Madness Network News Revisited

Madness Network News Revisited
By David Gonzalez, Activist
An Historic and Unprecedented Opportunity
Advocacy is both paramount and essential to human dignity and survival. There are those who advocate for others or believe that they are advocates for others who are unable to advocate for themselves and then there are those who tenaciously and vigorously advocate for themselves. Fortunately, I have almost always been of the latter, although I’m not ashamed to admit that there have also been times when I have desperately needed others to advocate for me.
Then there is activism. Wiki.answers.com defines activism: “Activism is similar to advocacy but where it differs is really the heart of activism. Activism usually involves more action that is direct in addressing issues, in a community for example. Activism is often done by people from within the effected community whereas advocacy is done both by people from within and without the effected communities.”
“Acting on my vision” my first act of activism as a mental health recipient was writing an article for a former NYC Department of Mental Hygiene's Office of Consumer Affair's newsletter in 1999 titled “You Have the Right to Remain Silent.” That was nearly 15 years ago. And while I have also been an unrelenting advocate for others on many occasions, my motivating passion for advocacy was affecting change through activism. But then unexpectedly, without warning, tragedy struck and my health took a devastating turn for the worse. As a result of my deteriorating condition I was physically disabled, unable to sustain full-time employment, and compelled to apply for disability benefits. My driving passion for activism had come to a sudden and screeching halt.
Spending the next couple of years attempting to regain my health and restore my passion to live, I had ample time to read and browse through saved copies of Madness Network News which my close friend and mentor, Ron Schraiber, had stored away in his archives. Ron has always been a major part of my support network and an unending source of information and inspiration for me. I was amazed by the list of authors who had penned articles for Madness Network News. They were highly respected pioneers in the “consumer empowerment” movement such as: Leonard Roy Frank (The History of Shock Treatment), Judi Chamberlin (On Our Own), Howie the Harp and Sally Zinman (Reaching Across: Mental Health Clients Helping Each Other) and a litany of other well-known activists and pioneers too long to list here.
To my dismay I discovered that this publication was no longer available to the general public, and so I sought out Leonard Roy Frank to explore the possibility of making Madness Network News once again available to the public in textbook format. I was elated and overjoyed when Leonard expressed interest and even supplied the missing MNN newspapers that I did not have access to. To my amazement, my passion for activism reignited. I purchased all the necessary hardware and software and I painstakingly began to scan, crop and resize every single page of Madness Network News. And as a direct result of Leonard and Ron’s unwavering support and assistance, the first copy of MNN in textbook format (which consists of the full six issues of Volume #4) was printed in October and is currently available. The remaining seven volumes, which contain all the remaining MNN issues, are ready for printing and publication. MNN truly embodied the essence of “nothing about us without us.” (If you would like to take advantage of this unique opportunity to purchase any of these volumes and to own a piece of our history please contact: MadnessNetworkNews@gmail.com)
The introduction to Madness Network News Volume#4 reads: “Madness Network News (MNN) began as a San Francisco Bay area newsletter in 1972 and then evolved into a quarterly newspaper whose readership extended to a national as well as an international level. MNN became, in essence, the voice and networking center for the “mental patient” liberation movement in the United States, unapologetically advocating for the full human dignity, self-expression and civil rights of people diagnosed and labeled as mentally ill. As a quarterly journal, Madness Network News published personal experiences, creative writing, art, political theory, and factual reporting from the point of view of people who had been on the receiving end of psychiatric treatment and who now found themselves treated as social pariahs, living in oppressive conditions and denied even the most basic aspects of personal choice and self-determination. Known for its use of humor and sense of irony, MNN wrote on its masthead that it covered All the Fits That's News to Print. Ceasing publication in 1986, Madness Network News remains an invaluable historical and primary source material that continues to elucidate the concerns and lives of people diagnosed and labeled as mentally ill both in the past and today.”

NYC Voices Accepts Media Award from the Mental Health Association of New York State

NYC Voices Accepts Media Award from the Mental Health Association of New York State

By Sharon Goldberg

NYC Voices has had the great honor of being presented with the 2013 Mental Health Print Media Award by the Mental Health Association of New York State (MHANYS). The award was presented by the nominee, Joseph V. Lemmond, Jr., a mental health consumer, advocate and MHANYS board member to Marvin Spieler, Business Manager and Editor-at-Large of NYC Voices.

Marvin graciously accepted the award with a four minute speech acknowledging our fine publication from its beginnings with founder Ken Steele through today. Marvin stated, “We are a mental health advocacy publication. We fight the good fight with our inspiring articles on mental health issues, both positive and negative. We show that recovery is possible. We offer hope to all consumers.”

We were in good company. In all, seven awards were presented. Among the recipients was Amanda Greenspan, who recently graduated from Fordham University School of Social Work and received the Edna Aims Scholarship Award. Robert Myers, PhD, Senior Deputy Commissioner of New York State's Office of Mental Health received an award for his dedication to mental health. Kimberly Williams of the Mental Health Association of New York City rightly received the Staff Leadership Award for her dedication to helping people with mental illnesses. We congratulate all of the award recipients from the Mental Health Association in NYS.

