Care Solace’s Post

Dr. Sarah Farmer of our research advisory board (RAB) reflects in Springtide’s report, “Navigating Injustice: A Closer Look at Race, Faith, and Mental Health” on how faith leaders can support young BIPOC today by naming and fighting injustice, transforming emotions, adopting hope-filled narratives, and creating spaces of belonging. Dr. Farmer writes that “the worst thing we can do as a faith community is to pretend that injustice doesn’t exist. For a young person, that can be interpreted like they don’t exist. Young people are searching for judgement-free zones where they can express their pain and trauma without repercussion. They seek to name rather than ignore the injustices done to them and their friends. Naming injustice is an important part of recognition. It counters the invisibility that often leaves people asking: “Did that really just happen to me? Am I making this up?” We cannot effectively navigate what we won’t name.” See Dr. Farmer’s full reflection in Navigating Injustice: https://buff.ly/3Y8rc1e

Not many people know this, but Conscientious Objectors from WWII were ironically some of the fiercest fighters for mental healthcare reform in American history… Assigned to various Civilian Public Service positions as an alternative to war, roughly 3,000 Conscientious Objectors (CO’s) replaced psychiatric asylum staff who left for battle overseas. From 1941-1945, the CO’s witnessed horrific conditions not unlike the concentration camps their conscripted countrymen aimed to destroy: dreadful living conditions, malnutrition, forced labor and even abuse and death. At the conclusion of their assignments, many of these CO’s ironically waged war against policies that allowed the atrocities they witnessed on home soil. Soon after, the damning exposé, “Bedlam 1946: Most US Mental Hospitals Are a Shame or Disgrace” was published in Life magazine and a surge of attention was brought to the need for American mental healthcare reform. One of the main contributors was CO and future social worker, Charlie Lord. Progress was incremental but Conscientious Objectors were the catalysts for some of the most impactful changes we’ve seen yet in mental healthcare policy. I hope modern social workers and other mental health professionals keep this pacifist-warrior duality in our hearts as we fight for those who are in most need of compassionate and effective mental healthcare. #mentalhealthcare #fridayfacts #socialwork CO’s at Cleveland State Hospital pictured below. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gAJ7eNT4

We know that the use of restrictive practices, including restraint, seclusion and segregation, can have a devastating impact on people and cause them trauma. Earlier this year, members of our expert advisory group for people with a learning disability and autistic people told us we needed to address the issue head on and develop a clearer and stronger position on the use of restrictive practice. In a new blog, we've shared our new cross sector policy position, as part of our response to this. This position will be applied in all areas of our regulation. We expect all providers of health and social care to know what restrictive practice looks like and to actively work to reduce its use in health and care settings. Read more from Rebecca Bauers, interim Director for People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People, and Chris Dzikiti, Director of Mental Health. https://buff.ly/3s1UCD5

With the CQC's new policy position on restrictive practices, it becomes evident that a profound transformation is underway in the healthcare sector. The policy's focus on person-centered care, trauma-informed therapy, and the minimization of restrictive practices is a clear indication of a commitment to the well-being and rights of individuals. With the integration of this policy into the inspection framework later this year, we can expect a positive shift towards a healthcare landscape that prioritizes holistic care and respects the autonomy and dignity of all those receiving healthcare services. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem to embrace this change and collectively strive for a future where restrictive practices are replaced by individualized, compassionate, and inclusive care.

Interesting article

How do we hold communities affected by violence? How do we hold ourselves as we do so? How can we transform despair when feelings of powerlessness are rampant and problems feel 'too big' for the therapy space? My answers lie with Dr. Cathy Richardson-Kinesweskwêw and the life-giving approaches of drama therapy and response-based practice. What are yours?

No one should receive a lower standard of care because of their race. However, implicit unconscious associations may influence judgement resulting in bias. We all have a responsibility to go past awareness and truly tailor our care when working with the Black birthing community. If you want to better understand the systems that perpetuate trauma in the Black community, offer impactful and effective care, and be part of making the healthcare system more equitable, check out our Black Perinatal Mental Health training today. https://lnkd.in/duv-Qm4r #mentalhealth #perinatalmentalhealth #seleni

Good morning, y'all. Here is an article I recently published on Medium about restorative justice as an alternative to our currently punitive system which criminalizes poverty, substance use disorders, and behavioral health issues. In this piece, I synthesize some recent research on RJ as well as the voices of sexual assault survivors and advocates who've engaged RJ as a path toward collective healing that centers victims' needs. Check it out:

Understanding Childhood Domestic Violence (CDV) and its profound impact on the developing brain is crucial for #WorldMentalHealthDay. With 1 in 7 people impacted worldwide, the cumulative cost to our society is immense. CDV implants a series of negative beliefs that can lead to significant intellectual, emotional, and behavioral challenges. But by exposing these "lies" and revealing the corresponding truths, we can build resilience and promote healing. Awareness, understanding and sharing can spark and nurture transformative change, illuminating a path to a brighter future. Learn more in our featured blog post: https://bit.ly/45vXDtn #MentalHealthAwareness #ChildhoodTrauma #BreakTheCycle #CDVAwareness #YouAreMoreThanYouKnow #FullPotential

Take pressure off of kids who are pressured by coercive control in the family and see them strive At a point where no one knows how to finance health care any longer, domestic violence rates have skyrocketed and the children‘s mental health crisis persists, we need science and law to come to alignment.  Family Court Systems should have every interest in Resilience Research and be pro-active in courtroom research participation for longitudinal studies on the effects of BCEs on ACEs.