This years fall edition of The Ugly Voice is being put together now. If you have something that you would like included in this newsletter please forward it to: ugly.pin.campaign@gmail .com and write "newsletter in the subject area".
Have your voice heard.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Mental Health Loses a Great advocate
With the passing of Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy mental health loses a powerful and effect voice for change.
Kennedy was instrumental in passing the landmark legislation of the mental health parity bill. Kennedy has been fighting for health care reform since the late 1960's. This legislation has been the most progressive movement for mental health suffers in the past ten years.
We all say good-bye to the senator with saddend hearts.
Kennedy was instrumental in passing the landmark legislation of the mental health parity bill. Kennedy has been fighting for health care reform since the late 1960's. This legislation has been the most progressive movement for mental health suffers in the past ten years.
We all say good-bye to the senator with saddend hearts.
Monday, March 9, 2009
A STATEMENT
We are a population of people with varying degrees of illnesses and illnesses themselves. Many times we are pushed aside and put in harms way because our illness cannot be seen through a microscope. We are stigmatized and misunderstood because of ignorance and fear.
This needs to stop. We are tired of finding ourselves on the streets, hospitalized or institutionalized because our outpatient services are cut to the bone. Many of our programs are hanging on by a thread.
These budget cuts negate the Olmstead Ruling giving us the right to live in the "least restrictive environment".
Find your voice, we need to ban together under a single banner "the ugly pin" and make a statement that stigma is wrong and budget cuts take away our rights.
This needs to stop. We are tired of finding ourselves on the streets, hospitalized or institutionalized because our outpatient services are cut to the bone. Many of our programs are hanging on by a thread.
These budget cuts negate the Olmstead Ruling giving us the right to live in the "least restrictive environment".
Find your voice, we need to ban together under a single banner "the ugly pin" and make a statement that stigma is wrong and budget cuts take away our rights.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Presentation
Monday February 02, 2009: myself, Mary Munsell (founder) and David Munsell did a presentation at Cove a clubhouse located in Harwich Massachusetts.
The presentation went very well. Our drive is to network with as many providers to the mentally ill as possible. The presentation takes between 15-20 minutes if you are a provider or an interested party within reasonable distance to the Cape Cod area ask about a presentation by emailing us at ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com
The time is right especially with all the recent and ongoing budget cuts that are easily made due to the stigmas, misconceptions and myths surrounding mental illness.
The presentation went very well. Our drive is to network with as many providers to the mentally ill as possible. The presentation takes between 15-20 minutes if you are a provider or an interested party within reasonable distance to the Cape Cod area ask about a presentation by emailing us at ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com
The time is right especially with all the recent and ongoing budget cuts that are easily made due to the stigmas, misconceptions and myths surrounding mental illness.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
How We Work Our Campaign
Networking and Word of Mouth is the best way we can start. I share the campaign with every mental health organization I come in contact with. I then ask if I can show my short power point presentation I have. It is only about twenty minutes long. I ask if they would like to join the campaign and also pass around our campaign products and ask them if they would like to use them as a way to fund raise for their organization.
We also offer a newsletter and other printed campaign material.
Over time I hope more people will join in the presentations and use the pins as fund raising tools. The more pins that get out there the more people will ask about them and the more chance we will have to tell them of the unfairness of the stigmas associated with mental illness.
Mrs United States 2008 has joined our campaign! She has promised to wear our pin on her banner during her reign! Mrs USA has dedicated her reign to mental health awareness focusing on the stigma. We are working to have her, her husband and daughter come to Cape Cod and join us in a seminar for the Ugly Pin Campaign this summer.
We also offer a newsletter and other printed campaign material.
Over time I hope more people will join in the presentations and use the pins as fund raising tools. The more pins that get out there the more people will ask about them and the more chance we will have to tell them of the unfairness of the stigmas associated with mental illness.