The event was well received by over one hundred guests at the Marriott Albany Hotel.

The award itself is a replica of the Mental Health Association's bell. The bell was formed from the discarded chains and shackles of ex-patients from asylums across the country when these devices were used to bind the wrists and ankles of persons with mental illnesses. The inscription on the bell reads, “Cast from shackles which bind them, this bell shall ring out hope for the mentally ill and victory over mental illness.”

Marvin Spieler and I attended the conference the next morning. The theme of the conference was “Fitting The Pieces Together.”

Big changes are on the horizon in the delivery of behavioral health services in New York State. In particular, managed care will play a key role. A newly formed New York State Justice Center will be instrumental in seeing that people with special needs (in this case mentally ill) are protected from abuse, neglect and mistreatment. There will be a move away from hospitalizations to community-based services for the mentally ill. 

The most significant changes will be for the integration of physical health and mental health services. We will move away from an exclusive medical model known as the qualified plan to a health and recovery plan known as HARP. Health Homes are being established to integrate physical health and mental health. This will change the continuity of care for home and community-based services. We will switch from a care model plan to a self directed patient care plan. There will be New York State care management for high need patients with both physical and mental health concerns. 

"Ask The Psychiatrist": NAMI is happy to invite you to our first ever Spanish Public Education Event

NAMI is happy to invite you to our first ever Spanish Public Education Event "Ask The Psychiatrist", with Dr. Dragatsi and Dr. Caraballo from the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

This event will be held in the Washington Heights community. Our goal is to spread NAMI’s message of hope and recovery. This forum will give participants an opportunity to have their questions answered, as well as obtain valuable information about our programs and other resources.  Families and affected individuals need to know that they do not have to suffer in silence and that NAMI’s programs can help. 

Please help us spread the word about this very important event.

The event is taking place on Thursday, November 14, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Russ Berrie Building, Columbia University Medical Center, located at 1150 St. Nicholas Avenue. See flyer attached for more information.

It is a free event that is open to the community. To reserve a seat, people should contact the NAMI helpline at 212-684-3264.

City Voices New Youtube Channel!

City Voices has a new Youtube Channel! And this is our first video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2rYkShllYE

Some great Resources in Mental Health in and around NYC

Hello City Voices Readers:

This is the CIO Will Jiang, MLS of New York City Voices letting you know about some exciting, upcoming events as well as a great newsletter archive of a great support group:

Mood Disorders Support Group Newsletter Archive (MDSG):

•  http://www.mdsg.org/newsletters.php

The Return of the  third season of the "Healthy Minds" series is big news

• http://bbrfoundation.org/healthyminds

I like also, the mention of the radio program in the namynycmetro newslettter. 

"TUNE INTO TABOO TALK RADIO DURING

MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARNESS MONTH"

Please show your support and tune in to listen at www.blogtalkradio.com/taboo-talk

 

• July 3: NAMI IOOV presenters: Christina Sparrock and Mrs. Arlene Day 
• July 10: Famous Psychiatrist, Dr. Dolores Malaspina 
• July 17: NAMI IOOV presenters: Lucy Chi and Crispin Jackson 
• July 24: Famous Author/Mental Health Advocate, Deborah Cofer 
• July 31: Famous Psychiatrist and Famous Author, Dr. Sidney Hankerson and Mental Health Advocate, Terrie Williams

If you like any of these resources please leave a comment below. Even if you don't like them, it would be interesting to see your comments, as they may help others.

Mental health issues effect everyone, and that includes New Yorkers

Mental health issues effect everyone, and that includes New Yorkers. For example: Latinos living in the US, women, 45+ers, and the unemployed are groups at a higher risk for developing clinical depression or anxiety disorders. But what can be done about this?

I worked in at Columbia Psychiatry/NYSPI as their patient librarian where I procured for our Spanish-speaking patients the best mental health information that was available in English and Spanish, because knowledge is power. I read a lot during my tenure at the patient library, and I wanted to share my knowledge, so I wrote nine books. The books I wrote, I wrote to combat the stigma of mental illness and to educate.

My titles deal with mental health issues and language acquisition. Two of my books received the honor of a recommendation by the APA President Jeffrey Lieberman and internationally known mental health advocate Elyn Saks J.D., PhD.

http://www.amazon.com/author/williamjiang

Needed: Your Advice for Psychiatrists, Therapists, and Allied Health Professionals

Needed: Your Advice for Psychiatrists, Therapists, and Allied Health ProfessionalsThe Center for Rehabilitation and Recovery is dedicating a section of its website to helping professionals better support peers or c/s/x in recovery. Please send observations, anecdotes, and insights for professionals  to Elizabeth Saenger, PhD, at esaenger@coalitionny.org.Thanks.