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From the International Bipolar Foundation, click to visit our website


     

Greetings!

 

May is a particularly special month for us at International Bipolar Foundation. Founded by 4 moms who have children with bipolar disorder, we honor all those "warrior" moms out there with wishes for a wonderful Mother's Day!

May is also very significant because we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. In addition to our day with The Honorable Patrick Kennedy (May 22 in Del Mar, CA., USA), we will announce the winner of our International High School Essay Contest, post daily interesting and important mental health facts on our FaceBook page, host a YSL Fashion Show to raise funds (did you know Yves St. Laurent had bipolar disorder - read about it here), and award the first round of Girl Scouts with their Mental Health Awareness Patch that we launched! 

We are a mighty team but cannot do it without your help. Please donate $5.00 today so we can continue offering ALL of our PROGRAMS and SERVICES free of charge to you. Click here to make a tax deductible donation  donate

To your health,

Muffy Walker

 

P.S. Feel free to also contact me at anytime Muffy

Our new mailing address: 8895 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 105-360 San Diego CA 92122  

 

 


May 5, 2012   
If you are in a crisis,
please call:
 
1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
or
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Join Our Mailing List

may
MAY: MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
Do you have a listing? Email us & we'll post it on our FaceBook page


USA:
Free mental health screenings offered
Free mental health screenings for people ages 18 and older are being offered 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 15 at the Central Kansas Mental Health Center. Anyone unable to attend may schedule an appointment by calling 823-6322 or 1-800-794-8281
The written questionnaires screen for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder.

 
Runaway Mind Radio Show Announces Upcoming Show Dedicated to Families Living with Bipolar Disorder
Saturday May 19, in honor of mental health awareness month, Radio Show host Maggie Reese will dedicate the entire show to families living with Bipolar Disorder. here

Public Forum with The Honorable Patrick Kennedy
Del Mar, CA
Free and open to the public.
Contact [email protected] to register.


South Africa:
"Bipolar recovery & support"

To celebrate Bipolar Awareness Day 2012
Monday 28 May 2012, 10 am to 12 noon
Valkenberg Hospital Main Hall, Observatory, Cape Town
More info: [email protected], 084 293 3214.
RSVP: No charge, please RSVP for numbers

United Kingdom:
Support Mental Health Awareness - wear the ribbonribbon

IBPF FREE LECTURE SERIES
video
Our Lecture Series are now available for viewing on our web site!! Click here

Thursday, May 10, 2012 

 May Lecture: "Bleeding on the Inside" - A medical professional's perspective on barriers to adequate treatment of bipolar disorder and other mental illness in our society, juxtaposed with a personal insider's view of living day to day with the disease.
Lecture: Thursday, May 10, 2012
Speaker: Dr. Suzanne Fiala

Dr. Suzanne Fiala is an award-winning board-certified family physician from Seattle Washington with an active medical practice, including a large population of patients who suffer from mental illness. Dr. Fiala is passionate about furthering education and destigmatization of mental illness in our culture, as well as protecting the rights of the mentally ill.
She has a unique perspective and is a powerful voice on this subject, both as a medical professional, and as an individual who suffers from bipolar disorder herself.
 _________________________________________________________
 

5:30-6:00- SOCIAL 6:00-6:45-LECTURE 6:45-7:00- Q & A  

Location: Sanford Children's Research Center, Building 12 Address: 10905 Road to Cure, San Diego 92121  

   

Save the date for these lectures in La Jolla:       

    June 14, 2012- Lis Eyler, PhD - research project


    A special THANK YOU to Sanford|Burnham Medical Research Institute for donating the space for these lectures.
                                                                      sanford burnham

Therese's Corner  

Therese Borchard 

 


 

 
An Overmedicated Nation? That's Not the Real Problem

By THERESE J. BORCHARD

Associate Editor   

"Our country is over-medicated."

 

I get that a lot, usually right after I tell someone that I write a mental health blog. Not as a hobby. As my job. 
 
Part of me agrees, the part that doesn't want to get into a long and frustrating conversation, where I explain that it's really not that simple... That the issue is fairly nuanced and complex. 
 
Are some people overmedicated in this country? Yes. Absolutely. I devote a few chapters of my book, Beyond Blue, to describing the dangerous phase in my recovery led by a doctor whom I call "Pharma King." I was taking something like 16 pills a day, enough to drop my head into my cereal bowl every morning for about three months. And I wasn't at all uncomfortable with how the nurses at the outpatient psych program I attended jumped to an increase in medication every time a patient voiced a complaint or raised an issue. read the rest here

 

                                                               
    DSM 5 

There has been much controversy about the changes proposed for the next edition of the DSM- 5. Here is updated news and a way for you to comment.

