September 9, 2016
Still Coping 15 Years After 9/11
September 11, 2016 marks the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed. This event has had far reaching effects on attitudes and perceptions about national security, disaster response, and the impact of traumatic events on both the individual and… View Article
September 8, 2016
#WriteOnSarah: Suicide Prevention and #BeThe1To
This month, the entire country is focused on suicide prevention. But as the theme “Be The One To” (#BeThe1To) indicates, this is about one person at a time making a difference in someone’s life. What I love so much about this campaign is that it asks us to relate to one another with open eyes… View Article
August 25, 2016
#WriteOnSarah: Heading Off To College With The Wrong Diagnosis
When Tess Kaytmaz left for college, she took with her a long history of therapy and a diagnosis of ADHD, a label and identity the adults in her life had given her, despite her sense that they’d gotten it all wrong. Growing up with the disconnection between a diagnosis and what she felt inside sent… View Article
August 25, 2016
5 Tips for Coping with Lockdowns and Sheltering in Place Orders
Christian Burgess, Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), a program administered by Vibrant Emotional Health for the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), describes how you can cope with lockdowns and shelter in place orders. If you’re like me, just hearing or reading the word ‘lockdown’ gets your heart rate jumping…. View Article
August 16, 2016
You Can “#BeThe1To Prevent Suicide”: A National Call to Action
Dr. John Draper is one of the nation’s leading experts in crisis contact center practices (hotline, online chat, SMS services, etc.). As Project Director, he oversees all aspects of the federally-funded National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network, which consists of over 160 member crisis centers across the country. Is it possible to reduce suicide like we have… View Article
August 5, 2016
Disaster Distress Helpline and Medical Reserve Corps: Collaborating for Disaster Behavioral Health
Christian Burgess, Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), a program administered by MHA-NYC for the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), describes how we have collaborated with the national Medical Reserve Corps units around the country in support of our mutual work to assist individuals, families and communities impacted by disaster. The… View Article
August 5, 2016
#WriteOnSarah: Vacation from Anxiety
Sarah Vander Schaaff is a writer, blogger and a mother of two from New Jersey, who has struggled with Obsessive-compulsive disorder for as long as she can remember. Her courageous column in the Washington Post (“Obsessive –compulsive disorder nearly ruined her life”, January 4th) received international attention for its honesty and openness. This is the first blog… View Article
July 7, 2016
Dr. John Draper’s Statement on VA’s New Suicide Data
Dr. John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, discusses the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ newest data on veterans suicide rates: This report is a stark reminder that there is much more that we can all do to prevent veteran suicides in our communities and in non-VA health care systems. The more than… View Article
June 29, 2016
A Note from Our CEO on the Passing of Alan Rutsky
Alan Rutsky, the treasurer of the MHA board, and a cherished member of our organization, has passed away. Alan has been a member of our board since 1998. His counsel, guidance and friendship to all of us cannot be replaced. Alan loved MHA, and looked at our growth with such happiness because it was an… View Article