August 2020
Welcome to our iSPARC August Newsletter!
Improving Practice
Working from Home Tip Sheet

When we first started working from home, we didn't put a lot of thought into the details of setup and structure, because it felt temporary. Today, many of us are realizing that our "home office" may be more permanent. If you haven't embraced a strategy for working from home, now is the time to do it. In our tip sheet we provide some concrete tips to help you work more productively from home, while staying connected to coworkers, friends, and family members during this challenging time. Read and download the full tip sheet HERE.
This Tip Sheet has also been translated into ASL by Alex Wilkins, NIAAA Diversity Scholar in the Deaf YES: Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery
Changing Policy
NEW! Should I Attend College in the Fall? Questions for Students with Mental Health Conditions to Consider

Difficult decisions abound right now for so many of us. College students with disabilities have an especially difficult decision to make. Will the plan that their college has presented for the next semester be one that they can adapt to? Will the accommodations they might need be available? Will the way classes are being taught work for their learning style? Our latest tip sheet from Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research poses questions that students may not have considered which can help them make the right decision for themselves for this upcoming school year. Read and download the tip sheet HERE.
Advancing Research

The Supporting Kids in Primary Schools (SKIPS) is an Australian school-based mental health program that aims to increase understanding and reduce stigmatizing attitudes about mental health conditions within school communities and beyond. The SKIPS program focuses on educating teachers and children about mental health conditions and how they might affect children and families.
 
The Journal of Parent & Family Mental Health recently wrote a brief that talks about the program. Read it HERE.
Click here to subscribe to this e-journal. Membership is free, and by joining you'll receive 4-6 emails a year highlighting new, international innovations in parent and family mental health.
Featured Resources 
Mental Health Resources to Support the BIPOC Community
In the NEWS
Former UMass SPARC faculty member, Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H. and current President of American Psychiatric Association Publishing recently wrote about the structural racism in American Psychiatry and the APA. Learn about the early years of how racism was built in to American psychiatry HERE. Understanding the history allows us to make conscious decisions towards positive change.
We were saddened to learn that our friend and colleague Dr. William Anthony passed away last month. Dr. Anthony's many contributions to the field of rehabilitation for people with lived experience truly created a paradigm shift in services for people with mental health conditions. Dr. Anthony was a pioneer in the field of Mental Illness and gave hope and recovery to many. In 1979 he established the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University and served as the Executive Director until his retirement in 2011. He received the Distinguished Service Award in 1992 from The President of the United States for his efforts “in promoting the dignity, equality, independence, and employment of people with disabilities”. Dr. Bill Anthony’s impact on the field of psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery is immeasurable. He led with his heart and advocated the notion that people with psychiatric conditions are people first. The psychiatric rehabilitation community mourns his passing. You can read more about Bill's work at Boston University's Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation "About Our Founder" page.
Empowered to Act
NEW! How Young Adults Can Manage Loss of Income During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people to lose income because of pay cuts, lay-offs, or furloughs. This loss of income can be very scary and may be the first time you’ve been on your own and out of work. It can be overwhelming to figure out how to pay your different bills (e.g., school loans, credit cards, rent, food, etc.). In order to make ends meet, you may need to use any emergency savings you’ve built, apply for unemployment benefits, or use your stimulus payment. This tip sheet provides some ideas and resources on how to manage if you’ve lost your job or are getting less pay due to the current health crisis. Read and download the tip sheet HERE.
Parents Chime In: Our Self-Care Strategies While Supporting Loved Ones with Mental Health Conditions During a Pandemic

In 2019, the Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research’s (Transitions ACR) Family Advisory Board created a tip sheet called For Families or Caregivers: Self-Care is Putting on YOUR Oxygen Mask First to remind caregivers about the importance of intentional self-care. In the wake of COVID-19, that tried and true saying of “putting on your mask first before helping others” takes on a whole new meaning. We asked our Family Advisory Board members to provide thoughts on how they adapted their self-care strategies and to share tips on supporting their loved ones w/ mental health conditions in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the tip sheet HERE.
Young Adult Corner
Our team member Dylan St. Germaine has been appointed to SYAC!
The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health has a Statewide Youth Advisory Council (SYAC) that meets monthly and brings together providers, and youth and young adults with lived experience to advise the Department of Mental Health. SYAC members work together to find equality and to advocate for themselves, each other, and any youth and young adults in the DMH system and the community. We are pleased to share that our team member Dylan St. Germaine was asked to be a Co-Facilitator of SYAC's monthly meetings. Dylan had been attending these meeting for months, and MassDMH was so impressed with his level of engagement that they offered him this role. Congratulations, Dylan!
Find out more about SYAC HERE.
Upcoming Events
11th Annual Asian American Mental Health Forum: Pathways to Access & Mental Wellness - Saturday, August 15th half-day conference. RSVP TODAY! Pre-registration is required. Find more details on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/massAAMHF/

Reaching the Hard to Reach: Empowering Community Members to Think Differently and Embrace Teens with SUD and Mental Health Challenges
August 25, 2020 1-2:30PM (EST)
The AMA has expressed concern over the increasing number of reports from national, state and local media suggesting increases in opioid-related overdose deaths. Young people, many of whom were already challenged with mental health conditions are seeking connection and are not finding it because of the social distancing and school closures necessary because of this contagious virus. This webinar will shed some light on teen mental health and substance use disorders.

COVID-19, Mental Health, and the Need for Equity - Sept 3-4. Mental Health America's yearly conference is virtual and free. Info/Register here: https://mhanational.org/2020/annual-conference

Raise the Bar Higher Conference - October 21st. Work Without Limit's conference will be virtual this year. Info/Register here: https://workwithoutlimits.org/event/8th-annual-raise-the-bar-hire-conference
Our MHE & You Photo Contest Winners!
During May is Mental Health Month our Mental Health Experienced & Years Of Understanding (MHE &YOU) Advisory Council held a photo contest posing the question "What is helping YOU get through this challenging time?" We asked you to send us a photo sharing what was helping you with your mental health at the moment. Here are our winners and some of our favorite entries. To see them all, visit our MHE & YOU website. Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to our winners!
What is Transitions ACR Doing?
Recorded Webinar Available Online HERE.

"Supporting Youth Vocational Goals with Mental Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Collaboration: Implications for the Present"

This webinar by Maryann Davis, Nancy Koroloff, & Anwyn Gatesy-Davis on June 30, 2020 presented findings from a study examining collaboration between state vocational rehabilitation agencies and public mental health systems related to the vocational goals of transition-age youth (ages 14-24) with serious mental health conditions. 

Watch the Recording HERE.
Who We Are
The Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (formerly known as the Systems and Psychosocial Advances Research Center) is a part of the University of Massachusetts Medical School's Department of Psychiatry. 

iSPARC is a Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) Center of Excellence for Public Mental Health Services and Implementation Research that aims to improve the mental and behavioral health of all citizens of Massachusetts and beyond. iSPARC is committed to transferring knowledge and insights gained through rigorous research to improve the lives of people with lived mental health experience.

We conduct Participatory Action Research, an all-inclusive approach that ensures that every aspect of our research incorporates the voices of those with lived mental health experience.
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Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC) | University of Massachusetts Medical School | 508-856-5498 | 508-856-8700 | sparc@umassmed.edu | www.umassmed.edu/sparc/
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