Mental Health Support
Mental Health Support is a partnership project between New Horizons Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Resource Centre and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Mental Health Support aims to provide accessible advice and information about mental health issues and services to people with mental health problems, their carers, health professionals and anyone else with an interest in mental illness.
Get on Board....
This is your website, please feel free to give us feedback about what you think about it. Let us know your ideas for the site and what you'd like to see available. Please feel free to contribute articles for use on the site. We'd love to be able to display your work.
Please contact : admin@mentalhealthsupport.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELLIING SERVICE LAUNCHED
The Wales Co-operative Centre and the Consumer Credit Counselling Service are launching a new housing debt helpline to support people vulnerable to losing their homes. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, the ‘Housing Debt Helpline Wales’ offers support to home owners and those in rented property who are finding it difficult to meet their mortgage or rental payments.
The website is now live and can be viewed at http://www.housing-debt-helpline-wales.org
-----------------------------------------------------
‘PATHWAY TO RECOVERY’ FOR PEOPLE
WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN WALES
A new Welsh organisation will launch a project this week to help drug and alcohol misusers who suffer from mental health problems begin their journey on the road to recovery. At 10am on Thursday June 18, the Helping Groups to Grow organisation will launch the ‘Pathways to Recovery’ project at The National Botanic Garden of Wales. The Pathways to Recovery project was awarded £679,000 under the Big Lottery Fund’s £15 million Mental Health Matters programme, which aims to promote the rehabilitation and independence of people with serious mental health problems in Wales and support those at greatest risk of suicide. To download the press release and read more about this story just
-----------------------------------------------------
CARERS WEEK CELEBRATIONS
Rhondda Cynon Taf Carers Support Project have organised the following Carers Week programme of events to identify hidden carers and celebrate the role that carers play in the community. To sign up for any of the events and read more please CLICK HERE
-----------------------------------------------------
Cynon Independent Living Service are running Boost Group, Confidence Through Creativity for Women
The course is aimed at Women aged 18 years and over who have experienced mental health problems and who lack self confidence.
The course is for 10 weeks Starting on June 24th 2009, 1pm - 3pm at Siloa Chapel Aberdare
For more information please contact Angela Evans 01685 875481
-----------------------------------------------------
Martha Robinson Poetry Competition 2009
Matha Robinson Poetry Competition 2009 is open to all Mental Health (ex-) service users in the UK.
The winning entries will be published in “Perceptions” Magazine with the PRIZES offered at £100 -1st, £50 - 2nd, £25 - 3rd.
The competition is Organised by National Perceptions Forum
Perceptions is holding a poetry competition open
to all mental health ex/service users in the UK,
following on from six others in recent years. There
will be Commendations in addition to the three
prize-winning poems and all poems will be considered
for publication in “Perceptions” and on our
website www.perceptionsforum.org.uk. Winners
will be informed after the judging. The results will
be published after this in “Perceptions” late in
2009.
Click here to download an entry form
Deadline for entries Friday 28th August 2009
-----------------------------------------------------
New Stonewall Cymru Report
Latest Stonewall Cymru Report called Double Stigma covers the needs and experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual people with mental health issues living in Wales
(Summary Report 2009)
To download a PDF of the report simply click here
-----------------------------------------------------
Journeys is launching a new depression self-help group at Cardiff University
Click here to read the leaflet (PDF)
-----------------------------------------------------
Cycle 4 Sanity
Award winning charity, New Horizons, has launched ‘Cycle 4 Sanity’ – a sponsored cycle ride from North to South Wales which will raise awareness of mental ill health whilst promoting the benefits of physical activity. The sponsored bike ride will take place from Holyhead on the 28th June 2009 and arrive in Aberdare on the 4th July 2009. The Bike Ride will cover over 186 Miles and we would like to raise as much money as possible for New Horizons. If you would like to take part in the ride get in touch on 01685 881113 or visit the website at www.cycle4sanity.co.uk. Where you can make a donation, get sponsor forms, promotional t-shirts and much more.
-----------------------------------------------------
Mental Health First Aid MHFA (Wales) Website
Front line workers in Wales often have to deal with people with experience of mental distress but lack the skills and confidence to support them appropriately.
With one in four of us affected by mental health problems each year, service providers across Wales are being offered a new short training course to deal more effectively with these challanges.
In an ambitious new project, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, Mind Cymru is training trainers to teach Mental Health First Aid throughout Wales. Mental Health First Aid was developed in Australia and is being rolled out in Scotland, Canada, England and Northern Ireland.
-----------------------------------------------------
Swine Flu Information
What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease that infects pigs. It is caused by an influenza virus.
There are regular outbreaks of swine flu in pigs, which become ill but rarely die from the virus.
Swine flu does not normally infect humans, although this occasionally does occur - usually in people who have had close contact with pigs.
Swine flu viruses are usually of the H1N1 subtype. The swine flu that has spread to humans is a version of this virus.
-----------------------------------------------------
Nurse Struck Off After Exposing Poor Patient Care on BBC Panorama
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has today launched a public petition in support of the nurse who was struck off after exposing poor patient care on BBC Panorama.
RCN Member Margaret Haywood was removed from the register by a Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) panel yesterday afternoon for taking part in the television programme which showed the poor patient care.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has been giving legal representation for Margaret Haywood from the very beginning and is very surprised at how serve the punishment has been by the NMC panel. The RCN are now exploring the various legal options to support her. Read More and See ways to support her by clicking here
-----------------------------------------------------
Alcoholics could see benefits cut
Under government plans alcoholics face having their benefits docked if they do not get treatment. Read More....
