DMH Office of Communications and Community Engagement
Anna Chinappi, Director
Questions or suggestions? Contact Anna at
617-626-8124 |
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Deadlines for upcoming issues:
November 18 for the December 1 newsletter
December 14 for the January 4 newsletter
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| Department of Public Health Blog |
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Click here to view the DPH blog which features expert tips on nutrition and physical activity as well as a roundup of health and wellness events. |
Connections Corrections
October Issue: "Hoop Event Score for Lindemann" We apologize for ommiting Gamal Lumumba who is a Recreational Therapist at the DMH unit at the Shattuck Hospital. Gamal is the founder of the Shattuck vs. Lindemann Basketball tournament. He began playing 1:1 with the guys and 3:3 with the girls. At the clients request, Gamal contacted Bob Filmore and started the annual tournament, now an annual success! |
Find the World in Central Mass
This fall, the DMH Central Mass Area launched "The World in Central Mass" map campaign. A giant world map is at the heart of the Area's Diversity Center located in the lobby of the Bryant Building at Worcester State Hospital. The Diversity Center showcases the Area's diversity mission and local cultural and ethnic events throughout the area.
"The World in Central Mass" is the Area's latest initiative to highlight the wonderfully diverse backgrounds of our hospital and community staff to help share and learn more about each other. A simple questionnaire asking staff where they were born or about their heritage along with any family recipes or stories they wished to share was sent to all staff in the Central Mass Area. The heritage information gathered was used to mark their place on the map. The additional recipes and family stories have been compiled into a booklet for all to appreciate and will be posted in the Diversity Center though out the year.
The wall-sized map will remain on display in the Diversity Center as a daily reminder of how eclectic an Area we are and how integral the message of diversity is to the work day |
Fall Into Fitness: A Celebration of Healthy CHANGES at the Lindemann Gym
As the crisp fall air sets in, it gets harder to get a walk or jog in outside. For Metro Boston consumers and staff, the Lindemann Gym is an available resource to keep fit as the weather turns cold. The gym is a warm and welcoming way to make small Healthy CHANGES. Gym director Bob Filmore keeps the gym filled with consumers on a daily basis.
Lindemann and Central Office staff recognized the health benefits of the gym and recently hosted Fall into Fitness, a celebration of the Lindemann gym and healthy lifestyle. More than 60 consumers and staff attended the event and heard from Commissioner Leadholm, Metro Boston Area Director Cliff Robinson, and Bob Filmore. Everyone was treated to healthy yogurt, fruit and granola parfaits. Molly Swanberg, who oversees the North Suffolk Transitional Employment program, shared samples of the new fruit smoothies that are among the healthy options now available in the Lindemann coffee shop. Kendra Ocanez, who oversees the health and wellness for CBFS Boston and Chelsea programs, developed a survey for clients and staff to complete, asking what activities that they would like to see in the gym.
Through the generous donation of Bernie Carey, executive director of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Bob Filmore was able to purchase 10 "DMH Lindemann" basketball jerseys for consumers to borrow and wear for future basketball tournaments. Bernie attended the 3-3 basketball tournament featured in the October issue of DMH Connections and was impressed by the sportsmanship, teamwork and enthusiasm of the players, particularly the women who participated in the free throw contest following the tournament. The jerseys were proudly displayed with the winning trophy and team photo at the event.
The highlight of the Lindemann gym celebration the personal stories of three consumers who spoke of how the gym has helped them with weight loss and in recovering from mental illness. The gym has become a great example of how consumers and staff can work together -- we are bound to see continued success stories of Healthy CHANGES as a result of having it.
Pictured above: Lindemann Gym Director Bob Filmore speaks about the clients accomplishments as Cimmishoner Leadholm and Michele Anzaldi smile with pride at the gym's success. |
Newton Teens Committed to Service
Pledge for Wellness becomes a cause
By Peggy Moses
NAMI Newton Wellesley Affiliate
What comes to mind when one thinks of a teen today? So many clichés pop up. How about the idea that "one's teenager is totally involved in their own life." As a teen I thought of myself as fiercely independent and would do just about the opposite of what was suggested. Now, I have to think again.
