British Columbia Schizophrenia Society

• May Family Resources Newsletter May 13, 2008
• Health Professional Resources April 22, 2008
• Family Resource Newsletter April 22, 2008
• Educator Resource Newsletter April 22, 2008

The British Columbia Schizophrenia Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 by families and friends of people with schizophrenia. Since then, BCSS has grown into a province-wide family support system with 30 Branches, 11 Regional Coordinators, 3 Program Coordinators  and over 1600 members.

The Means to Cope

What does the Society do?

• Provides support and education for people with schizophrenia and other serious and persistent mental illnesses, their families and friends.
• Increases public awareness and understanding of schizophrenia and other serious and persistent mental illnesses.
• Advocates on behalf of people with schizophrenia other serious and persistent mental illnesses for better legislation and services.
• Promotes Research into the causes, treatment, and ultimate cure of schizophrenia

The Mind Foundation of BC (MFBC) raises funds for the programs and services offered by the BC Schizophrenia Society, in addition to funding schizophrenia research.

Professional Resources

• Alcohol and drug research

Referral Resources

• Printable, up to date list of family support groups, BC-wide http://www.bcss.org/category/calendar/monthly-meetings/
• Calendar of family support and education meetings and events BC-wide http://www.familyevents.bcss.org
• Programs and services to support persons with a mental illness and their supporters and family members.
• Mental health fact sheets, recordings and new videos in other languages
• New bipolar disorder fact sheets
• New Vision journal edition on medications
• Information in other languages
• Printed materials available
• Employment program funding renewed
• Family Calendar - List of Monthly support groups by region
• Family Calendar - Upcoming support and education events (page 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 (printable list at: http://www.bcss.org/category/calendar/monthly-meetings/ ), educational courses and other events throughout BC, hosted by various organizations. Some upcoming events are excerpted at the right of this email.

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

New bipolar disorder factsheets

A new set of user-friendly fact sheets developed by Mood Disorders Association of BC for the BC Partners covers the types of bipolar disorder, myths and facts surrounding bipolar disorder, causes of bipolar disorder, and treatments like medications and ECT. There are also special fact sheets designed to help people with bipolar disorder manage risky behaviours, prevent future episodes, and one to help family members support loved ones with the disorder.

New Visions issue on Medications

Check out the latest issue of Visions: BC’s Mental Health and Addictions Journal on medications. Medications are often a double-edged sword. They can lift symptoms of mental illness or addiction so that people can feel well enough to do all the other hard work needed for recovery. But, they also present a host of complex challenges from side effects and interactions, to affordability and access. This issue of Visions aims to help consumers feel more like partners in their care and tries to present a helpful guide into the complex world of pharmaceutical treatment of mental or substance use disorders.

Information in other languages

Please see the below links for mental health fact sheets in a variety of languages.

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/other-languages

http://www.translations.bcss.org/ - new this month is a set of two psychosis / schizophrenia information videos with subtitles in Chinese.

Printed Resources Available

BC Partners - Individuals with personal experience of mental health or substance use problems and their family members (as well as health care professionals in the public or non-profit sector) in BC can request and be mailed single copies of these resources free of charge. http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications

Other resources for mental health professionals including professional development and research resources are available at http://www.professionals.bcss.org/

Employment program funding renewed

The Canadian Mental Health Association National Office is proud to announce that the Opportunities Fund of HRSDC has again approved funding in 2008-09 for Routes to Work, a highly successful employment project for persons with psychiatric disabilities. More at: http://www.cmha.ca/
bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-13-716-2218-2219〈=1

Alcohol and Drug Research

Check out what’s new at CAR-BC (Centre for Addictions Research of BC) http://www.carbc.ca/ New topics:

• Job Posting at BC Ministry of Health: Manager, Alcohol Harm Reduction
• Up to Date: Substance Use and Related Harm in BC
• Beyond 2008: An International NGO Forum - Final Report of Vancouver Consultation
• A Delicate Matter: Scientific Agreement and the “Protective Effect” of Alcohol for Disease including Coronary Heart Disease
• Debate on harms and benefits of moderate drinking continues

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.

