Hope’s support for TCE to have a Conference about what we want, when we want, and how we want it.  I’ve been told by Via Hope Director Dennis Bach, that TCE can partner with Via Hope on a conference, or can do it on their own.  The main message I got from listening to Dennis talk about Via Hope’s support for TCE’s conference, is that TCE understand it has Via Hope’s support without strings attached. 

We’ll all get a chance to talk about this on Monday.  What an opportunity!  Wow!

In gratitude,
Eileen
Via Hope Consumer Coordiator
Texas Catalyst for Empowerment Member
Child of the Universe

Mimi

Mimi Martinez McKay, M.A., M.L.I.S.

Chief of Staff/Information Services Director

Texas Department of State Health Services

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

phone:512.206.5804; fax:512.206.4589 tollfree:866.378.8440, ext.5804

email:mimi.mckay@dshs.state.tx.us

Attitudes Toward Mental Illness—- 35 States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, 2007

May 28, 2010 / 59(20);619-625

Negative attitudes about mental illness often underlie stigma, which can cause affected persons to deny symptoms; delay treatment; be excluded from employment, housing, or relationships; and interfere with recovery (1). Understanding attitudes toward mental illness at the state level could help target initiatives to reduce stigma, but state-level data are scant. To study such attitudes, CDC analyzed data from the District of Columbia (DC), Puerto Rico, and the 35 states participating in the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) (the most recent data available), which included two questions on attitudes toward mental illness. Most adults (88.6%) agreed with a statement that treatment can help persons with mental illness lead normal lives, but fewer (57.3%) agreed with a statement that people are generally caring and sympathetic to persons with mental illness. Responses to these questions differed by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education level. Although most adults with mental health symptoms (77.6%) agreed that treatment can help persons with mental illness lead normal lives, fewer persons with symptoms (24.6%) believed that people are caring and sympathetic to persons with mental illness. This report provides the first state-specific estimates of these attitudes and provides a baseline for monitoring trends. Initiatives that can educate the public about how to support persons with mental illness and local programs and media support to decrease negative stereotypes of mental illness can reduce barriers for those seeking or receiving treatment for mental illness (2,3).

To measure attitudes about mental illness through BRFSS and other surveys, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and CDC collaborated in 2005 to develop brief questions suitable for surveillance (4). BRFSS is an ongoing, state-based, random-digit—dialed telephone survey of the noninstitutionalized civilian population aged ≥18 years.* With SAMHSA and CDC support, 35 states, DC, and Puerto Rico questioned survey respondents to the 2007 BRFSS about mental illness. Questions included the Kessler-6 scale of serious psychological distress (5), frequent mental distress, one question about current treatment for an emotional problem, and two attitudinal questions.

The Kessler 6-scale asks respondents how often in the past 30 days they felt six symptoms of mental illness (i.e., feeling nervous, depressed, hopeless, restless, like a failure, like everything was an effort). Each item is scored on a 5-point scale indicating frequency, ranging from 0 (none of the time) to 4 (all of the time), and summed (score range: 0—24). Respondents scoring 13 or more on this scale were classified as having serious psychological distress (5). Frequent mental distress was measured with the question, “For how many days in the past 30 days was your mental health (due to stress, depression, or problems with emotions) not good?” Respondents reporting 14 or more poor mental health days were identified as having frequent mental distress. To determine current treatment for an emotional problem, survey participants were asked, “Are you now taking medicine or receiving treatment from a doctor or other health professional for any type of mental health condition or emotional problem?”

Attitudes were assessed by asking respondents to indicate their level of agreement with two statements. The first statement assessed attitude on the effectiveness of treatment: “Treatment can help people with mental illness lead normal lives.” The second statement assessed the respondent’s perception of others’ attitudes toward persons with mental illness: “People are generally caring and sympathetic to people with mental illness.”† Before inclusion in BRFSS, cognitive testing in a sample of the general population confirmed that adults understood these questions as intended. For example, respondents suggested that “normal lives” meant “being able to do everyday things, like going to the grocery store, paying bills, things that you have to do to live.” The question about attitudes toward treatment also demonstrated acceptable construct validity with expectations regarding mental illness recovery.

Data were weighted to estimate population parameters. CDC used statistical software to calculate unadjusted and adjusted proportions (adjusted for sex, age group, racial/ethnic group, education, and household income) of agreement by state and by serious psychological distress, frequent mental distress, and mental health treatment, and to account for the complex BRFSS survey design. After adjustment, CDC examined differences in proportions across agreement categories for both questions by serious psychological distress, frequent mental distress, and mental health treatment status. The analyses excluded persons who responded “did not know” or “refused” to answer the questions.§ The sample size included 202,065 adults. Among the 35 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, the median Council of American Survey Research Organization (CASRO) response rate was 51% and the CASRO cooperation rate was 71.4%.¶

If you are aware of your State’s transformation activities, we want to know if you want to participate in this survey, regardless of whether you have been involved or not. If you are involved with the grant, your participation will not affect your role with the grant. Participation in this survey is voluntary. If you choose to participate, you will not need to answer every survey question. If you are currently receiving mental health services, your participation will not affect the services you receive. The survey will be anonymous, with no names being connected with responses. The risks associated with participating in the survey are minimal.

We may not be able to involve everyone who is interested in participating because we are limiting participation to 15 people per State. A stipend of $25 will be provided to participants. People on the State payroll may not be eligible for the stipend. If you do participate, you will provide valuable information about the mental health transformation activities in your State.

If you are interested, please complete and return the attached form to Clifton Chow at cchow at hsri dot org.  For people who are selected to participate, we will follow up by phone or e-mail to provide specific participation options and answer any questions you may have. If you know of other people who receive mental health services, or family members, who are aware of the State’s transformation activities and want to participate, please ask them to complete the form and send it to me at the e-mail address above. 

If you wish to speak with a person in your State who knows about this evaluation and the survey, please contact Jennifer Padron at jenpadron at austin dot rr dot com.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks. 

Clifton M. Chow
c/o HSRI
2336 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140
E-mail: cchow at hsri dot org.  Phone: 617-844-2510

The form currently makes you pick between handbooks and presentations as the two categories of content, but we can add more categories over time - those just seemed like obvious ones to start with.

If you have any trouble using that, or have any questions, just drop me an e-mail!

First, we just finished setting up a form that users can use to create a new event on the MHTonline calendar.  You can submit an event at https://www.mhtonline.org/S=01dd37abb0db9d0529c47de36a570912fedb9472/calendar/submit/.  New events are initially marked as pending, they get approved, and then they’ll be available on the calendar for everyone to see.  So if you have any kind of event that you want to spread the word about, MHTonline’s calendar would be one way to do that.

Second, with that out of the way the Web developer is going to get started on a resources page for you.  Once it’s ready, I’ll let you all know and we can see how it works, what you might like changed/improved, etc.

Finally, what do you all think about a more publicly available forum?  Do you have interest in having something set up for the public where you could post information for other people to see - like minutes of meetings and such?  Or do you want to wait on that?

More updates to come!

When I visited you on Monday, you talked about wanting a resources page of some kind.  It seems like there are two main options:

1) A more static page, where things get added and they’re available - but there’s no way to comment on or discuss the things that are posted.

2) Something like this forum, where people could upload resources that might be interesting - which would then let people comment on what was posted, discuss the content of a presentation, etc.

I don’t know if there is a “right” answer here, really.  But I’m curious what you would prefer and want.  It might make sense to wait a bit until you’re comfortable with this forum to see if you’d want something more like this forum (and the ability to discuss) vs. a more static page.

Please share your thoughts, let me know what you think, ask questions, etc.  Thanks!