Is someone close to you impacted with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) or PSYCHOSIS?
Psychiatric condition? We are sorry you are here.
Are you interested in more information?
and/or joining us?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
CLICK BUTTON:
Is someone close to you impacted with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) or PSYCHOSIS?
Are you interested in more information?
and/or joining us?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
CLICK BUTTON:
"Yes, we have been in your shoes."
(We still are.)
Together we ADVOCATE.
The Arizona Mad Moms is a
grassroots movement of mothers,
caregivers, and family members of
loved ones with degenerative
brain illness causing psychosis.
Through advocacy, legislation, and personal support, Arizona Mad Moms will be a voice to remove barriers to competent psychiatric treatment and services for our loved ones with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), their families, and the community.
SB1309 a New AZ Law, After Family Tragedy
Shared with permission by Crystal Fox:
Among individuals with schizophrenia, an estimated 50% to 80% have a partial or even total lack of insight into the presence of their mental disorder. This condition, known as Anosognosia, has also been observed in people with other diagnoses, such as bipolar disorder, major depression with psychotic features, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders.
Click on "Rachel's 42 minute Podcast on Anosognosia" to learn more.
Call 988 even for basic advice on a mental illness issues.
Volunteer Team Members Wanted & Needed.
Email us if you are interested to help.
The quest for a cure may take decades, but it is the pinnacle of our research and clinical aspirations.
"Creating a Roadmap to Recovery"
May 15 & 16, 2024
Washington, DC, USA
*Arizona Mad Moms:
~ Rachel Streiff, Co-founder
~ Crystal Fox, Co-founder
~ Debby Anderson, Volunteer
Close-up of Rachel, Crystal, and Debby.
November 19, 2024 | Joint Meeting of the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee and Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee
The Committees will discuss the reevaluation of the Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) and possible changes to minimize burden on patients, pharmacies, and prescribers while maintaining safe use of clozapine.
See IN THE NEWS November 20, 2024
Sue Sutter, Senior Editor | CITELINE
for coverage of the FDA hearing 11/19/24.
*Arizona Mad Moms:
~ Chrystal Fox, Co-Founder
~ Rachel Streiff, Co-Founder (Podium)
aka The Angry Moms, Founder
CLOZAPINE
is the
SAFEST
Antipsychotic
in the
WORLD
Attendees: NATIONWIDE
Including, but not limited to
Arizona Capitol Times
Rachel Streiff, Guest Commentary and
Co-founder of Arizona Mad Moms
In 2024, the Arizona Mad Moms “took the Capitol by storm,” passing four new Arizona laws relating to Serious Mental Illness (SMI). In one year, we have grown from a few dozen “mothers who are mad” to more than 400 families.
According to our governor, government agencies, and even the ACLU, Arizona has plenty of psychiatric bed capacity. We don’t.
Colorado Sun
Jennifer Brown, Reporter/Co-Founder
The pattern goes like this: Vassis’ daughter, who has schizoaffective disorder, doesn’t take her medicine or is denied medication, goes into psychosis, gets arrested and goes to jail, is released to the streets, is admitted to a mental health facility, is released on day 13 or 14 because her Medicaid insurance runs out on day 15, does OK for a few days or weeks and then stops taking her medication again. Repeat. This story is not unique. It’s similar to all the other stories told by parents (nationwide).
12News
Colleen Sikora, Journalist/Reporter
A new state report finds behavioral health hospitals, serving some of the most vulnerable in the state, are financially unhealthy themselves.
Mad Mom, Deborah Geelsing is in this interview.
"It's a system that needs change," Geesling said, "to serve the most vulnerable."
CITELINE
Washington DC
Sue Sutter, Senior Editor
The atypical antipsychotic’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy should be retired because the requirements for prescriber education and documentation on absolute …
YOUTUBE
Unedited Live Recording
8h52m38s
The Committees will discuss the reevaluation of the Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) and possible changes to minimize burden on patients, pharmacies, and prescribers while maintaining safe use of Clozapine.
