ASSIGNMENT 1:
TeenScreen's director got a letter printed in the
Westchester County (NY) Journal-News.
She is using a letter to the editor as free
advertising and to forward lies.
Are we going to let her get away with it? I should say
not.
Write a scathing letter and send it to
letters@lohud.com.
If you need hatting on what to write, click on
www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html
And report compliance by email.
Here is Leslie MacGuire's letter:
June 22, 2006 Thursday
SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 8B
Suicide prevention event appreciated
I would like to commend the Mental Health Association
of Westchester for hosting the Suicide Prevention
Conference: Recognizing Warning Signs - Saving Lives
on June 16. The conference created a forum for
community members to share information and resources
concerning mental illness and suicide prevention, two
important topics that are too often overlooked.
I was pleased to participate in this important event
alongside New York's commissioner of mental health,
many of the country's foremost suicide experts, and
hundreds of local professionals committed to the cause
of suicide prevention. I applaud the Mental Health
Association and all of the conference attendees for
taking the initiative to be leaders in combating the
terrible tragedy of suicide.
Leslie McGuire
New York City
The writer is director, Columbia University TeenScreen
Program.
ASSIGNMENT 2:
Note: This article is identical to the multiple
assignment I sent last week. If you did that
assignment, you can send the same letter if you want.
An article on screening just published in the Ft.
Wayne (Indiana) Journal-Gazetter has some true data
and some false data. Your assignment is to write your
letter to either strongly agree with a piece of true
data or strongly disagree with a piece of false data.
Don't try to make your letter cover everything; just
pick one point and make your viewpoint very clear and
real to the person who will read the letter.
If you need hatting on what to write, click on
www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html. Also, here are
some important points:
-Child suicide rate declining since early 1990's;
There is no epidemic
-This whole screening thing is a hoax perpetrated by
the psycho-pharmaceutical industrial complex.
-Many authorities including numerous psychiatric
authorities have conducted numerous studies concluding
the decline in child suicide over the past 10
years is associated with effective gun control.
-There is also data that suicide reduction is due to
volunteer (non-psych manned) suicide hotlines.
-The drugs CAUSE suicides.  FDA Warning.  Florida
suicide study - 39% of suicide cases were taking psych
drugs.  TeenScreen say only 1 in 3 or 4 at risk kids
are found and treated.  Then why isn't the suicide
rate
porportionate
-It's a false datum that the treatment is up to the
doctor - 90% of them put the kid on drugs!
-NO studies show effectiveness of ANY drug in treating
children.  Why is the UK banning treatment of kids
with Prozac unless talk therapy has been done first?
The link and text are below.
Send your letter to letters@jg.net and report
compliance by email.
Thank you!
Doyle

hannel=journalgazette_living
U.S. debates suicide-risk screenings for teenagers
By Shankar Vedantam
Washington Post
A growing number of U.S. schools are screening
teenagers for suicidal tendencies or signs of mental
illness, triggering a debate between those who seek to
reduce the toll of youthful suicides and others who
say the tests are unreliable and intrude on family
privacy.
The trend is being aggressively promoted by those who
say screening can reduce the tragedy of the more than
1,700 suicides committed by children and adolescents
each year in the United States. Many of the most
passionate supporters have lost children to suicide
among them Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., whose son
Garrett died in 2003.
One screening program, TeenScreen, developed by
Columbia University, has been administered to more
than 150,000 children in 42 states and Washington,
D.C. The state of New York plans to start screening
400,000 children a year, and the federal government is
directing tens of millions of dollars to expand
screening nationwide.
Use of the psychological evaluations is growing even
though there is little hard evidence that they prevent
suicides. A panel of government experts concluded two
years ago that the evidence to justify suicide
screening was weak and that such programs, although
well intentioned, had potential adverse consequences.
The growing use of screening has coincided with a
rapid increase in the number of youngsters being
prescribed powerful anti-psychotic medications such as
Risperdal and Zyprexa that have not been specifically
approved for use by children. There was a fivefold
increase in the use of these drugs in children between
1993 and 2002, according to one analysis published
this month in the Archives of General Psychiatry, and
a 73 percent increase in such prescriptions between
2001 and 2005, according to Medco, a firm that manages
pharmacy benefits.
Proponents of screening say that it is no different
than having health checkups or visiting a dentist and
that the potential benefits are incalculable. After
Smiths son killed himself, the Republican bucked the
objections of several conservative groups to push into
a law an $82 million effort to expand programs such as
TeenScreen.
Without any doubt, had TeenScreen been available to
us as Garretts parents, I am convinced we would have
been empowered to save his life, Smith said. Logic
tells me the more you know, the more you are able to
help.
Garrett Smith died one day shy of his 22nd birthday.
He had seen a psychiatrist shortly before he committed
suicide and was given a prescription for an
antidepressant. Sen. Smith said the family did not
know whether Garrett took the medication. Later, Smith
said, several experts concluded that Garrett probably
had bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depression.
Antidepressants are not recommended for this
condition, and Smith said his son had probably
concealed his symptoms during his single visit with
the psychiatrist. Still, he said, if the family had
known that Garrett had bipolar disorder, they could
have acted years earlier.
The controversy over screening has become emotional.
Opponents say such programs have turned into fronts
for the pharmaceutical industry to boost sales.
Advocates, meanwhile, say those against screening are
often driven by anti-psychiatry ideologies such as
Scientology.
It is industrial psychology at its worst, said
Michael D. Ostrolenk, a family therapist with the
Eagle Forum, a conservative group founded by
commentator Phyllis Schlafly. We think it is
inappropriate to turn state schools into laboratories
for psychiatry. He added that the group is also
concerned that screening violates family privacy.
But screening has wide support among both Republicans
and Democrats. In 2004, President Bush signed into law
the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act to boost funding
for suicide screening, and the Presidents New Freedom
Commission on Mental Health has been broadly
supportive.
The debate over screening also turns on the scientific
paradoxes of suicide. It is rare enough that it is
difficult to study by conventional scientific trials,
but common enough to claim the lives of more than
30,000 Americans each year  far more than those who
die by homicide. There were 1,737 suicides by children
and adolescents in 2003, the last year for which
national statistics are available.
Among those younger than 20, the suicide rate is 2.14
per 100,000, a fraction of the 14.6 per 100,000 rate
for those older than 50. But national surveys suggest
that about 1 in 12 high school students tries to harm
himself or herself each year with an eye to committing
suicide.
Because suicide victims often turn out to have had
mental disorders such as depression and bipolar
disorder, David Shaffer of Columbia University, who
developed the TeenScreen questionnaire, and other
specialists say identifying and treating youngsters
with such disorders may reduce the number of suicides.
If the only product of screening was to predict who
is going to commit suicide, you could argue about its
utility, he said. But the risk factors for suicide
are other treatable psychiatric disorders.
__________________________________________________
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This is a beautiful article. Pick something you can
agree with and go to town! If you don't know, the
idiom "go to town" means the following:
go to town (Informal)
1. To work or perform efficiently and rapidly.
2. To be highly successful.
Write your letter and send it to
letters@jacksonville.com
And report compliance by email. And yes, I said you
non-Clearwater guys could have a day off. Well, you
can wait until Monday if you want.

Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville)
August 30, 2006 Wednesday
Senator joins event against psychiatry
She has been opposed to mental illness screening in
schools
By BRANDON LARRABEE
Sen. Nancy Schaefer, R-Turnerville, joins members of
the
Citizens Commission on Human Rights Georgia members
at the opening of the group's anti-psychiatry exhibit.
ATLANTA -- A senator from Northeast Georgia joined a
group linked to the Church of Scientology in ripping
psychiatry as "an industry of death," saying that
children were being given mind-altering drugs because
of the influence of pharmaceutical companies.
Sen. Nancy Schaefer, R-Turnerville, joined the
Citizens Commission on Human Rights at a
ribbon-cutting event Monday for an exhibit denouncing
psychiatry at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta. The graphic
displays and 14 accompanying documentaries portray
psychiatrists as key participants in the Holocaust,
eugenics and the deaths of children.
CCHR, co-founded by the Church of Scientology and
university professor Thomas Szasz, blame everything
from school shootings to violence on drugs prescribed
to help patients with depression, anxiety disorders
and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
During brief remarks at the ceremony, Schaefer
compared psychiatry's influence to an infestation that
eats away at a farmer's crops.
"There's a narrow window of opportunity to spray for
the infestation, and now is the time," she said to
applause. "If we miss this opportunity, we could lose
a generation of children."
Lasa Joiner, executive director of the Georgia
Psychiatric Physicians Association, said her group was
aware of exhibits like the one in Atlanta.
"Medical science is certainly on the side of using
medicine to treat brain disorders," she said. "The
unfortunate thing is that it may keep people who
really need treatment from getting it."
The event highlighted Schaefer's longstanding
opposition to mental health screening of children at
schools.
In the past legislative session, Schaefer sponsored at
least two resolutions critical of psychiatrists and
their field.
One opposed a federal proposal that would have
required children to be screened for mental illnesses,
saying the idea was pushed by "the powerful
pharmaceutical lobby" and saying "it is vital to the
country's freedom and to the strength of the American
family to derail this dangerous mandate, either
through repeal of enabling legislation or refusing to
fund this Orwellian program."
Another set up a study committee to look into the
mental health screenings.
"In my opinion, no child should have to attend a
school that is involved in the mental health screening
of children, including preschool children," Schaefer
told the crowd of a few dozen who gathered for the
ribbon-cutting.
In her remarks and a brief interview before the
program, Schaefer said drug companies were pushing
pills for profit.
"It's growing," she said of the prescribing of
so-called psychotropic drugs. "There's money to be
made from it. Normal children are being turned into
patients. And there's quite a lot of danger in it."
Schaefer denied a formal tie to the group Monday. She
said she was simply invited because of her
legislation.
+++
Senator Nancy Schaefer: "Shoulder to Shoulder - Let's
Go!"
__________________________________________________
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There are two kinds of people in this world - the ones
who forward email jokes to all their friends and the
ones who don't.
I don't do that normally but this one was just too
appropriate to pass up.
Obviously it's just a big joke but it has a shade of
truth to it, as all good satire does. Read it, laugh
and pass it on to your friends (if you're one of those
people).
:)
Doyle

