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Friday, July 12, 2013
House Appropriations Subcommittee Approves Key Department of Justice Programs
Disparities in Mental Health for Underserved Populations. Trauma, Stress, PTSD July 18, 2013
PRESENTATION TITLE: Disparities in Mental Health for
Underserved Populations: Best Practices for Affordable Care
GUEST SPEAKER
Gail Wyatt, Ph.D
Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral
Sciences
Director, Center for Culture, Trauma and Mental Health
Disparities
University of California, Los Angeles
DATE/TIME:
Thursday, July 18, 2013
2:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M.
LOCATION:
NIH Campus
Natcher Conference Center, Balcony A
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW:
About 25 percent of all U.S. adults have a mental
illness, and nearly 50 percent of U.S. adults will develop at least one mental
illness during their lifetime. In her presentation, Dr. Gail Wyatt will discuss
mental health disparities, some of the current concerns and best practices to
address these disparities, based on her research at the Center for Culture,
Trauma and Mental Health Disparities. She will examine the cumulative effects
of lifetime trauma and stress in African Americans and Hispanics that is often
overlooked and not addressed in mental health systems as we know them now. She
will also describe the screener that her research team has developed to identify
those at risk for symptoms of Post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
depression, that can be used in future primary care settings.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Dr. Wyatt is a clinical psychologist, board certified sex
therapist and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral
Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is also
director of the UCLA Center for Culture, Trauma and Mental Health Disparities,
the Sexual Health Program and the Phodiso Training Project in South Africa. She
also serves as associate director of the UCLA AIDS Institute, and directs the
HIV/AIDS Translational Training Program. She was a National Institute on Mental
Health (NIMH) Research Scientist Career Development Awardee for 17 years. Dr.
Wyatt has conducted national and international research since 1980, funded by
the NIMH, the National Institute of Drug Abuse, state and private foundations.
She has received numerous awards and honors for her scientific accomplishments,
mentoring, and teaching. Dr. Wyatt has also testified before the United States
Congress eight times on issues related to health policy.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
There is limited parking on the NIH campus. The closest
Metro is Medical Center. Please allow adequate time for security check. The
presentation will not be video cast live. It will be available in the NIH video
archives and on the NIMHD website after the seminar. Sign language interpreters
will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable
accommodations to participate should contact Edgar Dews at 301-402-1366 or the
Federal Relay at 1-800-877-8339.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Training Opportunity: July 18th. Smarter Government: Intelligent Law Enforcement & Analytics to Help Keep Communities Safe
| Smarter Government: Intelligent Law Enforcement & Analytics to Help Keep Communities Safe | ||
Public Safety agencies are in the midst of a transformation. Cities such as St. Louis are turning analytics into actionable insights, uncovering trends in real time to fight crime and to help keep our communities safe. Despite new technologies, public safety organizations are still challenged to effectively manage the volume and variety of data to improve public safety outcomes. Although challenges remain, the key to safe communities and intelligent law enforcement is grounded in leveraging crime analytics. Join your peers, GovLoop, and IBM on Thursday, July 18 at our free online training to learn more about the challenges public safety agencies are facing and how new strategies can help fight crime, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. Specifically, participants will:
Keeping our communities safe is a critical factor in their economic viability. Join us and listen to what some of the greatest crime fighters have in common! Date: Thursday, July 18, 2013 Time: 2:00-3:00PM ET |
Monday, July 8, 2013
One Voice Can Make a Difference
http://nihrecord.od.nih.gov/newsletters/2013/07_05_2013/story4.htm
| Deaf Employee Is Heard NIH Mission Statement Is Amended |
At the suggestion of a National Eye Institute employee who is deaf, NIH recently amended its official mission statement.
The one-sentence statement had said, “NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.”
But because David Rice, a management analyst at NEI since October 2009, felt that his particular disability was not a burden, he wanted to know if NIH director Dr. Francis Collins would be willing to modify the mission statement so as not to offend people who do not consider their disabilities to be burdensome.
Recently, the phrase “the burdens of” was removed from the statement, which now reads, “NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life and reduce illness and disability.”
According to Debra Chew, director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management, this was a lesson in NIH compassion and responsiveness.
