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Commissioner's message
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| Office of Communications and Consumer Affiars |
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Anna Chinappi, Director
Steve Holochuck, Director of Consumer Affairs
Pamela Mason, Information and Referral Specialist
Sarah Spaeth, Communications Coordinator
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| Please contribute to the next edition of DMH Connections |
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Deadlines for upcoming issues:
December 22nd for the January 5th newsletter
January 16th for the February 2nd newsletter
Please send all materials to
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Joint Commission: Taunton State Hospital a "National Model" Taunton State Hospital (TSH) received high praise from surveyors from the Joint Commission during a surprise visit to the facility on Nov. 11. The Joint Commission, an independent organization, accredits and certifies more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including all DMH facilities.
Joint Commission surveyors were most impressed with Taunton's recovery and strength-based approach to treatment, which, according to TSH Chief Operating Officer Roberta Guez, has been a significant transformation for the hospital, staff and patients.
Leslie Groves, nurse executive at TSH, was among the hospital leadership staff accompanying the Joint Commission survey team. One surveyor remarked about the "personalization" of one patient's room. A spirited discussion ensued between the DMH charge nurse and the surveyor, she explained, regarding the pros and cons of providing a safe environment and fostering a milieu based in recovery that supports the dignity of risk. "To watch this nurse champion this cause was truly a mark of a turning point in terms of DMH culture," Groves said.
Another story that Groves shares took place on the same unit - a DMH mental health worker brimmed with pride when showing the surveyor his unit, in particular the restraint bed that was covered with a quilt. "When the surveyor remarked at the quilt, the MHW reported that the bed was used so infrequently that they decided to try to 'spruce up' the room a little," Groves said. "The MHW also explained how relieved and elated he was that the restraint bed was not used as much as it was in the past." Guez says that this is further testimony of how much the culture of care at Taunton State Hospital has shifted to one of strength based recovery.
Guez said that the Joint Commission surveyors were skeptical of Taunton's integration of the Recovery Model into individualized treatment. "Our recovery approach is directly connected to our Restraint and Seclusion Reduction Initiative and Taunton State Hospital has reduced restraints by 93 percent over the last four years," Guez said. The Joint Commission's central office was duly impressed and highly commended TSH on this achievement, despite concerns over issues of risk.
Several other findings also generated Joint Commission praise: All orders were legible, no unapproved abbreviations were used and there were no verbal telephone orders, according to Guez. Joint Commission surveyors were also impressed with TSH treatment plans, the de-escalation tool and the skill with which most direct care staff were able to navigate MHIS.
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Multicultural Corner: A Season to Remember, Reflect - and Eat!
With the holidays upon us and plans underway for family gatherings and other social events all requiring the consumption of food, we thought this would be a great opportunity to remind people about the "Multicultural Primer on Food and Culture," aka "The DMH Cookbook."
DMH's Cultural Competence Action Team originally came up with the concept of a cookbook as a "fun" multicultural activity. At the same time, however, there was concern that what is implemented as "multicultural" too often comes down to a focus only on food.
In an effort to address both these concerns, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMCA) created the "Multicultural Primer on Food and Culture." What is it, and why is it unique? In keeping with the function of a primer, you'll see not only recipes, but also factoids scattered throughout the book on different cultural groups. Some of the factoids are related to mental health issues - something you won't see in 99.9 percent of your average cookbooks! Many of the recipes came from you, fellow DMH employees. And along with the recipes you offered, many also included anecdotes about the particular recipe and its significance in their life.
To underscore these points, the recipes are grouped according to "Food We Grew Up With," "Food We Grew to Love," and "Variations on a Theme." The last category, for example, includes four recipes for meatballs from Albania, India, Italy and Sweden.
To tantalize you further, below is a selection from the cookbook which seems particularly apt for the season. For a copy of the cookbook, contact OMCA@dmh.state.ma.us. In the meantime, all of us at OMCA extend best wishes for a wonderful holiday season, and hope that you'll take a minute to go through the cookbook - perhaps it will stir up your own fond memories.
From Excerpts from Nana White's Recipe Book, thanks to Ann Capoccia, Child/Adolescent Services:
IRISH BREAD - A GAELIC BLESSING
2 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c butter or margarine
1/2 c sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c buttermilk
1 c raisins
1/2 c currants
1 tbsp caraway seeds or to taste
Sift dry ingredients. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add egg and buttermilk. Blend well.
Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients. Mix by hand until dry ingredients are well moistened. Fold in raisins, currants and caraway seeds. Pour into 1 quart casserole. Brush top with melted butter or margarine. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Then reduce to 325° for about 30 minutes longer. Test before removing from oven.