THE TEXT IS BELOW BUT YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE ACTUAL
WEBSITE TO SEE THE PICTURE. THAT MAY BE THE FUNNIEST
PART!
Psychiatry Deemed a Religion in New Study
Written by Elvin F. Verdad
[PICTURE]
Caption: New Recommended Attire for Psychiatrists
Researchers at Jakartas renowned Hebrew University
recently published a study conclusively proving that
Psychiatry should be classified as a religion. The
study consisted of a study of Psychiatric textbooks
and journals (which will now be known as scriptures)
and interviews with Psychiatrists (better classified
as priests) and patients (hereafter known as the
flock).
This work brings a logical answer to many nagging
questions, like how Psychiatry could be considered the
authority in matters of the mind when their results
in the field have been poor, and are known to cause
more damage than benefit. It may also shed some light
on the tendency of Psychiatrists to molest children in
a much higher percentage than the general populace.
Psychiatry is portrayed alternately as a scientific
study or branch of medicine but either of these is
rapidly disproved, says Moshe Sapere of Hebrew
University. The science of Psychiatry is flawed.
Their studies are mainly funded by drug companies and
they publish illogical conclusions which  Surprise!
make the drug companies look good. Psychiatry claims
similarity to medicine but this is in reality only
marketing; the only real similarities to actual
medicine are clothing and terminology. If you dressed
up a parrot in a doctors smock and taught it some
Latin phrases, it wouldnt be a doctor. Its the same
with Psychiatrists.
Some of the researchers were reluctant to agree with
the religion moniker for a group known to be
profit-based and harmful, but a study of religions of
the past shows that many have been used for profit and
have done harm to others. The matter of faith in a
deity was also a sticking point but a study of
Psychiatric scriptures reveals that Psychiatrists
believe in an invisible entity known as chemical
imbalance. The existence of Chemical Imbalance is
stated as fact in the texts though there is no proof
of his existence, analogous to a Christians belief in
God or a Muslims belief in Allah.
The key answer that led the researchers to declare
Psychiatry as a religion is that their High Priests
demand complete belief in unobservable phenomena and
continue to forward their beliefs despite no obvious
benefit. They are also known to vehemently attack
anyone who points out the lack of proof to their
claims. Most religions promise salvation in a future
existence. Psychiatry does not specifically make those
claims but clearly provides dubious benefit in this
existence. The researchers are pleased that they have
been able to finally clarify this subject and would
like to pass the following message to Psychiatrists
worldwide, may Chemical Imbalance bless you.
__________________________________________________
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OOPS. I SENT THIS A FEW MINUTES AGO WITHOUT ALL OF ITS INFORMATION. HERE IS
THE REAL ASSIGNMENT:
Veteran LEAF members know that once in a while, there is an assignment where
you are supposed to write letters to multiple newspapers. This is one of
them.
A recent United Press International (UPI) article on screening has been
picked up by several newspapers.
I want you to write letters to all the newspapers listed below. It's best if
you send an original letter to each but it's ok to send a duplicate letter
to all.
The article has some true data and some false data. Your assignment is to
write your letter to either strongly agree with a piece of true data or
strongly disagree with a piece of false data. Don't try to make your letter
cover everything; just pick one point and make your viewpoint very clear and
real to the person who will read the letter.
If you need hatting on what to write, click on
www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html. Also, here are some important points:
-Child suicide rate declining since early 1990's;  There is no epidemic
-This whole screening thing is a hoax perpetrated by the
psycho-pharmaceutical industrial complex.
-Many authorities including numerous psychiatric authorities have conducted
numerous studies concluding the decline in child suicide over the past 10
years is associated with effective gun control.
-There is also data that suicide reduction is due to volunteer (non-psych
manned) suicide hotlines.
-The drugs CAUSE suicides.  FDA Warning.  Florida suicide study - 39% of
suicide cases were taking psych drugs.  TeenScreen say only 1 in 3 or 4 at
risk kids are found and treated.  Then why isn't the suicide rate
porportionate
-It's a false datum that the treatment is up to the doctor - 90% of them put
the kid on drugs!
-NO studies show effectiveness of ANY drug in treating children.  Why is the
UK banning treatment of kids with Prozac unless talk therapy has been done
first?
The article title varies from paper to paper but I believe the text is the
same. Text at the bottom of this message.
Here are your targets:
1. Lakeland (Florida) Ledger
Title: Debate Over Suicide-Risk Test for Teens Is Passionate
Send your letter to voice@theledger.com
2. The Record Searchlight (Redding, California)
Title: Screening for teen suicide risk debated - More drugs and less privacy
cause worry
Send your letter to bross@redding.com
3. The Washington Post
Suicide-Risk Tests for Teens Debated
Send your letter to letters@washpost.com
And report compliance by email.
Thank you,
Doyle
_____________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
By SHANKAR VEDANTAM
The Washington Post
A growing number of U.S. schools are screening teenagers for suicidal
tendencies or signs of mental illness, triggering a debate between those who
seek to reduce the toll of youthful suicides and others who say the tests
are unreliable and intrude on family privacy.
The trend is being aggressively promoted by those who say screening can
reduce the tragedy of the more than 1,700 suicides committed by children and
adolescents each year in the United States. Many of the most passionate
supporters have lost children to suicide -- among them Sen. Gordon Smith,
R-Ore., whose son Garrett died in 2003.
One screening program, TeenScreen, developed by Columbia University, has
been administered to more than 150,000 children in 42 states and the
District. The state of New York plans to start screening 400,000 children a
year, and the federal government is directing tens of millions of dollars to
expand screening nationwide.
Use of the psychological evaluations is growing even though there is little
hard evidence that they prevent suicides. A panel of government experts
concluded two years ago that the evidence to justify suicide screening was
weak and that such programs, although well-intentioned, had potential
adverse consequences.
The growing use of screening has coincided with a rapid increase in the
number of youngsters being prescribed powerful anti-psychotic medications
such as Risperdal and Zyprexa that have not been specifically approved for
use by children. There was a fivefold increase in the use of these drugs in
children between 1993 and 2002, according to one analysis published this
month in the Archives of General Psychiatry, and a 73 percent increase in
such prescriptions between 2001 and 2005, according to Medco, a firm that
manages pharmacy benefits.
Proponents of screening say that it is no different than having health
checkups or visiting a dentist, and that the potential benefits are
incalculable. After Smith's son killed himself, the Republican bucked the
objections of several conservative groups to push into a law an $82 million
effort to expand programs such as TeenScreen.
"Without any doubt, had TeenScreen been available to us as Garrett's
parents, I am convinced we would have been empowered to save his life,"
Smith said in an interview. "Logic tells me the more you know, the more you
are able to help."
Garrett Smith died one day shy of his 22nd birthday. He had seen a
psychiatrist shortly before he committed suicide and was given a
prescription for an anti-depressant. Sen. Smith said the family did not know
whether Garrett took the medication. Later, Smith said, several experts
concluded that Garrett probably had bipolar disorder, also known as
manic-depression. Antidepressants are not recommended for this condition,
and Smith said his son had probably concealed his symptoms during his single
visit with the psychiatrist. Still, he said, if the family had known that
Garrett had bipolar disorder, they could have acted years earlier.
The controversy over screening has become emotional. Opponents say such
programs have turned into fronts for the pharmaceutical industry to boost
sales. Advocates, meanwhile, say those against screening are often driven by
anti-psychiatry ideologies such as Scientology.
"It is industrial psychology at its worst," said Michael D. Ostrolenk, a
family therapist with the Eagle Forum, a conservative group founded by
commentator Phyllis Schlafly. "We think it is inappropriate to turn state
schools into laboratories for psychiatry." He added that the group is also
concerned that screening violates family privacy.
But screening has wide support among both Republicans and Democrats. In
2004, President Bush signed into law the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act to
boost funding for suicide screening, and the President's New Freedom
Commission on Mental Health has been broadly supportive.
The debate over screening also turns on the scientific paradoxes of suicide.
It is rare enough that it is difficult to study by conventional scientific
trials, but common enough to claim the lives of more than 30,000 Americans
each year -- far more than those who die by homicide. There were 1,737
suicides by children and adolescents in 2003, the last year for which
national statistics are available.
Among those younger than 20, the suicide rate is 2.14 per 100,000, a
fraction of the 14.6 per 100,000 rate for those older than 50. But national
surveys suggest that about 1 in 12 high school students tries to harm
himself or herself each year with an eye to committing suicide.
Because suicide victims often turn out to have had mental disorders such as
depression and bipolar disorder, David Shaffer of Columbia University, who
developed the TeenScreen questionnaire, and other specialists say
identifying and treating youngsters with such disorders may reduce the
number of suicides.
"If the only product of screening was to predict who is going to commit
suicide, you could argue about its utility," he said. "But the risk factors
for suicide are other treatable psychiatric disorders."
In New York state, where 70 to 80 children commit suicide each year, Sharon
Carpinello, commissioner of the Office of Mental Health, said officials plan
to spend more than $60 million to expand youth suicide prevention
initiatives such as TeenScreen.
Although the argument that treating mental disorders would reduce suicides
is intuitively appealing, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a federal
panel of independent experts, concluded in 2004 that there was insufficient
evidence either for or against general physicians screening the public for
suicide risk.
_____
Open multiple messages at once with the all new Yahoo! Mail Beta.