I have come across three young men in high school from Newton who have been working on The Pledge for Wellness Initiative this past summer. The Pledge for Wellness is an initiative of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Caleb Gannon, Zack Grannan and Kevin Zabrecky, all in their junior year at Newton North High School, came forward on their own and became a part of raising awareness of the meaning of The Pledge for Wellness. They understood that early death is a high risk for individuals with serious mental illness and they wanted to help. Each has a sense of service to our community. Caleb, Zack and Kevin are friends and they helped gather signatures for The Pledge for Wellness this summer in downtown Newton, Newton Senior Center Health and Wellness Fair and the Waltham Senior Health and Wellness Fair at Doubletree Suites Hotel in Waltham.
Many vendors exhibited at these fairs which featured great activities around exercise, finances and wellness. After seeing Kevin, Caleb and Zack several times I learned a little bit about their lives. Each of them shares an interest in building stage sets for plays at their schools and they like hanging around with their friends. Caleb joined the school newspaper and enjoys being in a band and played bass guitar. Caleb has participated in benefits such as one for leukemia. He believes it is not a person's fault to have a disability and like The Pledge for Wellness, Caleb thinks an individual should be given opportunities to live longer. He feels that individuals should be helped by their doctors to live to the best of their abilities.
"Helping people live is a great thing!" said Kevin. Kevin went on to say that in government we should get an initiative passed like this one. Zack shared the feelings of his friends and said, "It would be great if we get The Pledge for Wellness to go forward in Massachusetts."
Zack also said he likes working for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). "I really like working for NAMI for many reasons," he said. "It feels wonderful to make a difference in our community and to raise awareness of issues that many people ignore, or don't understand. Families, schools and neighborhoods are all affected when someone in their community suffers from mental illness, but cannot get help. I volunteer because I imagine a future where mental illness doesn't get in the way of people who wish to accomplish great things."
NAMI-Massachusetts, the NAMI Newton-Wellesley Affiliate, Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation , NAMI National and the Department for Mental Health (DMH) all support The Pledge for Wellness. DMH has an extensive wellness initiative called Health CHANGES. When asked about wellness in their own lives these young men replied that wellness is for everyone. Caleb believes that walking everywhere he goes is a natural way to stay healthy. Zack thinks that doing what you enjoy is the best way to stay healthy. All three friends use their carpentry skills and install lights for play production. They find this work to be physically demanding. It is something they do every day after school and something they will always remember sharing.
We, at NAMI Newton-Wellesley Affiliate, will long remember Caleb, Zach and Kevin for their enthusiasm in participating in The Pledge for Wellness and their dedication to the community. Jean Acerra, of Newton, vice president of the NAMI Newton-Wellesley Affiliate, said, "I am very proud of these three young men to come to our assistance. We need people who can speak out for people who may excel in their abilities although they may have experienced a mental illness."
The Pledge for Wellness initiative is the result of research findings showing individuals with severe mental illnesses may develop early death--up to 25 years earlier than the general population. Many of the causes of early mortality can be prevented by proper medical treatment and change of health factors such as smoking, obesity, inadequate access to health care, etc. National research findings confirming these facts have been published in the last few years by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD).
You can help by signing The Pledge for Wellness. For more information contact Peggy Moses at Peggym97@yahoo.com
Kevin Zabrecky explains the premise of the Pledge for Wellness to an elder community member attending the event. |
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Conferences and Events
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Suicide Prevention Program Workshop Calendar is now available offering workshops from October through December and will be adding more workshops throughout the year.
When registering for a workshop, please note that each event has tabs titled with information regarding the workshop. Space is limited for each workshop and fills up quickly, so please register before the deadline.
November 7, 2009
Advancing the Well-Being of Individuals with
Schizophrenia: A Research Update A free public education program 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., with check-in from 9:15 - 10 a.m. Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston. Complimentary coffee, tea, and lunch will be served.