-----------------------------------------------------
South Wales Valleys Top Anti-depressant Table
New figures from the freedom of information paint a troubling picture of the mental well-being of people in part of Wales and northern England. The figures could be linked to the recession among other complex causes and show a very high levels of anti-depressant use in those regions. The new numbers also show yet another increase in prescribing pills like Prozac, despite national guidance advocating alternative treatments - up 3.15% in Wales and 3.64% in England during 2008. Wales contains seven of the top 10 areas for the prescription of anti-depressant drugs in England and Wales, with the southern valleys region coming out on top.
Read more about this story on BBC website by clicking here.
-----------------------------------------------------
We Love Polly
Polly Kitzinger (RCT Mental Health User Involvement Officer at Interlink) was critically injured in a car accident on Monday 30th March. Her condition on the afternoon of Friday 3rd of April is: Critical but stable. She is in a deep coma.
Read More: www.welovepolly.org/
-----------------------------------------------------
Gene 'has key schizophrenia role'
Two studies have pinpointed a single gene as key to the development and treatment of schizophrenia.
A US team from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute found that a mutated version of the DISC1 gene disrupts the growth and development of brain cells.
Read more from the BBC website >
-----------------------------------------------------
Anorexia Increase
There has been an 80% rise of Anorexia in girls 16 and under. It is unclear as to why this is and there needs to be more investigation done. One of the reasons could be the influence of media and television, which influence teenage girls into wanting the smallest dress size so that they can be like their heroes, actresses or pop stars they admire. We all need a proper well balanced diet to keep healthy. As the risks involved in trying to attain a size zero can cause many healthy problems.
Useful websites dealing with eating disorders:
www.b-eat.co.uk/ - This website gives help on Eating Disorders.
www.supportline.org.uk/problems/anorexia.php - This website gives help on Anorexia.
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/anorexia.html - This website gives support and information on Anorexia nervosa.
-----------------------------------------------------
Influencing the future of ageing in RCT
As the general population of older people over the age of 65 expands across the County, Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council and Swansea University have joined together in a research partnership. The project is interested in talking to residents of Rhondda Cynon Taff, to learn their views on how they see the future of ageing within RCT and what their expectations and aspirations might be for older age. So If you are aged 65 and over or between 45 and 65 years old and would like to make difference to how you and future generations will experience older age, then please contact Christian Beech on 01792 602513 or email C.L.Beech@swansea.ac.uk.
To find out more information simply click here (MS Word).
-----------------------------------------------------
Latest Jobs/Vacancies and Opportunites - For All Vacancies
click here
South Wales Mental Health Advocacy (SWMHA)
SWMHA helps individuals with mental health issues in the South Wales area.
Job Title: Administrative Assistant
Salary: £12,169 - £13,349 + benefits
-----------------------------------------------------
The Prince’s Trust YouGov Youth Index
The Prince’s Trust YouGov Youth Index is the first large-scale
study of its kind, investigating how young people feel about
the state of their lives today and how confident they are about
their future.
The findings suggest that, while the majority of young people
are relatively content, there is a significant core of young
people for whom life has little or no purpose – with those not
in education, employment or training (NEET) most likely to feel
this way.
The report also shows how support from family is key to a young person’s overall wellbeing.
Click here to read the report >
-----------------------------------------------------
Trading Standards Crackdown on Scams
The officers at trading standards are starting a new scheme which will clamp down on scams and fraudsters.
The RCT awareness raising scheme is supported by UK wide operation against fraud and will be delivered by the office of fair trading. It is estimated that half of the UK population has been targeted by scammers and every year it affects 3.5 million adults. This can be through a number of ways such as Telephone Calls, Emails and letters via Post.
The top four most common forms of scams are deceptive sweepstakes / prize draws, bogus foreign lotteries, Health Cures and fake physics or clairvoyants.
You can report any scams or fraudulent activity by ringing Cynon Taf Trading Standards on 01443 425777 or Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or visit the website at www.tradingstandards.gov.uk
-----------------------------------------------------
Future of Mental Health Services in Wales
An announcement has been made by Edwina Hart, health minister, that a single mental health organisation, as proposed by Michael Williams, will NOT be going ahead. Instead, she has said that improving and resourcing mental health services will be made a priority in the NHS.
To Read Statement Click Here (MS Word Doc).
-----------------------------------------------------
Debt Advice - Are you a loan shark victim?
If you’ve been the victim of a loan shark or know a victim, then help is at hand. The new Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit has recently been set up to help people having problems with illegal money lenders throughout Wales. These lenders, more commonly known as loan sharks, typically lend money and charge extortionate rates of interest. They are not licensed as they should be, and regularly use threats of violence to intimidate those unable to pay the money back on time. [Read More]
-----------------------------------------------------
Whats New.....
Dapper FM Radio Interview with Jason Samuel - Covering Mental Health Support Website, Hilary Jones (GMTV), New Horizons Centre and How to get Support.
Click Here to read more and listen to the interview
-----------------------------------------------------
Feedback
Your Feedback is important please click here to give us feedback on the Mental Health Week Programme.
Subscribe Now to our quarterly Newsletter. 