Veteran LEAF members know that once in a while, there
is an assignment where you are supposed to write
letters to several newspapers. This is one of them.
A recent United Press International (UPI) article on
screening has been picked up by several newspapers.
I want you to write letters to all the newspapers
listed below.
It has some true data and some false data. Your
assignment is to write your letter to either strongly
agree with a piece of true data or strongly disagree
with a piece of false data. Don't try to make your
letter cover everything; just pick one point and make
your viewpoint very clear and real to the person who
will read the letter.
If you need hatting on what to write, click on
www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html. Also, here are
some important points:
-Child suicide rate declining since early 1990's;
There is no epidemic
-This whole screening thing is a hoax perpetrated by
the psycho-pharmaceutical industrial complex.
-Many authorities including numerous psychiatric
authorities have conducted numerous studies concluding
the decline in child suicide over the past 10
years is associated with effective gun control.
-There is also data that suicide reduction is due to
volunteer (non-psych manned) suicide hotlines.
-The drugs CAUSE suicides.  FDA Warning.  Florida
suicide study - 39% of suicide cases were taking psych
drugs.  TeenScreen say only 1 in 3 or 4 at risk kids
are found and treated.  Then why isn't the suicide
rate
porportionate
-It's a false datum that the treatment is up to the
doctor - 90% of them put the kid on drugs!
-NO studies show effectiveness of ANY drug in treating
children.  Why is the UK banning treatment of kids
with Prozac unless talk therapy has been done first?
The article title varies from paper to paper but I
believe the text is the same. Text at the bottom of
this message.
Here are your targets:
1. Lakeland (Florida) Ledger
Title:Debate Over Suicide-Risk Test for Teens Is
Passionate
Report compliance by email.
Thank you,
Doyle
_____________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
__________________________________________________
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I need everyone to send on this time!
TeenScreen is really on the run. If we get our message
to enough people right now, we'll win this game.
TeenScreen will completely disappear and the youth of
America can grow up safely without TeenScreen's
intervention and drugs.
In the last week, there was an article on raising
money for suicide programs in the Vallejo (California)
Times-Herald. Then on Friday they published a letter
to the editor from TeenScreen's director, full of
lies, and with the total intention to gain support for
their suppressive cause.
We need to overwhelm this paper with true data.
Do you know why TeenScreen has been able to get so
far? Because there is a vacuum of information on
suicide. If TeenScreen is the only one popping up and
saying 'here's a solution', they'll win.
The assignment:
1. Read Leslie MacGuire's letter at this link or the
text at the bottom of this message:

2. Rip her to shreds.
Write a letter to the editor and send it to
opinion@timesheraldonline.com
You can write what you want but I have a suggestion.
-If your last name begins with A-C, L-M, or S-Z, I
want you to state that you are writing in response to
MacGuire's letter. You can say almost anything and you
don't have to be nice. I suggest that you point out
that her letter is just advertising, not public
opinion, that suicide screening has never been shown
to reduce suicide, that TeenScreen just leads to more
drugging with drugs known to cause suicide, and that
the use of TeenScreen takes money and effort away from
programs that actually are proven to work! - like
volunteer suicide hotlines, improving education, drug
abuse prevention programs, religious programs. Hell,
you can throw in "Set a Good Example" contest and "The
Way to Happiness" if you feel like. It will make them
look it up.
-If your last name begins with the other letters, I
suggest that you ignore Leslie and write a letter to
the editor in response to the original article. I
can't deliver you a copy of that article because it's
fee-based. I'm sure it says something about raising
money to prevent suicide and that's all you really
need to know. Your letter mention things like the fact
that mental health screening is bad and just leads to
more psych drug use, that our leaders should find the
true and workable solutions and not just accept any
program that is offered. Also you could bring out the
fact that
suicide is VERY rare, not an epidemic, that there are
other more serious problems like illiteracy and drug
abuse.
3. And report compliance by email.
Thank you!
Doyle
______________________________
LETTER TEXT:
A critical issue
Thank you for your article regarding the recent walk
to raise money for suicide prevention programs
("Shining a light in the darkness of suicide," May
22). Coverage on this important topic helps to shed
light on the critical issue of suicide, a very real
and prevalent problem that is too often overlooked.
In California, suicide is the third leading cause of
death for 15- to
19-year-olds. Studies by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 17 percent of
American high school students think seriously about
suicide and 9 percent have made a suicide attempt.
Research tells us that 90 percent of youth who die by
suicide suffer from a diagnosable and treatable mental
illness at the time of their death, but the vast
majority of these teens are not known to their
parents, teachers or other adults as suffering from a
mental disorder.
In response to this public health crisis, Columbia
University has spent more than a decade developing,
implementing, and evaluating its TeenScreen Program.
TeenScreen is a voluntary mental health screening
program that provides communities throughout the
nation with free tools and training to identify youth
who are at risk for suicide and those suffering from
unidentified mental illness. Screening is always
voluntary and no child is screened without a parent's
permission.
Mental illness and suicide are public health issues
which should be public concerns. I applaud your
community for taking interest in this critical issue,
and strongly encourage parents, health professionals,
educators and others in your community to prioritize
early intervention and prevention initiatives
including mental health screening to help prevent
unnecessary suffering and the tragedy of suicide.
Leslie McGuire, Director, Columbia University
TeenScreen Program
__________________________________________________
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Check this out!
----------------------------
From:	"Ken Kramer"
Subject: Anti-TeenScreen locomotive chugging along
The Anti-TeenScreen locomotive continues to barrel
along and TeenScreen is caught on the tracks. All
aboard!
The real epidemic is not child suicides as TeenScreen
would have you believe. (We know it's very rare)
The real epidemic is child drugging and from
TeenScreen's viewpoint - all those doggone letters to
editors!
Contact Doyle Mills, anti_psych@yahoo.com to get
started on this inexpensive and efficient way to do
your part in cleaning up the field of mental health.
Way to go guys!

chive=1
Oregon State Daily Barometer
Oregon State University
The Daily Barometer
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
This article, like most other suicide articles, is
only looking at these "mental illnesses" as only being
caused by what psychiatry says causes them from the
Diagnostics and Stastical Manual, a very narrow minded
and completely wrong diagnoses' platform from which to
diagnose. First of all, the DSM isn't based on medical
fact but by what a certain few psychiatrists "think"
is a mental illness and give it a label. This is
currently being exposed and was featured in the USA
Today a couple weeks ago. These psychiatrists also
have financial ties to the pharmaceuticals. Make up a
disease, give it a name, invent a drug for it, and
stigmatize and maim the population from their horrible
and sometimes deadly side effects. As I have a unique
business, I get a chance to meet lots of people on a
daily basis and I have met hundreds of drug addicts
addicted to Paxil, Ritalin, Prozac, effexor and have
met family's of suicide victims and all were on a
psychiatric drug and this is what Teenscreen is all
about. It is about the drugs pure and simple. Is is
about profits, huge profits and huge research grants
given to the psych departments to use human beings as
guinea pigs for the new drugs. Look at your local
paper and you will find small ads placed looking for
people 18-50 years of age willing to take new
experimental drugs for depression mostly. Depression
amongst teens is on the decline according to many
sources, one being the CDC, so why so much attention
all of a sudden on deoression and Teenscreen? Look at
Eli Lilly's profits, Pfizer, and the rest. They are
sky rocketing but on the good side, they have been
arrested somewhat by the new FDA warnings of suicidal
risks. The FDA had to put the warnings on these drugs
as there are too many reports of heart attacks and
suicide BECAUSE of the drugs. In Florida a few months
ago, Tony Dungy lost his son to suicide and I mean the
family no disrespect, but his son was under
psychiatric care and on a psych drug at the time of
his suicide. Real medical reasons can exist for
depression and can be treated by a medical doctor. A
proper diet can change and elevate one's mood as well
as exercise, real exercise. The only thing TeenScreen
is going to a accomplish is a higher suicide rate in
your area. These people are backed by the drug
companies. Go to www.psychsearch.net for some research
on your own and find the truth instead of the lies of
TeenScreen. It's your choice. Either be a blind man or
woman and follow the sheep herder or "look" and "think
for yourself"!
Tom Beattie
business owner
Florida
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
I am disappointed to learn that May 24th is being used
to promote suicide screening. While it sounds like a
noble cause, it's real promoters are the
pharmaceutical companies which stand to add to their
mega millions, and the psychiatric industry which will
likewise line their pockets. Both of these groups use
junk science and made-up personality labels, neither
of which have any basis in fact.
For me, May 24th will always be the anniversary of the
amputation of my son's right leg, this year is the
first anniversary and of course it's depressing. Life
can be depressing, but "mental health" screening is
not the answer. True help is everywhere, in the forms
of nutrition (vitamin and mineral imbalances and other
problems), allergy screening, competent medical
doctors who are able to test for and discover real
reasons for the symptoms of the supposed "mental
illnesses" (like hormone imbalances and undiagnosed
medical conditions), chiropractors, accupunturists,
art, sports, clubs, staying away from TV and
video/computer games, friends, and of course, family.
Suicide is a tragedy, don't let it be compounded by
psychiatry and drugs.
Mary Hilton
Mother
Yamhill County, OR
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
With all due respect to Senator Smith for the loss of
his son Garrett, I object to the senator promoting a
book and events that advises parents to employ the
very same solutions that resulted in his son's death.
Garrett Smith was already under psychiatric treatment
and taking an antidepressant when he committed
suicide. Just a small amount of study on the Internet
or FDA website about the side- effects of
antidepressants reveals that they cause suicidal
thoughts, suicidality and violence. Newspaper accounts
of teen suicides, shooting sprees in schools and
multiple murder/suicides committed by good kids in
schools usually reveals the youth was already getting
psychiatric treatment and on an antidepressant. Eight
of the last thirteen major school shootings in America
were committed by children under the influence of
psychiatric drugs. This includes Columbine and Red
Lake, Minnesota.
It has been widely reported that Senator Smith's son
didn't commit suicide until he got on antidepressants.
Although Garrett was near the age of 22 he had
reportedly dealt with mental health issues since the
age of 10. That is 12 years of living with whatever
thoughts and feelings he had to live with and then
finally ending his life after being put on
antidepressants. There was all that time for the great
miracles of psychiatry to work on this child.
The Smith family was failed by psychiatry and the
suicide inducing-drugs it doles out to our youth. Due
to the many stories like Garrett Smith's,the FDA has
now put a Black Box warning on antidepressants to warn
of the dangers of suicidal thoughts, suicide and
violence they cause.
As for TeenScreen, the private mental health screening
program that refuses to publicly reveal where it gets
its funding from, it is nothing more than a program
supported by the pharmaceutical companies to diagnose
more kids with mental illness and get them put on the
same profitable psychiatric drugs that led Garrett
Smith to commit suicide. It in fact is not a voluntary
program at all but is often administered as mandatory
in schools and without signed parental consent. It is
currently under suit in Indiana for these practices.
Read more about TeenScreen at