This program is intended for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and their families and friends. Attendees will learn from MGH clinician researchers about topics including: smoking cessation, genetics, cognitive function and schizophrenia in the workplace. A special feature of the program is a guest panel comprised of individuals in recovery from schizophrenia.
Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. Early registration is recommended. To register or learn more about the program, visit the MADI Resource Center web site or call 617-724-8318.
November 7, 2009
Conversation, Creativity and Community: A World Cafe to Redefine our Community
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Whitin Mill, 50 Douglas Road, Whitinsville, MA Alternatives Unlimited Inc. invites you to join us to explore what makes an engaged, creative community of the future that finds value in all its member. Click here for details and to register.
November 17, 2009
Friends Voices for Rehabilitation and Recovery: Awards Ceremony
9 to 12:30 p.m. at Center Club of Boston. 31 Bowker Street, Boston (Government Center). Please join The Friends as they celebrate their 30th birthday and present annual awards. For more information call 617 788-1002.
November 19, 2009
The Great American Smokeout
Check your local areas for events. Make Healthy CHANGES - Try quitting for the day and maybe even make a plan to quit for good!
December 7, 2009 "It's Clear"
All DMH Campuses are required by EOHHS to be tobacco free inside and out.
AND STILL WE RISE! Powerful true stories of struggle and triumph courageously and dramatically told by those directly impacted by violence,
addiction, and prison.
PERFORMANCE
Tue, Nov 17, 2009 - 7 p.m. Lasell College, deWitt Hall, 80 Maple St, Newton, MA 02466
Thurs., Nov 19, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. Criminal Justice Policy Coalition: Continuing Legal Education bldg at 10 Winter Place, Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA 02111
Both presentations are free and open to the public (donations welcome
INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP
Nov 21 - 4 to 6 p.m.
Project Place, 1145 Washington St., Boston, MA 02118 (corner of Washington and Berkeley sts) - Open to anyone with relevant background experience interested in possibly joining the cast. Call 617-780-5062 or send your name and phone number to andstillwerise@gmail.com The following fall trainings are being held by The Bridge in Worcester
All trainings are held at:
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA 01752
Information and online registration: www.thebridgetraininginstitute.org
New Developments in Understanding and Treating Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
Barry Walsh, Ph.D. - November 5, 2009 - 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
One of the most challenging problems for clinicians and other professionals is dealing effectively with non-suicidal self-injury. Of special concern is that self-injury has recently moved from clinical populations such as those served in hospitals and group homes to the general population including middle, high school and college students.
This presentation will focus on understanding, managing and treating diverse forms of self-injury. Self-injury will be distinguished from suicidal behavior in terms of a number of key characteristics. Eight levels of care in the management and treatment of self-injury will be reviewed.
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth: Informed Clinical Practice, Risk Management & Suicide Prevention
Effie Malley, M.P.A.; Leigh Powers; Patricia Lemley, M.A.; & Laura Farnsworth - December 3, 2009 - 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
This training will address a range if practical issues critical to providing sensitive and informed care to gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered (GLBT) youth. The workshop will emphasize what you need to know when working with GLBT youth including terminology, recent research findings, and recommendations for schools, programs and practice. The workshop will present a new action-oriented toolkit, developed by the national Suicide Prevention Resource Center, on preventing suicide and suicidal behavior among LGBT youth. Participants will have access to the toolkit, so they can further disseminate the training throughout their own organizations. |
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We will be posting DMH Connections on DMH's intranet site | |
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It's Clear, The Butts Stop Here at DMH
November 19 marks the 33rd anniversary of the "Great American Smokeout" sponsored by the American Cancer Society (ACS). The ACS continues its legacy of providing free resources to help people kick the smoking habit. The Great American Smokeout was inaugurated in 1976 to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for one day. Last year, 39.8 percent of the 43.4 million Americans who smoke attempted to quit for at least that one day. The Great American Smokeout remains an opportunity to encourage people to commit to making a long-term plan to quit for good.
