Hi everyone.  Several of you mentioned that the link wasn't working.
Yahoo broke the link into two lines so it will have to be cut and pasted
into your browser, or you can go to www.mh.alabama.gov/MIDS  click ob
the available documents button and you can find it about 3/4 of the was
down the page.


Steve Hamerdinger, Director
Office of Deaf Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health
PO Box 301410
Montgomery, Al  361130
Phone/VP: (866) 934-7606

This email may contain legally privileged and/or confidential
information. This message and/or any files transmitted with it are
intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). This email is to be
treated as confidential and may not be used or disclosed except for the
purpose for which it was sent. If you receive this email in error,
please contact the sender immediately, delete it, any attachments, and
all copies of it from your system, and destroy any hard copies of it.
You are hereby notified that disclosing, copying, distributing, or
taking any action on the contents, attachments, or information herein is
strictly prohibited.




________________________________

	 From: ALMHI@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ALMHI@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of lskupniewitz@...
	 Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 10:57 AM
	 To: ALMHI@yahoogroups.com
	 Cc: Hamerdinger, Steve
	 Subject: Re: [ALMHI] New Signs of Mental Health



	 Hi Steve,
	 That link isn't working. Can you send me it directly?
	 thanks
	 ---- "Hamerdinger wrote:

	 =============
	 If you have not received it yet you can download it at

http://www.mh.alabama.gov/Downloads/MIDS/MIDS90323Signs_of_Mental_Health
<http://www.mh.alabama.gov/Downloads/MIDS/MIDS90323Signs_of_Mental_Healt
h>
	 _Winter2009.pdf


	 Steve Hamerdinger, Director
	 Office of Deaf Services
	 Alabama Department of Mental Health
	 PO Box 301410
	 Montgomery, Al 361130
	 Phone/VP: (866) 934-7606

	 This email may contain legally privileged and/or confidential
	 information. This message and/or any files transmitted with it
are
	 intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). This email is
to be
	 treated as confidential and may not be used or disclosed except
for the
	 purpose for which it was sent. If you receive this email in
error,
	 please contact the sender immediately, delete it, any
attachments, and
	 all copies of it from your system, and destroy any hard copies
of it.
	 You are hereby notified that disclosing, copying, distributing,
or
	 taking any action on the contents, attachments, or information
herein is
	 strictly prohibited.

	 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Steve,
That link isn't working.  Can you send me it directly?
thanks
---- "Hamerdinger wrote:

=============
  If you have not received it yet you can download it at
http://www.mh.alabama.gov/Downloads/MIDS/MIDS90323Signs_of_Mental_Health
_Winter2009.pdf


Steve Hamerdinger, Director
Office of Deaf Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health
PO Box 301410
Montgomery, Al  361130
Phone/VP: (866) 934-7606

This email may contain legally privileged and/or confidential
information. This message and/or any files transmitted with it are
intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). This email is to be
treated as confidential and may not be used or disclosed except for the
purpose for which it was sent. If you receive this email in error,
please contact the sender immediately, delete it, any attachments, and
all copies of it from your system, and destroy any hard copies of it.
You are hereby notified that disclosing, copying, distributing, or
taking any action on the contents, attachments, or information herein is
strictly prohibited.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

If you have not received it yet you can download it at
http://www.mh.alabama.gov/Downloads/MIDS/MIDS90323Signs_of_Mental_Health
_Winter2009.pdf


Steve Hamerdinger, Director
Office of Deaf Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health
PO Box 301410
Montgomery, Al  361130
Phone/VP: (866) 934-7606

This email may contain legally privileged and/or confidential
information. This message and/or any files transmitted with it are
intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). This email is to be
treated as confidential and may not be used or disclosed except for the
purpose for which it was sent. If you receive this email in error,
please contact the sender immediately, delete it, any attachments, and
all copies of it from your system, and destroy any hard copies of it.
You are hereby notified that disclosing, copying, distributing, or
taking any action on the contents, attachments, or information herein is
strictly prohibited.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

DID YOU KNOW...



Validation of an Australian sign language instrument of outcome
measurement for adults in mental health settings





OBJECTIVE: There are currently no adult mental health outcome measures
that have been translated into Australian sign language (Auslan).
Without a valid and reliable Auslan outcome measure, empirical research
into the efficacy of mental health interventions for sign language users
is unattainable. To address this research problem the Outcome Rating
Scale (ORS), a measure of general functioning, was translated into
Auslan and recorded on to digital video disk for use in clinical
settings. The purpose of the present study was therefore to examine the
reliability, validity and acceptability of an Auslan version of the ORS
(ORS-Auslan).



