April 6, 2012 

Crisis Contacts and Mental Health Resources

Barnstable County Department of Human Services has updated and recently re-printed 5000 Suicide Prevention Crisis Contacts and Mental Health Resources cards.  The cards contain Cape Cod specific, as well as national crisis phone numbers, and local resources for non-emergency mental health care.  These cards were first developed by the Suicide Crisis Response Team at the request of first responders who frequently respond to people in crisis situations.  The card is easily carried and is available to hand out to those in need of follow up information.   The cards have been mailed to all the fire and police departments on Cape Cod and we have received several phone calls from Chiefs thanking us for the material - if you would like to receive an order of Crisis Contact Cards, call the office at 508-375-6628.  

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Charitable Creations Jewelry has chosen The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands as their Charity of the Month!  During the month of April, $1 from every item sold will be donated to the Samaritans.  If you're looking for that perfect Mother's Day present, consider checking out their beautiful handmade jewelry today and help out a great cause at the same time.  Visit www.CharitableCreationsJewelry.com

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The  American Heart Association's HeartChase will take place on Saturday, April 7, 2012 on the campus of Cape Cod Community College.  Registration begins at 9:00 am and the activities will wind down by early afternoon.

This new program offers the community a creative way to have a good time and contribute to an important cause.  The event is like a combination of the Amazing Race and Minute to Win It.  It's a high tech, heart healthy scavenger hunt for all activity levels.

On-line registration is strongly encouraged at www.heartchase.org.  Participation fees are $30 in advance and $35 on the day of event.  For more information about joining a team or making a donation, please visit the HeartChase community website at www.honor.americanheart.org/heartchasecapecod

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The Boys and Girls Club of Cape Cod will be open every day, April 16-20 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm during April school vacation week for kids in grades 1-8.  Membership in the Club is open to any Cape child and once a child becomes a member they can come to the Club for free any time they are open for their age group.  Through funding from a Family Plus grant from Kimberly-Clark, free membership for new kids in a single mom household is available.  Membership forms are available on line by clicking here.  The Club also offers a special non-member daily fee of $5 a day during the vacation week.  During vacation week children MUST bring a lunch and snack as well if they are spending the entire day.  Please dress appropriately for the weather since activities will be happening outside.  For more information about vacation week activities check out the newsletter and click here.

Summer Camp registration just started for youth ages 6-16 and capacity is already at 43% full.  Camp runs for nine weeks from June 25 - August 24.  Basic camp fees are $150/week and $130 for the second child and includes 2 or 3 field trips a week which are an additional $10 per trip.  Click here for information and registration information.

April is the nation's Month of the Military Child, a time to honor youth impacted by deployment.   Massachusetts and Cape Cod Operation: Military Kids, invites  you to join us for the 2nd Annual "Purple Up for Military Kids" on April 13.  Everyone is invited to wear purple to show support for these youngsters who sacrifice so much.

15th Annual Dinner & Silent Auction to support the Boys & Girls Club will be held at the Coonamesset Inn on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 5:30 PM.  Click here to reserve your seats.

For more information about the programs at the Boys and Girls Club visit their website at www.boysgirlsclubcapecod.org

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Five-week online course on Motivational Interviewing, taught by Ken Kraybill and Jeff Olivet will be offered in April and May through ThinkT3 (Think. Teach. Transform).  CEU's will be offered.  See the attached flyer for more information and visit the website at www.thinkt3.com. 

t3 is an innovative learning platform for human service providers.  To help develop the skills and knowledge of the workforce, t3 builds on established core competencies and skills standards to train on evidence-based and promising practices.

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The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands will be offering their Elder Suicide Prevention Training for Cape & Islands Communities.  Participants can choose to attend one training in Eastham on April 24th, Mashpee on June 13th, or Bourne on October 2nd. 

 After the training, participants will be able to: Understand the warning signs of suicide in older adults; Develop strategies for early intervention and prevention; Identify risk factors, levels of risk, and protective factors for suicide in older adults; and Learn effective methods for active listening and engagement with older adults who are suicidal.

The training is FREE and light refreshments will be provided.  Samaritans is able to offer 7 CEU's for Registered Nurses, Licensed Mental Health Clinicians and Social Workers.  A certificate of attendance will be given to all participants.

Availability is limited to 14 participants for each training.  Please email the Samaritans at ccsamaritans@verizon.net or call their office at 508/548-7999 for more information or to reserve your space.

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Presented by Alzheimer's Services of Cape Cod & the Islands 

This professional training is an in-depth 8-hour CEU program designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals working wiht individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia.  8 CEU's for RN's, LPN's, CNA's, MSW's LHMC's, Psychologists, PCA's, Nursing Home Administrators and Activity Professionals.  Course fee:  $115.00 & 8 CEU's, includes materials.

Provincetown:         April 23 and 30, 12:30 - 4:30 pm

                            Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower Lane

                            Registration form

Martha's Vineyard:  May 15 and 22, 12:30 - 4:30 pm

                            VNA building at Merchants Mart, State Rd., Vineyard Haven

                            Registration Form

Find more classes or register online at:  www.alzcapecod.org/education

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The Barnstable High School Gay/Straight Alliance and PFLAG of Cape Cod present: Boston Gay Men's Chorus 30th Anniversary Spring Concert on Cape Cod on April 28, 2012, 7 - 8:30 PM at Barnstable High School Knight Auditorium to benefit Thrive at CIGSYA (Cape & Islands Gay and Straight Youth Alliance).  Silent Art Auction will be held at 6:00 PM (includes a piece of Siobhan Magnus memorabilia) to benefit CIGSYA and BHS Scholarship Fund.  Click here for more information and ticket purchase.