“This was a very important event from a diversity perspective,” said Chew, who arrived at NIH last July. “It shows that an individual employee can raise concerns that Dr. Collins will take seriously and address. I think that’s good. NIH has no wish to have a mission statement that offends people…It just goes to show you that we all have different perspectives.”
Chew met Rice last fall at a “meet and greet” and mentioned that he had a problem with the mission statement. As she recalls, “He told me, ‘We don’t consider ourselves to be burdens, nor do we consider our disability a burden…Would you ask Dr. Collins to consider a change?’”
Chew broached the issue with Collins, “who was immediately agreeable to a change,” she said. “No one had really looked at [the statement] this way. David really raised a good point.”
Chew took the suggestion to Kim Kirkpatrick, OEODM’s disability program manager, who also chairs NIH’s disability committee. “Once we realized that Dr. Collins was open to a change, we got input from the disability committee on proposed language,” said Chew. Two versions were proposed and the three-word change was adopted.
“This is a symbolic moment for NIH,” said Chew. “It’s really about [Rice’s] courage. He did a great thing for the NIH.”
Rice, who became deaf at age 4, recalls the “grace and integrity” with which his parents dealt with his removal from the school system once he became deaf; they found a school better equipped to handle his needs. “It was the fire that my parents had that led me to want to become an advocate not only for the deaf community but also for all those who have a disability,” he said.
“I know it was not the intent that NIH had [to offend people with disabilities],” Rice continued, “but it could look to some as though, in trying to improve the health and life of American citizens, NIH is only looking for cures to reduce disability because [people with disabilities] are a burden on society. The new mission statement takes out that stigma that we are a burden and conveys the message that NIH’s goal is to reduce illness and disability because it can improve the livelihood of American citizens and not because we are a burden on society.”
Rice said he didn’t think his suggestion had much chance of being taken seriously at first. “To be honest, I did not expect much,” he said. “All I wanted was for them to listen, which they did. Debra told me that she spoke to [NIH principal deputy director] Dr. [Lawrence] Tabak, who wholeheartedly agreed. At that point, once I knew Dr. Tabak was in the picture, I knew that something was going to come of this.
“Let me tell you,” Rice continued, “there was no greater feeling than when Dr. Collins used the new mission statement on Capitol Hill. I take no credit for the new mission statement. All I did was raise questions and concerns. But I felt that my small change made a difference, and that alone is my lifelong goal—making small changes to create big impacts.”
He concluded, “I can only imagine that the change will be a positive one. The biggest reason why NIH was so appealing to me was its ability to be open to change as well as moving forward, a lot quicker than some government agencies do. That is a product of the vision that Dr. Collins has for NIH. But like anyone who has a large responsibility, it is hard to envision everything—that’s where everyone else comes into play. [We can all] make NIH [a] leader in science as well as a great work environment where everyone can feel they are making a small but important impact on the American public.”
The one-sentence statement had said, “NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.”
But because David Rice, a management analyst at NEI since October 2009, felt that his particular disability was not a burden, he wanted to know if NIH director Dr. Francis Collins would be willing to modify the mission statement so as not to offend people who do not consider their disabilities to be burdensome.
Recently, the phrase “the burdens of” was removed from the statement, which now reads, “NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life and reduce illness and disability.”
According to Debra Chew, director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management, this was a lesson in NIH compassion and responsiveness.
“This was a very important event from a diversity perspective,” said Chew, who arrived at NIH last July. “It shows that an individual employee can raise concerns that Dr. Collins will take seriously and address. I think that’s good. NIH has no wish to have a mission statement that offends people…It just goes to show you that we all have different perspectives.”
 |
|---|
| NEI’s David Rice objected to NIH’s mission statement and took his concerns to NIH leadership, who ended up agreeing with him. |
Chew broached the issue with Collins, “who was immediately agreeable to a change,” she said. “No one had really looked at [the statement] this way. David really raised a good point.”
Chew took the suggestion to Kim Kirkpatrick, OEODM’s disability program manager, who also chairs NIH’s disability committee. “Once we realized that Dr. Collins was open to a change, we got input from the disability committee on proposed language,” said Chew. Two versions were proposed and the three-word change was adopted.
“This is a symbolic moment for NIH,” said Chew. “It’s really about [Rice’s] courage. He did a great thing for the NIH.”
