Groups join together to support patients and their families with bipolar disorder

The National Bipolar Foundation NBPF founded in 2007 in order to educate, reduce stigma, and seek affordable healthcare for those people living with bipolar disorder, and MedicAlert Foundation, a leader in providing identification and emergency medical information services, have teamed up to provide a 24-hour comprehensive protection system for children, adolescents, and adults with bipolar disorder and their families through the MedicAlert® + Safe ‘til Stable® program.

Bipolar disorder is said to affect at least 1 in 100 people and some say as many as 1 in 25. This cooperative effort between NBPF and MedicAlert will have widespread impact on our society. Children, adolescents and adults living with bipolar disorder, who are involved in accidents and unable to speak for themselves will have MedicAlert speaking for them, informing hospital staff and treating medical providers of their diagnoses, current medications in order to avoid potential dangerous withdrawal, and the acute onset of instability in regards to any symptoms of bipolar disorder. Consumers who commit a crime or demonstrate erratic behavior will have a better opportunity to be transported to a psychiatric facility by law enforcement rather than prison where it is difficult to receive immediate mental health treatment. This means unstable people have a better chance to be stabilized before standing trial, which would increase the chance of easing the strain on our penal system.

“We are excited about our new relationship with the National Bipolar Foundation” said Dr. Martin Kabat, President and CEO of MedicAlert. “MedicAlert was founded by a physician to protect people in times of medical emergencies and we believe this relationship goes right to the heart of our mission and history. The National Bipolar Foundation is working to decrease the overwhelming stigma of bipolar disorder, and will also help to promote our relationship. Therefore, we are honored to have the opportunity to work in alliance with them.”

The MedicAlert + Safe ‘til Stable program will provide comprehensive services that can safeguard and identify individuals with bipolar disorder in an emergency. Each individual enrolled in the program will be provided with a personalized medical ID and wallet card that provide emergency responders with identification information, and details on any additional critical medical conditions or life-threatening allergies. All calls to the 24-hour emergency response center are answered by MedicAlert staff who provide identification and vital medical information to first responders.

The MedicAlert + Safe ‘til Stable program also ensures that designated family members will be notified if an individual requires emergency medical treatment in a caregiver’s absence. Through the program, caregivers will have the reassurance that any time a person wearing a MedicAlert ID has been located or treated, MedicAlert will contact them immediately. Since most people seeing a doctor for the first time regarding bipolar disorder may be unstable, this cooperative effort will provide physicians with a new safeguard to offer patients along with the beginning recommendations for treatment.

“We are very pleased that MedicAlert has agreed to partner with the National Bipolar Foundation on this much needed program” said R. Todd Vanderpool, National Bipolar Foundation Chairman. “MedicAlert has a global reach and an excellent reputation. We feel honored to be part of a program that will help those with bipolar disorder. This cooperative effort with MedicAlert is a major step in providing a valuable benefit to all people living with bipolar disorder and this program will save lives.”

The National Bipolar Foundation was founded in 2007 by Memphian Marc Kullman and a group of dedicated businessmen in order to educate, reduce stigma, and seek affordable healthcare for those people living with bipolar disorder. The Foundation is currently running a nationwide public service announcement on network affiliate stations and has received write-in volunteers from 38 states. The commercial focuses on reducing stigma so people will come forward and seek help. For more information, visit www.nationalbipolarfoundation.org.

MedicAlert Foundation pioneered the first medical identification and emergency medical information service in 1956 to provide people with a simple but effective method for communicating their medical conditions. Since the organization’s founding, MedicAlert has provided services and products that help to protect and save lives for its 4 million members. For more than 50 years, the nonprofit has relayed vital medical information on behalf of its members to emergency responders so they receive faster and safer treatment. MedicAlert IDs alert emergency personnel to a member’s primary health conditions. In addition to its 24-¬hour emergency response service, MedicAlert also provides caregiver notification so that members can be reunited with their families. For more information, visit www.medicalert.org.