In this Issue

• Working Together to Educate Families Conference
• New Bipolar Disorder Fact Sheets
• New Vision Journal Edition: Medications
• Printed mental health resources available
• Postpartum depression
• Moving Lives Forward Scholarships
• New Anxiety Disorder Resources
• Employment program funding renewed

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 side of this email.

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

3rd Annual Working Together to Educate Families Conference

Saturday, May 3, 2008 - Paetzhold Education Centre at Vancouver General Hospital
8:30 am - 5:00 pm For more information. http://www.bcss.org/2008/02/25/485/

New bipolar disorder factsheets

A new set of user-friendly fact sheets developed by Mood Disorders Association of BC for the BC Partners covers the types of bipolar disorder, myths and facts surrounding bipolar disorder, causes of bipolar disorder, and treatments like medications and ECT. There are also special fact sheets designed to help people with bipolar disorder manage risky behaviours, prevent future episodes, and one to help family members support loved ones with the disorder. http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications/factsheets

New Visions issue on Medications

Check out the latest issue of Visions: BC’s Mental Health and Addictions Journal on medications. Medications are often a double-edged sword. They can lift symptoms of mental illness or addiction so that people can feel well enough to do all the other hard work needed for recovery. But, they also present a host of complex challenges from side effects and interactions, to affordability and access. This issue of Visions aims to help consumers feel more like partners in their care and tries to present a helpful guide into the complex world of pharmaceutical treatment of mental or substance use disorders. http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications/visions

Printed Resources Available

BC Partners - Individuals with personal experience of mental health or substance use problems and their family members (as well as health care professionals in the public or non-profit sector) in BC can request and be mailed single copies of these resources free of charge. http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications

Postpartum depression can bring ‘frightening’ thoughts

BC Mood Disorders Association - About one new mom in 10 will suffer from a form of depression known as postpartum depression. http://www.mdabc.net/PDFS/Frightening_VanSunArticle.pdf

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.

New Anxiety Disorder Resources

• New Adult Self-Help Video section http://www.anxietybc.com/news_view.php?g=5
• Free treatment program for social anxiety http://www.anxietybc.com/news_view.php?g=4
• Help for Parents of Anxious Children http://www.anxietybc.com/news_view.php?g=1

Employment program funding renewed

The Canadian Mental Health Association National Office is proud to announce that the Opportunities Fund of HRSDC has again approved funding in 2008-09 for Routes to Work, a highly successful employment project for persons with psychiatric disabilities. More at: http://www.cmha.ca
/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-13-716-2218-2219〈=1

The following events are of interest to people caring for a loved one with a mental illness and are hosted by individual member organizations of BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information.
This calendar is maintained by the BC Schizophrenia Society.

Click here to submit your family event online.
RSS Feed for events occurring in the next 30 days

If you are looking for a specific article or item, please try the search box to your right.

Welcome to the calendar of events for the BC Schizophrenia Society. Look here to find start dates of information groups and trainings, and other events. [BCSS Home]

Sign up for our BCSS e-news, family, mental health professional or educator e-resource lists.  | Subscribe to this calendar using RSS (or to a particular city or region using the links below right) | subscribe to this calendar using ical 

The British Columbia Schizophrenia Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 by families and friends of people with schizophrenia. Since then, BCSS has grown into a province-wide family support system with 30 Branches, 11 Regional Coordinators, 3 Program Coordinators  and over 1600 members.

The Means to Cope

What does the Society do?

• Provides support and education for people with schizophrenia and other serious and persistent mental illnesses, their families and friends.
• Increases public awareness and understanding of schizophrenia and other serious and persistent mental illnesses.
• Advocates on behalf of people with schizophrenia other serious and persistent mental illnesses for better legislation and services.
• Promotes Research into the causes, treatment, and ultimate cure of schizophrenia

The Mind Foundation of BC (MFBC) raises funds for the programs and services offered by the BC Schizophrenia Society, in addition to funding schizophrenia research.

Upcoming Events

Click here for a schedule of support groups and other monthly events or visit our family support and events calendar