Rice, who became deaf at age 4, recalls the “grace and integrity” with which his parents dealt with his removal from the school system once he became deaf; they found a school better equipped to handle his needs. “It was the fire that my parents had that led me to want to become an advocate not only for the deaf community but also for all those who have a disability,” he said.
“I know it was not the intent that NIH had [to offend people with disabilities],” Rice continued, “but it could look to some as though, in trying to improve the health and life of American citizens, NIH is only looking for cures to reduce disability because [people with disabilities] are a burden on society. The new mission statement takes out that stigma that we are a burden and conveys the message that NIH’s goal is to reduce illness and disability because it can improve the livelihood of American citizens and not because we are a burden on society.”
Rice said he didn’t think his suggestion had much chance of being taken seriously at first. “To be honest, I did not expect much,” he said. “All I wanted was for them to listen, which they did. Debra told me that she spoke to [NIH principal deputy director] Dr. [Lawrence] Tabak, who wholeheartedly agreed. At that point, once I knew Dr. Tabak was in the picture, I knew that something was going to come of this.
“Let me tell you,” Rice continued, “there was no greater feeling than when Dr. Collins used the new mission statement on Capitol Hill. I take no credit for the new mission statement. All I did was raise questions and concerns. But I felt that my small change made a difference, and that alone is my lifelong goal—making small changes to create big impacts.”
He concluded, “I can only imagine that the change will be a positive one. The biggest reason why NIH was so appealing to me was its ability to be open to change as well as moving forward, a lot quicker than some government agencies do. That is a product of the vision that Dr. Collins has for NIH. But like anyone who has a large responsibility, it is hard to envision everything—that’s where everyone else comes into play. [We can all] make NIH [a] leader in science as well as a great work environment where everyone can feel they are making a small but important impact on the American public.”
Syracuse community builder Brenda Muhammad on the power of storytelling
http://blog.syracuse.com/cny/2013/07/syracuse_community_builder_brenda_muhammad_on_the_power_of_sharing_ones_story.html
By
on July 05, 2013 at 7:56 AM, updated July 06, 2013 at 8:41 AM
Brenda Muhammad of Syracuse is a volunteer and community builder who believes in the power of sharing one's personal story to help others. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
By on July 05, 2013 at 7:56 AM, updated July 06, 2013 at 8:41 AM
"Some people are born knowing their purpose," said Brenda Muhammad. "Other people, like me, have no clue why they are here. But if I just keep moving I hope that one day I'll figure it out."
Muhammad is always moving. There is no other way to end up with the sizable list of volunteer activities and educational pursuits that she is juggling at any one time. This juggling is what earned her the 2013 Unsung Heroes Award during Syracuse University's annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration earlier this year.
How Muhammad has remained 'unsung' for this long is a mystery. She has twice served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer coordinating Women Build at Syracuse Habitat for Humanity, is a key player in the nonprofit FORCE (Focusing Our Resources for Community Enlightenment), and participates in the Black Syracuse Project to capture community stories.
She describes her life as a journey to discover her true purpose. Along her path, she has channeled her interests and community engagement activities to become a connection-maker. She sees value in sharing the things that she learns with her community.
This makes her well-suited for her role in FORCE, a nonprofit that combats neighborhood deterioration by inspiring residents to pool their resources to improve their condition. She sees opportunity to further the work of FORCE by sharing the oral history collection techniques she learned through the Black Syracuse Project training.
Muhammad believes that sharing our stories with each other strengthens connections and promotes healing.
"We need to know about hard times, and we need to know about success stories," said Muhammad. "When you tell that story others can relate to you. They learn that there is hope."
Muhammad believes that there is a desire to be known and acknowledged that is hard-wired within us. She is drawn to oral history and storytelling as a way to give others the opportunity to satisfy this basic need.
"Sometimes telling your story is part of a healing process," she said. "Somebody has to hear me. What if no one knew you were alive?"
Telling the story is good for the storyteller, but it is also a tool for improving the lives of those who hear your story. "People can relate to your story," said Muhammad. "Sometimes you think that you are alone in something, but then you find out about connections."
The more connections that Muhammad and others facilitate through the Black Syracuse Project's initiatives, the more opportunity there will be for community members to identify opportunities to work together toward neighborhood improvement.