 With all the resources available to help smokers quit, there has never been a better time to quit smoking. According to Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, Secretary of Health and Human Services, "as part of our over all commitment to wellness, I am pleased to announce implementation of a new Tobacco-Free Initiative titled "It's Clear" on December 11, 2009." DMH has decided to take this initiative one step further; its facilities and campuses will become tobacco-free beginning December 7, 2009. Although this is an earlier date than Secretary Bigby has stated, it will give our clients and staff a full week of support before being Tobacco-Free on a weekend.
Tobacco use remains to be the single largest preventable cause of disease and preventable death in the United States.
To get started:
Don't carry cigarettes around with you
Drink coffee without smoking
Drive without smoking
Deal with stress without smoking
Delay smoking for a few minutes, let the craving pass
Remind yourself of the reasons you are quitting smoking
Think of the positive effects of quitting
Nicotine recovery benefits include:
Breathe better Smell better
Feel better
Better sense of taste
Better sense of smell
More money in your pocket
Live longer
In conjunction with the Great American Smokeout and the Tobacco-Free Initiative, an all day Kick-Off event is being planned for November 19, 2009 at Central Office/Lindemann location and in many areas. Look for more details in the next few weeks.
Available Internet Resources:
EOHHS Tobacco-Free Campuses Page for DMH Staff: http://eohhs-web/smokefree.asp
Tobacco Cessation Leadership Network (TCLN): http://www.tcln.org
Smoking Cessation Leadership Center: http://smokingcessationleadership.ucsf.edu
Quitworks: www.quitworks.orgQuitline:www.quitline.org
Remember, the overall goal is health and wellness for all. Let's start now and work together by supporting consumers and each other! |
"Sustaining the Vision of Recovery in Challenging Economic Times"
Commissioner Leadholm continues forums statewide
Commissioner Leadholm will continue a series of forums statewide, engaging the mental health community and the public in conversations on how the Department of Mental Health can sustain its mission in serving adults, children, adolescents and families with mental health needs in these challenging economic times. The Commissioner's dialogues, which will be held across the state over the next several months and beyond, will ask stakeholders to search for solutions and establish priorities while meeting increasingly challenging fiscal realities and continue momentum in transforming the mental health system.
The Commissioner's dialogues will focus on the following questions/issues:
- Delineation of Department's core and essential services
- How can DMH reduce expenditures AND preserve core and essential services?
- How can you as a stakeholder in mental health community engage colleagues, friends and family and other interested people to think about how to meet our challenges together?
- How can DMH operations and services be redesigned and restructured to achieve efficiencies, make better use of technology and better serve consumers and families?
- In what ways can DMH partner with other EOHHS agencies and non-governmental entities to streamline services and serve consumers and families?
Forums were held in North East Area and Western Mass. Areas last week. The public and interested parties are invited and encouraged to attend any of the four remaining forums scheduled in the DMH Areas below.
For those unable to attend any of the forums, you may send your ideas and suggestions by email to dmhcommissionersoffice@dmh.state.ma.us.
Monday November 2, 2009 6 to 8 p.m.
Central Massachusetts Area
Worcester State College
Student Center
Blue Lounge
486 Chandler Street
Worcester, MA
Wednesday November 4, 2009 6 to 8 p.m.
Metro Boston Area
Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center
Cafeteria, lobby level
85 East Newton Street
Boston, MA
Metered Parking located around the perimeter of the building and parking garages on Albany Street
Thursday November 5, 2009 6 to 8 p.m.
Metro Suburban Area
Atkin Auditorium at the Brayton School Massachusetts Hospital School
3 Randolph Street
Canton, MA
Parking garage is located directly under the high school
Monday November 9, 2009 6 to 8 p.m.