Mrs United States 2008 has joined our campaign! She has promised to wear our pin on her banner during her reign! Mrs USA has dedicated her reign to mental health awareness focusing on the stigma. We are working to have her, her husband and daughter come to Cape Cod and join us in a seminar for the Ugly Pin Campaign this summer.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Where we stand tax-wise
We are currently working on getting a charitable IRS Tax Standing. This way we will be able to get a tax ID number,this will be happening in the near future.
We plan to re-launch the campaign in February of 2009 due to the move.
Please keep an eye out for your copy of the latest edition of "The Ugly Voice" if you did not receive one please let us know. If you would like to write an article for the next edition please forward it to us at the e-mail on the menu on the left. We also would like to see our members writing some materials for us to use in our presentations.
Lets use our voices and pens!
We plan to re-launch the campaign in February of 2009 due to the move.
Please keep an eye out for your copy of the latest edition of "The Ugly Voice" if you did not receive one please let us know. If you would like to write an article for the next edition please forward it to us at the e-mail on the menu on the left. We also would like to see our members writing some materials for us to use in our presentations.
Lets use our voices and pens!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Newsletter
The January/February 2009 Newsletter is finally finished. I will happily send one out if you send me you email or snailmail address (the latter is much nicer and more personal).
We are growing and have added mental health budget cuts to our fight.
Lets hear from some of you out there. There is always room on the next newsletter and for our campaign material.
We are growing and have added mental health budget cuts to our fight.
Lets hear from some of you out there. There is always room on the next newsletter and for our campaign material.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wow the Seceret is Out
I went to a talk earlier this month and BEHOLD a mental health professional with some mighty impressive credentials spoke the unspoken.
There is a correlation with psychotropic drugs and weight gain. Sure tests say it may be only 1-2 lbs a month but put that over a twelve month period...12-24 lbs. Then add some other drugs to the list each with weight gain as a side effect. Then remember most of us are on these drugs for years.
Not only did he mention the medication but other factors like diabetes, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease .... these are contributing factors. Plus you are probably taking mediation for that and they may have the same weight gain side effect.
He says psychiatrists get your scales out in the office and measure your patients girth. Prescribe some exercise too.
I am up over 200 pounds and it is a very hard battle to get the pounds to go in the right direction, down. I am glad someone finally is saying yes there is a connection here.
There is a correlation with psychotropic drugs and weight gain. Sure tests say it may be only 1-2 lbs a month but put that over a twelve month period...12-24 lbs. Then add some other drugs to the list each with weight gain as a side effect. Then remember most of us are on these drugs for years.
Not only did he mention the medication but other factors like diabetes, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease .... these are contributing factors. Plus you are probably taking mediation for that and they may have the same weight gain side effect.
He says psychiatrists get your scales out in the office and measure your patients girth. Prescribe some exercise too.
I am up over 200 pounds and it is a very hard battle to get the pounds to go in the right direction, down. I am glad someone finally is saying yes there is a connection here.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
I Have Moved!
For personal reasons I have returned to Cape Cod. The campaign remains the same. If you need information in western PA please contact us at ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com to be directed to the Representative in that area.
W are compiling our newsletter mailing list. I prefer to end out "hard copies" so please send us your mailing address as soon as possible. We still have time for a few more entries in our upcoming newsletter. Please we are interested in what you have to say. Send us an email at the address above. INFORMATION IS KNOWLEDGE
W are compiling our newsletter mailing list. I prefer to end out "hard copies" so please send us your mailing address as soon as possible. We still have time for a few more entries in our upcoming newsletter. Please we are interested in what you have to say. Send us an email at the address above. INFORMATION IS KNOWLEDGE
Monday, November 10, 2008
Can You Believe This?
It was reported that a Stonington, Conn. police officer "dumped a person he believed had mental illness on the streets of New London". The officer reported that it did not matter where in New London he left the man because he was "crazy" and we don't need him in Stonington.
That is wrong in so many different ways. As a matter of fact you can run into people with mental illness every day and not even know it. What would have happened if the police officer dropped off someone suffering from a heart ailment? What is the difference, both diseases are biologically based?
Things like this still happen because the stigmas are socially accepted views of the mentally ill.
How backwards is that especially compared to the new positive trend called; crisis intervention teams where they train police officers to deal with mental illness calls.