Public Testimonies Start @ 5:38:11
Panel Discussion & Voting Start @ 7:31:01
CRONKITENEWS
Pathways to Equity podcast: Episode 1
... for the seriously mentally ill on the families and community. Listen to our conversation with (President of 'ACMI' Association for the Chronically Mentally Ill) Josh Mozell, one of a few lawyers in the country with a mental health-care practice, and (Arizona Mad Mom) Tyra Street, whose son has schizophrenia.
Arizona's Family
Alexis Dominguez, Anchor - Reporter
Valley moms (AZ Mad Moms - including families) are sounding the alarm on bed shortages and shorter stays for severe mental health patients at psychiatric inpatient care facilities.
CronkiteNews AZPBS
Shi Bradley, News Digital Reporter-Phoenix
Bed shortages and inadequate care leave patients with Serious Mental Illness in metro Phoenix at risk.
Multiple hospitals in the state are currently at capacity and have turned away patients in recent months, and those who do get beds are often discharged prematurely.
KJZZ 91.5 Phoenix
Matthew Casey, Senior Field Correspondent
“What is so sad is that the report found that Phoenix's officers act on the assumption that people with disabilities are dangerous."
Attorney Larry Wulkan
CBS NEWS MIAMI
MIAMI - A first-of-its-kind mental health facility is now a big step closer to opening in Miami-Dade County. The facility aims to help people with severe mental illness, who are caught in the criminal justice system.
AWARENOW
'Beyond Stigma' Exclusive Column by
National Shattering Silence Coalition
This story is about Crystal's son Joshua, and his father John, the inspiration for “John’s Law” recently passed in Arizona Legislation 2024.
... which found Missouri is mistreating thousands of mentally ill citizens. The report lays out the year-and-a-half investigation ...
Rachel Streiff co-founded an Arizona-based organization called ‘Arizona Mad Moms',
which now has a chapter in Missouri.
azcentral.com
Stephanie Innes, Health Reporter
4 new mental health laws are "cause for hope", AZ (Mad Moms) group says.
12News
Erica Stapleton, I-Team Reporter
Victory for Mad Moms: Gov. Hobbs signs mental health bill into law. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Consuelo Hernandez.
Arizona's Family
Alexis Dominguez, Anchor - Reporter
Teen substance abuse and mental health program launching in Sun City West
Arizona Capital Times
Hannah Elsmore, Senate Reporter
Mondays mean Senate hears true stories of mental health crisis.
P82 Project Restoration
Deborah Geesling, President
There’s a grassroots movement afoot. Actually, movement is too weak of a word. I would characterize it more like a Texas storm front with ominous clouds gathering.
Mothers, sisters, grandparents, fathers, brothers who have loved ones and friends living with serious mental illness, they’re mad. They’ve had enough.
12News
Joe Dana, Anchor
Arizona lawmakers propose new bills for psychiatric care of seriously mentally ill.
Treatment Advocacy Center
Jerri Clark, Resource and Advocacy Manager
"Gone, But Not Gone"
Ambiguous loss is a loss that occurs without a significant likelihood of reaching emotional closure or a clear understanding. This kind of loss leaves a person searching for answers, and thus complicates and delays the process of grieving, and often results in unresolved grief.
12News
Erica Stapleton, I-Team Reporter
'We could not get him help'. Mother demands change in Arizona's mental health care system after son dies by suicide in prison.
Arizona Mad Mom's co-founder Crystal Fox - this article is about her son, Joshua John Fox.
0:55:05
Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches
02/21/2022
A "4 Moms in the Trenches" episode Rachel Streiff: Mental Health Advocate, Mentor to SMI Caregivers, Data analyst for Team Daniel Running for Recovery from mental illness, (Dr. Robert Laitman’s organization), chemical and biomedical engineer with a legacy six sigma black belt certification - Mother of our guest in episode 22, who is currently a full-time college student. If you enjoyed her son's story in Episode 22, hear his Mom's side of the advocacy and how she insisted on the best available care - a standard some practitioners do not follow.
