Resources for September 10th’s World Suicide Prevention Day

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is hosting the official website of World Suicide Prevention Day which is on September 10th every year. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented. Disseminating information, improving education and training, and decreasing stigmatization are important tasks in such an endeavor.

The theme for this year,  "Preventing Suicide in Multicultural Societies" was selected to raise awareness of the fact that all countries are multicultural. This multicultural mix can include indigenous peoples, immigrant groups, refugees, asylum seekers, and others. While national strategies often target the majority population, specific cultural perspectives are often missing. Suicide prevention in multicultural societies requires cultural sensitivity as well as cultural competence. The IASP is providing materials, suggestions for events, and information on activities already planned throughout the world. 
 

Request for Comment: Federal Strategic Plan to Reduce Health IT Disparities

A draft Federal Health IT Disparities Strategic Plan has been posted for public comment on the HealthIT.gov blog by the Office of Minority Health and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. The comment period will last for approximately 30 days till September 24, 2011 (approx.). Those who are interested in commenting are encouraged to provide input on an electronic form available just below the blog posting.

All Americans should have equal access to quality health care. This includes the benefits conferred by health IT. The government will endeavor to assure that underserved and at-risk individuals enjoy these benefits to the same extent as all other citizens. For the past few months, the Health IT Disparities Workgroup — comprised of staff from agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): with strategic and operational programs in health IT and co-chaired by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Office of Minority Health (OMH) — has led a focused effort to further define the federal government’s strategies and tactics to reduce health IT disparities within underserved communities.

The Health IT Disparities Workgroup is developing a federal plan to reduce health IT disparities. A draft set of strategies/tactics — aligned with the five goals of the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan. The workgroup hopes you will assist them by providing comments on the following questions:

• What do you think of the draft strategies / tactics?
• What specific activities would you like to see the federal government take on to reduce health IT disparities?

Read more and submit comments (click and scroll to end of page).

Center of Excellence for Cultural Competence Leads DSM-5 Field Trial.

NNED Forum Call: Tenemos Voz (We have a Voice)

Tenemos Voz is a Latino Consumer Network committed to being the advocacy voice for Latino consumers. It is an all-inclusive network of empowered Latinos with behavioral health challenges who promote the holistic principles of health and wellness in recovery through equal access to quality mental health treatment. The Network takes action aimed at influencing national behavioral health care policy, eliminating disparities in access to services, and improving the quality of services and treatment outcomes for Latino populations. Tenemos Voz provides a national Latino consumer voice on issues of concern to communities across the country. The Network accomplishes its mission through advocacy, education, prevention, intervention, and support. This NNED Forum Call was designed to help Latino consumers develop their leadership potential and expand their leadership skills.

NNED Forum Call Tenemos Voz - We have a voice 9-7-2011 from Change Matrix LLC on Vimeo.

Versus the Virus v2.0 Part 3: Efforts to Eradicate HIV/AIDS among Black Gay and Bisexual Men

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic has shifted from Manhattan to the outer boroughs of New York City, young Black gay men have banded together against a resurgent killer. The third of a four-part series from the Black AIDS Institute include: Part 1 covered the founding of the Sexy With a Goal (SWAG) peer-to-peer forum for young HIV-positive MSM in the city. Part 2 discussed efforts to provide support to young men through discussion groups and outreach geared toward HIV prevention and treatment.

Part 3 discusses groups like the AIDS Service Center NYC's Sexy With a Goal, a support group for young MSM of color, and Health & Education Alternatives for Teens, a Brookyn HIV-prevention organization for young Black MSM, encourage these men to get HIV tested. It also talks about  awareness campaign targeting the same demographic group. For example in one ad, a man stands with his arms crossed, smiling in front of the lights of a New York cityscape. It's Tree Alexander, 24, an outreach specialist for the Brooklyn AIDS Task Force (BATF). The poster states that Alexander has been HIV positive since 2006 and is part of the HIV Stops With Me social-marketing campaign started in 2000, which aims to tackle both the virus and the stigma surrounding it. In February 2011, aware of the stigma of being young Black MSM, Alexander and BATF created Brooklyn Men (K)onnect, an online forum for young men who might feel uncomfortable asking in person for help with living HIV positive, but who feel safer participating in a Facebook community.

Read more on the Black AIDS Institute website.

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