Resources for Locating Mental Health Information
There are few life events as stressful as dealing with mental illness in oneself or a family member. We have compiled a list here of Library resources, as well as local and national organizations to help you cope with difficult life changes. Although the collections at the Central Reference Library and Poughkeepsie Public Library District are highlighted here, you can expand searches in the online catalog to include your local Library and/or other Mid-Hudson Library locations.
Local Organizations & Services
Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene
Dutchess County Suicide Prevention Helpline - (845) 485-9700 / (877) 485-9700 / TTY (845) 486-2700
Hudson River Psychiatric Center
Mental Health Association in Dutchess County
New York State Office of Mental Health- Licensed Programs in Dutchess County
People, Incorporated
St. Francis Hospital- Mental Health Resources
Another great resource is the Library at the Mental Health Association. Schools, agencies and individuals in Dutchess County can borrow numerous videos, pamphlets and books to research on mental health related topics, access a private referral list of approximately 200 psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, and obtain information on local support groups and agencies. They also have a lot of journals for the public and professionals. Contact the Mental Health Association's Library at (845) 486-2896.
Print Sources
General Works
Caring for the Mind: the Comprehensive Guide to Mental Health by Dianne Hales and Robert E. Hales (616.89 Hal)
Fifty Signs Of Mental Illness : a Guide to Understanding Mental Health by James Whitney Hicks (616.89 Hic)
Getting Help : the Complete & Authoritative Guide To Self-Assessment And Treatment Of Mental Health Problems by Jeffrey C. Wood (NEW 616.89 Woo)
Personal Narratives
Devil In The Details : Scenes From An Obsessive Girlhood by Jennifer Traig (B TRAIG)
Everything In Its Place : My Trials And Triumphs With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by Marc Summers with Eric Hollander (616.852 Sum)
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen (616.89 K)
In My Blood : Six Generations Of Madness And Desire by John Sedgwick (NEW B Sedgwick)
An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison (616.89 Hic)
When Rabbit Howls by the Troops for Truddi Chase (616.852 C)
Family Help
At Wit's End : What You Need to Know When a Loved One is Diagnosed with Addiction and Mental Illness by Jeff Jay and Jerry A. Boriskin (NEW 616.86 Jay)
The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia: Helping Your Loved One Get the Most Out of Life by Kim T. Mueser And Susan Gingerich (NEW 616.898 Mue )
Helping Someone with Mental Illness: a Compassionate Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers by Rosalynn Carter
(616.89 Car)
Talking to Depression: Simple Ways to Connect when Someone in Your Life is Depressed by Claudia J. Strauss (616.852 Str)
When Someone You Love is Depressed: How to Help Your Loved One Without Losing Yourself by Laura Epstein Rosen and Xavier Francisco Amador (616.852 Ros )
Reference Sources
The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science edited by W. Edward Craighead, Charles B. Nemeroff (R 150.3 Cor)
DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) American Psychiatric Association (R 616.89 Dia Ref Desk)
Encyclopedia of Human Emotions edited by David Levinson, James J. Ponzetti, Jr., Peter F. Jorgensen (R 152.403 Enc)
Encyclopedia of Mental Health, editor-in-chief, Howard S. Friedman (R 616.89 Enc)
Treating And Preventing Adolescent Mental Health Disorders : What We Know and What We Don't Know: a Research Agenda for Improving the Mental Health of Our Youth, edited by the commission chairs of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands' Adolescent Mental Health Initiative, Dwight L. Evans, et al. (R 616.89 Tre)
Periodicals
The Poughkeepsie Public Library District subscribes to Psychology Today ,which is geared to the layperson.
For access to more scholarly titles like Harvard Mental Health Letter, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Clinical Psychiatry News, etc., use the online databases recommended below.
Online Databases
Subscription databases are available from the Poughkeepsie Public Library District. Databases provide many full-text articles online to read, print, download, or e-mail to yourself, friends or family members.
To find articles about mental health topics in web-based databases, you may search them in the Library or from home, but you must have a library card to use this service. If you live in the Mid-Hudson region, but not in Poughkeepsie, find your local library's Homepage, and look for the 'Home Access' logo.
Health & Wellness Resource Center: Contains articles on general health issues from popular and scholarly magazines and encyclopedias; includes alternative medicine.
ProQuest: Allows users to search more than 2,000 periodicals, newspapers and other resources originating after 1985.
While many database entries include full-text, not all do. If you want an article that is not free full-text online, ask the Reference Librarian to order it for you through interlibrary loan. This is typically a free service.
Web Sites
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
American Psychological Association
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities
Families Together in New York State
Mental Health America (Formerly National Mental Health Association)
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) -State and Local Chapters
National Association for Rights Protection & Advocacy
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug Information
National Institute of Mental Health
National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse
National Mental Health Information Center
New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
New York State Office of Mental Health
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator
Search the Catalog
Search the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) 24/7 to find additional titles to read.
Using a 'subject search,' you can search on general terms such as:
Mentally Ill -- Family Relationships
Or you can search for a specific condition:
Manic-Depressive Illness (used for Bipolar Disorder)
Browse the Collection
Most materials on mental health topics are located in the Dewey Decimal number ranges beginning with 616.89 The general number for psychology is 150. Additional materials on substance abuse and addiction can be found in the section 362.29. You can browse any public or community college collection using these numbers.
Prepared by Deb Weltsch & Joy Matusiewicz, Reference Librarians, 7/07
Contact (845) 485-3445 x3303 with any questions.