New mental health forums at AdLand

Greetings
Since I have no way to know how many are responding to this blog I have decided to start some new mental health forums. In all, I have 5 forums discussing many different facets of mental illness and treatment. Many people have shared their stories on my forums and I would love the opportunity to share them with you. You can join adland for free and you don't have to buy or sell anything if you don't want to. You can sign up just to read and post on forums or create your own forums. It is a great program. Now they have even added a voip program for free. No tricks, no strings. Here's that url again to me.
http://community.adlandpro.com/forumShow.aspx?ForumID=8212

Hello Readers
I just thought I would share this with you. It is a survey about bi-polar illness designed to determine just how much or how little the general public actually knows about bipolar illness.
One thing I know about bipolar illness is that me, having severe depression and having lived with a lady who was bipolar, it seemed like we could only get along about half of the time.
Hey, c'mon, that was funny.
Anyhow, take care everyone and don't forget to make someone smile today, even if it's only you. Sincerly, Fanbelt

Bipolar Disorder Awareness SurveyIn conjunction with Mental Illness Awareness Week 2005, NAMI is conducting an online survey to gauge public understanding of bipolar disorder.
The survey consists of 10 multiple choice questions, and should take 3-5 minutes to complete. The survey is anonymous, and your identity will not be recorded in any way.
Click here to begin the survey
Support NAMI's Hurricane Relief EffortsTo aid victims of Hurricane Katrina with serious mental illnesses and their families, NAMI has established the NAMI Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. To make a donation to this fund, please click here. Enter "For NAMI Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund" in the comments field.

Urgent. Contact state representatives and senators

Hello Readers As you will see from reading the article from NAMI below this message, we have been given more time to contact our politicians and ask them to vote no for any budget cuts for medicaid. It is most unfortunate that we got this extra time as a result of something so terrible as Hurricane Katrina but we must look at this as a blessing in disguise. Any budget cuts that will limit access to medications and treatment for those of us with a mental dissability will lead to even more of a tragedy than already exists.Without proper care and medication there will be more homelessness,more incarcerations, more emergency room visits resulting in hospitalizations and will only serve to make the lives of those who have suffered the most even more unbearable. Act now. The future of the entire mental health system is at stake.


House and Senate Leaders Delay Action on Medicaid Proposals
September 13, 2005
As a result of the urgent need to respond to the Hurricane Katrina emergency, House and Senate leaders announced on September 12 that action on separate legislation to cut future Medicaid spending by $10 billion over the next 5 years has been delayed until at least October 26. This means that Congress will not be taking up a Bush Administration proposal to significantly curtail the ability of states to finance assertive community treatment (ACT) programs under Medicaid. However, it is likely that Congress will revisit the issue later in the year and advocates should continue efforts to educate their members of Congress about the importance of Medicaid for children and adults with severe mental illness and the need to shield the most vulnerable from proposed cuts to the program.
Action Required
Advocates are strongly encouraged to forward the attached letter to members of Congress urging them to:
oppose restrictions to the definition of rehabilitation and case management services recommended by the Bush Administration,
oppose increases in co-payments for non-preferred prescription drugs covered under Medicaid, and
oppose efforts to restrict access to medications to treat mental illness through prior authorization, step therapy and mandatory therapeutic substitution requirements implemented as part of state supplemental rebate programs.
Enter your zip code below to access a sample letter on this issue and a list of your representatives to contact now. If you do not see the box for entering your zip code, click here.
At a August 18 hearing, NAMI offered testimony to the HHS Medicaid Reform Commission, outlining concerns about higher beneficiary co-payments, rehabilitation and case management services, restricted access to medications, the IMD exclusion and other issues. Click here to view the NAMI testimony.
Click here to view background information on actions taken by the HHS Medicaid Commission on August 18 and current Medicaid issues now before Congress.
To receive E-News Alerts directly in your inbox, visit www.nami.org/subscribe, sign in and check the box next to E-News.


