Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the staff of NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania!

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

New Parity Implementation Toolkit Available

NAMI and our coalition partners working on implementation of the 2008 Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act have developed a new toolkit to assist people living with mental illness and their families in making sure their group health plan is in compliance with the new law. The toolkit provides resources on how to file a complaint and report noncompliance to appropriate regulatory authorities.

You can access the toolkit online at the NAMI Policy and Alerts webpage, or as a PDF file here. For more information about mental health issues in southwestern Pennsylvania, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website!

Photo: Sunshine & Happiness, Some rights reserved by Rishi Menon

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Spotlight: Pennsylvania Behavioral Health and Aging Coalition

The Pennsylvania Behavioral Health and Aging Coalition (PBHAC), a "statewide coalition of individuals and organizations concerned about the unmet mental health and substance abuse needs of older adults across the Commonwealth", has launched a new website!

The new website has information on area events and programs, as well as resource links and informative blog articles focused on older adults.

If you're interested in receiving email newsletters and other information relating to behavioral health issues in older adults and improving the lives of older Pennsylvanians, be sure to click on "Join Now" to become a member.

Interested in keeping up with NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania? It's easy! Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay current with our blog, or visit us at our website!

Photo: Elderly couple, Paris, Some rights reserved by i.tokaris

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Schizophrenia and Caregiving

If you are caring for an individual with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, you are not alone. Resources and community services are available to support you and the recovery of your loved one. Helpguide offers tips and information on successful care-giving in their online article, "Helping a Schizophrenic Person: Coping with Symptoms, Supporting Treatment, and Finding Services" by Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and Melinda Smith, M.A.

For more information about mental health and wellness, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website.

Photo: Butterfly in Hand, Some rights reserved by DigiDragon

Friday Five: The Trevor Project

- The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) youth.

- The Trevor Project Mission: The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone.

- The Trevor Project Vision: A future where the possibilities, opportunities and dreams are the same for all youth, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

- History: The Trevor Project was founded by writer James Lecesne, director/producer Peggy Rajski and producer Randy Stone, creators of the 1994 Academy Award®-winning short film, Trevor, a comedy/drama about a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life. Read more about the film here; additional information about the history of the organization can be found here.

- The Trevor Project operates three core program areas in order to provide resources for LGBTQ youth and to create safe, accepting and inclusive environments for all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The three core program areas are "We Save Lives", "We Build Community" and "We Change Society and Culture".

(This week's Friday Five information was taken from The Trevor Project website. For more information about mental health, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website.)

Western Psychiatric Opening First Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Inpatient Facility

Image: Some rights reserved by ankledeep / JJ

The University of Pittsburgh's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) will be launching the first inpatient facility in the nation dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder in children.

According to Dr. Rasim Somer Diler (as quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Lifestyles article by Matthew Santoni), medical director of UPMC's Inpatient Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services, or in-CABS,

"Research increasingly shows that bipolar disorders -- often taking the form of swings between depression and mania, changing levels of activity and sleep, and appetite disorders -- can manifest in young children and teenagers in worse forms than in adults and lead to higher rates of attempted suicide in young people."

The article goes on to describe the in-CABS program as being "designed to correctly diagnose young people with bipolar disorder. It can be hard to detect in short emergency room visits or outpatient therapy because it shares symptoms with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, pervasive developmental disorder and substance abuse problems."

The article stresses the importance of diagnosis so that children can receive treatment and families can be educated on their options. Christine Michaels, the Executive Director of NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania, contributed to the article by discussing the impact of mental illness on families, further reinforcing the need for accurate and timely diagnoses for children and youth.

Read the rest of this fascinating article here. For more information about Childhood and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder, check out the NAMI Childhood and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder Fact Sheet.

Support Spirit Day!

We at NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania are proud to support Spirit Day by wearing purple and speaking out against the bullying of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth. While remembering those whose lives were tragically lost, we can stand together and support those that are still experiencing negative attention and pressure in their communities.

We hope that today, you are wearing purple and speaking out against intolerance. We also hope that tomorrow and every day after, you will continue to work for acceptance for all.