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Articles of Interest
WCVB-TV
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We will be posting DMH Connections on DMH's intranet site | |
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Metro Boston Thanksgiving Dinner  The Friends of Metro Boston, Senator Jack Hart (D-Boston) and the Boston Fire Department hosted the fourth annual Thanksgiving Feast at Florian Hall in Dorchester for Department of Mental Health clients. More than 500 DMH clients were served a full Thanksgiving feast by volunteers. Members of the Boston Firefighters Local 718 had the cooking duties while Sen. Hart lead an army of servers that included his legislative colleagues, DMH staff (pictured left Lester Blumberg, General Counsel) and  provider agencies, the Friends of Metro Boston and our friends in the mental health community.
The event featured entertainment provided by Senator Hart who graced the audience with renditions of classic holiday songs while clients enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving meal complete with apple pie a la mode.
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When Hope is Not Just a Word: Conference Will Build on Success
By Pamela Mason  The Hope Conference, sponsored by Westborough State Hospital on Nov. 4, was a resounding success with more than 225 people attending. Westborough State Hospital Chief Operating Officer Joel Skolnick introduced conference participants to the Hope Project, a hospital-wide initiative aimed at instilling hope in both patients and staff.
Conference speakers presented information ranging from the history of hope to engaging in hopeful behavior for patients and staff. Dr. Anthony Scioli, professor of clinical psychology at Keene State College, gave the first presentation, which focused on the history of hope science. This was followed by Dr. Jennifer Cheavens, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University, who described the need for a hope assessment and hope-based protocols in the treatment of mental illness as essential components of recovery.
 The second half of the conference included presentations from two researchers from the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. The first, Dr. Zlatka Russinova, covered the impact care providers have on their patients by providing a foundation for hope and recovery, while Dr. Cheryl Gagne talked about the practical applications needed for such a foundation.
"This conference was a natural fit for the recovery-based work that we have been doing at Westborough State Hospital and in the Department," said Skolnick. "By bringing together national leaders and researchers in the field of HOPE science with providers of care, leadership and consumers within the Department, the HOPE team at Westborough has moved our work forward several steps and we look forward to further integration of HOPE science in our recovery practice."
The Hope Conference was part of Westborough's ongoing Hope Project that is based on research that demonstrates how essential hope is to recovery and partners with top researchers and clinicians in hope therapy.
As part of this project, the hospital has created its own protocols and interventions that teach and encourage hopeful behavior, including Hope Teams and ACT (Advocating for Changes Together). Hope Teams are made up of staff from various departments and meet regularly to identify ways in which to make the environment more hopeful for all. ACT is the equivalent of the Hope Team for patients. Patient representatives from various units meet weekly with rehabilitation staff to discuss ways to improve the quality of life at the hospital by fostering patient empowerment and self-advocacy.
Westborough State Hospital is also in the planning stages of a consumer-focused hope fair that will give consumers experiential learning about the various aspects of hope. The fair will be structured as a traveling exhibit so patients from all Area facilities will be able to participate.
To learn more about The Hope Project, call Nell Fields, chaplain, at 508-616-2336 or visit the Hope Project website.
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Mural Brightens Up Inpatient Unit Donna Griswold (pictured below) is by day a treatment coordinator at the Day Hospital Program for Cape Cod and the Islands Community Mental Health Center. In her other life, she is an artist who recently exhibited her work in New Hampshire. Her talent and beautiful paintings caught the eye of Center Director Steve Jochim, and when he asked Donna if she would be interested in painting a mural for the inpatient unit, she graciously agreed.
 Donna's efforts resulted in a four-by-six-foot mural entitled "A Cape Cod Beach Day." The unveiling of the painting for staff and clients took place on Nov. 13. At the unveiling, Donna spoke to the group about art therapy and explained how the creative process involved in art-making is healing and life enhancing. Donna explained that she had chosen the subject of the mural because "a sunny beach day is often a happy memory for someone."
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Metro Boston Recovery Learning Community Celebrates Opening  The Metro Boston Recovery Learning Community (RLC) and the Boston Resource Center celebrated their new location at the Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house last month.
A remarkable turnout of providers, consumers, DMH staff and friends of the mental health community made the event a true celebration of consumer voice and partnership. On hand to congratulate the many consumers who created the Metro Boston RLC were (pictured above left to right) Commissioner Barbara Leadholm; RLC co-director Ann Whitman; Cliff Robinson, Metro Boston Area Director; Steve Holochuck, Director of Consumer Affairs; Deborah Delman, Executive Director of the Transformation Center; RLC co-director Howard Trachtman (not pictured); and Chuck Weinstein (not pictured), master of ceremonies.
