| Dr. Westley Clark, Director of CSAT, Visits MHB's HIV Project |
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 On May 29, the St. Louis Mental Health Board was honored to host a visit from Dr. H. Westley Clark, the head of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) division of SAMHSA. Dr. Clark requested a tour of programs participating in the targeted capacity expansion project (TCE-HIV) his agency funds. The project, lead by MHB, provides outreach, motivational interviewing, HIV testing, and substance abuse treatment to persons at risk for HIV-AIDS.
H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H. leads the nation's effort to provide effective and accessible treatment to all Americans with addictive disorders. He is a noted expert and published author in the field of substance abuse and related legal and medical issues.
Dr. Clark first visited two venues where clients are outreached - Centenary Cares and the Empowerment Center - where he met with staff from those agencies as well as the Community Alternatives Outreach Coordinator, Leon Farrar. Dr. Clark has a keen interest in the innovative outreach efforts of this project.
Later, he met with Evaluation Team members from MIMH (Tameshia Qualls and Anna Savu). Allyce Bullock, MHB Project Director escorted Dr. Clark to Bridgeway Behavioral Health where he toured the facility and participated in an in-depth discussion with Mike Morrison (COO) and Algin Robinson (Clinical Director) about the modified medical detox the program provides.
The visit was concluded at Queen of Peace Center where women receive substance abuse treatment. He was particularly interested in seeing the day care center which serves the children of the clients which has a new playground which was funded through an MHB capital grant. Connie Neumann, Executive Director, Azi Hakim, COO, Board Member Jean Soukenik and Wil Hildebrandt, Grants Manager were all on hand to greet Dr. Clark and answer questions about the programs they administer.
Dr. Clark stated that it was a good thing MHB received funding from SAMHSA because of the community-based approach of the project.
Dr. Clark expressed his interests in seeing more HIV testing, treatment for persons who have experienced trauma, and integrated services for people living with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
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| 2008 All America City Award Selects St. Louis |
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ArtWorks Teen Apprentices Attend National Competition
and Awards Ceremony in Tampa, Florida
On June 4-6, St. Louis ArtWorks and members of its social enterprise venture, Boomerang Press, went to Tampa, Florida to attend the competition for the 2008 All-America City Award, an honor considered the "Oscar" of community recognition for civic progress and improvement. Led by the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA), St. Louis Artworks' Boomerang Press, was selected as one of three organizations to best represent the region by demonstrating community-wide civic accomplishments, cross-sector cooperation, grassroots participation, and creative approaches to a variety of issues, including at-risk youth.
St. Louis was selected as one of 16 city finalists of more than 100 who entered the competition. The 10 winners of the 2008 All-America City Award were announced on the evening of Friday, June 6. In addition, as a result of its selection by the RCGA to best represent the St. Louis region, Busch Entertainment has commissioned St. Louis ArtWorks' Boomerang Press to create a holiday card illustrating the new Jungala Village at Busch Gardens.
St. Louis ArtWorks is entering its thirteenth season of summer employment in the arts for St. Louis teens and area artists. More than 150 youth and twelve artists from six top arts teaching organizations will be employed - working with six different artistic disciplines.
Without the support of MHB's Capital Improvement grant, this opportunity may not have been possible. As Priscilla Block, Executive Director states in a letter to MHB: "It is with MHB's generous support that Artworks was able to build its digital studio; the Imac computers (purchased with the MHB grant) are an amazing tool which will give area youth the opportunity to learn new skills in the arts, while earning a paycheck and building their confidence for the future.
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| Covenant House Receives "What's Right with the Region" Award |
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Previously homeless youth who are
benefitting from Covenant House Services
Covenant House, one of MHB's co-investors in the outcome area of building resiliency in at-risk youth, was recently honored by Focus St. Louis in their "What's Right with the Region" Award. Focus St. Louis is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a thriving, cooperative region by engaging citizens to participate in active leadership roles and influence positive community change. Each year Focus St. Louis recognizes the outstanding accomplishments achieved by those who work hard for the greater good of St. Louis.
Covenant House Missouri Crisis Center was recognized in the Promoting Stronger Communities category. When youth enter the doors of CHMO, their immediate needs of food, a shower and clothing are addressed first. Multiple supports and services are then available to youth.
 Suzanne Wagener, Executive Director, receives award
The St. Louis Mental Health Board provides investment in CHMO's Teen Drop In Center. This facility is located on North Kingshighway and is open from 1-6 pm Monday through Friday. Activities such as homework assistance, self-defense classes, field trips, employment and lifeskills classes, open gym, male advocacy and women's support are all available as alternatives to hanging on street corners and engaging in risky behaviors.
CHM is the only St. Louis agency solely serving teens who have nowhere else to turn. Services are provided in both the south and north sectors of the City.
To learn more about Covenant House Missouri Crisis Center, click here to check out their website:
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| Stray Dog Theatre Purchases Tower Grove Abbey |
Stray Dog Theatre (SDT), one of MHB's funded agencies, is pleased to announce its purchase of Tower Grove Abbey - SDT's arts, education, and community venue, first unveiled to the public last fall.
Stray Dog Theatre is a provider of a comprehensive afterschool program at Woerner Elementary School in South City. Performance and visual arts are integrated into all aspects of the program in an innovative way to engage and motivate student learning. This program is one of 10 afterschool sites supported by the MHB-SLPS afterschool partnership.