METHOD: The ORS-Auslan was administered to 44 deaf people who use Auslan
as their first language and who identify as members of a deaf community
(termed 'Deaf' people) on their first presentation to a mental health or
counselling facility and to 55 Deaf people in the general community. The
community sample also completed an Auslan version of the Depression
Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).



RESULTS: t-Tests indicated significant differences between the mean
scores for the clinical and community sample. Internal consistency was
acceptable given the low number of items in the ORS-Auslan. Construct
validity was established by significant correlations between total
scores on the DASS-21-Auslan and ORS-Auslan. Acceptability of ORS-Auslan
was evident in the completion rate of 93% compared with 63% for
DASS-21-Auslan.



CONCLUSIONS: This is the only Auslan outcome measure available that can
be used across a wide variety of mental health and clinical settings.
The ORS-Auslan provides mental health clinicians with a reliable and
valid, brief measure of general functioning that can significantly
distinguish between clinical and non-clinical presentations for members
of the Deaf community.





Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;43(4):332-9.

Munro L, Rodwell J.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Join us at the 4th World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness, 'A Life
to be Lived', 27-30 October 2009







Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia











Earlybird Registrations and Call for Papers are now open!











Please visit http://mhd2009.org/ to register now, don't miss out!







Refer this link to your friends and contacts who are interested in the
issues of Mental Health and Deafness.







To contact us for further information on the congress, trade displays,
or to become a sponsor email:info@...







Quick links: Register http://mhd2009.org/product  Submit an
abstract/paper http://mhd2009.org/call_for_papers







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

DID YOU KNOW...



The impact of language skills on mental health in teenagers with hearing
impairments.



Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of
language competence level and mental distress in teenagers with hearing
impairments.



Method: 43 pupils were given a battery of linguistic tests and the
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which was also completed
by 40 parents. Comparisons were made between the group of 33 children in
mainstream education and 10 who were in a segregated school for the
deaf.



Results: The children had impaired language skills relative to published
norms, especially marked in segregated schools. Parents rated children
as having more distress than published norms. Those with superior level
of spoken language had fewer peer relationship problems in mainstream
education, but significantly more in segregated schools. The reverse was
almost significant for those proficient in signed language.



Conclusion: Peer relationship problems are associated with the language
competence levels in the way that children at school communicate with
one another.





Fellinger J, Holzinger D, Beitel C, Laucht M, Goldberg DP.

Health Centre for the Deaf, Hospital St John of God, Linz, Austria.

Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2009 Feb 5





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

DID YOU KNOW....





Lost in translation: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of
mental health professionals' experiences of empathy in clinical work
with an interpreter.



Objectives Although empathy is considered by many to be fundamental to
psychotherapeutic practice, little is known about how working with an
interpreter may affect empathy in clinical work.



Accordingly, the present study aims to provide an exploration of mental
health professionals' experiences of empathy in clinical work with an
interpreter.



Design A qualitative methodology was utilized in order to provide a rich
understanding of participants' shared experiences of empathy in work
with an interpreter.



Data were gathered using a semi-structured interviewing approach.
Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was chosen as the method
of analysis as this would provide a highly descriptive and in-depth
account of participants' experiences. Method Interviews were conducted
with 10 mental health professionals regularly working with linguistic
interpreters. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using IPA.
Results



The analysis yielded four major themes which described the effects of
translation upon empathic dialogues with service-users; changes in the
quality of empathic communication with service-users; the effects of
cultural similarities and dissimilarities upon empathy within
client-interpreter and client-professional dyads; and opportunities for
the interpreter to enrich participants' understanding of service-users'
perspectives.



Conclusions The difficulties participants encountered in work with an
interpreter highlight a need for training in cross-language empathy for
interpreters and mental health professionals, and encourage the use of
transcultural models of psychotherapy in work with non-English speaking
service-users. Some of the difficulties associated with adopting
traditional humanistic models of empathy, which tend to centralize the
therapist within empathic processes, when working with interpreters are
also discussed.



Pugh MA, Vetere A.