DSM-5 Draft Criteria Open for Final Public Comment
May 2nd through June 15th, 2012

Publication of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in May 2013 will mark one the most anticipated events in the mental health field. As part of the development process, the preliminary draft revisions to the current diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnoses are now available for public review. We thank you for your interest in DSM-5 and hope that you use this opportunity not only to learn more about the proposed changes in DSM-5, but also about its history, its impact, and its developers. Please continue to check this site for updates to criteria and for more information about the development process. www.dsm5.org
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Broadening Bipolar Disorder Criteria Could Do More Harm Than Good For Patients
A Rhode Island Hospital psychiatrist and researcher explains the negative impact
of broadening the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder in the upcoming
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

 




NEWS AROUND THE WORLD


NORWAY:
Violence and mental illness: case of Norway's Breivik reveals our prejudices

SOUTH AFRICA
Ruth Katz - Courses on Coping with Bipolar
Social Worker, Ruth Katz, will be holding courses on coping with bipolar - recognising your triggers, and coping with every day challenges. Ruth can be contacted at www.Ruthkatzconsultingsocialworker.wozaonline.co.za or on 011 728 7585.

SADAG Mental Health NGO Honoured by President with South Africa's Highest Community Award; The Order of Baobab
For the first time ever, this community award has been bestowed on a mental health NGO. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG's) Founder, Zane Wilson, who received her award for "her outstanding contribution as a mental health care practitioner, and a leader in the struggle to create awareness against diseases such as Depression, Bipolar and Anxiety and her work in the formation of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group".


UNITED KINGDOM:
This year's Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) will run from 21st - 28th May 2012. We'll focus on how by helping others you can help yourself, including random acts of kindness, volunteering and peer support. At a time when people say that we are getting more selfish and materialistic, it is important to highlight the evidence that helping others and performing acts of kindness really can make a difference to your mental wellbeing.

CBT with Heart?
A seven day foundation training in CBT for counsellors and psychotherapists already trained within a non-CBT modality
Faciliator:  Dr Adrian Hemmings C.Psychol UKCP
Who is the course for?
This course is aimed at counsellors and psychotherapists who have an interest in extending the range of their therapeutic knowledge and skills. It aims to teach relevant skills of CBT in a way that respects the thinking and practice of other therapeutic orientations. register here

National �2million NHS bipolar study seeks Manchester participants who drink alcohol to improve new therapies  here

AUSTRALIA:
SANE Australia's Marathon Man
What makes a man run a marathon every day, for almost six months, through some of Australia's most inhospitable country? Adventurer and ultra-distance runner Richard Bowles is running 30-80 km every day in a bid to be the first to run the entire 5,330 km of Australia's rugged Bicentennial National Trail. Richard is raising funds for SANE's work to help people with mental illness.

Parenting and Mental Illness - Have your Say
A new SANE Australia study is investigating the challenges of being a parent of a school-age child, when you have a mental illness. Produced in consultation with Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI), the online survey investigates parents' concerns and seeks ideas for how services can be improved. Results from this confidential study will be published in a special SANE Research Bulletin later this year, to lobby for improved understanding and support for families where a parent is living with a mental illness. Visit sane.org to let us know about your experience.

 

FRANCE:

La CSSS-N refuse de renvoyer la �6b�
Les personnes handicap�es et leurs organisations sont d��ues que la Commission de la s�curit� sociale et de la sant� du Conseil national soit entr�e en mati�re sur le projet �6b� malgr� l'absence d'�valuation des r�sultats de la 5e r�vision de l'AI et du premier volet de la 6e r�vision. Et surtout malgr� le bon r�sultat d'exploitation de l'assurance invalidit� en 2011. ici

CANADA:
Magazine Publisher First Canadian to Win American Reintegration Award
After 15 years, the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH) has honoured its first Canadian, Bill MacPhee, with a Reintegration Award.
The Reintegration Awards were started by the NCCBH in 1997 to celebrate the lives of those living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as the achievements of those who have dedicated their lives to helping people with mental illness.