One has to wonder why there is such a push in schools
to screen students for signs of suicide when teen
suicide has been on the decline for the last twenty
years according to statistics available on the CDC
website. Knowing drug companies are behind the
creation of this false epidemic, gives you the answer.
Ernest Ryan
Engineer
Temperance, MI
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
Every life is precious, every suicide a tragedy. But
the whole story has not been told. A recent survey of
child psychiatrists showed that 9 out of 10 children
who seek "treatment" will be prescribed drugs, some of
the same drugs the FDA is now saying can cause
suicidiality, drugs that Garrett Lee Smith was on when
he committed suicide. Violent crimes, murders and
suicides have been committed by people on these drugs.
A recent study in Florida showed that over 53% of
youth suicides in that state were carried out by
children who were either on these drugs or in
psychiatric treatment. Programs like TeenScreen funnel
children into "treatment". The question to ask: "Is
the 'treatment' for depression and suicide prevention,
the cause for more suicides?" Go here and decide for
yourself:

Betty House
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
I can hardly think I am so angry! I am sure these
people who run Teen Screen believe they are acting in
good interests - but they are merely dupes for the
drug companies. You know, Hitler also thought he was
doing good. Do you think for one minute he didn't? He
too was a dupe of the psyches and their drugs.
Sit back for a minute and listen to your own hearts.
Since WHEN was EVERY child a suicide risk???? Sure, by
all means have places for worried teens to go to, some
shoulder to cry on... but to PUT the ideas in their
heads that they MIGHT BE unbalanced, might be suicidal
- hell that's enough to make anyone jump over the
line! How would YOU feel if someone told you that
you're likely to kill yourself? Bit like fortune
telling isn't it? They tell your future and then you
obligingly go and do it!
And do you know which Profession has the highest rate
of suicide???? Do I REALLY need to tell you!
Psychiatrists of course. They're around the twist!
For Heaven's sake! THINK FOR YOURSELVES.
Iseult Healy
Mother
Ireland
Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
Teenscreen has been proven to be nothing but a front
for the pharmaceutical industry wanting to put more
kids on expensive psychotropic medication, drugs that
at long last have been recognised by the FDA as
causing death, suicidality and violence. There is no
suicide epidemic only a sick marketing ploy by a
billion dollar for-profit industry.
Dominique Beck
Computer Analyst and Mother of four
Clearwater, FL
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
I am disgusted and appalled that the University would
lend its support to a program as controversial and
biased as TeenScreen.
The suicide 'epidemic' they spout on about?
Nationally, suicides have DROPPED for fourteen years
straight.
The 'voluntary' screening program? They fail to
mention the 'opt-out' permission slips sent home to
parents - sign it, or we ASSUME you approve of the
testing. Where are parent's rights in that equation?
Finally, the program itself. The federal government
itself found in 2004 that there was NO evidence that
suicide screening programs were effective in either
detecting or preventing suicide.
The one thing the TeenScreen program IS good at?
Fattening the pockets of its true sponsors - Eli Lilly
and other pharmaceutical companies. That's right, even
though TeenScreen removed any evidence of this off
their web site last year, one of their biggest
financial backers is Eli Lilly - makers of Prozac, the
drug the FDA links with - wait for it - increased
violence and suicidal tendencies!
Don't be fooled, people. This is nothing more than a
thinly-veiled attempt to make money off other people's
sorrow.
Erik Gross
Business Consultant
Portland
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
TeenScreen is not a good solution for suicide
prevention. It is solely there to diagnose "mental
illness" and get more children on psychotropic drugs.
I know that the first thing that will come out of a
TeenScreen representative's mouth is that they do not
diagnose anything. This is complete and utter fallacy.
They will say to the child or parent that they have
"x" mental condition based on the answers from a
survey and they should seek further "mental health
care" with "y" psychologist or psychiatrist. It is
wrong on so many levels. It defines whether someone is
trouble based on a survey for crying out loud, then it
gives psychiatric care as the solution. What about
better alternatives like diet, after-school programs,
physical health check-ups, etc.? They are not regarded
because psychiatrists and pharmaceuticals make no
money that way.
Laure Strom
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
My heart goes out to those who have lost someone due
to suicide. This subject gets very touchy when we
enter into the true human feelings we have and tie
them into the subject matter. One runs a risk of being
thought as "uncaring".
But I have to take issue on two things from this
article. One is that TeenScreen is helpful to prevent
suicides. That is false and I can't believe someone of
influence would suggest it. The FACT is that it has
not deterred anyone from comleting that action if they
have decided to nor has it prevented anyone from
contemplating about it.
Two, I am for preventing the horrible effect of such
depression that can become suicides and suicidal
attempts. Unfortunately, those who would have you
believe they are the owners of this subject of the
mind are the one's creating the frankenstein epidemic.
Sure psychiatry says it has evidence of the biological
cause and many drugs to help. But evidence suggest
that their methods are causing suicides to increase. I
have seen better results of treatments for depression
from medical doctors, nutritionist, allergist and
sometimes a combination of these same. I have also
seen a change of environment help someone in this mind
set. So for me, an RN who has watched this
conversation across the country by way of media
continue to point to "mental health professionals" as
the only source of help for these people, I cringe and
know that my fellow Americans are being duped, lead
down a rose lined path, and that this subject will
continue to be discussed until we start to intervene
with proven medical methods of finding true sources of
depression and suicidal thoughts.
Ken Thomas, RN
gforce@tampabay.rr.com
Registered Nurse
Florida
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
05/31/2006
Dear Barometer;
While I applaud the efforts of OSU to do something
about preventing suicide among their students,
Teenscreen is not the answer. This organization is a
fraud and only serves to line the pockets of
psychiatrists. This program has virtually no
successes, so why pay for it?
I would rather see the money spent on educating
students about how an improper diet, a lack of goals,
and general out-ethics can adversely affect mood.
Teach them what they can do to control their lives,
rather than letting life control them .
That makes more sense to me.
Sincerely,
Lelia Culpepper
Lelia Culpepper
high school teacher
Houston, TX
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
Posted 06/01/2006
Although it is sad when a child or young adult commits
suicide, there is no epidemic, as the drug companies
and psychiatry would try to have you believe. With an
average per state of about 50 teen suicides per year,
why are we wasting money on a program to screen
million of children. Many of these kids are put on
highly addictive, dangerous mind altering drugs with
side effects of possible heart problems, possible
suicidal thoughts and possibly violent behavior (read
the black box label). With millions of kids across the
country on these drugs, that is the real epidemic! It
is so hard to believe that drug companies and
psychiatrist would be running this scam on the public
to line its pockets with new addicts and free
advertising. I have even read information that one of
their next targets is infants! I am totally appalled
that this is allowed to occur and is being promoted in
our country.
-Carol Jenkins
__________________________________________________
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It's been a quiet week for LEAF. Let's make some
noise!
Read this:

TEXT BELOW
Pick something in it that you strongly disagree with
and write a powerful letter to the editor about it.
If your last name ends in C, H or T I would like you
to specifically attack NAMI, pointing out that even
the article indicates that they want more and more
money for mental health treatment. Point out that drug
companies give NAMI millions of dollars every year to
improve business and that's what they do, help the
psychs and drug companies rather than the patients.
Send your letter by clicking on

If your last name ends in C-I or S-Z, send a copy of
what your letter to tem85@uga.edu and
judysalter@hartcom.net.
And report compliance by email.
Thank you!
Doyle
____________________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
Group works to help improve understanding of mental
disorders
By Tom Marine, Staff writer
Sixty million
That is the approximate number of Americans that
suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder.
Five thousand
The estimated number of Hart County residents who have
a mental illness each year.
One
*
The number of mental health service organizations
located in Hartwell.
According to a survey released by the American
Psychiatric Association, one out of every five
Americans suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder
each year.
Despite this fact, almost half of American adults
report knowing only a little or almost nothing at all
about mental illnesses.
There's a fundamental lack of understanding, said
Alexis O'Brien, the media relations associate for the
National Alliance on Mental Illness.
O'Brien said that in order to combat the ignorance and
stigma toward mental disorders, NAMI sponsors and
certifies programs to educate and promote awareness
about the pervasiveness of mental disorders.
One such class, Visions for Tomorrow, is conducted
here in Hartwell two or three times a year by Cindy
Floyd, a NAMI member and certified instructor.
Visions for Tomorrow is a flexible 12-week program
that meets once a week and teaches both understanding
and recognition of mental illnesses.
The course is designed to develop communication
skills and empathy in adults toward children who
suffer from a mental disorder, Floyd said.
Seventeen people completed the course this spring,
held at the Hartwell Elementary School.
Robin Baker, Linda Gray, Jennifer Tew, April McCurley,
Cindy Allen, Kimberly Hastings, Jennie Evans, Theresa
Hicks, Gwen Waller, Blythe Rucker, Laretha Morrison,
Veronica Rucker, Sue Burton, Barbara Risner, Teena
Witcher, Sherry Dobbs and Lisa McIntosh were all
certified from NAMI for their completion of the
Visions program.
All work as para-professionals at Hartwell Elementary.
By utilizing the understanding and recognition skills
learned from the course, the para-pros will be more
apt to spot the early symptoms of mental disorders in
children.
Floyd said she slightly altered this particular class
because she felt it was important for teachers to be
knowledgeable about children and mental disorders.
I revamped (the class), Floyd said. Everyone that
teaches children should be aware of mental illness.
To be clear, mental illnesses include disorders like
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive
disorder, schizoaffective disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic and severe
anxiety disorder and autism. It also includes
pervasive developmental disorders, attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder, borderline personality
disorder and other persistent mental illnesses that
affect the brain.
Having a mental illness does not mean a kid is
stupid. It doesn't mean they can't succeed, Floyd
said. It's a lifetime disease that can be treated and
managed.
Mental healthcare, on the other hand, is a completely
different matter.
NAMI recently conducted a study determining the status
of the mental health systems in all the 50 states and
graded them.
The United States received a D overall and Georgia was
one of 19 states to receive a D for its current mental
healthcare system.
According to the report, Georgia's urgent needs are
funding, dollar-for-dollar reinvestment, eliminate
restricted access to medication, expand Assertive
Community Treatment and other evidence-based practices
and prescription feedback and education.
Similarly, the stigma associated with mental illness
creates just as many problems as low funding.
Even though 84-percent of adults said they would like
to know more about the warning signs of mental
illness, 31-percent said that they would not seek
treatment out of fear for what others may think.
Due to false information and misconceptions, stigma
helps create the illusion that mental illnesses are
not real.
In fact, according to the APA, research shows the
causes of mental illnesses are genetic and
environmental factors, traumatic events, and other
physical illnesses and injuries that have psychiatric
side effects.
Still, O'Brien pointed out the need for more research
and studies before making policy decisions.
In 20 years, I would like to see the public's
perception of mental illness be the same as diabetes
or other physical health problems, O'Brien said. It
all comes from education.
Floyd agreed with O'Brien.
Educate yourself, Floyd said. In order to remove
all the stigma so people can get the help they need.
All 60 million.
tem85@uga.edu
Story created May 31, 2006 - 17:04:06 EDT.
__________________________________________________
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Crew,
Very important assignment.
If you're too busy to take a few minutes to stand up
for kids to keep them psych-free, ok. If you don't
have time to help, you don't need to be reading this
either.
This is an important assignment. I'm counting on you.
1. Read this article:

2. Write a scathing anti-TeenScreen letter. Don't hold
back. If you need data on TeenScreen, click on
www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html
Don't try to pile everything in one email. Pick
something that is real to you and write a letter about
that one point.
3. Send your letter to editor@dailybarometer.com.
Also, if you want, you can put your letter in the form
of a comment to the article. Just click on the article
link above, scroll to the bottom and click on "post
your feedback on this topic here".
4. Report compliance by email.
Thank you,
Doyle
_________________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
Suicide Prevention Day spreads awareness
Speakers address the issue of suicide and how to get
help
By Mickey Clark
Students, faculty and community members came together
to bring awareness to the sensitive topic of suicide
on Wednesday.
Those who were close to a suicide victim have to live
through the painful loss of a loved one. Like a car
accident or cancer, suicide doesnt always exhibit
warning signs.
However, by taking steps and creating awareness of the
danger, suicide can be prevented.
Dozens of survivors and supporters, from the young to
the elderly, gathered together in the MU Council Room
Wednesday for the Suicide Prevention Day luncheon.
Some dressed casually and others came wearing black,
but the mood was decidedly comfortable with everyone
willing to share their story.
Im really excited about how well its turning out. I
wasnt sure how many people would show up to be
honest, said event planner Mary McCarthy.
Her fears proved unnecessary as the crowd filtered
into the MU lounge, filling nearly every seat among
the chairs and couches.
McCarthy and fellow event coordinator Ellyn Canfield
took the podium before the crowd and introduced Ellen
Taylor, OSU director of counseling and psychological
services.
Taylor began by expressing her appreciation to the
crowd, as well as applauding the efforts of McCarthy,
Canfield, and Ryan Kirkpatrick for their diligence in
putting the event together.
She said students desire to turn their own personal
loss into something positive was the driving force
behind Suicide Prevention Day.
Speaking out on the prevalence of suicide in our
society, especially on college campuses like OSU,
Taylor emphasized the need for action but acknowledged
it wouldnt come easy.
The goal of the Suicide Awareness Task Force is to
have every student who comes to OSU know about
suicide, and be able to answer questions like what
can I say? What can I do? Taylor said.
I have frat boys come up to me and say, guys are
guys, how can I reach them? Taylor said.
Taylor works with students who come to her with
concerns for themselves or for their friends.
Weve definitely had successes, she said. Two or
three students got connected from their friends or RAs
and they overcame their problems.
Though students are initially reluctant to seek help,
Taylor emphasizes that counseling is a safe place.
The feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are the
most difficult to overcome, Taylor said, but you
dont have to do it alone.
Troubled students can learn new techniques for coping
with their problems by getting help from a counselor.
Bipolar disorder and depression are very highly
associated with suicidal tendencies, Taylor said.
While depression is more prevalent in women, the
mortality rate for male suicides is higher because men
tend to use more lethal methods.
Although Sharon Smith, wife of U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith,
was scheduled to attend, she was ill and could not
make it. Instead, State Director for Sen. Smith, Kerry
Tymchuk, presented Smiths speech to the audience.
Smiths speech recognized the efforts of the many
people who are acting toward suicide awareness. She
explained that programs like TeenScreen in high
schools are making a difference today.
The goal of the National TeenScreen Program is to
make voluntary mental health check-ups available for
all American teens, according to its Web site.
Smith is a survivor of her own sons suicide. Her son
Garrett, lost his battle against mental illness,
Tymchuk read. It had been difficult for the Smiths to
reach Garrett, who privately suffered with depression
since he was 10 years old.
In the wake of Garretts death, Gordon and Sharon did
not stay quiet, Tymchuk added. They turned their
loss into a crusade to bring suicide out of the
shadows.
Sen. Smith published Remembering Garrett this year,
a book about the life and death of their son.
Soon after Tymchuk left the podium, Corvallis Mayor
Helen Berg stepped forward proclaiming May 24 as
Suicide Prevention Day. Berg said suicide is a
major issue, and it needs to be confronted.
When the speakers had finished, the audience was
invited to join in a workshop activity.
Visitors were presented with an elaborate social
map, where they faced a slew of positive and negative
choices, and had to choose the correct path.
Based on the success of the event and a $70,000 grant
provided to eight Oregon schools including OSU, more
programs may be created to promote awareness among
students.
With faith and a little work, the community on campus
will be made into a climate where suicide is less
likely, read Smiths speech.
I dont believe we can prevent all suicides, said
Taylor, but we can prevent some. The difference we
make in one persons life will be something that lasts
forever.
__________________________________________________
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We can't let this go by unchallenged.
The psychs are making another fraudulent pitch to turn
more veterans into lifelong drug addicts and mental
patients.
Your assignment:
1. Read, or skim over, the USA Today article.
LINK:

TEXT AT BOTTOM.
2. Write a letter to the editor and send it by
clicking on

pe=18
Write what you want, but I have a suggestion:
If your last name begins with J-M or T-Z, I want you
to point out the fact that the American Psychiatric
Association is promoting this to gain more money for
its members, not to help the soldiers. It may be true
that soldiers who experience that list of symptoms
fraudulently promoted as disease have a tendency to
have physical ailments too. The psychs are promoting,
with no evidence, that the physical symptoms are
caused by the PTSD. In reality though, it could be
that the physical pain and distress is causing the
PTSD symptoms. Psychs do not want that truth promoted
because the veterans would seek competent medical care
rather than psych treatments, which just cover up and
never cure.
3. Report compliance by email.
Thanks,
Doyle
________________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
Stress disorder linked to soldiers' ill health
Posted 5/22/2006 9:26 PM ET 	E-mail | Save | Print |
Reprints & Permissions | Subscribe to stories like
this
By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY
A year after combat soldiers leave Iraq, those with
symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder say they're
in worse physical health, suffer more pain and are
more likely to miss work than veterans without PTSD
symptoms, according to a military study out Monday.
The anonymous survey of nearly 3,000 Iraq veterans is
the first to look at a link between PTSD and physical
symptoms. It was released at the American Psychiatric
Association meeting in Toronto.
"Their mental health problems may be taking a toll,"
says psychiatrist Charles Hoge, chief of psychiatry
and neuroscience at the Walter Reed Army Institute of
Research in Washington, D.C. Physical complaints may
send a disproportionate number of these stressed
soldiers to primary-care doctors, he says.
In the survey, about 17% of the soldiers had PTSD
symptoms, Hoge says. Compared with those without
stress symptoms, they were much more likely to report
all kinds of pain  from headaches to backaches  and
gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea and
indigestion.
Anxiety can contribute to these health problems, Hoge
says. Also, nightmares and flashbacks  symptoms of
PTSD  can interfere with sleep, leading to worse
health, he adds. About one out of five soldiers
without PTSD symptoms said they were in fair to poor
health, compared with nearly half of those with PTSD
symptoms.
Soldiers are screened for mental and physical problems
when they leave Iraq, then three and six months later,
Hoge says.
New "practice guidelines" are alerting military and
Veterans Affairs doctors to possible ties between
physical and mental symptoms in soldiers, says Charles
Engel, director of the Deployment Health Clinical
Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Soldiers sometimes downplay their stress reactions, so
the number of soldiers with PTSD who also have
physical health problems is, "if anything,
conservative," says psychologist Charles Figley, a
traumatic-stress expert at Florida State University.
"When they come in with back pain, doctors are going
to have to keep asking what happened to them in the
war, not just now but five years from now."
There's strong evidence in civilian studies that
trauma survivors use more health care at a higher
cost, says University of Tulsa psychologist Elana
Newman, who has studied health and traumatic stress.
Military spokesmen have repeatedly said that Iraq
veterans' needs for physical and mental health care
will be met.
But bureaucratic paperwork and trouble getting a human
being on the line at the VA make access difficult,
says Shad Meshad, president of the National Veterans
Foundation, an education group that runs an
information hotline for veterans.
"We're hearing about waiting lists to get VA mental
health services, particularly in large cities," he
says. "We hear from the ones who are afraid they're
going to hit their wives or are close to committing
suicide. PTSD is just disabling overall."
__________________________________________________
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The Morning Call reports "Military's mental health
screening not working". Well, who's surprised?
Personally I wouldn't submit a dog to psych mental
health screening.
Your assignment is to vigorously attack the psychs who
are victimizing our fine soldiers with their
intrusive, fraudulent mental health screening.
1. Read or scan the article at:

ll=all-news-hed
TEXT BELOW
2. Write a letter to the editor.
-If your last name begins with A-K, attack the
psychiatric diagnoses as being unscientific, no
chemical imbalance etc. If you need hatting, go to