Lets work for the better and fight the ignorance of views similar to the one held by that Stonington police officer.
That is wrong in so many different ways. As a matter of fact you can run into people with mental illness every day and not even know it. What would have happened if the police officer dropped off someone suffering from a heart ailment? What is the difference, both diseases are biologically based?
Things like this still happen because the stigmas are socially accepted views of the mentally ill.
How backwards is that especially compared to the new positive trend called; crisis intervention teams where they train police officers to deal with mental illness calls.
Lets work for the better and fight the ignorance of views similar to the one held by that Stonington police officer.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream" is done in the Expressionist style. Within this style the paintings are intense, passionate and highly personal.
All of us need to reach out and heal our "screams" and "pain". Awareness for Mental Health can begin to free those who suffer; by stopping the myths, misconceptions and stigmas that stop the healing process.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION
There is a new trend in law enforcement. Working with the mental health communities law enforcement are beginning to train officers to deal with mental health calls.
We are looking for information, experience and thoughts about this new and important trend. If you have any information for us please email us at:ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com or leave your information in the comment section of this website.
We are looking for information, experience and thoughts about this new and important trend. If you have any information for us please email us at:ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com or leave your information in the comment section of this website.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
NOT JUST A PIN!
You're are not just buying a pin. You're making a statement that you want to end the misconceptions, myths and stigmas about mental illness!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
We can make a strong impact against the myths
The more of use who join together the louder our voice will be. Ask how you can join the campaign to end the stigmas.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Uniting Together
Think of the Awareness for Mental Health Ugly Pin as the "Pink Ribbon" of the mental health community.
Everyone is talking about the stigmas we all face. What would happen if we all came together? What an impact we would make!
If you would like a copy of our newsletter please email your request and address to: ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com
Everyone is talking about the stigmas we all face. What would happen if we all came together? What an impact we would make!
If you would like a copy of our newsletter please email your request and address to: ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Can we afford to keep th media's portrayal of the mentally ill?
Remember this one? How about the portrayal in "Girl Interrupted'?
Is the media's portrayal accurate?
Arm yourself with the facts, then use your knowledge to educate others and reach out to those around you with mental illness. Understanding and support are powerful, and they can make a real difference in the life of a person who needs them.
Misconceptions about mental illness contribute to the stigma, which leads to many people to be ashamed and prevents them from seeking help.
Tolerance of Mental Illness has not increased
According to the new study from Dr.Jason Scnittker, shows that while, more Americans believe that mental illness has genetic causes, the nation is no more tolerant of the mentally ill than it was 10 years ago.
The study explores tolerance in terms of social distancing: unwillingness to live next door to a mentally ill person, have a group home for the mentally ill in their neighborhood, spend an evening socializing with a mentally ill person, work closely with such a person on a job, make friends with someone with a mental illness or have a mentally ill person marry into the family.
published in the journal Social Science and medicine
The study explores tolerance in terms of social distancing: unwillingness to live next door to a mentally ill person, have a group home for the mentally ill in their neighborhood, spend an evening socializing with a mentally ill person, work closely with such a person on a job, make friends with someone with a mental illness or have a mentally ill person marry into the family.
published in the journal Social Science and medicine
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
HOW CAN I HELP?
TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND SPREAD THE WORD SEND AN EMAIL TO:ugly.pin.campaign@gmail.com
JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND END THE MYTHS!
A new campaign has hit the mental health community! The "Awareness for Mental Health Ugly Pin Campaign". Be the first in your community to wear the pin.
Lets get talking and dispel the misconceptions, myths and stigmas associated with mental illness. Don't be bound by the media's portrayal of the mental health consumer.
Lets bring our voices together and let everyone know that mental health consumers are important and successful members of every community.
Lets get talking and dispel the misconceptions, myths and stigmas associated with mental illness. Don't be bound by the media's portrayal of the mental health consumer.
Lets bring our voices together and let everyone know that mental health consumers are important and successful members of every community.
BE A VOICE! WEAR THE PIN!
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