Statement by Phil Upshall, Mood Disorders Society of Canada

KOREA: korean health fair
Expo raises awareness, offers pop quiz and free counseling
Is depression a personality problem? Do people talk about their plans to commit suicide? Are blackouts from drinking related to a brain tumor?
These are samples of true-or-false questions that perplexed most visitors at the two-day Mental Health Expo at KINTEX, which ended Sunday. more here

INDIA:
Nutritional Therapies Can Treat Common Mental Disorders

Opioids Abuse may be Triggered by Mood and Anxiety Disorders
bpmag logo

 
When mom has bipolar
No doubt about it: Bipolar disorder is a family affair. The cover story in our new Spring issue looks at what happens when Mom has bipolar.

"Making Peace With the Past" explores the emotional legacy for children raised in those circumstances. As an adult, do you hold on to blame, shame and bitterness, or do you take steps to move on for your own mental health?

Turns out that therapy and peer support make a big difference-not to mention the understanding that comes with age. As Kari-Anne S. says of her mother, "I saw that she was human, too ... I was able to forgive, and that's what has brought me peace."

With Mother's Day coming up, it may be time to reconsider your own relationship with your mom. To learn more, here
*******
Bipolar researchers studying stem cells

April 9, 2012, ANN ARBOR, MI-With the help of a recent $1 million commitment, the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center will continue its mission to unravel the unknowns about bipolar disorder using stem cell lines developed from skin cells. The donation establishes the Steven M. Schwartzberg Memorial Fund at the Depression Center.

The initial funds will help promote stem cell research just beginning at UM. Researchers at the center are using an array of approaches, including induced pluripotent stem cell lines, or iPSC lines, to analyze bipolar disorders on a cellular and genetic level and help advance personalized treatments.  here
********
Findings may help with more accurate diagnosis

April 1, 2012-Researchers at the University of Toronto have identified a range of characteristics that could help clinicians better distinguish between bipolar I and bipolar II. Traits that the researchers found more strongly associated with bipolar I  than with bipolar II include taking medications for depression, a history of suicide attempts, and depressive symptoms such as weight gain and feelings of worthlessness.

Typically, a person with bipolar I has full-blown manic episodes, while someone with bipolar II alternates between depression and hypomania. The study authors noted that the bipolar subtypes can be difficult to determine "given the retrospective and often subjective nature of identifying manic or hypomanic episodes," and said high rates of misdiagnosis affect both management and prognosis of the illness. The study appeared in the April issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders.
 
 

CURRENT NEWS



College students vulnerable to bipolar disorder
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CLINICAL FEATURES OF BIPOLAR DISORDER COMORBID WITH ANXIETY DISORDERS DIFFER BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
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Overlapping and Segregating Structural Brain Abnormalities in Twins With Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder
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Children Typically Excluded From Clinical Drug Trials
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Dialectical behaviour therapy with adolescents
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Effectiveness of two formulations of oral olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in a natural setting: results from a 1-year European observational study
Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 04/18/2012  Clinical Article
Kraemer S et al. - No significant difference was seen between discontinuation rates of the two formulations. Higher baseline severity was associated with a lower discontinuation rate.
*******
Balanced efficacy, safety, and tolerability recommendations for the clinical management of bipolar disorder   co-authored by 2 of our SAB members Bauer & Berk
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Depression in bipolar disorder versus major depressive disorder: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions
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Six-month outcomes of customized adherence enhancement (CAE) therapy in bipolar disorder
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The importance of anxiety in both major depression and bipolar disorder
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Unruly Kids May Have A Mental Disorder

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Waiting for mental health parity
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Veterans Dept. Will Increase Mental Health Staffing
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Can You Be Hypomanic Without Losing Control
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The Four Secrets To Being Hypomanic Successfully
******
'Homeland' and 'Shameless': Television Tackles Bipolar Disorder With Realism
******
Johnson & Johnson : Janssen Neuroscientists And Colleagues Discuss Role Of Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Neuropsychiatric Disorders In Nature Reviews Article
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CNVs appear to play a significant role in early onset bipolar disorder

San Diego 

Chesed Home, a  group home for mentally ill Jewish adults, has been leased in Escondido, and fundraising is now underway to equip, staff and purchase what will become a licensed facility, according to Fern Siegel, president of Hope Village San Diego. here
****  

 

PATRICK KENNEDY TO SPEAK MAY 22 in SAN DIEGO

In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month you are invited to attend The Public Forum  on May 22 from 3:30 - 5:30 in Del Mar, CA, USA 

If you are interested in attending; please contact [email protected]    

**** 

 

TELECARE: Telecare is pleased to announce the opening of the
In-Home Outreach Team (IHOT) Program

IHOT consists of three mobile teams operating in the North Coastal, Central and East regions of San Diego County's Health and Human Services Agency. The program will provide outreach and engagement services to
Individuals' with serious mental illness who are reluctant to receive outpatient treatment and to their families or caretakers

Outreach will be done in homes, hospitals and jails, wherever services can be most effectively provided. The goal of IHOT is to effectively connect individuals to outpatient treatment, reducing the effects of untreated mental illness in individuals and to their families.