-If your last name begins with L-P, point out that
most, if not all, of the soldiers who commit suicide
are under psych treatment, most of them on psych
drugs. Even the article tells you, in the final
sentences that the soldier they're writing about was
on psych drugs, "Bailey took powerful anti-psychotic
medication, and most of the time it was enough to keep
him mentally even. But not always."
-If your last name begins with Q-Z, write about how
screening itself is unreliable and unscientific and is
really just the latest scam to get more people on
psych drugs. If you need hatting go to
www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html. Don't mention
TeenScreen in your letter but all the information
applies.
Send your by clicking on

3. Report compliance by email.
Thank you!
Doyle
_______________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
Military's mental health screening not working
By Lisa Chedekel and Matthew Kauffman
Special to The Morning Call
This is the second of a four-part investigative series
by the Hartford Courant on the U.S. military's
systemic mishandling of mentally ill soldiers in Iraq.
PART ONE: Military keeping mentally ill troops in
combat
Lehigh Valley Local Links
In the 17 months after their son, Eddie, announced he
was heading off to fight the war on terror, Margaret
and Edward Brabazon of Bensalem, Bucks County, had
held their breath.
They were accustomed to holding their breath with the
boy they had taken in as a foster child at age 3 and
adopted at 12  the boy who had been diagnosed with
bipolar disorder and attention-deficit disorder by the
time he was 10, and who had spent his early teenage
years in a psychiatric hospital and group homes for
the emotionally disturbed.
They watched with bewildered pride as the young man
they had affectionately nicknamed ''Crazy Eddie'' was
handed a uniform and an M-4 rifle and accepted into an
elite fraternity  the 505th Parachute Infantry
Regiment based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
''We were surprised they took him, with the kind of
mental problems he had, but we figured the Army must
know what they're doing,'' Margaret said. ''We didn't
think they'd send him into combat.''
Today, the Brabazons regret those assumptions.
On March 9, 2004, less than three months into his
second deployment to the Middle East, Spec. Edward
Brabazon shot himself in the head with his rifle at a
palace compound in Baghdad, the Army has concluded. He
was 20.
Eddie Brabazon was there because the U.S. military has
knowingly sent mentally ill troops to Iraq  in
conflict with its own regulations  and turned a blind
eye to the mental fitness of thousands of other
service members, a Hartford Courant investigation has
found.
Despite a congressional mandate to assess the mental
health of every soldier sent to a combat zone,
interviews and Defense Department records obtained by
The Courant reveal a fractured pre-deployment
screening process in which less than 1 percent of
deploying soldiers ever see a mental health
professional. It is a practice that has put unfit
service members in harm's way, increasing their risk
for suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The military's own studies suggest that as many as one
in 11 troops is suffering from a major depressive
disorder, anxiety disorder or PTSD, which
substantially impairs their ability to function at the
time they are deployed to war. But military screeners
have arranged mental health evaluations for fewer than
one in 300 deploying troops, according to a Courant
analysis of screening data for more than 930,000
troops processed from March 2003 through October 2005.
Overall, soldiers who screened positive for possible
mental health problems were deemed fit for war 85
percent of the time, according to the data. Those
deployment decisions were made although more than 93
percent of troops who screened positive never received
a referral to a mental health specialist.
''Command pressure to deploy their people has kind of
swept away any efforts that might have been made to
improve screening,'' said Kathleen Gilberd, who
counsels service members in San Diego and serves as
co-chairwoman of the Military Law Task Force of the
National Lawyers Guild.
The Courant's analysis of confirmed and likely suicide
cases among U.S. troops in 2005 shows that at least
seven, or about one-third, of the soldiers who killed
themselves in Iraq did so within three months of being
deemed mentally fit and sent into combat. Suicide
experts say that the vast majority of those who take
their own lives are suffering from depression or
bipolar disorder at the time, and that it is doubtful
soldiers would spontaneously develop a serious mental
illness so quickly after deployment.
The pre-deployment screening misses so many troubled
troops in part because it relies entirely on
self-reporting, in the form of a single question on a
written form that asks service members whether they
have received mental health care in the past year  a
disclosure the military knows its members are unlikely
to make.
In the first 32 months of the war, just 3 percent of
deploying troops disclosed that they had sought care
or counseling for their mental health in the past
year. That small percentage captured through
self-reporting is far lower than the more than 20
percent of deploying troops who were found to have
mental disorders  9.3 percent of them considered
serious  in a 2004 study by military doctors.
The 3 percent figure ''sounds like a ridiculously low
number,'' said Paul Rieckhoff, a former platoon leader
in Iraq and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan
Veterans of America.
While many soldiers with mental illness opt to stay in
the shadows, others, like Army Staff Sgt. Nathan
Bailey of Nashville, Tenn., made no secret of their
psychiatric problems before the military handed them
the guns they used to kill themselves.
Bailey took powerful anti-psychotic medication, and
most of the time it was enough to keep him mentally
even.
But not always.
__________________________________________________
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Crew,
We haven't had an assignment in a few days. Hope you
guys are rested up and ready for battle.
Your assignment:
1. Read the letter from NAMI published in the Orlando
Sentinel:

,4897002.story
TEXT AT THE BOTTOM
If you're not familiar with NAMI, read this

2. Write a letter to the editor and send it to
insight@orlandosentinel.com
You can write what you want, in any tone level, but I
have some suggestions:
-if your last name ends in C-E or M-P, I want you to
attack NAMI directly. You can even avoid the subject
of ADHD if you want and just nail NAMI for being a
paid mouthpiece for drug companies, fraudulently
claiming to be a grass-roots group, etc. See the above
CCHR link if you need more information.
-for other last names, you should attack the
scientific basis for ADHD.
3. And report compliance by email.
Best,
Doyle
_______________________
ORIGINAL LETTER TEXT:
ADHD's a disabling disorder
May 16, 2006
In response to the May 9 "My Word" column by Betsy
Holloway, "ADHD: Fact, exaggeration or myth?": I would
like Holloway to know that ADHD is indeed a disabling
disorder for approximately 5 percent to 7 percent of
children. Like most health disorders, there are
varying degrees of disability according to severity.
She wonders if it isn't a "convenient label" for
childish ways. The fact is that increased diagnosis
and treatment of ADHD is scientific medicine
triumphing against ignorance and disease. Holloway
goes on to make many suggestions about how to deal
with symptoms of ADHD, which are not bad advice for
anyone. The inference, however, is that parents cause
ADHD and if they would just be better, more attentive
parents, it would go away. Would that that were true!
Untreated ADHD causes school failure, peer isolation
and ever-sinking self-esteem. Youth with ADHD have a
dropout rate 12 times greater than teens without ADHD.
Of children with a diagnosis of ADHD, 66 percent also
have another diagnosable mental illness, the most
common being anxiety disorder.
If food, neatness, music, soft colors, exercise lists
or no TV could cure ADHD, believe me, parents would
jump at the chance.
In 1999, the Institutes of Mental Health sponsored a
project comparing different ways of treating this
disorder. Their findings: Giving kids intensive
therapy and teachers and parents counseling programs
did very little good compared to those who did not
receive the services. But a third group whose members
were treated with medication did significantly better,
and adding behavioral interventions added a little
value.
Those who oppose appropriate medicines for children
who truly need them would have us go back to the "good
old days" when children with ADHD were simply allowed
to fail. ADHD is a neurobiological disorder of the
brain that causes great suffering for children who
have it. If the illness were diabetes, would we be
having the same discussion?
Give these children a break. Treat their illness, and
stop blaming families for a brain disorder.
Marcia M. Mathes
Chair, Child & Adolescent Committee
National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater Orlando
__________________________________________________
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I'll let you in on a little secret. Ohio is the most
active nest of TeenScreening psychs in the country.
This is partially true because a suppressive named
Michael Hogan is in charge of the Ohio Department of
Mental Health. Hogan is also one of TeenScreen's major
henchmen, being so dirty that he was given a
"Leadership Award" by TeenScreen last year.
Your assignment:
Write a letter to the editor of the Mansfield (Ohio)
News-Journal and let the fine people of Mansfield know
the truth about TeenScreen.
Here is the article we're writing about:

STYLE/609110303&SearchID=73256727273070
TEXT BELOW
Send your letter to chunnell@nncogannett.com.
Write whatever you want. If you need to know why
TeenScreen is bad news, read the petition that over
11000 people have signed in order to stop this
horrendous program:

If you have the time, you can also post your opinion
on the forum:
#368
And report compliance by email.
Thank you!
Doyle
_______________________
ARTICLE TEXT
Do your part to prevent teen suicides
By Wiliam Schamadan
Well Being
This is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week,
and yes, you do need to be involved. The emphasis this
year from the participating agencies is to create an
awareness that can help to reduce the incidence of
teen suicides. Since this often is a hush-hush topic,
you might not realize the frequency of this tragedy.
Teen suicide made the front page of last week's USA
TODAY with an article about Tony Dungy, the coach of
the Indianapolis Colts, whose 18-year-old son hanged
himself. According to the National Center for Health
Statistics, about 30,000 people in the United States
take their own life each year. That's one every 17
minutes. It is the 11th most common cause of death
overall, and it is the third leading cause of death
for 10- to 24-year-olds. Focusing on completed deaths
from suicide only partly addresses the issue, however.
A survey of a nationally representative sample of more
than 15,000 high school students indicated that during
the previous year, almost 17 percent of students had
seriously considered a suicide attempt, 16 percent had
made a plan, and 8.5 percent had made one or more
suicide attempts.
ADVERTISEMENT
Among persons aged 15 to 24 years, suicide attempts
and suicidal ideation account for almost one quarter
of hospitalizations due to injury, and nearly
two-thirds of hospitalizations due to intentional
injury. Because of the seriousness of suicidal
activity, the Unites States Department of Health and
Human Services has instituted a program that presents
a framework to guide national suicide prevention
strategies. The three-pronged approach includes
universal suicide education, gatekeeper training, and
mental health screening.
Universal education targets all students regardless of
risk and is based on the findings that students are
more likely to discuss suicidal thoughts with their
peers than with adults. Unfortunately, fewer than half
of the states mandate such education.
Rather than trying to increase the students' knowledge
about suicide, gatekeeper training tries to teach
instructors, counselors, coaches and other staff
members how to recognize students who might be at risk
and get them into proper assessment and treatment
programs. Unfortunately, some screening programs show
that three-fourths of students with suicidal ideation
and half of those who have made a suicide attempt were
not identified by school staff as having a problem.
Mental health screening seems to be our best hope at
this time. Columbia University has developed a
computerized "Teen Screen" program that is showing
great promise. Last year, here in Richland County, the
Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Mansfield
City Schools, The Center for Individual and Family
Services, Family Life Counseling and Psychiatric
Services, Rehabilitation Center of North Central Ohio
and Community Action for Capable Youth participated in
a pilot program in which 71 ninth-grade students were
screened, using the Columbia Teen Screen. These
youngsters are used to relating to a computer screen
as a non-judgmental companion, so the screening
program was not threatening and the answers were
probably honest. The results were a real wake-up call.
# Thirty-nine students required a follow-up interview
with a clinician.
# Eleven youths indicated suicidal thoughts.
# Seven students indicated they had made a previous
suicide attempt.
# Eleven of them indicated potential eating disorders.
# Ten youths showed depressive symptoms.
# Eight indicated alcohol and/or marijuana use.
# Ten indicated oppositional or defiant symptoms.
# One young person was having panic attacks.
And this pilot program only screened 71 students.
The plan is to continue the program this fall and
screen 300 to 400 ninth graders at Mansfield Senior
High School during the school year. I hope these data
encourage you to become more aware, and awareness is
the key to growth and change on the path to well
being.
Dr. Schamadan is a retired obstetrics/gynecology
physician who advocates lifestyle activities that
support well being.
__________________________________________________
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PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE
Some people see bad conditions and lament. Still others get angry. A very
few have the personal courage and responsibility to do something about it.
Pastor Michael Davis of Mount Olive Ministries, Tarpon Springs, Florida, is
one of the few.
Pastor Davis' church is in the Union Academy neighborhood of Tarpon Springs,
an area that is ravaged by drug abuse and addiction. Drug deals take place
right down the street from the church.
With full knowledge that something could be done about it, he has been
looking for a solution. What he found is the Narconon program by L. Ron
Hubbard. Pastor Davis is on his training to open a Narconon center and has
applied for his license.
And he's already in action. In public libraries in Holiday and Tarpon
Springs, Pastor Davis has delivered two lectures, delivering the truth about
drugs to the people of the community. Education is vital to handle the drug
problem and he will continue to promote and deliver this free service.
In order to handle those who have already fallen into drug addiction, Pastor
Davis intends to open a full Narconon as soon as possible. Here's where you
come in. Pastor Davis needs your help. We need to raise at least $100,000 in
order to get the Narconon center open this year. You can make your
tax-deductible donations directly to Mt. Olive Ministries.
Each day, more and more people in this community take that first step that
will lead to a life of misery and slavery to drugs. Will you lament, get
angry, or take action?
Please call or email me. I'll arrange for you to meet Pastor Davis
personally and hear his vision for the future of his neighborhood, his town,
the state, the country, and for all people on Earth.
Doyle Mills
727-871-0970
dmills_pb@lightwave.com
SEND YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO:
Mt. Olive Ministries
500 East Oakwood
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
_____
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to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min
or less.


To all you mothers out there - a VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S
DAY!
Thank you for all you've done and are doing! Moreover,
I want to take this mother's day to make a solemn
pledge to help and protect all mothers. I suggest all
of us do the same.
Today, on Mother's Day, a horrible article appeared in
the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. It is not aimed at
helping mothers; it is aimed at ensnaring more mothers
into the mental health system.
You want to know why I care? Because my own mother is
a psych victim. She raised 3 childen alone and did a
fine job. My most vivid memories of youth are of my
mother working away at the sewing machine, softly
singing a hymm, happily working to provide food and
shelter for her family, and her invalid sister who
lived with us. Then, with no previous history, she
experienced a psychotic break due to several weeks of
lost sleep. She fell into the hands of psychiatry and
was never the same. Psych drugs caused her to have
constant involuntary hand movements, akathesia it's
called, and she could no longer sew. Incarceration and
forced drugs stopped her singing as well. Is that what
you want for America's mothers?
Your assignment:
1. Read or skim over this:

TEXT AT THE BOTTOM
2. Write a strong letter to the editor and send it by
clicking on
#submit
The article is full of false information. I suggest
you pick one thing about it you don't agree with and
really hammer home a message about why psychiatry is
not going to "honor" mothers or anyone else.
3. Report compliance by email.
Oh, and all you mothers can take today off. Write it
tomorrow or Tuesday.
Much love,
Doyle
_____________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
Honor your mother: Act against depression
By BARBARA LAWTON
Posted: May 13, 2006
A mother grows accustomed to being caught in cross
currents. How many of us shouldered guilt first for
pushing a child to take piano lessons and guilt again
for allowing her to quit?
Advertisement
When we give life, we take on what seem at times to be
impossible tasks. In fact, mothers used to be blamed
for actually being the cause of no end of mental
illnesses in their children - autism and schizophrenia
and dozens more.
Now it is time to turn the tables. Let's honor our
mothers and their memories by addressing the role we
can play in reducing the high incidence of depression
among Wisconsin women.
There is work to be done. Wisconsin ranked 48th in a
recent national study for the average number of poor
mental health days experienced per month by women.
According to the World Health Organization, major
depression is the leading cause of disease-related
disability among women worldwide.
Depression affects women of all ages, affects twice as
many women as men, occurs more frequently among women
living in poverty, is common among women who have been
victims of violence, occurs as early as age 15 and is
linked biologically to hormonal changes, most notably
in high incidence among premenstrual and especially
postpartum women.
And add in the fact that the lifetime risk for
depression in children with a depressed mother has
been estimated at 45%.
I named a task force of high level academics and
practitioners in both psychology and psychiatry, along
with business leaders, public health officials,
consumer advocates and experts in corrections and the
law, to give us a clearer picture of the factors
contributing to the status of women related to mental
health.
Their report is an invitation to all of us to respond
to the compelling data that describe a status quo we
cannot afford in Wisconsin.
Untreated mental illness, and depression specifically,
has far-reaching implications for all Wisconsin
citizens.
Not one of us is more than one degree removed from
someone who has suffered at least an episode of mental
illness, and the economic impact on employers and the
state as a whole is significant.
Those suffering from depression are seven times more
likely to be unemployed or underemployed. Medical
costs of depressed people average twice those who are
not depressed. And educational achievement and
earnings are significantly compromised.
The report emphasizes that the incidence and severity
of depression are clearly linked to rates of poverty,
economic inequities owing to gender and to violence
against women both as children and as adults.
And women of color are disproportionately more likely
to experience depression and are less likely to be in
a position to access treatment.
The good news is that depression is highly treatable
and can, in many cases, be prevented. The task force
report creates a roadmap to progress in this critical
area of medicine that has been too long misunderstood,
sidelined for its complexity and for the old-fashioned
prejudices, born of misunderstanding, that have
attached to mental illness.
Everyone - men and women and children - stand to
benefit from the work driven forward in response to
this report.
Where do they suggest we start? The state Legislature
must present the governor with a bill to ensure
insurance coverage of treatment for mental illness in
parity with coverage for physical illness.
Minnesota has had a parity law in place for 11 years.
Thirty-three states already have one, and fiscal
analyses show that mental health parity is cost
effective.
We will also ask for a legislative council study
committee on mental health issues facing Wisconsin's
women to evaluate access to services and the
marketplace factors inherent to access, quantify the
cost-effectiveness of treatment alternatives and
identify an effective means to screen for postpartum
depression.
We need to empower employers and employees alike with
the information they need to work with insurance
companies to provide coverage that pays for effective
treatment of depression.
Some very smart Wisconsin corporations have already
developed programs that educate employees about
warning signs and risk factors for depression and work
to eliminate stigma and provide supportive work
environments for those experiencing depression.
Let's share those models widely among businesses in
our state.
There is widespread responsibility for better
education and training to address depression and help
eliminate the stigma that attaches to it, from the
state's Department of Health and Family Services and
the Department of Public Instruction, to our
University of Wisconsin system and the Medical College
of Wisconsin.
We must improve the education of providers and the
prescribed protocols that govern their work, starting
with accurate information about women and depression
in introductory psychology courses and extending to
specific training in medical, pharmacy, nursing and
other mental health specialty programs.
The public value of the task force report is
extraordinary, and I invite you to read about it on
www.ltgov.state.wi.us.
The report serves as a textbook that moves from a good
working definition of depression to an assessment of
the status quo in terms of delivery of service and
obstacles to treatment to clear ways that we can set
up better circumstances for prevention and increase
access to treatment.
The task force points to areas where data is needed to
both evaluate work in the field and to build the case
for change.
As lieutenant governor, I am all too aware of the need
to meet our now-urgent workforce demands with healthy
women and men who have been positioned to achieve the
education and training necessary to make their best
contribution to our economy.
Reducing the incidence of depression is a smart and
cost-effective workforce development strategy.
To mark Mental Health Awareness Month in Wisconsin and
the beginning of Women's Health Week, I will travel to
La Crosse Monday with another mother, former Wisconsin
first lady and health activist Sue Ann Thompson.
We will be at the Southside Neighborhood Center, 1300
S. 6th St., at noon to talk about our shared
commitment to reduce the incidence of depression in
Wisconsin and introduce more women to recovery and
prevention.
Honor your mother by joining us in this important
work.
Barbara Lawton is lieutenant governor of Wisconsin.
__________________________________________________
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Well done Judy!
I hope you take note that not one  not even one
comment posted is positive for TeenScreen. TeenScreen
is dangerous; it gets our teens put on psychiatric
drugs that cause suicide and other erratic, harmful
behaviors; and it is nothing more than a public
relations ploy to fatten the coffers of the drug
companies and their main representatives, the
psychiatrists. Parents, beware. If your child is
exhibiting any behavior that is not normal for him,
contact a natural medical doctor and get his hormonal
balance and amino acid levels checked. This planet,
thankfully, provides a natural remedy for every
possible affliction if we take the time to find it.
Judy Reed of Clearwater, Fla.