Psychol Psychother.
<javascript:AL_get(this,%20'jour',%20'Psychol%20Psychother.');>  2009
Feb 9.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

-----Original Message-----
From: Lynda Myers [mailto:lynda.myers@...]
Dear Deaf community counseling/clinical colleagues:

I am seeking your help. I am a Deaf PhD student in Social Work, my
dissertation title is"Dual relationships: Working, living and breathing
in the Deaf community". I am researching how counselors /therapists who
work in the Deaf community feel, think about, and deal with the
overlapping roles and relationships that may occur in a small community.
I wonder if counselors have enough support to deal with the possibility
of role overlap in both social and professional roles.

  I will be gathering information to help the profession understand how
counselors, in the Deaf community deal with multiple relationships (same
schools, clubs, AA meetings, churches)  and other ethical issues that
may occur with their clients. This research will describe our
professional values and help identify ways to support counselors working
in the Deaf and HOH community.

  I know you are probably very busy. However, I am hoping you will make
the time (20-25 min.) to take this important survey.

Survey Link
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2b2uaP3eAWlSEx_2bA2AvV79g_3d_3d
<http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2b2uaP3eAWlSEx_2bA2AvV79g_3d_3d>


  Sincerely,

  Lynda Myers MSW, LCSW-C

Presidents Fellow

Gallaudet University /

Graduate student :Clinical Social Work Institute of Washington D.C

Again Survey Link is:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2b2uaP3eAWlSEx_2bA2AvV79g_3d_3d
<http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2b2uaP3eAWlSEx_2bA2AvV79g_3d_3d>

Thank you!





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Please forward.



CALL FOR 2009 ADARA AWARD NOMINATIONS



The ADARA Conference 2009 is rapidly approaching. ADARA provides an opportunity
to acknowledge colleagues who you believe should be recognized for their
exemplary work within the field of deafness. ADARA is proud of the contributions
of its members and has established several awards to recognize excellence in
service provision and outstanding professional contributions. Nominations for
the awards listed below will be accepted through March 1, 2009. The following
award categories are open to nominations by the ADARA membership:



Boyce R. Williams Award is the highest award presented by ADARA in recognition
of contribution toward improvements in the rehabilitation of people who are Deaf
or Hard of Hearing.

Frederick C. Schreiber Award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding
contributions to ADARA.



Outstanding JADARA Article Award is awarded upon the recommendation of the
JADARA Editor.



Eugene W. Peterson Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exemplary
direct service provision in the rehabilitation of Deaf adults with additional
handicapping conditions.



Legislative Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated contributions
related to legislative activities that benefit Deaf, Late Deafened, Hard of
Hearing and Deafblind individuals.



Martin Seligman Student Research in Psychology and Deafness Award is given to a
student who has conducted exemplary research in the field of psychology and
deafness and has committed to both presenting at the ADARA conference and
publishing his/her research in the JADARA on the research. The student will be
recognized during the conference and will receive the money award upon
completion of the above requirements.



Boyce R. Williams Student Writing Award is given to recognize and reward
exemplary student writing in the area of human services to people with hearing
loss.



Nominations must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2009 and will be accepted
by mail or email. They should be sent to Steve Hamerdinger at
steve.hamerdinger@... or Alabama Department of Mental Health, Office
of Deaf Services, 100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL 36130



2009 ADARA AWARD NOMINATIONS

PERSON NOMINATING AWARD CANDIDATE:

Name Title Phone/Email Address

Eugene Peterson

AWARD CATEGORY:

â–¡ Boyce R. Williams Award â–¡ Frederick C. Schreiber Award

â–¡ Eugene W. Peterson Award â–¡ Legislative Award





CANDIDATE NOMINATED FOR AWARD: Name Title Phone/Email Name of program/agency
employed Address

THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION MUST ACCOMPANY A NOMINATION FOR AWARD:

•

A description of 300-500 words describing the accomplishments of the person
nominated.

•

A narrative of 300-500 words supporting the nomination and how the
accomplishments are perceived as exemplary.

•

A history of the individual’s career/work related to this award.

•

Letters of support are not required, but encouraged. These should be attached as
one nomination package.

