Professional Resources

• Beginnings of schizophrenia or youth turmoil? New research identifies key warning signs
• Supporting students with psychosis on return to school
• Classroom video and teachers guide on psychosis / schizophrenia - this award winning video and guide provides a classroom follow-up lesson to the popular ReachOut psychosis school tour.
• Friends school anxiety prevention program
• Child anxiety resources

Referral Resources

• Printable List of Monthly Family / Supporter Support Groups
• Calendar of support and education events for persons supporting a loved one with a mental illness - events across BC to help people help their loved ones.
• Moving Lives Forward Scholarship for persons with psychiatric disabilities - Deadline June 30^th
• Programs supporting persons with mental illness and their families across BC - education, support, respite, advocacy…
• Family Calendar - Monthly support groups http://www.bcss.org/category/calendar/monthly-meetings/
• Family Calendar - Upcoming support and education events (at right or www.familyevents.bcss.org )

Did you know?

A calendar of support and education events for persons supporting a loved one with a mental illness is available at http://www.familyevents.bcss.org/ The listing includes a list of monthly support groups, educational courses and other events throughout BC, hosted by various organizations. Some upcoming events are excerpted at the right of this email. For a printable list of monthly support groups for families supporting a loved one with a mental illness, visit: http://www.bcss.org/category/calendar/monthly-meetings/

Programs and services are available in many locations throughout BC to support family members and loved ones of persons with mental illnesses. http://www.bcss.org/category/programs/

New resources:

Beginnings of schizophrenia or youth turmoil? New research identifies key warning signs

Poor grades, irritability, suspicion. What distinguishes the beginnings of schizophrenia from normal adolescent turmoil? New research identifies key warning signs. Click on this link for more.

Supporting Students with Psychosis on Return to School

This fact sheet for teachers is posted with permission of the Vancouver Richmond Early Psychosis Intervention Program. http://www.reachoutpsychosis.com/2008/01/
supporting-students-with-psychosis-on-return-to-school/

Reaching Out Classroom Video and Teacher’s Guide

This video tells the story of Todd, a young man becoming ill with psychosis, and his friend who figures out what’s wrong and helps him get help. http://www.reachoutpsychosis.com/2008/01/
reaching-out-classroom-video-and-teachers-guide/

ReachOut Psychosis program -

This entertaining and educational assembly presentation is offered free of charge to schools and other youth audiences of 100 or more. Psychosis affects 3% of the population at some time in their lives. First symptoms generally appear in youth aged 16-25. If this brain condition is treated by a doctor early, changes for a complete and rapid recovery are dramatically improved. This program, which grabs attention with a high-calibre rock performance, slam poetry and audience participation educates youth on how to spot the early signs of psychosis and get help early. The project is a program of the BC Schizophrenia Society, with funding from BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information. This past year we reached over 18,000 BC youth. To view a video and other information on early psychosis identification please see http://www.reachoutpsychosis.com/

FRIENDS Anxiety Prevention Program

Check with your school district for information on The FRIENDS Program for the prevention of anxiety for grades 4 and 5. The F.O.R.C.E. (Families Organized for Recognition and Care Equality) is offering parent sessions in many school districts in BC.

For more information about the B.C. FRIENDS for Life program, visit the Child & Youth Mental Health website. (http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/mental_health) It contains local training locations and schedules. For more information on this exciting program visit www.friendsinfo.net.

Child Anxiety Resources

For more information and resources about childrens anxiety, check out this resource pamphlet
http://www.bckidsmentalhealth.org/
docs/Resource%20List%20-%20Anxiety%20Books.doc

2008 Moving Lives Forward Scholarships

Eli Lilly Canada, BC Schizophrenia Society and Mood Disorders Association of BC (MDA) are offering the Moving Lives Forward Scholarships to help people with a severe and persistent mental illness - bipolar, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder - reintegrate into society. We want to offer financial assistance for both academic and vocational opportunities in which students can work to acquire the training necessary to secure a meaningful job. The deadline for submitting applications is June 30, 2008. Click here to download an application form.