IHOT is currently in start up phase but is accepting referrals for services
For more information please contact:Telecare IHOT (619) 683-3100  

 

   


About.com 

Can Bipolar's Adopt? Yes!

Medications for Mania and Hypomania

Nightmares and Night Terrors in BP
THE BOOK CORNER


 Zero to Sixty, in 60 Years zero book 

According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans. Growing up with bipolar disorder, Robert Lee Trent had a tough life - one that was only compounded by being surrounded by a toxic family. In his new memoir, "Zero to Sixty in Sixty Years: A Bipolar Success Story" (published by Abbott Press), Trent shares his struggles in overcoming his early setbacks to shape his life into one full of love and happiness.
Trent's memoir takes shape as a pseudo-narrative, beginning at a high school reunion with his wife. As memories come rushing back, Trent shares a look back at his life with his wife. He recalls his parents' volatile relationship, a force in his life that only caused drama, pain and sadness. He opens up, revealing the effects of his mental disorder. And he brings the story full circle bringing to light his wife's crucial role in his recovery.
His life story is impressive on its own, but it is what readers can take away from it that really matters. "It delivers several messages," says Trent, "from the destruction caused by a violent father and mean spirited mother, the success that can be achieved in the battle with bipolar illness, and that happiness can come at any age, but you've got to keep trying."
Trent recognizes that his story doesn't carry the clout of a celebrity or notable figure - he is just an ordinary person. But he still has an important idea to share. "In a word, encouragement," he says. "And don't just go to sleep at the wheel if you have bipolar disorder. Keep trying until you get some success."

Ken DruckThe Real Rules of Life
Ken Druck's personal journey through tragedy after the death of his daughter Jenna led him to discover the secrets of how we survive life's worst losses and uncover its dark gifts - hidden opportunities for spiritual deepening, renewal, discovery, meaning, and even joy. We discover how to take off the blinders and be a part of the unseen miracles and opportunities that are right under our noses. Ken Druck knows the Real Rules of Life. From his own experience and as a trusted coach and confidant to people all over the world, including leaders facing their greatest challenges and everyday people facing the most brutal tragedy, Ken knows the difference between wishful thinking and grounded truth. His refreshingly honest approach to turning adversity into opportunity makes up the heart and soul of this book. "The Real Rules of Life" is not a quick fix, nor does it trivialize life's struggles. It shows you how to heal. How to grow your soul. How to thrive. How to be both broken and whole at the same time by getting and staying real. And how to live more consciously. Ken Druck inspires you to make peace with life as it really is. Once you know the Real Rules, you can balance life's terms with your own and live boldly.

The Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of extending Laura's Law (65 to 3) until 2017.    

laura

The assisted outpatient treatment law that AB 1569 seeks to extend is named after Laura Wilcox, who was killed by Scott Thorpe, a man with untreated schizophrenia.

The bill has now moved over to the Senate. We need your help once again. Please reach out to your senators and urge them to support the bill. We will alert you to the times and dates of upcoming hearings. 

To learn more about Assembly Bill 1569, please see "California Must Extend Laura's Law." here 

linda
Congratulations to Linda Allen
International Bipolar Foundation's
 Volunteer of the Year Award

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!

wrightslaw
Dear Friend & Advocate

In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate, we take a closer look at transition planning and services to ensure that children are prepared to make a successful transition from school to employment or further education. You will learn about IDEA requirements and get checklists for transition planning.here
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In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate, you will find information to help you plan ahead, choose (& finance) a post-secondary school, and advice about challenges students with disabilities will encounter as they make the transition from high school. here
*******
In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate, you will learn more about the legal requirements for ESY, how federal courts describe different standards to consider, and what to do if you have a disagreement with the school about ESY services. You will also find help making summer learning plans for your child. here

Psych Central 

 

 Common Mental Disorders May Not Elicit Much Support

The 7 Deadliest Drug Combinations

New Gene Map for Mental Illness

Mental Illness Linked to Other Problems

Welcome Vicki Taylor, our newest blogger  Vicki 

 