Nominations must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2009 and will be accepted
by mail or email. They should be sent to Steve Hamerdinger at
steve.hamerdinger@... or Alabama Department of Mental Health, Office
of Deaf Services, 100 North Union Street, Montgomery, AL 36130



AWARD RECIPIENTS WILL BE RECOGNIZED DURING THE ADARA CONFERENCE, 2009



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Volunteers of America, SE seeks Direct Support Professionals (DSP) to
provide supports to individuals who use Visual Communication and who
also have Intellectual Disabilities.  Volunteers of America seeks
caring, experienced individuals to provide the following supports:
grooming and hygiene skills; communication skills; socialization; meal
planning and preparation; housekeeping skills and money management
skills - all in an effort to increase the person receiving services
ability to live more independently. DSP must be able to complete written
documentation, assist in general housekeeping and meal preparation, as
well as provide transportation as needed using company vehicle.
Part-time and full-time employment is available and several shifts are
needed.  This position requires:  HS Diploma/GED, valid Alabama Driver's
License, good driving record, employment history, fluent in American
Sign Language and must be at least 18 years of age.  Volunteers of
America, SE offers competitive pay, benefits, excellent retirement plan
and is an EOE and Drug Free Workplace.



Apply in person:  2005 North Country Club Drive

                              Montgomery, AL 36106

                              [334] 284-9372

                              [334] 284-5108 Fax



Steve Hamerdinger, Director
Office of Deaf Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health
PO Box 301410
Montgomery, Al  361130
Phone/VP: (866) 934-7606

This email may contain legally privileged and/or confidential
information. This message and/or any files transmitted with it are
intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). This email is to be
treated as confidential and may not be used or disclosed except for the
purpose for which it was sent. If you receive this email in error,
please contact the sender immediately, delete it, any attachments, and
all copies of it from your system, and destroy any hard copies of it.
You are hereby notified that disclosing, copying, distributing, or
taking any action on the contents, attachments, or information herein is
strictly prohibited.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Deaf Off Drugs and Alcohol" (DODA)

Individuals who are Deaf finally have "anonymous" self-help groups, as a
result of CSAT funding.  A Targeted Capacity Expansion e-therapy grant
to Wright State University in Dayton Ohio has created an innovative and
potentially ground breaking system for addressing substance use
disorders among the Deaf.  The "Deaf Off Drugs and Alcohol" (DODA)
program has established on-line videoconferencing support groups and 12
step meetings.

In the past year DODA has been using webcams and computer-based
videoconference technology to offer self help support groups to DODA
participants throughout Ohio.  These 12 step groups are led by
facilitators who are Deaf and in recovery, after they have received
training on how to use the computer-based software "e/pop".   One
facilitator with long term sobriety said that when the meetings first
started the group was small but now the "word of hand" is spreading and
DODA has had to increase the number of groups.  "Currently, support
groups or chat lines are available every day of the week.  Going to a
meeting with others who share my language and experiences is more
valuable than a hearing meeting with an interpreter and not many
meetings have interpreters." DODA is also offering support groups led by
a licensed social worker who is fluent in American Sign Language.

Sandy Castle, MRC, LSW has set up weekly meeting for any DODA
participant that would like additional support in addressing the many
challenges to sobriety, including topics such as dealing with cravings,
identifying emotions, and getting a sponsor. For more information on the
DODA program contact Susan Fraker, Project Coordinator at 937-222-2400,
ext. 231, susan.fraker@.... DODA website:

www.dodarecovery.com <outbind://16/www.dodarecovery.com>  .



Steve Hamerdinger, Director
Office of Deaf Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health
PO Box 301410
Montgomery, Al  361130
Phone/VP: (866) 934-7606

This email may contain legally privileged and/or confidential
information. This message and/or any files transmitted with it are
intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). This email is to be
treated as confidential and may not be used or disclosed except for the
purpose for which it was sent. If you receive this email in error,
please contact the sender immediately, delete it, any attachments, and
all copies of it from your system, and destroy any hard copies of it.
You are hereby notified that disclosing, copying, distributing, or
taking any action on the contents, attachments, or information herein is
strictly prohibited.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Charlene was named ADMH employee of the quarter today.  This was a well
deserved honor.  I am proud as can be of her.