"I am impressed with the many services already being offered including employment support groups, advocacy, recovery based groups, social outings, dinners together and the recently begun the peer-run warm line," said Commissioner Leadholm. "The work, energy and experience of the great folks involved in the Metro Boston RLC will be a beacon of hope for consumers and show that our vision of recovery is real."
The new location offers a library with four Internet access computers, a conference room for WRAP and other trainings and meetings and a comfortable lounge where General Issues Support Groups, Dual Recovery Support Groups and other groups are held.
"It is exciting to see this center which was envisioned, planned and developed by consumers for consumers," said Steve Holochuck, "This type of environment plays a unique role in crystallizing and promoting the consumer voice and cannot be underestimated." |
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NE Home for Little Wanderers Honors Two DMH Employees The Home for Little Wanderers recently presented the A. Keith Brodkin Award which recognized social workers or case managers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty on behalf of children and families. Paul Hartigan, SE Child/Adolescent Case Manager from the Cape and Islands, and Carolyn Toole, DMH Boston Office, were two out of the three nominees in this category. Both Paul and Carolyn received certificates of nomination, and Elizabeth Sullivan from Department of Children and Families in Arlington won the award.
Pictured left to right: Michael Semel, the Director of Children's Collaborative; Joan Wallace Benjamin, President and CEO for The Home for Little Wanderers; Carolyn Toole; and Zuline Gray Wilkinson, VP of Clinical and Multicultural Family Practice.
Pictured left to right: Joan Wallace Benjamin, President and CEO for The Home for Little Wanderers; Paul Hartigan; and Zuline Gray Wilkinson, VP of Clinical and Multicultural Family Practice.
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Westborough State Hospital Celebrates Sukkot  Pastoral Services at Westborough State Hospital sponsored an opportunity for Jewish patients to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot on Oct. 16. Sukkot is one of the three great pilgrimage festivals of the Jewish year, often referred to as the Harvest Festival.
The WSH grounds department built a sukkah, or hut, in a locked courtyard. Pictured above is an example of what a sukkah looks like. The sukkah at Westborough State Hospital was decorated with gourds, corn stalks and branches. The rabbi came with ritual items specific to this holiday. Eleven patients sat within the sukkah, said blessings, ate traditional foods and experienced the holiday.
Laurie Adelstein, coordinator of occupational therapy services at Westborough State Hospital, helped organize the event. "This was very special," she said, "because it helped bring a sense of community to Westborough's Jewish population."
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Lifetime Advocates
Elaine Hill, Deputy Commissioner for Mental Health Services, had the honor of presenting Nelson and Terry Goguen the NAMI-Mass 2008 Lifetime Advocates award at NAMI's annual convention in October. The Goguens were among those who founded the National Alliance for Mental Illness Massachusetts chapter in the early 1980s.
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Changes at the RMV: Reminders Necessary  Like many state agencies and businesses throughout the Commonwealth, the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is working to maximize every penny of savings from their budget in the wake of the drastic downturn in the state and national economy. One cost savings method the RMV is employing is the elimination of courtesy notices sent to customers for the following services:
- License and Mass ID renewal notices
Vehicle Inspection reminder letters for vehicles that are overdue for inspection
- Inspector license renewal notices
- 7D license renewal notices
- Driver's Education Certificates
- Junior Operator Brochures for parents
- Change of address labels
We will all now need to remember our renewal dates for these items. DMH staff involved with consumers should also remember to let consumers and family members know so that their licenses, certificates, etc. don't lapse.
For more information about these RMV changes and others, visit their website. |
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Welcoming a New Beginning at Fuller  DMH staff recently gathered to say farewell to their temporary location at the Lindemann Mental Health Center. Sixty patients and more than 150 staff who lived and worked at the Lindemann building while the Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center underwent renovations, will move to their new refurbished space at the Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center this month.
At the farewell party, staff munched on finger foods while listening to a speaking program that included remarks by Commissioner Barbara Leadholm; Cliff Robinson, Metro Boston Area Director; James Cooney, Social Work Director; Cecil Pryce, Evening Nurse Coordinator; and Cynthia Weissgarber, Infection Control.
Commissioner Barbara Leadholm said it was "a day of underscoring how DMH is committed to recovery and resiliency," and commended staff for their hard work and dedication.
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The Office of Communications and Consumer Affairs would like to extend to each of you our warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season. We hope you enjoy this edition of DMH Connections and please remember to send us your contributions.
