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The New York State Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors   
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Bullying Prevention Month

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11-year-old Caine Smith was choked, beaten, harassed, and was called a long list of names simply because he had two moms and long hair. Instead of staying locked away and hiding, he stood up and did something about it.






       
Domestic Violence Awareness Programs Planned - Monroe County


Orange County Marks Domestic Violence Month with Clothesline 

 

Veterans Health Alliance To Assist Hometown Heroes; Partnering with Nassau County to Help Vets in Distress 

 

Veteran Suicides On The IncreaseLawmakers Learn Family Support Groups, More Counseling Needed

Ogdensburg law firm supports St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center Task Force� � 

 

Integrating Mental Health and Substance Abuse Care    

  

Reports Warn of Potential Social Toll of Casino Expansion 

 

Questions Often Asked about Health Law

New Justice Center FAQs Available

Income inequality linked to depression

 

Latinos Struggle To Find Help For Mental Health Issues  

 

WEBINARS & Resources:

 

The ADHD Topic Resource Center 

 

 

In-Person Presentation:
"Police Suicide: The Enemy Within"
Co-Sponsored by: US Attorney's Office; Western New York District, Niagara County Sheriff's Office, Catch a Falling Star Law Enforcement Assistance 
Program, Niagara University
Oct 25th 8-4 
Lewiston, NY  
Click here to request a registraion form.  Must register by Oct 18th

Webinar: 
The Interface of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
October 17th  3:30-4:30
 
In-Person Presentation:
Capital Region Leadership Summit on School-Justice Partnerships: Keeping Kids In School and Out of Court:  Nov 6th 8:30-4:30 
Latham, NY  
Registration info TBD

In Person Event 

Annual PROS Implementation Academy - more information here.

November 21-22
Albany, NY
Register 
 
   
OCTOBER:

Developmental Disabilities Committee Call
October 21 
11:00 - 12:00
Go to Meeting

Director's Meeting

October 22
10:30 - Noon
Go to Meeting TBD

NOVEMBER:

Officers and Chairs
November 6th 
8:00 AM (call in)

Mental Hygiene Planning 
November 14th
11:00-2:00 
Go To Meeting TBD
 
Children & Families Committee call w/Donna Bradbury Presenting on kids MRT & HH's
- open to ALL DCS.   
November 18th
10:30  - 12:00 

CLMHD Committee Day
November 19th
10:00  - 4:00
DECEMBER:


Officers and Chairs
December 11th 
8:00 AM (call in)

Mental Hygiene Planning
December 12th 
11:00-2:00 
Go To Meeting TBD

Director's Meetings
 
December 17
th
10:30 - Noon
Executive Committee Meeting
12:30 - 2:00
41 State Street Suite 505
Albany, NY 12207
leaves.jpg October 10, 2013

Profile on: Mark O"Brien, LCSW-R, Director of Orleans County Mental Health & Community Services

 


Having worked in just about every aspect of the mental health field Mark has seen it all, inpatient, outpatient, crisis residence, child and adult residential, community and private practice, counselor, supervisor, CEO, the list goes on. 

Born and raised in Buffalo with a BA and MSW from SUNY Buffalo, Mark is from a family of physicians.  He chose to pursue a career in social services he enthuses "Becuase I wanted to work for a living."  He's a funny guy.  The former CEO of a residential treatment program for youth and Director of Inpatient Psychiatric Social Work for a 108 bed facility, Mark was the county's Clinic Coordinator for three years before taking on the roll of DCS in April.  "That job gave me the hardcore nuts and bolts of the regulations surrounding clinic operations to prepare me for this position."  So did his role of President of the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County Agency Executive Association and his private practice specializing in adult survivors of sexual abuse as well and individual, family and marital therapy. 

Mark is an avid cyclist, has a Black belt in Tae Kwon Do (and is a former instructor) and is celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary this year!  He and his wife are expecting their second grandchild.  He has two daughters (yes, one is a doctor) and a son, two dogs and five cats.   

