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It’s on My Plate
One morning in May of 2009 I woke up in the inpatient psychiatric ward of a regional medical center in western New Jersey. I had admitted myself through the ER the night before - after a suicide attempt. I would be diagnosed with major depression, general anxiety disorder, and substance abuse...
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Mental Health and Addiction Recovery: A Comparison
Three months ago, I accepted a new position as Director of the Center for Rehabilitation and Recovery at the Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies. During the interview process, I was asked about my understanding of mental health recovery as it related to addiction recovery (an appropriate...
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Murders and Mental Health Advocacy: Opportunity or Temptation to Resist?
From time-to-time, a person with a severe mental illness (or assumed to have a mental illness) commits a heinous act that makes headlines. The reactive call for better mental health services is entirely predictable, not only on the part of those who are trying to distract us from issues such as gun...
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The Importance of Public Policy Advocacy for People in Recovery
There is a quote I often think of when considering the importance of being at the table where decisions are made. Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa once said, “If you are not at the table, you are on the menu.” I believe this is especially true for decisions made in regard to policies affecting...
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Parachute NYC: A New Approach for Individuals Experiencing Psychiatric Crises
Think back to the last time you had a really bad day. One that even now you shudder to recall—a day characterized, perhaps, by heartache, or disappointment, or loss. Or even physical pain. A day you were glad to get to the end of, which left a mark on you somehow, and which you hope never to...
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Peer Counseling Effectiveness in Acute Care at Kings County Hospital
Peer counseling is not new to Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC). In fact, it began more than ten years ago when a former patient—a tireless advocate and pioneer of the consumer mental health recovery movement—was hired as a part-time intern to work on inpatient services. In 2004, through a...
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Peer Training and Empowerment at the Howie the Harp Advocacy Center: Keeping Pace with a Bigger, Stronger Peer Movement
Without meaning to stretch the analogy too far, there was perhaps something rather apt—albeit unfortunate—about the 17th Annual Howie the Harp Advocacy Center (HTH) Graduation Ceremony being delayed three months because of Hurricane Sandy. It was originally scheduled for October 29, 2012, the...
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Recovery 101: For Those Who Thought They Couldn’t Recover
Advocate for the mental health recovery movement Pat Deegan wrote, “The professionals called it apathy and lack of motivation. They blamed it on our illness. But they don’t understand that giving up is a highly motivated and goal-directed behavior. For us, giving up was a way of surviving....
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SAMHSA’s Working Definition of Recovery
For over 20 years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has fostered recovery and social inclusion for Americans with mental and/or substance use disorders. Over the years, it has become increasingly apparent that a practical, comprehensive working definition of...
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The Family Role in Recovery: Understanding the Illness and Embracing the Process
The fear and distress are unimaginable when serious mental illness strikes families. They become confused when their loved one acts in an erratic or unfamiliar way and may feel helpless when a child or adult refuses treatment. New concerning behaviors emerge, and aspects of their loved one’s...
