Brochures, Fact Sheets, Guides and Toolkits

Mental health works: Maine State government participates in depression screening and work-focused intervention
Mental Health Works is a quarterly publication produced by the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, a program of the American Psychiatric Association. This issue focuses on Maine's use of depression screening and work-focused intervention to improve the mental health of its employees. These employees have benefited from their State government's participation in the Work and Health Initiative care program pilot study, which includes different supports like work-focused counseling. In addition to Maine's recent efforts, this issue explores the efforts of others, like the Chesapeake Energy Corporation in Oklahoma City, in engaging employees and providing resources for them to address mental disorders. This issue also examines the exclusion of mental health treatment from employers' health insurance coverage.

Mental health matters: Expanded forced treatment
In this episode of Mental Health Matters, guests discuss the rights of individuals with mental disorders and the importance of choice and self-determination in improving wellness and recovery. The guests for this episode are Khatera Aslami, Executive Director of P.E.E.R.S., and Sally Zinman, a consumer movement pioneer and editor of the book Reaching Across: Mental Health Clients Helping Each Other. Aslami and Zinman describe the harm of forced treatment and forced medication on people in recovery, the community, and therapeutic relationships. They also discuss the California State law AB 1421, which allows counties to utilize forced outpatient treatment for people with mental disorders, and its role in the perpetuation of the myth that individuals with mental disorders are violent. P.E.E.R.S. has posted an AB 1421 position paper and a discussion of AB 1569, which would extend AB 1421 until 2019, to this Web page: http://www.peersnet.org/sites/default/files/PEERS-position-AB1421.pdf.

Homelessness and substance use disorder treatment: Recovery-oriented housing and achieving healthy lifestyles
This 2010 SAMHSA Webcast recognizes the complex relationship between homelessness and mental and substance use disorders and explores the connection between homelessness and the treatment of substance use disorders from a program and policy view. Also, it examines some of the issues of permanent supportive housing and methods of recovery support that help people achieve healthy lives and long-term recovery.

Sick on the job? Myths and realities about mental health and work
This Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) fact sheet presents data relevant to many of the misconceptions about mental health and employment. Productivity within the workplace as well as the role of quality treatment on improving employment outcomes is discussed. This OECD fact sheet also provides a list of ways that policy can help create a more inclusive job market for people with mental health problems.

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)
This web page, provided through the Corporation for Enterprise Development's Web site, describes Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), matched savings accounts that help people in low- to moderate-income households develop assets. The Web site provides information about IDAs, including a directory of IDA programs, guidance on starting an IDA, and a public policy link for people interested in supporting efforts to have IDA programs become available to more low-income families across the U.S.

Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
This Web site describes the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), a Canada-wide savings plan reserved for individuals with disabilities. People with disabilities in Canada can use the RDSP to save and invest money and have their savings matched by the Canadian government. Relatives of people with disabilities may also contribute to an RDSP to help a family member save. The Web site provides a general overview of the RDSP, a tutorial to learn more, and a step-by-step guide.

Mental health, poverty, and development: Mental health core to development
This fact sheet shares information on connections between mental disorders and poverty through global data, charts, and other visuals. It describes the links between poverty and mental health as cyclical, with poverty heightening one's risk of mental disorders and having a mental disorder increasing one's chances of becoming poor. Also, it discusses the need for national and international agendas to address improving mental health and reducing poverty.

Mental Health and Housing
This program, which can be viewed online, explores housing issues for individuals with mental and substance use disorders. Episode 1 features a woman sharing her experience with homelessness and mental disorders. In Episode 2, a woman who is a housing provider and a man who is an advocate and policymaker discuss the housing issues of people with mental disorders.

Developing a State Interagency Council on Homelessness: A Step-by-Step Guide
This guide provides steps in how to develop a state council on homelessness. In addition to these steps, benefits, functions, activities, along with some features of a successful council are shared in this guide.

Recovery Advocacy Toolkit: Engaging Your Community
This toolkit highlights the benefits that recovery from addiction can have on a community. It goes on to describe ways community involvement in advocacy can enhance public perceptions of recovery and promote effective public policy. This toolkit provides action steps for community members based on their different roles in the community. Educators, faith community members, community coalitions, families, government/public officials, criminal justice professionals, business leaders, healthcare professionals, local media outlets, and addiction treatment providers are all provided with specific steps that will help in engaging and guiding the community toward effective and positive attitudes toward recovery.

