Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
March 16, 2004, Vol. 04-33

CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMER RESEARCHERS

Dear Colleague,
The Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), through a contract with Westat/Health Systems Research, Inc. (HSR), is providing financial support to researchers who are consumers of mental health services who wish to participate in either of the conferences listed below. Scholarships will be awarded to 5 consumer researchers for each conference.

"Best Practices for Surveying People with Disabilities Sponsored by the Federal Interagency Committee on Disability Research" Washington, DC April 19-20, 2004 This meeting will provide an opportunity for communication between professionals in survey methodology and disability studies about (1) barriers to survey participation by respondents with disabilities and (2) experience with techniques for including respondents with disabilities in surveys, especially national surveys that provide statistics related to public policy on disability. A goal of this conference is to begin a process for developing and disseminating a set of "best practices" for including respondents with disabilities in surveys. Additional information available at: www.icdr.us/survey.

Advancing a Research Agenda for ICF-International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Halifax, Nova ScotiaJune 1-4, 2004 This meeting will be used to develop a comprehensive North American research agenda for ICF. This is needed because the ICF is a new and multi-dimensional classification, encompassing both a medical and a social model of disability, and has not been used extensively in its current structure. The ICF is intended to have a number of applications as a statistical tool, a research tool, a clinical tool, a social policy tool, and as an educational tool. A research plan for each of these areas must be specified. Additional information available at: www.icfconference.com.

If you are interested in applying for a scholarship to attend either of these conferences, please contact Stephanie Hauser at the information below to attain an application. Applications must be received by March 24, 2004 to be considered. Please note that in order to be eligible for this scholarship you must be a researcher, consumer of mental health services and a U.S. citizen.

As a scholarship recipient, you will be asked to do the following:

Submit a 2 to 5 page report on conference findings to HSR within 2 weeks of the conclusion of the conference in a format provided by HSR.

Submit an evaluation form to HSR within 2 weeks of the conclusion of the conference.

Submit a travel reimbursement form to HSR within 2 weeks of the conclusion of the conference.

Inform HSR if you are unable to attend the conference or will be delayed in meeting the other three conditions.

Feel free to pass this on to other mental health consumer researchers who may be interested.

Stephanie Hauser
Project Coordinator
Health Systems Research, Inc.
1200 18th St. NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 828-5100 ext. 115
Fax: (202) 728-9469
Email: SHauser@hsrnet.com

*************************************************

The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.