Support NAMI's Hurricane Relief EffortsTo aid victims of Hurricane Katrina with serious mental illnesses and their families, NAMI has established the NAMI Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. To make a donation to this fund, please click here. Enter "For NAMI Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund" in the comments field.



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A symptom of stigma,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Suicide

Dear wilhelm:
Bill Vanderbilt (fanbelt@adelphia.net) thought you would be interested in this item from
PennLive.com. (This page may also contain advertising.)
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/112608480389580.xml&coll=1&thispage=2
Bill Vanderbilt says:
Here are some heart wrenching statistics that show the correlation between stigma and the failure
to recieve proper mental health care.
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to us in some other way.
Please read our Privacy Policy at http://www.pennlive.com/privacypolicy. 3899 North Front Street,
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FREE e-mail updates delivered to your inbox.
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America's Best Kept Secret [Mental Illness]

Hello Readers
I have just posted some very important information regarding the health and welfare of
America's Mental Health Consumers. Thanks to NAMI I am able to update you with latest information. If it weren't for organizations like NAMI I'm afraid to think about what a state of affairs our mental health system would be in. As you will see in the following paragraphs, our current administration in the White house is once again trying to offset the cost of their pay raises and their wars and their taxcuts for the wealthy, by trimming another 10 billion dollars from the programs that are the most essential to those of us with mental health issues. Pardon me if I sound a little peaved but I for one am getting very tired of watching our mental health system suffer at the hands of those who write the rules. Please do not make the assumpti0on that any of my personal opinions are supported or endorsed by NAMI. Statements made in this opening paragraph are pertaining to my own personal feelings. Please read on though, to find out what you can do to help improve our present situation. NAMI provides all the nessesary information you will need to contact state representatives and senators. I can only provide you with encouragement to do something and offer you a little of my own attitude.
Take Action Now
Sincerly, Fanbelt/Vanderwilly


HELP ME SIGN IN NOW!
--->
We want to hear from you! Your questions, comments and concerns are important to us and we will do our best to address them in a timely fashion.Refer to the sections on the left to contact a national staff member or find a local NAMI contact.You may also call our Information Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
Main Contact Information:
NAMIColonial Place Three2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300Arlington, VA 22201-3042
Main: (703) 524-7600Fax: (703) 524-9094TDD: (703) 516-7227Member Services: (800) 950-NAMI

Medicaid Reform Commission Endorses Higher Co-Payments for Prescription Drugs, Medication Access Restrictions, Rejects Bid to Narrow Definition of Rehabilitation and Case Management Services
August 22,2005
On August 18, 2005, a federal Commission charged with developing changes to the Medicaid program endorsed a series of recommendations to Congress for trimming future spending by $10 billion over the next 5 years. These changes included a number of recommendations that would have an enormous impact on beneficiaries with severe mental illness including higher co-payments for prescription drugs and diminished access to specific medications through prior authorization, therapeutic substitution and other administrative barriers.

This Commission – authorized by Congress and selected by HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt – will now shift to developing long-term reforms for Medicaid by late 2006. In the meantime, Congress will be finalizing legislation cutting Medicaid by $10 billion over the next five years in September. While the recommendations of this Commission are not binding on Congress, they will carry significant weight. Likewise, a separate set of proposals from the Bush Administration will also be considered by both the House Energy & Commerce and Senate Finance Committees early next month.

Action Required
Advocates are strongly encouraged to forward the a letter to members of Congress urging them to:

*oppose increases in co-payments for prescription drugs covered under Medicaid,

*oppose restrictions to the definition of rehabilitation and case management services recommended by the Bush Administration, and

*oppose efforts to restrict access to medications to treat mental illness through increases in supplemental rebates.

Enter your zip code below to access a sample letter on this issue and a list of your representatives to contact now. If you do not see the box for entering your zip code, click here.