SDT intends to augment their support of community needs, the areas of social service as well as arts and culture. Tower Grove Abbey, located in Tower Grove East neighborhood, will be converted into a multi-use center for SDT's expanding arts, education, and community programs. The venue is located at 2336 Tennessee Avenue, Saint Louis, Missouri 63104, and offers free, gated parking, courtesy of Shenandoah Elementary School.
SDT will rededicate Tower Grove Abbey through a second grand opening on September 05, 2008, exactly one-year after first unveiling the venue to the greater Saint Louis community. SDT will also soon announce a brick-naming campaign to help fund on-going capital and community improvements.
For more information contact Gary Bell at (314) 865-1995, or visit their website at:
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Get Out the Vote to Help put Kids First |
The Children of St. Louis County Need Your Vote!
St. Louis County residents have the opportunity in November to vote to Put Kids First!
According to the proposition that will be on the ballot, one quarter of one penny will added to purchases. This will generate approximately $40 million dollars to reinstitute social services that were stripped from the county when state and federal programs made deep budget cuts. Passing this proposition will allow children's services organizations to address the child abuse, neglect, substance abuse, and mental health issues that are impacting the lives of nearly half the children in St. Louis County.
Log onto the Putting Kids First website for more information and to learn how you can help Get Out the Vote for kids.
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| Dont forget to visit the MHB website! |
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| Spotlight on Innovations:
Keepin it Cool at the Swimming Pool |
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A group photo of youth enjoying the rennovations of Herbert Hoover's Mel Lowenstein Aqautics Center.
In the Spring of 2007, the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club submitted a proposal to the St. Louis Mental Health Board for a capital improvement grant. This investment would assist them in their efforts to repair and rennovate the indoor pool which had been deemed unuseable during Fall, Winter and Spring months. The pool and aqautics center was first built in 1967 and HHBGC has operated year-round recreational and instructional swimming and water safety programs for over 40 years.
The benefits of repairing the pool building allowed not only re-establishment of year-round programming in the areas of water safety, swimming sports, life skills and recreation, but also provided employment opportunities to local teens.
The pool before repairs
Upon completion of rennovation, the pool and building were renamed the Mel Lowenstein Aquatics Center, in honor of a geat leader and advocate of swimming and water safety in local community.
Local youth enjoy newly dedicated Mel Lowenstein Aqautics Center |
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On the Road to Recovery |
The disease of addiction is a disease of totality. It takes everything a person has to give and then tries to take the person. James McRoberts is a living example of the power of addiction and the devastating toll it can take.
James is a 58 year old African American male who seemed to have it all. He is college educated, had a great job as a special education teacher, married with 3 fine sons. He was living the dream - until the heroin and alcohol became the center of his world.
After 30 years of addiction, 24 separate treatment attempts and very short periods of sobriety, James was unemployed, separated from his family, and living on the streets.
In November 2007, James entered yet another residential treatment program but this treatment stay would be different. James as referred to Preferred Family Healthcare's Relapse Prevention Mentoring program following his residential treatment stay where he was assigned a Mentor.
This mentor, Ron Cohen, who would often prod, probe, push and even confront his addictive thinking, tactics of manipulation and periods of narcissistic behavior. The aftercare support James received resulted in treatment for previously undiagnosed depression, counseling to address previously unaddressed trauma and medication assisted treatment with Naltrexone. After 6 months of wrap around services, James is living in an Oxford house, staying clean, attending graduate courses at a local university and working part time. He is doing public service work and promoting his story of recovery. While his journey is far from over, he has made tremendous strides towards regaining his dream. |
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Hope for a Brighter Future |
The high school drop out rate in the City of St. Louis has reached 47% - an absolutely alarming and unacceptable trend. It's all too easy to fault each of the thousands of individual youth for this lack of educational achievement. However, when we examine the multitude of challenges that our youth experience, we begin to understand that those challenges are overwhelming and impossible for them to face alone.
"Kyle" is a shy, intelligent young man who was being bullied at school to the point where he was physically ill and would begin to cry and shake in fear. Kyle was invited to apply to a private school which would pay his way, but, on the day of the interview, he did not have transportation. Kyle missed the interview. The school would not allow rescheduling as a matter of policy. Kyle and his parents together decided that the local public school was too dangerous for him - so they allowed him to drop out.
Provident's Transitions to Work for Youth program was a perfect alternative for Kyle, allowing him to earn his diploma (which he did on his first test!) and officially graduate.
Today, Kyle is enrolled in college and working at one of Provident's After School programs to enrich the lives of other at-risk youth in our community. We are proud of Kyle. More importantly, Kyle is proud of himself.
A joint program of Provident, Inc., SLATE and the Mental Health Board, Transitions to Work for Youth serves youth who are between the ages of 16 and 21 who have dropped out of school. Transitions offers the educational opportunities, professional tools and psychological resources for disenfranchised youth to get back on track. Within the program participants earn academic credentials, job-readiness training and case management support. Transitions to Work for Youth gives our youth hope for a brighter future.
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| MHB Musings... |
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Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
~ Albert Einstein
If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.
~ Mary Engelbreit
If we are to have real peace, we must begin with the children.
~ Mahatma Gandhi
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