2015 GIVING WoMN Annual Eye Opener Mental Health: Breaking the Stigma The Minikahda Club Saturday, November 7, 2015
Andree Aronson Director of Development and Organizational Advancement NAMI Minnesota
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Mental Health State of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of every day life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. World Health Organization
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Mental Illnesses • Disrupt a person’s thinking, feelings, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning • Treatable medical condition • Biological in nature – brain structure & chemistry • Causes - environmental impact, genetics, negative life experiences
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Mental Illnesses - Very Common • 1 in 4 adults (1 in 10 for serious) • 1 in 5 children • 50% experience symptoms by age 14 • Specifically: • Depression (7%), • Bipolar Disorder (3%) • Schizophrenia (1%) • Anxiety (18%)
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Mental Health System
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Mental Health System It’s not broken… It’s never been built
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Closure of Institutions In 1970, the Nation counted more than 400,000 public psychiatric hospital beds, but by 1998, the number had decreased to just over 63,000, an 85 percent decline.
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Remember Why Institutions Closed • Warehousing • Little treatment • Poor conditions • Lived there many years People live in homes not institutions
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Why Dream Wasn’t Realized • Only half of the mental health centers were ever built • None were fully funded • No money to operate them long-term • During the Reagan administration, the remaining funding for the act was converted into a mental-health block grant for states.
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Why Dream Wasn’t Realized • Discrimination in private insurance – Pre- existing conditions, lack of coverage, lack of parity • Discrimination under Medicare – lifetime limit, lower % for outpatient payments • Discrimination under Medicaid – no payment in facilities over 16 beds
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Why Dream Wasn’t Realized • Stigma – discounted, disgraced, shame • Prejudice – attitude towards a group such as fear or incompetence • Discrimination – behavior directed towards a group based on prejudice – such as not hiring or renting to someone from that group
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Stigma …the stigma we face is in many ways more disabling than the illnesses themselves. Patrick Corrigan Author of Don’t Call Me Nuts!
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination How We Visualize Mental Illnesses • Close your eyes • Picture a typical person with a mental illness • What is their age? • What do they look like? • What are they doing?
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Negative Images • Older • Homeless • Institutionalized • Disheveled • Scary looking • Sad • Wild eyed
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Real People Elyn Saks 2009 recipient of MacArthur Genius Grant Brandon Marshall Ken Barlow KSTP-TV Meteorologist Catherine Zeta Jones
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination How We Talk about Mental Illnesses Yell out or write down five slang words to describe mental illnesses
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Crazy Mad Cracked Nuts Kookie Insane Loony Wacko Maniac Psycho Demented Berserk Daft Deranged
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination • Write down five slang words to describe cancer. • Write down five slang words to describe heart disease.
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination How We Think About Mental Illnesses • Afraid • Irrational • Rudderless • Incompetent • Dangerous • Irresponsible • Weak • Caused their illness • Selfish • Violent • Lazy
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination How We Think About Mental Illnesses Should be… • Courageous • Determined • Inspirational • Generous • Nonviolent
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Television • Highly correlated with the portrayal of violent crime. • Found to be nearly 10 times more violent than other television characters • Found to be 10 to 20 times more violent (during a two week sample) than in reality • Judged to have a negative impact on society and a negative quality of life.
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Freek Energy Drinks Evil Energy
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Psycho Donuts
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Impacts Big & Little Things • Professionals don’t always include families • No get well cards • No hot dishes or help with child care • Not added to prayer lists • Can’t get health insurance to cover treatment • No accommodations at work • Visiting hours/Caring Bridge
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Poor Outcomes • People live with their symptoms an average of ten years before seeking help • Only 60% of people with a serious mental illness actually receive treatment • Average life span as someone who lives in Bangladesh – dying over 20 years earlier than peers
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Poor Outcomes • 90% of people who are homeless have barriers to living independently, 6/10 people who are long term homeless have a serious mental illness. • Lowest employment rate: 85% not in the workforce • 25% of the US prison system • 60% of the jail population
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Poor Outcomes • Increased suspensions – 75% • Highest drop-out rates – 67.2% EBD graduate • 70% in juvenile justice system have one or more diagnoses
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Poor Outcomes • Suicide leading cause of violent deaths • Close to 700 deaths per year in Minnesota • Three times as many people die by suicide than by homicide
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Next Steps • Implement mental health parity • Continue to build on the investments made in 2015 by the legislature & Governor • Early identification & treatment (first episode programs, school-linked mental health programs)
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Next Steps • Provide family education and support • Increase mental health literacy in the community • Address workforce shortages • Provide education and peer support for people living with mental illnesses • Pay for evidence-based practices
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Next Steps • Promote shared decision-making, engagement • Provide housing and employment • Check your language • Share your story
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead
Mental Illnesses: Stigma and Discrimination NAMI Minnesota 800 Transfer Road, Suite 31 St. Paul, MN 55114 651-645-2948 1-888-NAMI-HELPS www.namihelps.org
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