 Award winning author, Vicki M. Taylor writes dramatic stories with strong women as her main characters.
A prolific writer of both novel length and short stories, she brings her characters to life in the real world. She has had many articles published in electronic and print publications. She is one of the founding members and past President of the Florida Writers Association. Vicki maintains a writers' resource forum at http://www.vickimtaylor.com/forums that has thousands of links posted especially for writers. She also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/vicki.m.taylor
When she's not writing, you can find her lurking about the many writing boards and various Bipolar and Gluten Free forums while sitting at her computer in Tampa, Florida where she lives with her husband their dog, Jack and their parrot, Bailey. To find out more about Vicki and her writing, visit her website at http://www.vickimtaylor.com or http://mybalancedlife.info

NEWS FROM NAMI, DBSA, & SAMHSA  

NAMI:
San Diego:
Peer to Peer
is a free educational course for any individual living with a serious mental illness who is interested in establishing their wellness and recovery. Each class is two hours in length and continues for ten consecutive weeks. The course is taught by two trained "mentors" who are themselves experienced at living well with mental illness.

Persona a Persona es un curso gratuito educacional para cualquier individuo (18 a�os y mayor) viviendo con una ser�a enfermedad mental que est� interesado en establecer su bienestar y recuperci�n. Cada sesi�n es de dos horas y contin�a por diez semanas consecutivas. El curso es dado por dos "mentores" que han sido entrenados y que tienen experiencia propia viviendo bien con enfermedad mental.
619.688.0506
***** 
SAMHSA: 
Child Mental Health Initiative Evaluation Findings: Report to Congress 2009 CD

Adults Experiencing Mental Illness Have Higher Rates of Certain Chronic Physical Illnesses

Shared Decison Making in Mental Health Decision Aid

Research to Practice: How Advancements in Science Are Helping People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders  

SAVE THE DATE

    

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Speak Up for Kids May 6-12, 2012
Make it your new year's resolution to Speak Up for Kids! We are excited to spread the word about the signs and symptoms of psychiatric and learning disorders in children and teens with our 2nd annual Speak Up for Kids public education campaign during National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6-12, 2012). here
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ViewPoints Lecture May 9, 2012
Your Healthy Brain - a panel discussion with Dr. Tom Flanagan, Dr. Dee Silver & Muffy Walker
Rancho Santa Fe Village Presbyterian Church, RSF, CA
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OneMind UCLA Conference
May 23-25, 2012
www.1mind4research.org
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Family & Youth Roundtable May Family Council Meeting!
May 24th, 2012 at 6:00 pm at the Family & Youth Roundtable office:
345 15th Street, Suite A San Diego, CA 92101
OR, you can join us via conference call: Dial-in Number: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 5465852
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Jewish Family Services San Diego presents:
Unmeasured Strength with Lauren Manning 
Thursday, May 24. Hyatt Regency, La Jolla, CA
www.jfssd.org/mentalhealth
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The California Network of Mental Health Clients (CNMHC)  
Far South Region Client Educational Forum
Thursday, June 14 & Friday, June 15, 2012
Location: George Barnes Tennis Center
4490 West Point Loma Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92107
Register Online at:
www.californiaclients.org
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5th National Conference on Behavioral Health for Women & Girls 
Health, Empowerment, Resilience & Recovery
July 17-19, 2012 San Diego Marriott
http://www.mhssamhsawcof.com/
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Schizophrenia & Related Disorders Alliance of America (SRDAA) Conference 
May 12 Detroit
September 29 Houston
contact [email protected]
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NAMI NATIONAL CONVENTION REGISTRATION

NAMI FaithNet will be offering workshops at NAMI national convention in Seattle, WA, Wednesday, June 27-Saturday, June 30, 2012.  The theme is Think Learn Live: Wellness, Resiliency and Recovery.  There will be workshops available from NAMI FaithNet.   For registration details, go to: http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=convention
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Staglin Music Festival for Mental Health
September 15,2012
  

 

  


About the International Bipolar Foundation
 
International Bipolar Foundation is a not for profit organization based in San Diego whose mission is to eliminate Bipolar Disorder through the advancement of research; to promote care and support services; and to erase associated stigma through public education.
IBPF
Visit us online for more information: www.internationalbipolarfoundation.org
OFFICE:
11622 El Camino Real, Suite 100  San Diego, CA 92130
p: (858) 764-2496  f: (858) 764-2491
MAILING ADDRESS:
8895 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 105-360  San Diego, CA 92122
We have a new Community Page on FaceBook.

Please join us on Facebook and "Like" us and help us spread the word.
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A Word About Funding

 

Please note that International Bipolar Foundation does not represent any pharmaceutical company or give any speeches for a pharmaceutical company nor does our site receive advertising dollars from any company.