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Focus on Recovery
This issue of Our Voices contains the voices of people who have had experiences with the mental health system and have found the road to recovery.
While we have become more open within the disability community, stigma about having a mental illness continues to separate us. Justin Dart, Jr., in his last few years, acted as one of the main bridge builders between the cross-disability movement and the movement of mental health consumers and psychiatric survivors. In Justin's words: "I appeal to you for solidarity in the American Dream. Let us keep our eyes on the prize: liberty and justice for all. Choices for all. No denial of treatment ever. No forced treatment ever."
If you don't know about the recovery, survivor and self-help movements we encourage you to reach out and learn more. You will find the values and concepts very familiar: peer support, informed choice, consumer direction and control, empowerment, personal assistant services and more!
Table of Contents:
- Open Wound: Slow Healing and Peer Support,
- Recovery is Reaching Out ,
- Work Therapy WORKS!
- Web Resources on Recovery,
- Action Day Update,
- Project GREEN.
Open Wound: Slow Healing and Peer Support
By Norm DeLisle
When I got off the jet on December 17, 1969 at an airport near my home town of Midland, Michigan, I was on top of the world. I had survived Vietnam, I was seeing snow for the first time in three years, and I thought I had nowhere to go but up. But over the next few days, months, and years, I learned that my experiences in Vietnam had damaged my character, my emotions, my ability to form relationships, and my capacity to direct my life.
Link to the full article "Open Wound"..
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Recovery is Reaching Out
By Cynthia Brooks
Recovery is helping yourself and others achieve full potential in life. Recovery combined with person-centered planning is a way of making dreams a reality and independence a way of life. Recovery demands a positive environment for growth to occur.
Link to the full article "Recovery is...".
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Work Therapy WORKS!
By Tim Grabowski
I believe in work therapy. I can tell you from personal experience that you can complete trade school or college and go on for a graduate degree. It is possible for people with disabilities to own (with the bank) their own home. It is possible for people with a disability to work five years for the same employer. You can work your way off the disability poverty trap. It happens at MDRC and it is happening for me. But it was not always that way.
Link to the full article "Work Therapy WORKS!"
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Web Resources on Recovery
- www.maryellencopeland.com
Mary Ellen Copeland is a mental health recovery educator and author. Her focus is on self-help. - www.power2u.org
The National Empowerment Center's Web site. - www.mindfreedom.org
Sponsored by Support Coalition International.
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Action Day Update
Statewide Action Day Set for Thursday, May 8, 2003
Come to the second Statewide Action Day in Lansing for: meetings with legislators, state department officials and opinion leaders; visiting with other disability activists; sharing stories; exploring a fantastic collection of information tables and a regional tent competition; making your voice heard; and lots more!
Link to the full article "Action Day Update".
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The Grass Roots Education & Empowerment Network (GREEN)
Are you working with others in your community to increase opportunities and access for people with disabilities?
Would it help to talk with new people who have been successful in making changes?
Would additional funding for your efforts help?
Applications for support of short-term projects that increase access to Assistive Technology information, devices and services are now available. For more information, contact MDRC or visit www.copower.org/At/green.htm .
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