05120618/1062
__________________________________________________
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The Manitowoc (Wisconsin) Herald-Times published 5
letters today against TeenScreen! Woohoo!
You know, if you got all your friends to write
letters, we could have the truth being printed in
thousands of newspapers. Have your friends contact me
if they need a little info on how to write good
letters to the editor.
anti_psych@yahoo.com
THE LETTERS:
Although its sad that 50 children in the state commit
suicide a year, that is a small number since there are
millions of kids in the state. This doesnt warrant
screening millions of children, and many of the kids
that have committed suicide were already under
psychiatric care. The normal treatment for kids with
mental problems is to put them on highly addictive,
mind-altering psychiatric drugs which have side
effects of possible heart problems, brain damage,
possible thoughts of suicide and possible violent
behavior (read the black box warning). There are
already over 4 million children in our country on
these drugs and Im sure by now you have read the
articles on the over-drugging of children in America.
Teen Screen asks children about 12 questions. There
are no physical tests are done. The child could have
allergies, hormone imbalances, bad diet, no exercise
or some other physical problem going on, which is
never looked for. Many kids have been mis-diagnosed.
This leaves the child being mis-labeled for the rest
of his life. Teen Screen is promoted as the answer but
it just doesnt work and is actually causing more harm
than help.  Carol Jenkins of Largo, Fla.
Parents need to be very aware that their parental
rights are being challenged by the psychiatric
industry through the Teen Screen program. Even some
psychiatrists admit openly that psychiatry does not
cure, it only controls. Their so-called science is
really a pseudo-science. It has no basis in fact, it
has no scientific tests that stand up to critical
review. MDs base their work on true science. Such is
not the case with psychiatry. Parents and the general
citizenry need to find out the truth about the real
motives of the psychiatric and the pharmaceutical
industry. Their goal is to have more than 8 million
children on drugs within a few years. Through Teen
Screen, they are tempting your children with pizzas
and other coupons to take part in the program. Parents
do not even know what is going on. Parents would be
amazed if they knew what sort of questions their
children are being asked in the program. Teen Screen
favors a "Passive Consent" form that requires no
parental approval. For more, I refer your readers to
CCHR.com. Addiionally, only recently did the FDA
mandate that the black box "Warning: Side effects
include possible suicide" be placed on psyche drugs.
Henry W. Schroeder of Madison
There are no studies that show screening reduces
suicide. There are studies i.e. U.S. Preventive
Services Task Force report of May of 2004 states: A.
There is no evidence that screening for suicide risk
reduces suicide attempts or mortality. B. No studies
were found that directly address the harms of
screening and treatment for suicide risk. So why
screen? The only logical answer is to enrich
psychiatrists and big pharma. Will other businesses be
allowed to screen kids? Since no scientific proof is
required perhaps astrologists would like a crack at
the kids. No, they can't afford the bribes. Who will
step up and demand proof before allowing kids to
become money-making experiments for the unscrupulous?
 Tony Miller of Fresno, Calif.
I have been astounded and amazed at fact that some
parents and educators just take, just "swallow," the
advertisements and statements that have come across
the media about psychiatric drugs. Often you read or
hear: "These are safe; these will help. And yet, the
FDA and many other agencies all over the world have
put out warnings that these drugs can cause suicides
and violence. I am a grandmother of two children and
four grandchildren, and I have spent a good portion of
the last 20 to 25 years doing tutoring, helping
students and have observed thousands of students. I
have used educational methods that have proven to be
successful in handling the students: not focusing,
feeling exasperated, squirming around, not doing
homework, aggressiveness, super activity, being
defiant to teachers, day dreaming and many other
behaviors. Never did I have to use drugs, psychiatric
help of any kind, and the students really understood
what they were studying. If they were ill, they went
to get an exam from a medical doctor. So, from having
this real experience I know that children do not have
to take dangerous drugs; I have seen that there is a
real help that works, and does not kill.  Mary
Collins of Concord, N.H.
After seeing various incarnations of this exact story
in more than 25 different newspapers across the
country over the last year, it amazes me that the
pharmaceutical companies can blatantly troll for
future customers in our schools (using their front
group "TeenScreen") and there isn't more of an outcry
from the parents. Garrett Smith is the latest teen
tragedy who was placed on "meds" to combat depression
only to commit suicide shortly thereafter. And the
list grows.
TeenScreen would be a joke if the situation weren't so
serious. If TeenScreen has its way, by its own
estimates 37 percent of all teens will be put on
anti-depressants. Given the horrible side effects of
anti-depressants which include suicide and murder
(Helloooo? Is anyone paying attention?), that will
turn our entire school system into a modern day Mei
Lei (as with Columbine). I don't know a single parent
who wants that.  Phil Gilbert of Hollywood, Calif.
__________________________________________________
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You may be asking yourself "what's a TeenScreen
Sheboygan?". Well, Sheboygan is a very fine town on
Lake Michigan, about 30 miles north of Milwaukee. It's
an industrial town with something like 97.5%
hard-working, hearty Americans.
However, that last 2.5% is insidiously working to
enslave the rest with the TeenScreen program. The idea
is to ask invasive questions that could apply to any
normal teen, scream "aha!", slap a psych label on that
young person and count another life-long customer for
the psycho-pharmaceutical industry.
Are you going to stand by and let this happen?
Your assignment is to write a letter to the editor of
the Sheboygan Press.
1. If you need hatting on what to write, click on
www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html
2. If you want to read the article that started this,
you can, but it's the same old tired PR story.
LINK =

05120618/1062
TEXT AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS MESSAGE
3. Write your letter. You should write it in Word or a
similar program first because you might need to send
it to more than one place.
If your last name ends in A-K or T-Z, send your letter
by clicking on

and send email copies to jgulig@sheboygan-press.com
and elarose@sheboygan-press.com.
If your last name ends in L-S, click on the article
link

05120618/1062
and put your comments at the bottom.
4. Report compliance by email.
Best,
Doyle
__________________________________
ARTICLE TEXT:
Schools get help to fight teen suicide
Prevention program funded by federal grant
By Eric LaRose
Sheboygan Press staff
The Sheboygan Area School District's fight against
teen suicide will be getting some federal assistance.
The district learned Thursday it will receive part of
a $1.1 million U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services grant for suicide prevention programs. The
district is one of 10 school and government agencies
statewide to share in the grant money.
Sheboygan's share of the grant will total $44,500 over
the next three years.
"Isn't that amazing?" said Kevin Heling, a South High
School guidance counselor who has worked on the
district's teen suicide prevention program
TeenScreen.
The Sheboygan district launched TeenScreen last fall
to identify students with serious mental health
concerns, and officials applied for the federal grant
to expand the program, which Heling says is working.
"We are reaching a segment of our population that
would have otherwise flown under the radar," Heling
said.
Based on a program developed by Columbia University,
TeenScreen screens freshman students for men-tal
health conditions. The students must have voluntarily
consented to participate in the program, and gotten
parental permission.
Dr. Fred Sutkiewicz, school district psychologist,
said of the 400 freshman students who were screened
last year, about 80 needed further evaluation and
almost half of those students needed a referral for
additional treatment.
"When you do the screenings and you pick up on a
student who says they've made a previous attempt and
have current suicidal (thoughts), and no one else
picked up on that, that we were able to identify these
students and get them some support is really a
rewarding experience to see that come together,"
Sutkiewicz said.
In 2004, 15 people committed suicide in Sheboygan, the
Mental Health Association in Sheboygan County
reported. David Leffin, Sheboygan County coroner, said
22 people committed suicide in the county in 2005, but
he did not provide an age breakdown.
Shel Gross, director of public policy for the Mental
Health Association in Milwaukee, said it's vital to
address the mental-health needs of teenagers.
"Among youth 10 to 19 years of age, we have about on
average 50 kids a year (in Wisconsin) who complete
suicide," Gross said. "But for every one of those,
there are about 20 kids who are hospitalized for
self-inflicted injuries."
Gross said that Sheboygan's TeenScreen was a factor in
the district being selected for the grant. Sheboygan
will be receiving its grant over three years  $19,500
the first year, $15,000 the second year and $10,000
the third year  along with a mentor to support the
district's efforts and additional training funds if
needed.
"We want to raise both the level of awareness about
the problem and the level of awareness about the
evidence-based practices to address the problem,"
Gross said. "We'll be developing a tool kit for that
purpose and in the third year of the grant we're going
to have a statewide conference to really raise the
visibility around the issue."
Though it has been treated as a mystery for years,
suicide is preventable, Sutkiewicz said.
"For suicide prevention, the myth was that it was
unpredictable," Sutkiewicz said. "We know it's
directly related to mental health. What we want to
promote, from this grant, is that mental-health
conditions are common. They are real, and they are
treatable."
Reach Eric LaRose at elarose@sheboygan-press.com and
453-5167.
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