A very powerful hour.
"My journey through schizophrenia and homelessness."
0:08:23
05/18/2019
On 07/15/24 Mad Moms Zoom - Guest Speaker
~ Thank You Bethany!
1:02:29
This documentary discusses how to achieve Meaningful Recovery from Serious Mental Illness, and Schizophrenia with education, medication and advocacy. A message of hope and real help, the films topics include: barriers to treatment, the under utilized medication, clozapine, and the importance of a supportive community.
There are over 25 interviews of patients, parents, leading medical professionals, healthcare professionals, advocates – from across the USA, including: Dr Xavier Amador, LEAP; Dr Lisa Dixon, CUIMC; Dr Ken Duckworth, NAMI; Miriam Feldman, SCZ: Three Moms in the Trenches; Dr Rob & Ann Mandel Laitman, TEAM DANIEL; Dr Jeffrey Lieberman; Dr Jonathan Meyer; Lynn Nanos, Michael Orth; Bill Rodgers, The Marathon Runner; Dr Fuller Torrey; Elyn Saks, Rachel Streiff, Arizona Mad Moms; and Bethany Yeiser, CURESZ.
Advocacy Guidelines for Working With a SMI Clinic 2nd Edition
"How to Achieve the Desired Result"
07/08/2022
On 07/08/24 Mad Moms Zoom - Guest Speaker
~ Thank You Andy!
Slides of the PDF is above in the Section
"Monday Night Mad Moms Zoom Meeting"
OR Click Printable Document
Hello, my name is Crystal Fox, the late Joshua Fox's mom, and one of the co-founders of the grassroots organization, Arizona Mad Moms. The objective is;
To help, to fill gaps in the community-based SMI system, and to educate the public on the need for life saving treatment; including involuntary treatment in hospitals over incarceration.
Provide access to all levels of community treatment which includes inpatient involuntary hospital beds so that dangerous people are not released to the streets, education, and training.
We also provide direct support to families living with serious mental illness.
Diagnosis of schizophrenia involves ruling out other mental health disorders and determining that symptoms are not due to substance abuse, medication, or a medical condition.
A Behavioral Health Residential Facility (BHRF) is a non-hospital housing in a residential neighborhood.
Behavioral Health Resident Facility including Co-occurring conditions, such as drug and/or alcohol addictions.
It is a myth that individuals with Serious Mental Illness will hit rock bottom and then ask for help.
1. An application can begin at 17.5 years old, while your child is still a minor.
2. Pre-plan to hand over to the provider (the doctor or nurse practitioner)
3. You need to be proactive! Providers will not ask you to be.
SMI is for adults, 18 and over. Whereas typically it is DDD (or department of developmental disability) that is for younger kids.
*Emotional disability can qualify especially borderline personality, self-harm, etc. It just needs that
functional impairment.
**Qualifying diagnosis or typically: Bipolar 1 Disorder, Schizophrenia, or severe depression.
HB 2744 helps parents or guardians to;
1. Learn if the individual is released from a screening facility.
2. Also, if a person has a guardian, is living at home with the parent (or friend) and is under court ordered treatment, now the family can petition the courts to continue that level of care.
We are trying to help anyone with serious mental illness. Most serious mental
illness begins in adolescents but on rare occasions it is seen in children.
No. However, TAC does, and here’s the link:
“. . . the map to find state-specific resources for severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.“ - TAC
We are mothers, parents, family members and caregivers who have come together to advocate for the safe use of Clozapine for our loved ones with a psychiatric condition.
"Clozapine is certainly not the only medicine available to physicians and patients in the US with agranulocytosis as a potential adverse effect. But how many of these other medicines require a REMS program for prescribing and dispensing? None."
Click here to visit our website, The Angry Moms.
Rachel Streiff, co-founder of Arizona Mad Moms
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