Steve Hamerdinger, Director
Office of Deaf Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health
PO Box 301410
Montgomery, Al  361130
Phone/VP: (866) 934-7606

This email may contain legally privileged and/or confidential
information. This message and/or any files transmitted with it are
intended solely for the use of the addressee(s). This email is to be
treated as confidential and may not be used or disclosed except for the
purpose for which it was sent. If you receive this email in error,
please contact the sender immediately, delete it, any attachments, and
all copies of it from your system, and destroy any hard copies of it.
You are hereby notified that disclosing, copying, distributing, or
taking any action on the contents, attachments, or information herein is
strictly prohibited.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"The Tom Neville Show" comedy movie at Alabama School for the Deaf

Movie Title: "The Tom Neville Show"

Running time: 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes)

When: Saturday, March 7, 2009
Time: 2:00PM and 7:00 PM

Where:
Alabama School for the Deaf
Auditorium
205 East South Street
Talladega, AL 35160

Download flyer here:
http://www.tomneville.com/flyers/TheTomNevilleShow_030709.pdf

Admission Ticket: $10.00 per person

Ticket Info:
Walter Ripley
Videophone: 866-261-5677 or 256-761-3222
Phone (TTY): 256-761-3222
Phone (Voice): 256-761-3326
E-mail address: ripley.walter@...

Any questions about the movie? Contact mail@...

About the "Tom Neville Show" movie
This 75-minute film stars Tom Neville, a normal deaf man. Problem is,
he's also a daydreamer—and he puts his imagination to use by launching
bizarre, sidesplitting comedies. For example, The Tom Neville Show is
a series of television and movie parodies strung together and played
for cheap laughs. Now, with any luck, his last ditch efforts at a
website will convince more people that he is, indeed, funny.

For more information, please visit http://www.tomneville.com

NOTE: We make every effort to keep our movies enjoyable for our
viewers who use ASL. There are no captions or voiceover.

DID YOU KNOW....





The professional literature contains research and anecdotal information
on various maltreatments affecting children and youth with and without
disabilities.



Unfortunately, little information exists on abused children with hearing
loss. Reasons relate to a lack of quantity and quality in research on
this population; challenges in conducting research using sound
methodological principles that consider the population's heterogeneity
(e.g., mode of communication, language level, parental perspective on
deafness, educational placement); and scarce intervention services with
professionals trained in the unique needs of children with hearing loss.




The present article discusses types of abuse prevalent within the
overall population of children and that of children with hearing loss,
shares a rationale for practitioners and those training future
practitioners to understand abuse among this unique population, proposes
a research agenda based on existing information, and provides
suggestions for supporting children who are deaf or hard of hearing and
abused.



Am Ann Deaf. 2008 Fall;153(4):376-83.

Child abuse and deafness: an overview.

Sebald AM.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

ADARA 2009 Conference - San Antonio, TX - April 15 - 19, 2009

San Antonio Plaza Marriott



For Hotel information:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/Hotel_Information.doc



For Registration Form:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Registration_Form.
pdf



For Agenda:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Agenda.doc



For Presentation Descriptions:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/PresentationDesc.doc



For Presenter Bios:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Presenter_Bios.doc



For Credentialing Info:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Credentialing.doc



For Advertisement Info:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Ad_Form.doc



For Sponsorship Opportunities:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Conference_Sponsor
ship.doc



For List of Current Sponsors:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Sponsors.doc



For Planning Committee Info:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Conference_Plannin
g_Chairs_and_Responsibilities.doc



For Silent Auction Info:
http://www.adara.org/pages/2009_Conference/ADARA_2009_Silent_Auction_For
m.doc



Please send an email to ADARA2009Chair@... if you have any
questions and the Conference Chair, Doug Dittfurth, will respond.
Thanks!



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the ALMHI
group.

   File        : /ODS08.bmp
   Uploaded by : charleneterp <charlene.crump@...>
   Description : Happy Holidays from ADMH Office of Deaf Services

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ALMHI/files/ODS08.bmp

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/members/web/index.htmlfiles

Regards,

charleneterp <charlene.crump@...>

DID YOU KNOW...







This survey, "Life and Health-Young People 2005," included all 15/16-year-old
adolescents in mainstream schools in the county of Orebro, Sweden.



Just students with a slight/mild or moderate hearing loss were included.



There were 56 (1.9%) "hard-of-hearing (HH) students with multiple disabilities,"
93 (3.1%) students who were "just HH," 282 (9.7%) students with some "other
disability than HH," and 2,488 (85.2%) students with "no disability." "HH with
multiple disabilities" reported considerably higher scores for mental symptoms,
substance use, and school problems than the "no disability" group.



Those with "just HH" and those with "other disability than HH" had more mental
symptoms and school problems than the "no disability" group but no significant
differences in substance use.