Muhammad is not one to remain still. She keeps moving, always looking for the next opportunity to expand her skills and serve her community. She is currently pursuing a Certificate of Advanced Study in Cultural Heritage Preservation at the Syracuse University School of Information Studies, as well as studies at SUNY Empire State College. She hopes to intern for the Black Syracuse Project in the near future to continue making the connections that she believes make a difference.
Despite her energy and palpable enthusiasm, even she sometimes wonders about the limits of any one person.
"I had a motto, and I haven't said it in a long time," Muhammad says wistfully. "I don't know if that's because I stopped believing it or I'm just too tired to think it. I used to always say, 'I shall not be conquered.' I thought I could do anything. But right about now I'm a little close to that conquered."
Despite these moments of doubt, she is propelled forward by the support of her friends and family. They know that she can make a difference and encourage her to explore new paths in her quest to find her life's purpose.
"My friends are amazing. They don't discourage me from trying anything," said Muhammad. "Sometimes I wish they would!"
In the end, Muhammad believes each of us has something we are meant to give to others. It can be both a burden and our life's greatest joy to figure out what that is; to tirelessly make connections, to tell our stories past and present, and to keep on moving.
To learn more about the Black Syracuse Project and listen to oral history recordings captured by through the project, visit www.blacksyracuse.org
Muhammad is always moving. There is no other way to end up with the sizable list of volunteer activities and educational pursuits that she is juggling at any one time. This juggling is what earned her the 2013 Unsung Heroes Award during Syracuse University's annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration earlier this year.
How Muhammad has remained 'unsung' for this long is a mystery. She has twice served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer coordinating Women Build at Syracuse Habitat for Humanity, is a key player in the nonprofit FORCE (Focusing Our Resources for Community Enlightenment), and participates in the Black Syracuse Project to capture community stories.
She describes her life as a journey to discover her true purpose. Along her path, she has channeled her interests and community engagement activities to become a connection-maker. She sees value in sharing the things that she learns with her community.
This makes her well-suited for her role in FORCE, a nonprofit that combats neighborhood deterioration by inspiring residents to pool their resources to improve their condition. She sees opportunity to further the work of FORCE by sharing the oral history collection techniques she learned through the Black Syracuse Project training.
Muhammad believes that sharing our stories with each other strengthens connections and promotes healing.
"We need to know about hard times, and we need to know about success stories," said Muhammad. "When you tell that story others can relate to you. They learn that there is hope."
Muhammad believes that there is a desire to be known and acknowledged that is hard-wired within us. She is drawn to oral history and storytelling as a way to give others the opportunity to satisfy this basic need.
"Sometimes telling your story is part of a healing process," she said. "Somebody has to hear me. What if no one knew you were alive?"
Telling the story is good for the storyteller, but it is also a tool for improving the lives of those who hear your story. "People can relate to your story," said Muhammad. "Sometimes you think that you are alone in something, but then you find out about connections."
The more connections that Muhammad and others facilitate through the Black Syracuse Project's initiatives, the more opportunity there will be for community members to identify opportunities to work together toward neighborhood improvement.
Muhammad is not one to remain still. She keeps moving, always looking for the next opportunity to expand her skills and serve her community. She is currently pursuing a Certificate of Advanced Study in Cultural Heritage Preservation at the Syracuse University School of Information Studies, as well as studies at SUNY Empire State College. She hopes to intern for the Black Syracuse Project in the near future to continue making the connections that she believes make a difference.
Despite her energy and palpable enthusiasm, even she sometimes wonders about the limits of any one person.
"I had a motto, and I haven't said it in a long time," Muhammad says wistfully. "I don't know if that's because I stopped believing it or I'm just too tired to think it. I used to always say, 'I shall not be conquered.' I thought I could do anything. But right about now I'm a little close to that conquered."
Despite these moments of doubt, she is propelled forward by the support of her friends and family. They know that she can make a difference and encourage her to explore new paths in her quest to find her life's purpose.
"My friends are amazing. They don't discourage me from trying anything," said Muhammad. "Sometimes I wish they would!"
In the end, Muhammad believes each of us has something we are meant to give to others. It can be both a burden and our life's greatest joy to figure out what that is; to tirelessly make connections, to tell our stories past and present, and to keep on moving.
To learn more about the Black Syracuse Project and listen to oral history recordings captured by through the project, visit www.blacksyracuse.org
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