The NAMI National Board of Directors recently announced that Dr. Jean Campbell, Research Associate Professor and Director of the Program in Consumer Studies and Training has been selected to receive NAMI's Lionel Aldridge Award for 2008. 

In his announcement, NAMI Executive Director Michael J. Fitzpatrick said, "The Lionel Aldridge Award recognizes an individual consumer for courage, leadership, and service on behalf of all people with mental illness. Your work as an innovative thinker, speaker, consumer advocate, and mentor over the past 20 years has been inspirational. Your scholarship in all areas of consumer research, including data and quality improvement, will be the source of new ideas and will be cited for many years to come. Your willingness to serve on a broad, national scale-evidenced by your service on the President's New Freedom Commission and, before that, as a consultant to the Surgeon General's 1999 report on mental health-is balanced by the personal relationships you have with individual consumers, your generosity as a mentor, and your creation of many opportunities to educate consumers through research. Your work had been important in its own time and will continue to be important for many years to come."

The Lionel Aldridge Award will be presented at the NAMI 2008 Annual Convention on June 16th in Orlando, FL. Congratulations Dr. Campbell! 

According to a 2006 Missouri Student Survey conducted by the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, the age when a child in Missouri takes his first drink of alcohol is 12. read more ...

HOUSTON – The American Psychological Association’s (APA) Council of Representatives has introduced new wording in a resolution to clarify the ethical responsibilities of psychologists in harsh interrogation techniques, according to the March edition of its publication The National Psychologist. This action was a response to resounding condemnation by APA’s members who objected to the participation of psychologists in the Bush administration’s open defiance of international law banning torture. read more ...

A program offering services to families affected by methamphetamine abuse in southwest Missouri has recently been launched by a Chicago-based private non-profit human service organization. Circle of Hope with its newly named director Shannon Stokes will target nine counties in the southwest corner of the state with especially high numbers of children in care who have been affected by their families' meth drug abuse. read more ...

Three "friends of MIMH" have been selected to receive "What's Right with the Region" awards from Focus Saint Louis. Committed Caring Faith Communities was selected because of their innovative work with Missouri faith communities committed to substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery, and EnTeam was selected because of a creative program called "Operation Cooperation" that brings Muslim, Christian and Jewish children together to engage in cooperative play. NAMI Saint Louis was selected to recognize their contributions to the Saint Louis region and especially their good work with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training. 

The most common substance abused by teens is alcohol, and the average age of first regular use is 11.8 years old, according to the results of a 2006 student survey conducted by the Missouri Institute of Mental Health.

Teens and adults in Columbia are working together this month to raise awareness about underage alcohol use, its effects on the community and what can be done to change teen behaviors and attitudes about alcohol.

Researchers collaborating with the School of Public Health at Boston University found that limited access and availability of alcohol is a key factor in reducing underage drinking. In accordance with this strategy, the University of Missouri Wellness Center last week launched a free online training program for retail and convenience store clerks to ensure they don’t sell alcohol to minors. read more ...