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Take Action Opportunities
Sometimes the best way to help yourself, is to help others! |
May is Mental Health Month!
(Link will take you to the website of Mental Health America)
Featured Action Opportunity
Attend
Ongoing FKMAD Volunteer Opportunities (5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes!)
Support Others Working Towards Related Goals (research, etc.)
Featured Action Opportunity
If you live in West Central Florida, specifically in one of the following counties, and are interested in bringing education and awareness about children's mental health to your school (public or private) OR organization, please contact us for more information!
Hillsborough
Pasco
Pinellas
Programs are available for elementary school, middle school and high school age levels.
ATTEND
June 2008 Respite Care Provider Training in Tampa, FL. Email if you are interested. Please note space is limited and fills up quickly!
6/1/08 11:30am-1:00pm; Wesley Chapel/New Tampa, FL. "Princess Lessons and Royal Tea Party” presented by Families of Kids with Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Inc. Click HERE for more information!
July 2008 Tour Manatee Glens with us! More details coming soon.
September 27, 2008 (Saturday); Sutton Park, Palmetto, FL. Walk for Life Suicide Prevention and Awareness ran by Manatee Glens. If your are interested in joining Team FKMAD, please let us know!
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities
5 MINUTE OPPORTUNITIES
Link to our website! Click here to add code to your website!
Share local resources with other families. Email us the contact information for your favorite therapist or other care provider. Is there a local agency or organization that has been helpful to you? Let others know about it! We will add your recommendations to the Links and resources section of our website.
Spread the word as you go! - Print our flyer to hand out as you go! Maybe your care provider will post a flyer. You may cross paths with other families while waiting for your appointments.
Some communities have bulletin boards in their clubhouses or community centers. Any organization that deals with families (sports groups, scouting groups, 4-H, dance studios, YMCA, schools, churches, and many, many more) will have a family who can benefit!
10 MINUTE OPPORTUNITIES
Put your child to work! Does your child like to draw, color or write stories/poems? If your child creates something they would like to share, scan it and email it to us and we will add it to our Gallery of Sharing. Make sure to let us know any title, age and how the name should be listed! (Adults are welcome to send us their artwork, as well!)
15 MINUTE OPPORTUNITIES
Speak out by sharing your story and experience! Families sometimes tell us they feel isolated and alone. We strive to provide a venue for your voice to be heard! One way is through our Gallery of Sharing. Writing can be therapeutic for you, and what you write can have benefits for others! Some possible topics include:
- How has having a child with one of these disorders affected an aspect of your life?
- How do you help your child calm and relax?
- What was your experience with hospitalization?
- What amazing qualities does your child have that others may not realize at first?
- Do you have a success story regarding your child? Maybe your child participates in a sport or activity that would help show others how having a mental health disorder does not mean our kids can not participate in any activity they enjoy!
Support Others Working Towards Related Goals
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program
Numerous clinical research opportunities
Research Project being conducted by Aaron Allen, as part of his Doctorate of Clinical Psychology at The Australian Catholic University, in Melbourne, Australia. His research seeks to examine not only how parents cope with raising their child (which presumes that parents necessarily struggle to effectively manage their situations) but also how they flourish and grow. The main areas under investigation are: help seeking, ways of coping, spirituality, well-being, and mood. Less than 30 minutes to complete the questionnaire which is available online by clicking HERE.
TOURETTE SYNDROME, ADHD, AND OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER RESEARCH
An Introduction to the Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit (PNGU) at Massachusetts General Hospital
The mission of this research unit is to achieve a better understanding of the origins of disorders such as Tourette syndrome (TS), Attention Deficit hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD. Our hope is that a better understanding of these conditions will also lead to advances in their treatment. The objectives of our current projects include identifying genetic contributions to TS, ADHD and OCD. Dr. David Pauls, the director of the Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit (PNGU), is a behavioral geneticist. His research over the last 30 years has focused primarily on neurodevelopmental disorders such as TS, ADHD, and OCD, and more recently on other related conditions as well. The PNGU is a part of the Center for Human Genetic Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital and is located in Boston, MA. The Unit is staffed by researchers representing a variety of disciplines and with affiliations to the Harvard Medical School and Whitehead Institute.Studies currently recruiting families include the following:
- Genetic Linkage Study of TS: This Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA)-sponsored study aims to identify the genes responsible for TS. Conducted with the collaboration of an international consortium of researchers, this study will clarify the role of genes in the occurrence of TS within families. For this study, we are currently seeking families with one TS-affected individual over the age of six and both of their biological parents.
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Family Genetic Study of TS, ADHD and OCD: This project explores the familial relationship among TS, ADHD, and OCD, and will specifically examine the shared behavioral components of these three conditions. We expect that this research will further our understanding of how these disorders are expressed, and will promote the identification of susceptibility genes. This study includes individuals six years of age and older who have been diagnosed with any combination of TS, ADHD and OCD, both of their biological parents and any full siblings over the age of six.
Individuals who are interested in learning more about these studies should visit our website, www.ts-adhd-ocd.org which contains our contact info.
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DISCLAIMER: Though all attempts are made to provide accuracy, we are not responsible for inacurrate information on the site or that you may find through links that take you off of this site. All information contained within this site is for informational purposes only and not to be construed as medical advice. Please contact your physician for medical advice and treatment.
©2007-2008 Families of Kids with Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Inc.
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