Southeastern Massachusetts Area
The Conference Center at
Massasoit Community College
770 Crescent Street
Brockton, MA |
Central Mass Area Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Illness Awareness Week was observed around the Commonwealth last month and the DMH Central Mass. Area, Worcester State Hospital (WSH) and Area Community Services collaborated on a series of events from guest lecturers on the history of Worcester State Hospital to the WSH Rehab Department open house and the second annual art show and sale.
Dr. Enoch Callaway, semi-retired emeritus professor of psychiatry at USC San Francisco and author of Asylum ushered in Mental Illness Awareness Week with an armchair lecture on his personal accounts of living and working at Worcester State Hospital as a psychiatric resident circa 1948. Dr. Callaway's experiences are the basis of Asylum, which details the conditions and treatment provided at WSH prior to the pharmacological breakthroughs of the early 1950s.
 The Central Mass. Area's second annual week-long art show and sale, "Art of Expression II," showcased the many artistic talents of DMH consumers. Photographs, sculptures, paintings and handcrafted jewelry were on exhibit. For the show, Alternatives, Inc. Arts and Culture Group provided a truly creative and fun exhibit of ordinary household objects recreated on a massive scale. "The Magnification Project" was constructed from 95 percent recycled materials and invited viewers to walk through a mock apartment set filled with overlarge items such as a teacup, flowers, a rubber duck and crayons to name a few of the items on display.
Worcester State Hospital's Rehab Mall Open House on October 8 brought together the Area's provider community and the hospital's rehabilitation department for information on various community services. This was an opportunity for DMH Central Mass. provider agencies to visit WSH and witness the programming offered within the hospital at the Rehab Mall and for the hospital staff to learn more about the array of services offered in the community. |
Young People Take Position on Restarint and Seclusion
On August 13 and September 4 this year, young people from across the Commonwealth gathered together for youth-only forums to develop a position statement on the practice of restraint and seclusion in treatment settings. More than 20 youth, whose peers and personal experiences with restraint and seclusion ranged from five times to "too many to count," pooled their collective experience to develop the Youth Position Statement on Restraint and Seclusion. Their experiences included being restrained or secluded in acute and continuing care hospitals, residential programs, juvenile justice programs, residential schools and in public schools.
The youth experts identified reasons why restraint and seclusion should not be used; offered pragmatic recommendations on alternatives to restraint and seclusion; and identified essential values necessary to promote youth-driven care across service systems. They also provided dissemination strategies for the position statement such as posting on relevant websites, placing posters of the position statements next to the DMH Human Rights information on walls at programs and facilities and providing a copy to all youth, staff and family members upon first contact with a hospital or program.
One youth from Chauncy Hall IRTP was able to use her experience and expertise from participating in these sessions in a subsequent employment interview at a nursing home. When the nursing home director informed her that restraint was occasionally used and asked her about her opinion of restraint use, the young woman's articulate, thoughtful and compassionate response was so impressive that she was offered a job on the spot. The nursing home director then called the IRTP leadership to learn more about the youth forum and what the Commonwealth was doing to educate youth about the impact of restraint and seclusion use.
Youth experts recommended there be two formats of the Youth Position Statement on Restraint and Seclusion-one for youth and one for adults. These statements are now being edited and artwork created by young people will be incorporated into the youth version. Stay tuned for the final product. These position statements will be the first ever position statement on restraint and seclusion developed by youth anywhere in the country. Massachusetts youth are leading the way!
The DMH Restraint/Seclusion Initiative is a joint effort through the Department's Child/Adolescent Services and Licensing divisions with the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating the use of restraint and seclusion in all child and adolescent inpatient and intensive residential treatment facilities in the state. Since the implementation of the initiative in 2000, the use of mechanical restraints has decreased by 91 percent; seclusion/restraint hours have decreased by 60 percent; and medication restraints have been reduced by 80 percent.