In conclusion, the combination of a hearing loss and some other disability
strongly increases the risk for mental symptoms, school problems, and substance
use. This group, thus, is an important target for preventive measures.







J Deaf Stud Deaf Educ. 2008 Summer;13(3):324-35. Epub 2007 Dec 13.  Links

Self-rated mental health, school adjustment, and substance use in
hard-of-hearing adolescents.

Brunnberg E, Boström ML, Berglund M.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

DID YOU KNOW....



It has been suggested in the research literature that facial affect
processing (FAP) and theory of mind (ToM) are both potential mediators
of the well-established relationship between cognition and functional
outcome among people with schizophrenia.



The current project tests the mediating potency of these two domains of
social cognition among deaf and hearing people with schizophrenia.



Sixty-five people (34 deaf, 31 hearing) were assessed using measures of
verbal and visual memory, attention, visual processing, FAP, and ToM.
The results suggest that each domain of cognition, save vigilance,
exerts an effect on functional outcome indirectly through its influence
on social cognition. The patterns of mediation varied when the samples
were broken down by hearing status and analyzed separately. Namely, the
cognitive tasks directly involving linguistic ability (early visual
processing [EVP] and word memory) were best mediated by social cognition
for hearing subjects.



For deaf subjects, the nonlinguistic cognitive tasks (e.g.,
visual-spatial memory-recall and copy [VSM-recall and VSM-copy]) were
best mediated by social cognition. While FAP and ToM were equally
effective as mediators for hearing subjects, FAP was a more potent
mediator than ToM for deaf subjects.



This study extends prior work in the area of social cognition and
schizophrenia and indicates that the development of cognitive
rehabilitation strategies should include not only interventions
targeting specific cognitive abilities, such as attention and memory,
but should include an emphasis on social-cognitive domains, including
FAP and ToM. Further, deaf and hearing subjects may benefit from
interventions addressing aspects of cognition that support linguistic
ability, especially as they relate to social cognition.



Social cognition as a mediator of cognition and outcome among deaf and
hearing people with schizophrenia.

Horton HK, Silverstein SM.

Schizophr Res. 2008 Oct;105(1-3):125-37. Epub 2008 Aug 22.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

you might be interested in this...

Welcome to FASD - The Course, which is free to the public. This course
provides an overview of risk factors for fetal alcohol spectrum
disorders, signs and symptoms, and prevention and treatment methods. The
course includes seven modules and can be taken at your own pace. You can
complete one or more modules based on your needs. This course is
designed primarily for health, mental health, and social service
providers, educators, and other professionals who work with children,
adolescents, and adults with an FASD. Parents, caregivers, and family
members may also find it helpful.

http://www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov/educationTraining/courses/FASDTheCourse
/intro.cfm

J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. -- Table of Contents Alert

   Linda J. Spencer and J. Bruce Tomblin
	 Evaluating Phonological Processing Skills in Children With
Prelingual
	 Deafness Who Use Cochlear Implants
	 J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2009 14: 1-21;
doi:10.1093/deafed/enn013.  Open
	 Access
	 http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/1/1?etoc

   Jean L. DesJardin, Sophie E. Ambrose, and Laurie S. Eisenberg
	 Literacy Skills in Children With Cochlear Implants: The
Importance of
	 Early Oral Language and Joint Storybook Reading
	 J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2009 14: 22-43;
doi:10.1093/deafed/enn011.

http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/1/22?etoc

   Amy R. Lederberg and Patricia E. Spencer
	 Word-Learning Abilities in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
Preschoolers: Effect
	 of Lexicon Size and Language Modality
	 J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2009 14: 44-62;
doi:10.1093/deafed/enn021.

http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/1/44?etoc

   Pasquale Rinaldi and Cristina Caselli
	 Lexical and Grammatical Abilities in Deaf Italian Preschoolers:
The Role
	 of Duration of Formal Language Experience
	 J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2009 14: 63-75;
doi:10.1093/deafed/enn019.

http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/1/63?etoc

   Jana Lollis and Carol LaSasso
	 The Appropriateness of the NC State-Mandated Reading Competency
Test for
	 Deaf Students as a Criterion for High School Graduation
	 J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2009 14: 76-98;
doi:10.1093/deafed/enn017.

http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/1/76?etoc

   Karen Emmorey, Franco Korpics, and Karen Petronio
	 The Use of Visual Feedback During Signing: Evidence From Signers
With
	 Impaired Vision
	 J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2009 14: 99-104;
doi:10.1093/deafed/enn020.

http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/1/99?etoc

   Campbell McDermid
	 Social Construction of American Sign Language--English
Interpreters
	 J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2009 14: 105-130;
doi:10.1093/deafed/enn012.

http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/1/105?etoc

TIME Article - Mental Illness



http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1863220,00.html?iid=tsmod
ule



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Mental Health Dictionary



http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/resources/dictionary.aspx/



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Street Drug Slang Dictionary




http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/drug-slang.aspx



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DID YOU KNOW...



