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Recovery Update features the most recent articles from throughout the field of psychiatric rehabilitation. Stay up to date on all the latest mental health news through this weekly newsletter.
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Access to identity documents that reflected transgender individuals' identified gender helped to improve their mental health and reduced suicidal thoughts, according to results of a cross-sectional observational study published in The Lancet Public Health.
"Only 11% of transgender individuals had their preferred name and gender markers on all IDs, but this group saw a marked reduction in serious psychological distress and suicide ideation," Ayden Scheim, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, told Healio Psychiatry.
Mobile health apps can be a vital tool for military members and first responders seeking mental health support, according to new University of Alberta research.
"These apps should not be seen as a way to replace clinician-based mental health interventions, but they can be a great starting point for those who aren't comfortable seeking in-person support right away," said occupational therapist and study co-author Kaitlin O'Toole.
Over the past two weeks, my closest friend and I have regularly traded our worst Covid-19 anxieties over text. She'd tell me she couldn't stop crying, worried about her parents' job security and an abrupt transition to working from home. I was nervous about extensive self-isolating, scouring the news every few minutes for bright spots amid mostly tragedy-ridden headlines.
The coronavirus outbreak has forced millions of us to isolate ourselves, sometimes even within the same house, from those we interact with every day: Coworkers, friends, family, pets. Combine that with existential fear and a looming unknown future, and it's understandable that anxiety is high.
No wonder, then, that, in the past month mental health apps — ranging from meditation and wellness helpers like Headspace and Sanvello to teletherapy platforms like Talkspace — have seen spikes in use.
Over my head and about to drown. That’s how one Wall Street associate felt a few weeks ago when he called his company's employee assistance program (EAP) to ask for help. "I was so anxious that I could hardly sleep, and when I could I dreamed about work," says the 23-year-old Chinatown resident.
As society adjusts to the new realities of living amid a global pandemic and the isolation that is beginning to come along with it, many are overrun with the fears and anxieties of what to do next. Others already were facing mental health issues that may now be exacerbated by the coronavirus outbreak.
Mental health providers are facing challenges of their own amid the coronavirus pandemic as they deliver care, a challenge that federal and state governments have yet to recognize, say industry executives.
Fears of the virus and a lack of protective equipment are affecting operations, and the already strapped agencies are seeing new financial struggles, they say.
A Message from PRA/PRF in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic:
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association and Foundation would like to send a special message of gratitude to all of the Peers and Providers who continue to support and assist people in recovery during this unprecedented time in our world which is impacting our physical safety and mental wellbeing.
We understand how difficult, isolating, and distressing these times are, and how coping with all this uncertainty can be so challenging. We urge you to continue to virtually connect, to practice extreme self-care (including physical distancing and hand washing), and to demonstrate kindness.
Hope is essential to wellness. Remember that we have gotten through difficult times before. We will get through this together.
-Steve Miccio, PRA Chair
PRA and the Certification Commission for Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Recovery are making BIG changes to the delivery of its certification exams in November! Beginning around Nov. 15, certification exams will no longer be delivered at testing centers – instead, they will be delivered via live virtual proctoring, allowing candidates to take the CPRP and CFRP exams 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, from the comfort of their own homes (or anywhere with an internet connection). With this change, score reports will also be delivered upon completion of the exam, eliminating the wait for candidates to find out if they passed. Later this year, the platform for applying to sit for a PRA certification exam, apply for recertification, and reinstate a lapsed PRA credential will change to a new and more user-friendly system, allowing candidates and certified individuals to submit payment, apply, arrange to test, and receive results and certificates – all in the same electronic system! Information on exact launch dates and instructions will be made available on the PRA Website.
PRA is excited to promote a learning collaborative offered by the SAMHSA-funded New England Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC). Dr. Janis Tondora of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and Dr. Dan Wartenberg of Newport Mental Health will be leading a Learning Collaborative on Person-Centered Recovery Planning (PCRP). Person-centered planning is a foundation of psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery oriented services.
How do you know if you're doing the right thing? What do you know about PSR? When do you have an ethical duty to breach confidentiality? What are the ethics involved in advocacy? How is teamwork affected by the ethical code? What if we can’t avoid dual relationships? My client found me on Facebook and sent me a friend request - what do I do? Join Deb Brasher, MS, CPRP for this course on Ethics and Boundaries and find out! Participants will receive four CPRP and/or CFRP contact hours upon completion of the course.Register Today / Find Out MoreView other Academy online courses
While most of the focus for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is on preventing its spread and reducing the physical toll it takes, there’s a mental health side too.
Dr. Anita DeLongis, a UBC health psychologist, has seen it before while studying people's psychological reactions during emerging pandemics like SARS, West Nile Virus and H1N1.
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