Throughout this initiative, the voice and experience of young people has been highly valued and appreciated, and has empowered youth to take a stand. A poignant illustration of this occurred at the youth forum. When participants were asked how they felt about the forums, several youth said, "This was awesome, we felt respected and heard." When asked what they hoped the outcome would be of their work, these thoughtful peers said, "Restraints hurt everyone: staff, kids, and families; we want all youth to feel safe and protected." |
Run for Ricky Road Race: 11 Years and Going Strong
The 11th Annual Run for Ricky Memorial Road Race, held last month, drew 160 runners and walkers to the 5K course and one-mile family walk. Held every October, the race is sponsored by the Taunton State Hospital Board of Trustees and The Friends of Taunton State Hospital. The Run For Ricky, named for the late Taunton State Hospital employee Ricky Silvia, raises thousands of dollars every year for college scholarships in Ricky's name. The 5K race has grown into a favorite community event to benefit the Taunton State Hospital Scholarship Fund.
Ricky Silvia was a Taunton State Hospital employee who worked in the Rehabilitation Department at the hospital. On January 18, 1999, while Ricky was on his way home from work, he heard cries from First Pond in Taunton where a youth had fallen through the ice. Ricky went onto the ice to save the youth but lost his own life in the process.
This year on race day, the clouds cleared and with a sound of a horn participants, including 68 patients, ran and strolled through the autumn-graced campus. Runners coming from as far away as Providence and Boston ran the course in record time. Volunteers from Bridgewater State College, TSH staff, hospital trustees and neighbors all participated in guiding and cheering on the runners and walkers.
Following the race, a gathering was held the Ricky Silvia gym for the festive drawing of more than 60 raffle prizes including pumpkins from Aroujo Farms in Taunton, donated athletic clothing and energy replacement food and drinks along with many other prizes. Children and dogs received their own awards and men and women received medals in seven categories. Adolescents from the Cohannet Academy donated $100 from the proceeds of their bake sale. Winners in each age category received their own personal 8x10 glossy picture taken by John Keene, a member of the Friends of Taunton State Hospital, who donated his services. The busy day also included a large clothing sale.
Taunton State Hospital's running team led by John Silvia (brother of the late Ricky Silvia) won the Area Director Cup against two very good teams from Brockton Multi-Service Center led by DMH Southeastern Area Director Peter Evers and Greg Cowans from Corrigan Mental Health Center. Brockton Multi-Service Center has held the championship cup for the last two years.
This is truly a fantastic hospital and community event with support from every hospital department and many members of the Taunton community. |
Local Garden Club Gives a Special Gift to Taunton State Hospital
Flower gardens can help in healing a person's soul. Gardens can calm the mind and an individual can reflect on their current well being. Watching flowers grow and mature helps us appreciate beauty in the world. Smells and colors from the garden can bring back a special memory.
Because of the healing power gardens can bring, the Taunton Garden Club, under the leadership of Valerie Ferreira and its members, designed a 27-foot wide plant garden in a reflective corner of the hospital's Cain Courtyard. Seventy-three plants and shrubs were specifically spaced to allow individuals to appreciate the many types of plants and create a space where someone can feel they are at a faraway place. Colors of red, yellow and brown were planted in such a pattern to give an impression of a mosaic. Garden Club member Judy Vaz designed this garden specifically for the hospital courtyard space.
This garden is augmented by the red bricks beautifully landscaped around the garden perimeter. These bricks are more than 150 years old and came from the original hospital complex. Together they bring out the wonderful colors patients and staff can enjoy. Many of the plants are native to the area.
More than 100 patients and staff have an opportunity to enjoy this special gift of peace and healing the club gave to the hospital. Taunton Garden Club members have offered to come by next spring to spruce up and expand the new flower garden. The club is a member of the National Garden Club and its flower this year is the daffodil which will be part of the garden's addition.
Arrangements are being made to honor the Taunton Garden Club for their generosity, hard work and commitment to the hospital community. The garden materials were a generous donation from the Friends of the Mentally Ill.
Ferreira said that she enjoyed working on this special project. "I am happy to give something of beauty to the hospital community," she commented. Other members who helped with creating this space were Mary Donovan, Annette Lopes, Paul Ferreira, Ellen Tobin and David Atigiann.