Children with CHARGE syndrome frequently develop moderate to severe
behavior difficulties and are often diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive
disorder, attention deficit disorder, Tourette syndrome, and autism.
Anecdotal reports have indicated that sleep is also affected.



However, the prevalence and types of sleep disturbance have not been
identified. This study investigated sleep disturbances in 87 children
with CHARGE syndrome, aged 6 to 18 years (mean 11y, SD 3y 8mo). There
were 52 males and 35 females represented.



Instruments included measures of sleep (Sleep Disturbances Scale for
Children [SDSC]), behavior (Developmental Behaviour Checklist [DBC]),
and carer well-being (Malaise Inventory).



On the SDSC, 57.5% received scores considered significant for sleep
disturbances, with disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep, sleep
breathing, and sleep-wake transition being the most common. The SDSC was
significantly correlated with the DBC (p=0.010) and the Malaise
Inventory (p=0.003).



Regression analysis found that both problem behavior and sleep
disturbances contributed to the prediction of scores on the Malaise
Inventory.



Being both deaf and blind (p=0.001), experiencing frequent middle-ear
infections (p=0.015), and starting to walk at an older age (p=0.007)
were associated with more sleep disturbance.



Craniofacial anomalies were not. The study highlights the importance of
addressing the sleep difficulties associated with CHARGE syndrome
relating both to airway management and to disorders of initiating sleep.





Dev Med Child Neurol. 2008 Nov 19.



Sleep disturbances in CHARGE syndrome: types and relationships with
behavior and caregiver well-being.

Hartshorne TS, Heussler HS, Dailor AN, Williams GL, Papadopoulos D,
Brandt KK.





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I am pleased to announce that Ben Hollingsworth has been named the
Region III Therapist.  Mr. Hollingsworth returns to Alabama after a
three year stay in North Carolina where he was a therapist with
Journeys.  He was formerly the Region IV coordinator in Alabama.



Mr. Hollingsworth will begin his duties on December 1.



Steve Hamerdinger,

Director,

Office of Deaf Services





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DID YOU KNOW...


In the past decade, the living conditions of hearing impaired
children have been changing due to new technologies and mainstreaming
in schools. The majority of population-based studies in deaf pupils
were conducted before these changes started to take place.

The present study aimed to evaluate the current situation regarding
aspects of mental health and, for the first time, quality of life in
a representative sample of deaf pupils. The sample stems from a
population of 145,000 pupils attending the first to ninth grades
during the school years 2003-2005 in Upper Austria. From 186 children
with bilateral hearing impairment of at least 40 dB registered at the
centre for special education for children with sensory impairments,
99 with a performance IQ above 70 were included in the present study.

Parents and teachers completed the strengths and difficulties
questionnaire (SDQ), while parents and children were administered the
inventory for the assessment of the quality of life in children and
adolescents (ILC).

Results indicated that deaf children scored significantly higher on
the SDQ than their counterparts from normative samples according to
both parent and teacher ratings.

Differences were most marked with regard to conduct problems,
emotional problems, and peer problems, and less marked for
hyperactivity/inattention.

While parents of deaf children had a generally positive view of their
children's quality of life, deaf children provided a more complex
picture, stressing areas of dissatisfaction.

Mental health and quality of life were found to be unrelated to the
child's degree of deafness.