NAMI Testimony to HHS Medicaid Commission
At an August 18 hearing, NAMI offered testimony to the HHS Medicaid Reform Commission, outlining concerns about higher beneficiary co-payments, rehabilitation and case management services, restricted access to medications, the IMD exclusion and other issues. Click here to view the NAMI testimony (PDF).

Click here to view background information on actions%

America's Best Kept Secret [Mental Illness]

America's Best Kept Secret [Mental Illness]
Hello and welcome to Vanderwilly's mental health blog. I have created this blog for several reasons. The first of which is that I wanted to provide a place where people with a mental health issue could go to and find, share or exchange information about mental illness and it's effects on our lives. Basically, this is an open forum discussion blog and everyone is welcome to post their views. Also, on this site, you will see where I have updated information about such things as where to find help , help with medication costs,
any new legislation comming before the House of Representatives and congress that will affect mental health
programs and any other information that I can find that will benefit those of us with a mental health issue.
In closing, I would like to mention one other thing. Stigma and discrimination are two of our biggest challenges. I beleive that we as individuals and as a group,have the power to change things for the better.
There are nearly 50 million people in the U.S. with a mental illness. We must make our voices be heard if we are ever going to see any improvements in our present system of care for those with a mental illness.
We are not just 50 million people with mental illnesses. We are also 50 million voters. 50 million voices,letterwriters, phone callers and most importantly we are 50 million people who can make a difference.
Please do all that you can to help improve our situation now so that our children don't have an even heavier
burdon placed on them in the future.
I thank you all for taking the time to visit my blog and I hope that in some little way this blog helps someone, somewhere find a ray of hope in their otherwise hopeless world.
Sincerly
Bill Vanderbilt/Vanderwilly

Attention all mental health consumers

Well, here we go folks.Another example of how our present administration is making life a little more difficult for those of us with mental illness. Insurance companies are notorious for ignoring the subject of mental health when it comes to writing policies. This new legislation, bill HR525 will take another chunk out of what little there is left of insurance coverage for people with a mental dissability. If congress was going to pass any new legislation regarding mental health insurance it should be to force employers and insurance companies to provide more coverage, not less. Remember, there are between 40 and 50 million people in America with a mental disability. We must make our voices heard right now. Call or write your state representatives and members of the senate and ask them to vote NO on HR525. We must stand up and be heard. Remember this, there is no point in being mentally ill,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,if you can't show it.
Your,s Truly
Fanbelt Action Requested
NAMI advocates are strongly encouraged to contact their House member to urge them to oppose HR 525. Remind your House member that this well-intentioned legislation would have enormous negative consequences for workers and their families. In NAMI's view, HR 525 would:
severely undermine the effectiveness of the 34 state mental illness insurance parity laws,
fail to address the problem of the uninsured -- studies demonstrate that most employers that would switch to AHP coverage already provide coverage on their own, and
place workers and their families at risk of losing coverage -- studies show that AHPs have a long history of plan failures and insolvency (AHPs would not have to meet current solvency and reserve standards enforced by state insurance commissioners).
Enter your zip code below to access a sample letter on this issue and a list of your representatives to contact now. If you do not see the box for entering the zip code, click here.
All House members can be reached by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or online through www.congress.org.

Another bit of good news

Hello Everyone
Here is another update from NAMI that is indicative of how many people are working hard to improve our present situation regarding mental health. Homelessness has allways been a major challenge for us but right now we seem to be gaining some support. While we do seem to be gaining some momentum there is one very important thing to remember. We, as consummers cannot sit by and watch while others do the work. Every single one of us can do something to help. Things like letter writting to state representatives and senators. I call this the thanks and encourage program.. Thank the ones that are helping us and encourage the ones who aren't. Well, that's about all I have for today. Take care everyone and remember, if it weren't for those of us who are a little different, the world would be really boring. So long everyone.
Sincerly,
Bill Vanderbilt