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UMass Research Day Highlights Wellness and Midfulness
UMass Medical School (UMMS) Psychiatry Department held its annual Psychiatry Research Day last month on their Worcester campus in. Supported by DMH, the Center for Mental Health Services Research (CMHSR) conducts research on the nature, structure, effectiveness and regulation of services for persons with mental health conditions and develops and disseminates knowledge to improve the lives of these individuals, their families and other community members.
The topic for this year's program was Wellness and Mindfulness in Psychiatry. The half-day conference began with welcome remarks from Department Chair Dr. Douglas Ziedonis and included remarks from Dr. Mary Ellen Foti, DMH Deputy Commissioner for Clinical and Professional Services.
Keynote speaker was Dr. Josephine Briggs, Director of the National Center for Contemporary and Alternative Medicine, National Institute of Health (NCAM). Dr. Briggs's presentation focused on "New Directions for Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine." Research has shown that 40 percent of Americans use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) including such practices as chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, yoga or meditation and the use of dietary supplements and herbs. This use has increased largely due to research and media coverage. For example in 2002, the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba was said to help memory loss and prevent dementia and through research and promotion, use of ginkgo rose dramatically. However when surveyed again in 2007, usage had dropped after the media released research that said it was no longer effective. The primary use of CAM is to treat hard-to-manage pain, but many people are using it for prevention or a combination of both. For more information on the research happening at NCAM visit their website at www.ncam.nih.gov
One research presentation of particular interest to the DMH smoking cessation efforts was "Incorporating Tobacco Cessation Activities in a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Clubhouse." The study was performed at the Genesis Clubhouse in Worcester, an international training center clubhouse model. Genesis serves 120 clients a day. They have learned that most consumers are interested in quitting smoking and improving their health. Techniques such as the carbon monoxide monitor were used which instantly shows testers the levels of carbon monoxide in a person's system from the tobacco use. A nonsmoker has little to no carbon monoxide in their system. Additionally, it is estimated that 27 percent of a person's monthly public assistance earnings are spent on cigarettes, up to $3,000 in a year. Researchers have found that pointing out this statistic to consumers and brainstorming with them how to better use their money on healthy food or even a vacation was a large motivator to quit. Staff and members of Genesis have also agreed to make the clubhouse entirely smoke free for the Great American Smokeout on November 19. They will also offer programs and peer support groups to help clients quit.
Other interesting presentations included "Health Disparities among the Mentally Ill;" "Weight Loss Treatment for People with Disabilities;" and "Pain, Mood & Meditation: Where Does Spirituality Fit?"
UMass continues to educate the public with its "Be Well" presentations. Dr. Ziedonis and Jean Frazier, M.D., will present a one-hour lecture titled "TheHealthy Mind: Understanding and Coping with the Effect of Mood" at the Be Well presentation on Thursday, Nov. 5 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Blais Pavilion, Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building on the UMass Worcester campus. These one-hour Be Well presentations are free and open to the public. Seating is limited. For more information on this lecture Click Here
Attending the Reserch Day: Pictured left to right Chuck Lidz, Ph.D., Research Professor of Psychiatry at CMHSR; Kate Biebel, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at CMHSR; Michele Cormier, Communications Coordinator at DMH and for the DMH Healthy CHANGES Initiatve; Brenda Peterson, Project Manager for the DMH Healthy CHANGES Initiative. |
Wellness News from the DMH Southeastern Area
The Southeastern Area Wellness Committee hosted a well attended event last month in the Ricky Silvia Gym at Taunton State Hospital to promote the Healthy CHANGES Initiative. More than 100 community program providers as well as peers joined together in learning and brainstorming about physical activity, weight management and tobacco cessation. Great information was gathered during the roundtable discussion format and will be used to help programs work toward achieving Healthy CHANGES goals.
Patrice Levesque, Registered Dietitian, spoke about interactive websites that contain reliable information. She also provided recipe web sites, internet menu planning sites, and physical activity tracking web resources.
