Links________

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
Our national website dedicated to improving the lives of people living with mood disorders. The alliance has created an online community, FacingUs.org, that provides a safe haven for those living with mood disorders and offers inspiration and encouragement to anyone seeking personal wellness.

NAMI Mercer New Jersey
Non-profit organization of families and individuals dedicated to improving the quality of life of people affected by mental illness. You will find information about their support programs and social groups on their web site. From the menu, look under "Get Help" and then "Support Programs." We have a list of their support groups, inculding meeting times and locations.

New Jersey Division of Mental Health Services
The Division of Mental Health Services serves adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses. Central to the Division's mission is the fact that these individuals are entitled to dignified and meaningful lives. The form to complete an advance directive for mental health care is available from the publications section.

MentalHealthCares
New Jersey MentalHealthCares is New Jersey’s mental health information and referral service. Their staff of mental health professionals use their experience and understanding of the mental health system to connect you to the information and services you need. Call 1-866-202-HELP (4357).

Intensive Family Support Services in New Jersey
The Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS) Program is a range of supportive activities designed to improve the quality of life for families with a mentally ill relative. Family members and professionals work collaboratively to provide each family with the knowledge, skills and supports they identify as useful to the family's overall functioning and sense of control. The State of New Jersey funds an IFSS Program in every county. Services are available to any family, free of charge and regardless of whether or not the ill family member is receiving mental health services. To find the IFSS contact for the county where you live or work, click on the above link or call 1-866-NAMI-IFSS (626-4437).

Top 10 Mental Health Blogs
blogs.com ranking of the best mental health blogs. Of note are If You're Going Through Hell Keep Going by Susan S. of our group, and The Trouble with Spikol by Liz Spikol who has spoken to our group.

PsychCentral
The Internet's largest and oldest independent mental health network created and run by mental health professionals to provide reliable, trusted information, and self-help support communities. The site has awarded our own Susan S. an honorable mention "for her sincerity and introspection" on their list of Top Ten Bipolar Blogs 2008. Read Susan's blog at ifyouregoingthoughhellkeepgoing. Well done, Susan!

PsychEducation.org
Extensive information and links on mental health issues. Created by psychiatrist Dr. Jim Phelps as a resource for patients. Has good information on weight gain and medication including research findings and how to cope.

Stable Moods
An online resource for family, friends and people who are affected by Bipolar Disorder. The website was created to cover a broad range of topics related to bipolar disorder where you will be able find news, videos, articles, book reviews, a discussion forum, a blog and many other resources to help you find ways to manage, care for and treat this sometimes difficult disorder.

Center for Environmental Therapeutics
Information on depression and Seasonal  Affective Disorder (SAD) including a self-assessment questionnaire (AutoSiGN) that measures your current state.

Contact of Mercer County (NJ)
Contact's mission is to provide free and compassionate listening, crisis intervention and safety services to those in need.  Their 24-hour hotline number is 609-896-2120.

Drug programs and health centers
On this page we have links to to prescription assistance programs and HRSA supported health centers where you pay based on what you can afford. HealthyPlace has additional advice and resources for getting medications that you can't afford on their Free and Low-Cost Prescription Medication Assistance page.

Community Health Law Project
The Community Health Law Project is a nonprofit advocacy and legal services organization dedicated to serving the needs of low-income people with disabilities in New Jersey.

Workplace Fairness
Workplace Fairness is a non-profit organization that provides information, education, and assistance to workers and their advocates, including your right to be protected from disability discrimination. Additionally, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has published guidance on protections persons with psychiatric disabilities have under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Zuckerman & Fisher, a local law firm that represents employees, has compiled a document, Fired When Sick: Employee Leaves of Absences, that lays out an employee's right to time off for their, or a family member's, medical condition under state and federal law. Should you need legal assistance on an issue with your employer, you may want to start with the New Jersey chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New Jersey
Offers low-cost credit and debt counseling services in person or by telephone. Our counselors find individualized solutions for difficult problems. We work with you and your creditors to reduce interest and finance charges, set up one convenient monthly payment, reduce collection calls and create a sound plan to get you out of debt. Through CCCS, your creditors get paid and you get peace of mind.

LivingManicDepressive
This website provides information on what bipolar disorder (manic depression) is really like, not in dry medical terms, but in the living breathing daily details of our lives.

Depression Central
Ivan Goldberg, MD oversees this site. Contains medication information, information on mood disorders and much, much more.

NARSAD Research
For Affective Disorders (Depression and Bipolar Disorder) and Schizophrenia -- Cutting edge information See Mental Health Infosource.
 
Infinite Mind Series on Public Radio
Public radio program on many topics relating to the mind. Hosted by Fred Goodwin, MD. This long running series, from December 1997 to October 2008, is now out of production. You can listen to recordings of many past programs from the web site. Look for the "Listen Now" button. You may have to install or update RealPlayer to listen.

NY Mood Disorders Support Group
Has a roster of excellent speakers. Also, has a very good list of links.
 
Mental Health Infosource/Ronald Pies, MD
Topics on depression, anxiety, bipolar. Many new features. Under Interactive is "Ask the expert". Dr. Pies is a clinical professor at Tufts. He is a popular Psychiatric Times Columnist. Dr. Pies gives excellent, thoughtful and intelligent answers. See "archived" on Ask the Expert page which sets up a search.

Bipolar Genes
About Bipolar Disorder * Collaborative Research * Interview with Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD of Johns Hopkins. She has bipolar disorder. * Includes a half hour video hosted by Tony Dow of "Leave it to Beaver"
 
The Columbia Bipolar Genetic Study
Studying generations of families with Bipolar Illness to find genes that cause this disorder in order to improve diagnosis, treatment, early intervention and prevention. Need at least 2 living members who have had manic episodes.
 
Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation
Launched to coincide with publication of Dmitri Papolos's landmark book: "The Bipolar child: The Definitive and Reasurring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder". This site is a "virtual community center" with "Ask the expert", a drug database, etc.
 
Mayo Clinic
Accurate, well-written. On Depression and mood disorder as well as many other subjects. Use search box. It will tell you which letter in the alphabet to use. Ex. Bipolar is (b).