The Ending Long-Term Homelessness Services Initiative (ELHSI)Update –

April 6, 2005
Next ELHSI National Conference Call Friday, April 15, 2005, 1:00 pm ET866-840-0048, Participant Code 445846#Please join to discuss our next steps to pass our legislation and get money for services in supportive housing! RSVP to pgilberti@naeh.org, buckb@devinegong.com, and / or kgosselin@naeh.org
If there are many people who cannot join the call, we will change the date. So let us know if you can join!
Our House and Senate legislation was introduced on April 5!Tuesday, April 5, was a big day for ELHSI. The Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act (SELHA) was introduced in the House by Representatives Deborah Pryce (R-OH) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and in the Senate by Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Jack Reed (D-RI). Click to read CSH's press release, and scroll down to view the list of the original co-sponsors.
The bill numbers are HR 1471 (House) and S 709 (Senate).
Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to get the legislation introduced and to secure co-sponsors. We surpassed our goal of co-sponsors in the House!!
House Co-Sponsors: Davis (D-IL), L. Diaz Balart (R-FL), M. Diaz Balart (R-FL), Doyle (D-PA), Farr (D-CA), Gillmor (R-OH), Grijalva (D-AZ), Issa (R-CA), Kaptur (D-OH), McDermott (D-WA), Myrick (R-NC), Ney (R-OH), Ramstad (R-MN), Rogers (R-MI), Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Ryan (D-OH), Shays (R-CT), Simmons (R-CT), Strickland (D-OH), Tiberi (R-OH), Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Van Hollen (D-MD), Waxman (D-CA)
Senate Co-Sponsors: DeWine (R-OH), Reed (D-RI), Burr (R-NC), Dodd (D-CT)
What’s Next on the Legislation?Now that both bills have been introduced, we still need a lot more co-sponsors to convince the respective Committees in the House and Senate to move the bill quickly. We will work hard for fast hearings on both bills.
If you were in the middle of conversations with Congressional staff regarding co-sponsorship, please continue them! We are taking more co-sponsors now and will be throughout the month of April.
IF YOUR SENATOR OR HOUSE MEMBER IS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR, PLEASE CALL AND THANK THE STAFF!!! A thank you goes a long way. We will also need their support on appropriations and to move the legislation forward.Rep Deborah Pryce announces the introduction of SELHA in Columbus, OhioRep. Pryce toured the Commons at Grant – a "best practice" permanent supportive housing program operated by National Church Residences, and spoke about the importance of permanent supportive housing to ending long-term homelessness.
Go to: http://www.house.gov/pryce/welcome.htm On that page, it’s the top story.

Good News Update For Mental Health System

Hello Everyone and welcome to my blog.
Every once in a while those of us with a mental health issue get some good news. Today is one of those times. I recently sent letters out to many of our state representatives and senaters asking them to support any legislation that would improve our system for mental health. The following is a transcript of an email conversation that I had with one of our PA. State Representatives

Dear State Representative R Ted Harhai
Hello. My name is William Vanderbilt and the purpose of this letter is to encourage you to do all you can to help improve our present system of mental health. As a consumer myself, I know very well the complexities of our present system. I suffer from recurring major depression and I have in the past felt that I had reached the end of my road.Several times while in crises I called hotlines, only to be put on hold or told that there were no beds available and could I call back in a few days to see if there might be an opening somewhere. Right now I am doing fine. I get my meds through the V.A. and I take them. Thank God I'm a veteran or there would be no way I could afford my medications. I now have a blog that I use to exchange information with people with a mental illness. Perhaps a few encouraging words from some of our political leaders could go a long way towards comforting those in crises now or who will be in the future. I welcome you to enter a comment on my blog
http://www.vanderwilly.blogspot.com
In closing, I would only like to say this.Please do not vote for any legislation that will take even more funds out of the mental health budget. We are in crises and we need your support. Thank You Kindly.
Sincerly
William Vanderbilt
Next is Mr. Harhai's reply, which I might add, was immediate.

