Position Announcement

Research Assistant, Clinical
Psychiatry - MHSIC
Job Number: 1159


This is an exciting opportunity to join the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Services Research, Mental Health Systems Improvement Collaborative (MHSIC) located in Catonsville, MD. The Research Assistant will assist in the collection of data for an evaluation of a federal grant to transform the organization and delivery of mental health services in the state of Maryland.

The research assistant will perform the following activities:
Assisting in data collection activities including developing and disseminating questionnaires; conducting interviews including some travel to areas off-site; co-leading focus groups; abstracting information from existing documents such as State Plans or policy/regulation lists; and keeping project records.
Creating databases including coding, entering and cleaning data; and performing basic statistical analyses with supervision.
Project coordination including collaborating with mental health providers, administrators, advocates, and other transformation stakeholders as well as interacting with mental health consumers and family members.
Assisting in preparing project reports and conducting literature searches.
Other related work as required.

Requirements:
A Bachelors degree in Psychology, Sociology, or related field is required. One year of experience in research is preferred. (Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered). The desired candidate will have experience as a primary or secondary consumer of mental health services. The qualified candidate should have working knowledge of research methods and statistical techniques and procedures; skill in the use of computers; specifically MS Word and EXCEL; ability to present data in appropriate formats; to operate standard office equipment; and to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Working knowledge of computerized statistical applications such as SAS, SPSS-X, BMDP, Epi-Info or SYSTAT is highly desirable.

Hiring Range: Commensurate with education and experience
Filing Deadline: Until Filled

If you have internet access, you can apply for this position online. To apply for this position, go to https://apply.unicru.com/umaryland/ece/JobSearch.aspx . You will be able to select this position by Job Title - Research Assistant-Clinical-Psychiatry –MHSIC .

If you need assistance, or do not have internet access, you may contact Staffing & Career Services at 410-706-7171, Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm EST. Maryland Relay can be accessed by dialing 711 (in-state) or 1-800-735-2258.

Thanks, Randy, for the Forum!

Randy Bosin led a very interesting forum on the MD Transformation Grant on Monday August 27, 2007, and we are very happy to have had him lead it. We had about 27 people in attendance, and a core group of 16 or so who stayed at the Forum. Paula Lafferty from MD Mental Hygiene and Consumer Liaison for the Transformation Grant Work Group, attended - great to see you! (note: Paula, if I got your title wrong, give me a ring!)

Here are, transcribed, questions and comments posed by the audience:

REGARDING MOSTLY THE GRANT
. Who can apply for the Transformation Grant?
- groups, individuals?

. How to push harder for peer support and TRAINING ($ available)?

. How to convey personal experiences in recovery to others? (Editor's note: NAMI's In Our Own Voice is such a vehicle)

. How can I get involved w/ the Transformation Grant? (TG)

. I've never heard of the Transformation Grant!

. How will $13.5 million make an impact on the professionalism of people who work with consumers?

. I never really thought it was possible to recover/cure depression - until a few weeks ago (coming to the drop-in center, checking out other support groups, etc)

. I have much education, insight, inside contacts and resources, and it's still really hard to get good info (on doctors., education, resources, therapy, etc.) I can only imagine how horribly hard it would be for someone w/ less resources than I have!

. I need more information on personal recovery

. What can we do to help heal the mental health system?

. My understanding is the grant gives money to organizations or individuals to create awareness, and to some way change the rules/policies/laws of the state of Maryland to get recovery into the programming

. Can drop-in centers get grants to provide public education?

. I came here to see how I can participate in the grant - but I have low vision and have to leave ... because it's getting dark!

. Why is there no standardized process to apply (for contracts) for the grant???

. More money needs to go toward training Crisis Intervention Teams/Police in sensitivity!!! (handcuffs example as a traumatic event)

. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - examples w/ vets, VA Hospital/Walter Reed/families/Iraq/Afghanistan - is a big issue and can only grow larger!

. I've had problems getting turned away from programs due to "not qualifying", due to either having private insurance or barely being above ridiculously low income levels. Falling through the cracks is a big deal!

. My understanding is that the grant assumes that Maryland's Public Mental Health System (PMHS) is broken - so it needs to evolve to be consumer-designed?

. International statistics in recovery - Japan did the best, though it took 15 - 24 years to "recover"

. Training professionals in consumers' experiences should also be done BY consumers! Is there a way to certify consumers to provide this valuable training? Perhaps CEU (Continuing Education Units)???

. This Grant is a "First Aid Box" - but what's IN the box?

. How do family members help their loved ones with mental illness?

. Hotlines/Warmlines - training (and payment of volunteers or way to keep them engaged to do this valuable work)

. Train people/consumers to be more independent (teach critical thinking skills, teach how to ask questions, to use resources, until they get the information/help they might need)

. There's a significant amount of interest in participating in this grant in all ways

. I would like us to share information on what's worked and what has not (therapy, treatments, interventions, modes of relating, meds, everything)

REGARDING MOSTLY RECOVERY, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

. It IS possible to recover

. 1979/1986: two studies - overwhelmingly, the United States was behind the rest of the world (in recovery rates, I think is what the speaker meant)
- Issue w/ stigma
- Issue w/ ... ?

. Distinguish between adults and children

. ADVOCACY is NECESSARY
What this means:
Learn how to fend for yourself
System might want to train people to "advocate" for themselves

. (Issue of) Isolation/Not in Community
- need sources of information and help

. For me, recovery does not happen in the PMHS - it happens in community
(for example, special interest/sexual minority group; could be a woodwinds/book club/anything)

. How to live fully, productively and engaged with the community
- the wider the community, the better?

. Repair relationships with family and friends

. Many forms of community
-hobbies - bars - volunteering
- school - work - support groups
-work - music - family etc..

. Fun trips (Atlantic City) would help w/ recovery
. Outreach (at home) would be helpful

. Drop-in centers need training in crisis situations and with phone calls
. Warm lines and hotlines

. Work on stigma: in films, media

Recovery: What it is, How to Get it? Forum Mon Aug 27, 07, 6 to 7:30 pm

Silver Spring Drop-In Center, 7961 Eastern Ave., 1st floor, SS, will host a forum on Recovery: What it is, how to get it by Randy Bosin, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

We look forward to an interactive discussion on personal and systemic recovery (i.e., the Maryland Mental Health Transformation Grant).

Light refreshments will be served.

Please try to RSVP by Sat. Aug. 25, 5 p.m. : 301. 589.2303 X 108. Leave your name and phone number, please; you can also include your email if you'd like in the message. (You may still attend if you don't, but it may be crowded and there may not be enough victuals for ya in that case!)

Look forward to seeing you next week!