March Youth M.O.V.E Meeting

Posted on March 6, 2013 by jstitham

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5 Most Common Mental Illnesses Share the Same Genes

Posted on March 1, 2013 by jstitham

An NIMH-funded study published online today in LancetExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer. reveals that the five most common disorders—autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disease, schizophrenia, and major depression—all share similar genetic components.

“These disorders that we thought of as quite different may not have such sharp boundaries,” said Dr. Jordan W. Smoller of Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the lead study authors.

The results suggest that a rethink in how these disorders are defined might be in order. Rather than focusing on symptoms, which can be attributed to one or more disorder, physicians could one day start to rely on specific gene mutations or biologic pathways to make a formal diagnosis.

And it also could lead to better treatments, said Dr. Bruce Cuthbert, director of the NIMH’s Division of Adult Translational Research and Treatment Development. “We are finally starting to make inroads where we have actual physiological mechanisms that we can target,” he said. “We can really start to understand the biology instead of having to guess at it.”

Reference

Cross-Disorder Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. Identification of Risk Loci with Shared Effects on Five Major Psychiatric Disorders: A Genome-wide Analysis. LancetExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer., published online February 28, 2013.

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IEP Information for Parents

Posted on February 27, 2013 by jstitham

The Army Community Service (ACS) EFMP invites parents who have children with
special needs and disabilities to a special meeting with Pro-Parents of South
Carolina.  The guest speaker will talk about the Individual Education Plan
(IEP), how the process works and answer questions and concerns you may have
about IEPs and your child.  Please join us on Thursday, 28 February, 5 pm at the
Balfour Beatty Community Center, located in the Family Housing area 520 Brown
Ave. 
The meeting is open to Soldiers, Family members and Civilians.
Please call ACS for additional information at 751-5256.

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Everybody Knows Somebody

Posted on February 25, 2013 by jstitham

This week we urge you to take one small action to increase awareness of eating disorders and body image issues.  Youth MOVE National is partnering in this effort – and we ask for your support as well.  The 2012 campaign reached 60 million people – what can we do this year?

Watch for facts and resources to be posted on YMN’s Facebook and Twitter.  Please share these with YOUR social media networks.

Use #NEDAwareness to tag your posts.

 NEDA asks everyone to do just one thing to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders. NEDAwareness Week participants can choose from a huge range of ways to get involved: Distribute info pamphlets and put up posters, write one letter for our Media Watchdog program, host a Volunteer Speaker, post information on Facebook, or plan interactive and educational events like a meditation and yoga event, panel discussion, fashion show, movie screening, art exhibit and more.

 

    Youth M.O.V.E. National

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373,000 could go without mental health services

Posted on February 22, 2013 by jstitham

 

Let’s drive this bully known as sequestration home a bit further. Unless Congress acts by March 1st, a series of automatic cuts – called a sequester (remember that?) – that threaten thousands of jobs and the economic security of the middle class will take effect. If the sequester goes into effect, its cuts could mean 373,000 seriously mentally ill or emotionally disturbed individuals would go without mental health services, according to a fact sheet released by the White House. Ouch!

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Reports show fewer adolescents getting substance abuse prevention messaging

Posted on February 22, 2013 by jstitham

From our friends at SAMHSA

http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1302072604.aspx

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Youth M.O.V.E Network Meeting

Posted on February 11, 2013 by jstitham

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Let’s put an end to inappropriate seclusion and restraint – Sign the White House petition

Posted on February 6, 2013 by jstitham

Many of you will remember the Morning Zen piece we did on Bill Lichtenstein, parent of a beautiful daughter who experienced the horror of the inappropriate use of seclusion and restraint (“His name is Bill – and he is fighting against seclusion and restraint”). After Bill wrote an article about his experience for the New York Times and we featured the story on the CMHNetwork website, he was, and continues to be, flooded with emails from parents who have had similar experiences. In talking with Bill I shared with him the dilemma parents face about speaking out for fear of reprisal from school boards – much like what happened to him when the Times article hit the streets. As the stories of heartache continued to mount, Bill called me and said, “We’ve got to do something to help these kids and parents.”

So we will. And so must you. We are working on several ideas for how the Network can support safe forums for parents to share their stories as well as opportunities to facilitate constructive dialogue among parents, teachers, administrators and mental health professionals about how to best address this complicated issue. As a first step, thanks to the initiative of Bill Lichtenstein, we are encouraging you to sign this White House petition asking President Obama to support the Keep All Students Safe Act. We need 25,000 signatures by February 11, 2013 to receive a formal White House response. Go to http://BIT.LY/kidspetition to sign the petition. Then post a link to this message on your Facebook page (or whatever social media platform you may use) and share this message with your friends and colleagues.

Continue reading →

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“The ADHD and Executive Function Basics from A-Z” presented by Chris A. Zeigler Dendy,M.S

Posted on February 4, 2013 by jstitham

PRO-Parents of SC Event

“The ADHD and Executive Function Basics from A-Z” presented by  Chris A. Zeigler Dendy,M.S.

In this workshop participants will:

  • Familiarize themselves with key components of executive function difficulties that influence learning.

  • Identify common learning problems students with ADD, ADHD often experience in school.

  • Discuss common challenging behaviors, such as disorganization,   opposition and school performance problems.
  • Identify specific intervention strategies to help cope with issues.

SCHEDULE

Registration 9:00am-9:30am

Workshop 9:30am-3:30pm

(Lunch is on your own)

CEU’s available

Register Now! 

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HHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships February and March 2013 Webinars

Posted on February 4, 2013 by jstitham

HHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

February and March 2013 Webinars

The HHS Partnership Center continues to host a series of webinars for faith and community leaders. All webinars are open to the public and include a question and answer session where you can ask HHS staff any questions you may have. We also encourage you to submit questions you would like to have answered on the webinars to ACA101@hhs.gov.

To participate in one of the webinars, please select your preferred topic from the list below and submit the necessary information. Please click on the title of the webinar and fill out the registration form. After registering you will receive an e-mail confirmation containing information about joining the webinar. Please contact us at ACA101@hhs.gov if you have problems registering or if you have any questions about the health care law.

 

The Health Care Law 101

February 12 at 2:00 p.m. ET

A presentation on the main provisions in the Affordable Care Act, the health care law, and how to access care in your community.

Tour of HealthCare.gov

February 21 at 12:30 pm ET

An online tour of www.HealthCare.gov that will help you and those in your congregation and community access health care, provide information on the Health Insurance Marketplace (Exchanges and Medicaid Expansion) and understand the main provisions of the health care law.

The Health Care Law 101 (in Spanish)

February 26 at 3:00 p.m. ET

A presentation on the main provisions in the Affordable Care Act, the health care law, and how to access care in your community in Spanish.

The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Outreach and Enrollment Campaign

February 27 at 2:00 pm ET

Learn about the nationwide effort to identify children eligible for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and get them enrolled.

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