Mental health and quality of life in deaf pupils
Johannes Fellinger, Daniel Holzinger, Heribert Sattel, Manfred
Laucht. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. New York: Oct 2008.
Vol. 17, Iss. 7; pg. 414, 10 pgs

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Deaf and Hearing Persons with Language
and Learning Challenges

By Neil Glickman (Illustrated by Michael Kranjnak)



"Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Deaf and Hearing Persons with Language
and Learning Challenges" provides a model for adapting best practices in
cognitive-behavioral therapy to consumers whose language and cognitive
deficits make it difficult for them to benefit from traditional talk
oriented psychotherapy. The book focuses primarily upon the mental
health care of those deaf clients, sometimes referred to as 'low
functioning' or 'traditionally underserved,' who are particularly
difficult to engage in meaningful treatment. Drawing most heavily upon
the work of Donald Meichenbaum, Marsha Linehan and Ross Greene, this
book presents adaptations and simplifications of psychotherapy which
make it accessible and meaningful for persons often viewed as 'poor
candidates'.The heart of the book is a greatly simplified approach to
psychosocial skill training, especially in the domains of coping,
conflict resolution and relapse prevention skills, as well as an
extensive discussion of 'pre-treatment' strategies for engaging clients
in mental health care. Also included is research demonstrating how deaf
mental health clients are different than hearing clients, guidelines for
doing mental status examinations with deaf clients whose language
dysfluency gives them the false appearance of having thought disorders,
and a chapter on developing staff and creating culturally and clinically
appropriate treatment programs. Included with the book is a CD-ROM
containing over 1500 beautifully drawn illustrations of a wide range of
mental health and substance abuse related concepts. These pictures or
'skill cards' are used in psychoeducation and therapy with persons who
can not read English."





http://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Behavioral-Language-Challenges-Counselin
g-Psychotherapy/dp/0805863982/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225219598&
sr=8-1









"This book is not a book on theory, but is a guide for building better
services.  Stargin with a thorough and much needed discussion on
language and ending with a model program, Glickman has produced nothing
short of a gold standard text for those wishing to provide the best
service possible.  I plan to make this required reading for all my
staff.  If you could only have three books on mental health and deafness
on your shelf, they should be Dr. Glickman's servies.  If you could have
only one, it needs to be this volume."



Steve Hamerdinger, Director, Office of Deaf Services, Alabama Department
of Mental Health











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4th World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness (Deaf Services
Queensland & Deaf Children Australia)



The theme for this Mental Health and Deafness congress is 'A life to be
lived', focus on deaf children and adults' well being. It will take
place in Brisbane, Australia from 27 - 30 October 2009.





For more information, please go to www.mhd2009.org
<http://www.mhd2009.org/>







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NAD Announces Release of Two Mental Health Position Statements

Posted October 3, 2008

The Board of Directors of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), at
its April 2008 meeting, approved a new position statement on Mental
Health Services for Deaf Children and a supplementary position statement
entitled Culturally Affirmative and Linguistically Accessible Mental
Health Services.  Both statements, recently posted on the NAD website,
were prepared by the Mental Health Subcommittee of the Public Policy
Committee. The supplementary statement is intended to be an update to
the 2003 NAD Position Statement on Mental Health Services for People who
are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

These documents will provide guidance to state and federal agencies,
consumers, state associations, and affiliates on appropriate mental
health service delivery for deaf children and adults. In addition, the
two documents reflect the belief of the NAD that access to language,
namely American Sign Language (ASL), is a basic human right.

"I am proud of the work that this subcommittee did. This subcommittee
had top experts in the mental health and deafness field from all over
the country," said NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins. "Together, they
produced two documents that reflect current trends in the field and are
a model for all states and service providers. Service delivery for deaf
children poses particular challenges that are unique and different from
those for deaf adults," she continued. "It is vital that optimal mental
health care for deaf children be available in this country."

The Public Policy Committee is chaired by Howard A. Rosenblum, Esq., who
has years of experience in mental health law. Liz Hill, LCSW, served as
chair of the Mental Health subcommittee, and was recently elected to the
NAD Board of Directors. Members of the subcommittee were: Robert
Baldwin, Sara Bianco, Barry Critchfield, Suzanne Dennis, John Gournaris,
Michelle Niehaus, Linda Russell, and Brad Trotter, Melissa Watson, Roger
Williams, and Darlene Zangara.

Click here to read Mental Health Services for Deaf Children
(http://www.nad.org/2008mentalhealthchildrenpositionstatement)

Click here to read the Supplementary Statement on Culturally Affirmative
and Linguistically Accessible Mental Health Services
(http://www.nad.org/2008mentalhealthpositionstatement)

Thousands of deaf patients struggling to access basic health care

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-09/bmj-tod092908.php