Stepping Stones To Recovery: A Case Manager's Manual for Assisting Adults Who Are Homeless, with Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income Applications
The purpose of this manual is to help individuals, specifically case managers, assist homeless people with behavioral health problems in applying for Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability programs. This manual highlights many of the eligibility and documentation requirements, with the goal of facilitating the application process and reducing the need for appeals. It is a useful tool for anyone applying for SSA disability programs.

Supported Employment Evidence Based Practices KIT
This KIT offers standards on supported employment for individuals with severe behavioral health problems and promotes the idea that people with serious behavioral health conditions can participate fully in the workforce. It includes information on how to get started with evidence-based practice, national resources for consumers and families, and instruments to assess cultural competence.

WHO resource book on mental health, human rights and legislation
This book from the World Health Organization highlights the issues and principles behind good behavioral health and human rights legislation. It is meant to serve as a resource to countries as they draft and adopt the legislation but is also a valuable resource for stakeholders such as advocacy groups and health professionals.

Grading the States 2009
This interactive map provides an overview of the National Alliance on Mental Illness's 2009 State-by-State evaluation of mental health care systems. The Nation as a whole received a 'D' for the health care it provides to people with serious mental illness. The organization graded based on community integration and social inclusion, empowerment, and other factors. The full report, describing methodology, findings, and recommendations, is available for download.

What you need to know?..Primary care outreach
This fact sheet tells you all you need to know about patients with depression and anxiety disorders and their primary care. One of the goals of the Campaign is to improve the manner in which mental illnesses are detected and treated in primary care settings.

A mentally healthy workforce: It's good for business
This booklet provides assistance to employers and companies who are interested in changing the workplace from a mentally unhealthy environment to a healthy one.

Maryland rural families speak: About mental health
This article briefly discusses the findings from a study of families in two Maryland counties. It provides insight into the experiences of rural, low-income families.

Housing for persons with a serious and persistent mental illness
A fact sheet describing some of the challenges faced by communities and key factors to consider while developing safe housing for individuals with severe behavioral health problems.

Filing an ADA employment discrimination charge: 'Making it work for you'
This guidebook provides information about how the ADA employment discrimination administrative charge process works and what has happened when individuals with psychiatric disabilities have filed administrative claims of employment discrimination. It explains, through discussion and examples, when, where, and how to file a charge.

Timothy's Law talking points
This fact sheet summarizes the basics of Timothy's Law and makes the argument for parity. This sheet can be used to educate others about the importance of parity for individuals, families, and businesses.

Older adults and mental health: Issues and opportunities
A companion piece to the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, this report focuses on the broad range of community-based preventive and treatment services that are available to older adults and their families. Chapter 6 specifically addresses stigma and other barriers to mental health care for aging adults.

What "fair housing" means for people with disabilities
This booklet explains in plain language how three Federal laws protect the housing rights of people with mental or physical disabilities.

Housing toolkit
A toolkit developed to provide information to help the public mental heath community meet the housing needs of people with behavioral health problems.

Guidelines for non-handicapping language in APA journals: Committee on disabilities issues in psychology
This fact sheet provides guidelines for the use of appropriate language regarding people with disabilities.

Black women and mental health
A brief article that addresses mental health and Black women in the U.S. It provides an array of information including information on attitudes towards mental health and suggestions for improvement.

Employment scenarios: What would you do?
This Web page outlines three examples of mental health issues in the workplace, and provides appropriate responses about how to address them. It also provides links to appropriate resources. 

Accommodation and compliance series: Employees with psychiatric impairments
JAN's Accommodation and Compliance Series is designed to help employers determine effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Each publication in the series addresses a specific medical condition and provides information about the condition, ADA information, accommodation ideas, and resources for additional information.

State mental health parity laws 2007
Provides state-by-state breakdown and descriptions of parity laws.

Seizing the moment: Using HUD's Consolidated Plan to identify affordable housing opportunities for homeless people with severe mental illnesses
This guidebook details information and approaches designed to help mental health and homeless communities participate in the Consolidated Plan process, a long-term housing plan used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to determine access to funding for Federal housing. 

Stigma: Language matters
A fact sheet created by On Our Own of Maryland outlining appropriate and respectful language to use when speaking about people who have mental illnesses. To order the fact sheet, download the form by clicking here.

Americans with Disabilities Act: A guide for people with disabilities seeking employment
This brochure provides a guide for individuals with mental illnesses, specifically answering questions about employment rights under the ADA.

Building community support for housing: Ten tips on how to win support for your affordable housing projects
A brief fact sheet highlighting tips of what goes into a successful community outreach campaign for an affordable housing project.

A guide to disability rights laws
This guide provides an overview of Federal civil rights laws that ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities. It also provides the contact information for agencies and organizations that can be of assistance.