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Rewards for Taking Care of Yourself - Pinnacle Perks Program: a quality healthcare rewards program of Pinnacle Health.  Get rewarded for taking care of yourself!  Learn how the program works on Friday, April 13th at 11:00 am.

Ship Ashore - Shipwrecks off the Shores of Cape Cod:  with author William Quinn on Friday, April 20th at 10:30 am.

New Discoveries in the Medical Field - Clinical Trials:  Learn about clinical research studies in the Cape area with Dr. Rapo on Friday, April 27th at 11:00 am.

Events will be hosted by the Eastham Senior Center located at 1405 Nauset Rd.  For more information please call 508/255-6164

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The MA Department of Public Health Suicide Prevention Program presents the 11th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference:  Connecting for Safe and Resilient Communities: Suicide Prevention Across the Lifespan on May 1 and 2, 2012 at the Best Western Royal Plaza, Marlborough, MA.  Click link for brochure and registration information.

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The Samaritans on Cape Cod & the Islands will be offering their Crisis Line and Senior Outreach Volunteer Training in May.  Training dates are scheduled for 5/14, 5/15, 5/16, 5/21 and 5/22 from 5:45 - 8:45 pm.  Anyone interested in volunteering are encouraged to call the Samaritans office at 508/548-7999 or visit www.CapeSamaritans.org for more information.

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The Governor's Office of Community Affairs is actively accepting applications for membership in the Governor's Statewide Youth Council.  Founded in 2008, the goal of the Council is to encourage the Commonwealth's young people to take on an active leadership role in their communities and give them a greater voice in state government.  The Youth Council acts an advisory body to the Governor and his Administration with a focus on youth-related issues such as education, youth violence, economic development and civic engagement.   

 The Governor's Office will select 28 young people to represent the Commonwealth's 14 counties - two representatives per county.   Youth Council applicants should be passionate, motivated, emerging leaders between the ages of 14 and 20 with an interest in public service.  Responsibilities will include: attending monthly meetings and conference calls, advocating for youth issues and incorporating the ideas of other youth and young adults into the creation of effective policy.

Youth can apply to serve on the Council by submitting an application available at www.mass.gov/governor/youthcouncil by Friday, May 25, 2012.  A selection committee will review applications and select the 28 members, who will then be notified via mail.  For additional information, please contact the Office of Community Affairs at 617-725-4020.

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SAVE THE DATE: Tuesday, June 5, 2012, the Oral Health Excellence Collaborative (OHEC) will host Wisdom Teeth: Responding to the Oral Health Needs of Elders from 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM at the Hyannis Golf Club.  If you are an elder, live with an elder, take care of an elder, work with elders or will be an elder you are invited to participate.

For more information Click here or contact BL Hathaway at OHEC at 508/771-1375 or bloralhealthexcellence@yahoo.com.  To register for the Summit go to www.ohec.eventbrite.com

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The Race Matters Institute advances racial equity with solid data, comprehensive strategies, and knowledge of national and local settings. This empowers people and organizations to make real changes that effectively give rise to racial equity within their sphere of influence. RMI works strategically through networks and with other clients and partners to ensure that they have the frameworks, knowledge and tools they need to move forward.  For more information click here.

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In a recent survey by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 77 percent of adult smokers in Massachusetts say they want to quit smoking.  According to the Clinical Practice Guideline "Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence", smokers who get support and use stop-smoking medicines are more than twice as likely to quite for good as those who try to quit on their own. 

MassHealth members can meet with a counselor and/or choose from many stop--smoking medicines for a $1 or $3 co-pay.  Smokers with other health insurance should check with their insurance company to see what coverage is offered.  You can also get free support through the MA Smokers' Helpline at 1-800-QUIT-Now (1-800-784-8669) or visit www.makesmokinghistory.org .  The Southeast Regional Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, a program of Seven Hills Behavioral Health is funded by the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program and serves as a resource for local coalitions health & human service agencies, municipalities, and workplaces on tobacco intervention efforts.  For more information on the Tobacco-Free Community Partnership contact Judith Coykendall at 508/995-3026 ext. 4002 or jcoykendall@sevenhills.org.

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Webster Light, LLC is sponsoring an Group Adult Foster Care Program on Cape Cod.  Group Adult Foster Care, GAFC, is a community-based, at home health services provided as an entitlement to certain Mass Health members or those 22 and older who might be eligible for Mass Health.  Services are provided through the approval of a physician.  The program can provide assistance with personal care, light housekeeping services, meal preparation and laundry.  Mass Health will allow 2 hour per day for a maximum of 7 hours per week.  There is no cost to the Mass Health participant for this program.  This program also offers intervention help for participants who are "excessive clutterers". 

For further information contact Maria Chesky, Outreach Coordinator at 508/231-6637 or Kathie Sullivan, RN at 508/868-5332 or www.mycareathome.com

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• Do you provide health or human services on Cape Cod or the Islands?
• Does the public know what services you provide?
• Do people know how to access your services?
• Do you need assistance in finding services for your clients?

The Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255, Press 1) is available 24/7/365 to provide confidential counseling and referrals for Veterans and their families.  This is an integrated national outreach effort to increase awareness and use of the Veterans Crisis Line, support and promote broader VA suicide prevention efforts, and promote help-seeking behaviors among Veterans at risk of suicide and other mental health problems.  For more information about the Veterans Crisis Line please click here.

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