Elizabeth Amaral, Certified Peer Specialist from the Taunton Recovery Learning Community, talked about the importance of goal setting and recovery as an ongoing process.
A discussion about the benefits of Motivational Interviewing was led by Mary Ellen Daly, who is trained in the technique. She encouraged people who help others to learn this interviewing skill.
 Mark Bilton, Area Housing Coordinator and the event chairman, conducted a free raffle of donated fitness equipment. Lisa Dunlop pictured left and Pam Bedford pictured right try out the equipment during lunch break.
The Wellness Committee will be meeting to review the information that was collected at the event in the form of surveys and questionnaires and schedule additional roundtable events at other sites in the community to continue the mission of Health and Wellness in the DMH Southeastern Area. |
Day in the Life
 Every month, DMH Connections talks to one of the many DMH employees who every day makes a difference in the lives of people we serve. This month, it's a day in the life of Lia Chris, Clinical Discharge Coordinator at Worcester State Hospital.
What are your 3 main job responsibilities?
I work with Treatment Teams to identify clients within the Worcester State Hospital setting that need more support with transition and discharge. I work not just with identified clients, but also with their community providers, family members and spouses with the goal of ensuring a seamless transition for the client to a more independent and less restrictive setting.
Once outside of the hospital setting, I stay connected to the clients in order to maintain a successful transition, assist with problem solving issues, concerns and any situations as they arise. I also maintain active communication with outside providers.
What is your "typical" day like?
My typical day consists of seeing clients in community settings, hospital settings, meeting with vendors and residential staff to discuss their progress or problem solve when a concern arises. I also attend Treatment Team Meetings and Ward Based Discharge Meetings within Worcester State Hospital. Some clients need more help and encouragement with transition than others. I spend time talking to them about community places such as Clubhouses, Day Treatment Programs and various community settings with the goal of facilitating the client becoming more comfortable being outside of the hospital environment. I cofacilitate three groups in the hospital: Discharge Group, Self-Esteem Group and Transition Group. Every day is different and my schedule needs to be flexible to accommodate any unexpected issues or emergencies that arise.
What are your greatest challenges? My greatest challenges regard securing the resources and supports that the clients need and facilitating and maintaining clear, consistent communication between all parties involved with the clients' care, both in inpatient and community settings.
What are your greatest rewards? The greatest reward is to see someone transition into the community with as many resources and supports as possible in place. Even the smallest steps toward a person's recovery and independence constitute a success to me. I get satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment from problem solving successfully with clients and their providers. It also makes me feel good when an individual I'm working with is able to reach out to me for assistance no matter how small or big.
How much do you travel?
I visit with clients living in the community several times a week. I assist those who are presently hospitalized with exploring the various community programs available. I assist clients with accessing resources by escorting clients to the Social Security Administration office. I'll also go to the acute care inpatient mental health hospitals throughout the state to assess and evaluate patients for the need for further continuing care and possible admission to Worcester State Hospital on a monthly basis.
What are your experience, background and training? How did you come to be in this profession?I graduated from Vassar College with a bachelor degree in psychology. I then went to graduate school at the State University of New York at Albany, New York, for a masters degree in social work. I started working at the Capital District Psychiatric Center, which is a state mental health hospital in Albany. I alsoworked for DMR in Albany within the Day Treatment Program for several years before going to work at a nursing and rehab center in Canton, Mass., for four years. I have been working for DMH at Worcester State Hospital for almost ten years. I have always received a lot of satisfaction from helping others around me, even in small ways.
What advice would you give someone considering your profession?You have to enjoy being around people and to be aware that everyone is different. Each individual is unique. What works for one person does not for another. Work with the person and his/her environment. Look at behavior in the context of an individual's situation. It is important to be flexible and resourceful. |
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Articles of Interest
Though roughly 70 percent of smokers want to stop, they're likely to fail unless they combine counseling and medication.
Stephen Smith, Boston Globe
Jake Berry, Cape Cod Times
Emily Anthes, Boston Globe |
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