So w
hat's the best part of the job? "That's a toss up; the ability to make a difference, the great pay or the Italian Villa that comes as a perk." 

I told you he was funny.  Welcome Mark!



State Police issue 'field guide' for N.Y.'s gun law

 

New York's State Police agency has issued a field guide for its troopers and other law enforcement on how to handle the state's controversial gun-control law.

 

The 20-page guide, quietly issued last month and obtained by Gannett's Albany Bureau, notes that police officers have been concerned about enforcing the SAFE Act, which was championed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and passed by the Legislature in January.  Read more

 

Related: Appeals Court Shoots Down SAFE-Act Challenge  

 

Related:

New York sheriffs choose targets in NY Safe Act

 

 

Excellus Dropping Out of Medicaid Managed Care and Family Health Plus (but not Child Health Plus) in all 25 counties it serves 

 

Nearly 80,000 people in Monroe County would be affected if Excellus BlueCross BlueShield stops participating in Medicaid managed care and Family Health Plus health insurance programs.  The individuals still would be covered, but with a different insurer.

 

Excellus last month told the state Department of Health it intends to drop out of the program in 25 counties starting Jan. 1 and continuing through the first quarter of 2014, spokesman Jim Redmond confirmed.

 

Excellus would end its programs Feb. 1, in Livingston, Ontario and Wayne counties, affecting close to 24,000 people. It would stop March 1 in Monroe, Orleans and Yates counties, affecting about 85,000.

In all, nearly 219,000 people would be affected from the North Country to the Southern Tier.

Read more.

 

   

 

New Report Card on Prescription Drug Abuse Policies

 

Overdose deaths related to prescription drugs now outnumber those from heroin and cocaine combined, signaling a rapid rise in prescription drug abuse since 1999. A new report by Trust for America's Health, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, highlights and scores states on 10 strategies states can use to address this epidemic. Read more.   

 

 

 

 

Video: Teen's TED talk on depression goes viral   

   

Kevin Breel is an unlikely advocate for mental health. After entertaining thoughts of suicide, the comedian decided to talk to about his depression. His TED talk, which he did at 19 years old, has gone viral, and he says it resonates with people because it is so common. TODAY's Willie Geist reports.  

Today Interview 

Ted Talk  

 

Start Strong Improves Middle School Behaviors and Attitudes Toward Dating Violence

 

One of the largest teen dating violence prevention programs ever funded: Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships.

 

 

A new evaluation (one of the few and largest studies to take an in-depth look at teen dating violence behaviors, attitudes, healthy relationship development, and prevention efforts involving middle school students) takes a look at the positive impact of early intervention.  Read more


Related:  Many Teens Admit to Coercing Others Into Sex   

 

Remaking Schools As Socioemotional Places 

 

Exploring Solutions to Adverse Childhood Experiences
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)-like abuse and neglect-can derail health over a lifetime. Solutions are on the rise thanks to evolving knowledge of what works to overcome the effects of toxic stress. Nine experts discuss how to change that trajectory.

Related:
Make good on mental health parity (The Hill's Congress Blog/Liebman, Kennedy)

 

The lack of access to quality mental health and addictions services is one of the most important and most neglected civil rights issues confronting the nation. Care of the mentally ill is one of our greatest and most enduring health disparities and one of the country's most resounding failures. People living with mental disorders and addictions have suffered far too long from discriminatory policies and practices rooted in so many causes - stigma, inadequate services and access, underfunding of research and restricted insurance requirements and coverage. 

 

Sweetwater Spectrum, a California residence for autistic adults, hopes to become a model for like-minded experiments across the country.

More  

 

Related Article



The New York State Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors advances public policies and awareness for people with mental illness, chemical dependency and developmental disabilities.  We are a statewide membership organization that consists of the Commissioner/ Director of each of the state's 57 county mental hygiene departments and the mental hygiene depart
ment of the City of New York.
 
Affiliated