September 2021 Newsletter |
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Our September issue focuses on two important causes that relate to our work as a mental health services research center. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and the last week of September is known as the "International Week of the Deaf People (IWDP)".
- Be the one to ask
- Be the one to be there
- Be the one to keep them safe
- Be the one to help them connect
- Be the one to follow-up
- Call 800-273-8255
- Ayuda En Espanol 888-628-9454
- Veterans 800-273-8255
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Options for Deaf & hard of hearing TTY users dial 711 800-273-8255 or live chat
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In this Newsletter:
DeafYes!: September is Deaf Awareness Month
Lifeline for Moms:
- New Measure to Screen Deaf Woman for Perinatal Depression
- Why Perinatal Mental Health Matters
Transitions ACR:
- I took Lady Gaga's Advice and attended a Mental Health First Aid Training
- Transitions to Adulthood: Supporting Teens with Mental Health Issues Podcast
Rehabilitation & Recovery:
- Detecting and intervening on Suicidality in Emergency Departments: The ED-SAFE Study
- Suicide Risk Detection and Management in Clinical Settings Webinar
- Additional Suicide Prevention Resources from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Stakeholder Engagement:
- Before a Mental Health Crisis Hits: Creating a Family Safety Plan
- Parenting in Recovery Video by the MGH Center of Excellence for Psychosocial and Systemic Research
Improving Practice:
- Child Talks+ A New Intervention to Support Families Affected by Parental Mental Illness
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September is Deaf Awareness Month |
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"Also known as the International Week of the Deaf, Deaf Awareness Week originated in Rome, Italy in 1958. Every year during the last week of September, various companies, Deaf agencies/organizations, schools, and colleges and universities host activities to celebrate Deaf Culture, promote the rights of Deaf people, raise awareness about Deafness, and showcase accomplishments of Deaf people. One unique event commonly hosted is “Deaf, Deaf World” where hearing people navigate daily life in an all signing environment to help them gain perspective on barriers that Deaf people commonly face. Other common events include movie screenings, keynote speakers, sign language instructions, and social events."
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New Measure to Screen Deaf Woman for Perinatal Depression |
Approximately 1 million women in the U.S. have profound hearing loss and use American Sign Language (ASL) as their primary language. Many providers are unfamiliar with the unique linguistic and cultural needs of the Deaf community, therefore Deaf women experience major obstacles to receiving effective physical and mental healthcare.
Read the brief created by iSPARC researchers Melissa Anderson, Center Director of DeafYES! and Dr. Nancy Byatt, Executive Director at Lifeline for Moms, where they collaborated under a 1 year grant to translate the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) from written form into ASL to improve maternal mental health care for Deaf mothers.
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Why Perinatal Mental Health Matters |
The Problem:
- 1 in 5 Women will experience a mental health or substance use disorder in pregnancy or postpartum
- 20% of Postpartum deaths in depressed woman are caused by maternal suicide
- 75% of Women who screen positive for depression receive no treatment
The Solution:
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I took Lady Gaga's Advice and attended a Mental Health First Aid Training
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Transitions to Adulthood: Supporting Teens with Mental Health Issues
Dr. Marsha Ellison, UMass Chan Medical School Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research Director of Knowledge Translation, was recently interviewed by Jon Moscow, Co-Executive Director, and podcast host of Ethics in Education Network. Dr. Ellison along with Evelyn Frankford of Frankford Consulting, discussed how to assist students with serious mental health challenges make the transition from high school.
Listen to the podcast to understand the challenges and learn strategies to help transition aged youth find work or attend post-secondary education.
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Rehabilitation & Recovery:
Suicide Prevention Awareness
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Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. In response to this critical need, the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) funded ED-SAFE (Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation). ED-SAFE was a large, three-phase suicide intervention trial designed to determine if an ED-initiated intervention could reduce subsequent suicidal behavior. Read more about the ED-SAFE study HERE.
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The webinar "Suicide Risk Detection & Management in Clinical Settings", introduces best practices for suicide prevention in clinical settings, including universal screening, engagement, treatment and transition. The webinar also discussed challenges and solutions to implementing these best practices in diverse real-world clinical settings.
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Suicide does not discriminate. People of all genders, ages, and ethnicities can be at risk. Suicidal behavior is complex, and there is no single cause. The National Institute of Mental Health has extensive resources on suicide prevention.
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Peer Led Research: Parenting In Recovery |
Check out the video Parents in Recovery, which was created to promote the importance of the parenting role, reduce stigma, and lessen feelings of isolation among parents with mental health and substance use challenges. The research team is actively working to integrate the video in interactive trainings among different groups, including parents, child mental health providers, adult mental health providers, families, and DMH-affiliated groups.
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Before a Mental Health Crisis Hits: Creating a Family Safety Plan |
Developing and practicing a Family Safety Plan is preventative, just like wearing a seatbelt. When, despite best efforts, a situation turns into an emergency, having a Family Crisis Plan is essential and is the last piece of your family’s safety planning.
Read our tip sheet written by our Family Advisory Board, on how your family can work together to create your Family Safety Plan.
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Child Talks+ A New Intervention to Support Families Affected by Parent Mental Illness |
Child Talks+ is a brief light touch intervention, where a mental health care worker talks with the family about the children's situation and needs when a parent has a mental health condition.
Read the brief to learn about the intervention and its aim to strengthen the coping skills of the child by providing them with information about their parent's mental illness, as well as emotional and social support.
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In the News
Upcoming Events
• Date: Sept 22, 2021
3-4 PM ET
• Date: Oct 6-8, 2021
• Date: Oct 21-24, 2021
• Date: Nov 6, 2021
• Date: Nov 4-6, 2021
• Date: Feb 11-12, 2022
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iSPARC is a Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) Center of Excellence (COE) 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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As a MA Department of Mental Health Research Center of Excellence, we are here to help the MA DMH workforce with any Technical Assistance (TA) needs they may have by providing information based on research. iSPARC can provide expertise and information on a wide range of mental health-related topics. We provide Basic TA (e.g., tip sheets, brief phone consultation, etc.) at no cost and can provide more intensive TA (e.g., policy development, training, etc.) which requires approval of your area director or deputy commissioner, or for a fee.
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