Mr. Vanderbilt
I received your email and certainly appreciate your input. I am supportive of the programs we have regarding mental health and know first hand that there is a need for improvement and I would wholeheartedly support any improvement. In the early 90's I worked with indivduals with special needs and realize how difficult it is to help them at times. I will do what I can to prevent cuts in your programs, especially the medication situation which is affecting everyone. Thank you again for expressing your concern.
Rep. Harhai
My reply back
Dear Mr. Harhai
Thank you very much for responding to my email. I particularly want to thank you for your support with our mental health issues.
Would you mind if I posted your reply on my mental health blog. I'm hoping to inspire others to write their representatives. Also it would be nice to show my readers that we have your support. The url is http://www.vanderwilly.blogspot.com in case you want to look it over before you give your consent.
Mr. Harhai's reply
Mr. Vanderbilt
Absolutely you may use my message.
Good luck
Rep.Harhai

I find it very encouraging that we are gaining the support of some of our politicians. I believe that Rep Harhai is dedicated to doing all he can to help improve our present system of mental health. Log on to your NAMI website and find out who your representatives and senaters are. Some of them may need a little encouragement yet in order for us to realize any improvement in our mental health system. vanderwilly.blogspot.com

NAMI | New Prescription Drug Cards Now Available

NAMI | New Prescription Drug Cards Now Available

help with prescription meds

To those of you who still read this blog, I appologize for not staying more on top of things. How ever, I just recieved some new information from NAMI about how you might obtain your meds even though you have no insurance or medicaid. I truly hope that this information will help some of you. I know from personal experience how important the meds are. I take mine every day and without them I don't know where I'd be. Anyhow here is the url where you can get some help getting your meds.
http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=22296&lstid=275
If for some reason this link doesn't work for you , you can call me at 724-205-0482 or 330-360-1474
One more brief point. The stigma associated with mental illness is a very big challenge. Not for our caretakers. Not for our communities and not for our families. It is up to us,as consumers, to do all we can to eliminate stigma from our lives. There are nearly 50 million of us in the U.S. with a mental illness and it is time that we start all working together for the common good of us all. This blog is a good place to tell your story. Once we have collected enough interest and stories I will spread this blog all over the world. Don't forget about the 2006 elections. Stay tuned for information about what politicians are helping us and which ones are hurting us. Of course, we can't expect any politician to help our cause if we don't let them hear our voice. STAMP OUT STIGMA
Sincerly
Bill Vanderbilt

From Blogs To Acts Of Kindness

Message
shannonigans79Joined: 12/15/2004Posts: 1
Post Subject: Can you please help to brighten my Grandmas day?(please pass this along if you can)Posted: 12/15/2004 12:21:34 PM
My grandma was just diagnosed with stage four small cell lung cancer..And she is having a really hard time right now.I thought it would be a nifty idea if maybe she got mail and get well wishes from all over the world.I am posting her address anonymously(because I want it to be a surprise) .I just want to give her something to look forward to everyday.I want her to feel loved and special,because she is the nicest woman in the world.She is a great mother,and the best grandma in the world...Even though she is sick she still worries about taking care of everyone else.Her interests are Old war novels and Movies,Angels,poodles,crocheting,reading,She lives in a senior highrise,by herself(we had to take her dog ,since she is unable to walk him she had him for a long time,and that alone is breaking her heart..If you find it within yourself to do a good deed for someone who really needs it right now,and drop her even a simple card a card,I will be eternally grateful.Thank you in advance,Shannon.... Now a word from Fanbelt. Although the above written story is a little off of my usual topic I was hoping that smeone who eventually visits this site might help Shannon. You see, this is what the Random Acts Of Kindness organization is all about. People reaching out and finding others who truly care. Thank you for stopping by and I look foward to hearing from you again soon. Sincerely, Bill/ Easterbilly

America's Best Kept Secret [Mental Illness]

America's Best Kept Secret [Mental Illness]