March 2013
Issue:13
Stones
In This Issue
Mental Health First Aid
The 36 Hour Giving Challenge
Medicaid Expansion
Healthy Minds Newsletter
Committed to restoring hope and changing lives...
Mental Health First Aid
by: Jessica Boles
 

 

Frohlich, Gordon & Beason Attorneys at Law, donates $1,000 to Charlotte Behavioral Health Care to support funding for the Mental Health First Aid Program.

 

On Tuesday, Cort Frohlich of Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, Attorneys at Law presented Charlotte Behavioral Health Care with a check for $1,000 to help fund the Mental Health First Aid program that CBHC will be sending individuals to. CBHC is proud to be one of the first providers of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training in our Charlotte County community. This is the beginning of a training program that will help prevent mental illness stigma by training people in the public sector to help in a mental health crisis.

                                                                                                  

The objective of the Mental Health First Aid program is to create an environment where people in our community know how to help someone in an emergency mental health crisis. Mental Health First Aid helps people identify, understand, and respond to individuals experiencing signs or symptoms of a mental illness or substance abuse disorder. While many Americans are trained in physical first aid and CPR to respond to medical emergencies, very few are prepared to help others in a mental health crisis. This program is based on the concept of traditional first aid, only now, covering mental health and substance abuse crises. The individuals who take the course will learn how to identify risk factors, warning signs and how to provide initial aid before guiding the person to professional help. These trainers will learn how to apply a strategy to help someone through a panic attack, support a person experiencing psychosis, engage with someone who may be suicidal, and help an individual who has overdosed.  

 

Once the individuals are trained in the Mental Health First Aid program, they will come back to Charlotte County and train people in our area. Recommended people to receive this training include schools, teachers, nurses, public workers, business leaders, law enforcement and faith based communities.

 

Since mental health illness affects one in four adults in the United State, someone in our community is more likely to see another person suffering from a panic attack than witness someone having a heart attack. A mental illness is that common.

 

As an agency family, Charlotte Behavioral Health Care is compassionate about implementing positive changes and assisting our neighbors to strengthen our community. The general lack of understanding in today's society promotes negative stereotypes and hinders people from seeking professional help. The partnership between CBHC and the Mental Health First Aid program is a large step towards preventing these negative stereotypes and helping people understand there is attainable professional help.   

 

This is a generous donation from Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, P.A. and we thank Cort and his law firm for one more of their many efforts to help Charlotte Behavioral Health Care. It's because of businesses like Frohlich, Gordon and Beason that we can better serve the ones in need.

 

 

 

  

 

On March 5th at 7:00 am-March 6th at 7:00 pm, The Fred Lang Foundation is participating in The 36 Hour Giving Challenge. What is the 36 Hour Giving Challenge?

 

The 36-Hour Giving Challenge is an online giving event providing donors and citizen philanthropists the opportunity to learn more about the nonprofits and causes in Southwest Florida they care about.  Matching funds and special grants to nonprofits are available to incentivize giving during this short, exciting period of time. Matching and incentive grants totaling $645,000 are available to encourage giving.  We hope to inspire philanthropy on all levels, engage our entire community in giving, and elevate The Giving Partner as a tool to empower informed charitable giving.

 

Support Fred Lang Foundation and help us in our goal to raise funds during the 36-Hour Giving Challenge from Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 a.m. to Wednesday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m.

 

To participate, go online to www.givingpartnerchallenge.org, search for Fred Lang Foundation and make a secure donation with your credit card.

 

This special opportunity is available to organizations like ours with a complete profile in The Giving Partner, an online tool sharing in-depth information about local charities to help donors and funders make more informed decisions about their philanthropy.

 

The 36-Hour Giving Challenge is made possible by presenting partners Community Foundation of Sarasota County and The Patterson Foundation, with support from sponsors Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Manatee Community Foundation, Charlotte Community Foundation, and the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. 

Governor Rick Scott: We Must Protect the Uninsured and Florida Taxpayers with Limited Medicaid Expansion

 

TALLAHASSEE - Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that he would support a limited, three-year expansion of the state's Medicaid program under the president's healthcare law while the federal government is paying 100 percent of the cost in order to protect both the uninsured in Florida and state taxpayers.

 

Governor Scott said, "While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost of new people in Medicaid, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the uninsured access to care. We will support a three-year expansion of our Medicaid program under the new healthcare law, as long as the federal government meets their commitment to pay 100 percent of the cost during this time. This legislation would sunset after three years and need to be reauthorized.

 

"There are no perfect options. Our options are either having Floridians pay to fund this program in other states while denying healthcare to our citizens or using federal funding to help some of the poorest in our state with the Medicaid program as we explore other healthcare reforms.

 

"Expanding access to Medicaid services for three years is a compassionate, common sense step forward. It is not the end of our work to improve healthcare.  And, it is not a white flag of surrender to government-run healthcare. I am committed to working every day to improve access to affordable, high-quality healthcare in Florida, while also protecting taxpayers and keeping our economy growing to create more jobs - which ultimately fuels the dreams of every Florida family."

Above & Beyond

 

I would like to nominate Dwayne Ennis for the "Above and Beyond" award.  Dwayne has worked with CBHC for 8 years now.   Dwayne started out as a young teenager, right out of high school as a BHT.  As a BHT he showed compassion for clients & a potential for more.  He also became certified as a Team Trainer for 2-3 years.  

Because of his recognized abilities, Dwayne was promoted to Baker Act Coordinator.  This may not seem like much to some, but it is a big job.  Dwayne has become our go-to expert on the Baker Act law.  He has taken this job to heart - it is not just paperwork!  He often acts as an advocate for clients in his role as Baker Act Coordinator, by educating clients about their rights when converting them to voluntary status or assisting them with Writ of Habeas Corpus filings.  Dwayne also works to recruit & train public guardian advocates to maintain their training every six months, and to assure they know what their responsibilities are for the clients they represent. Dwayne works seamlessly with the CSU staff psychiatrist, as well as doctors & psychologists in other departments to assure we are able to meet 72 hour petition time limit.  He communicates with our weekend doctors to be sure they are aware of patients' status and communicates the treatment team's recommendations to them.

 

Dwayne has also earned the respect of the court magistrates, clerks and public defenders who are involved in petition hearings.  While other agencies in our district have recently have significant upheaval in their Baker Act hearing processes, we have had great stability, support & rapport with the courts & the Public Defender's office alike because of Dwayne's competence & adherence to the law.  In recent weeks, Dwayne has been coaching the Riverside BA Coordinator who was recently appointed to this position & she has been very complimentary of his assistance to her in navigating her new position.

 

Dwayne does a lot of other things such as writing letters to all involuntarily admitted consumers & their representatives.  After discharge, he audits charts & does the BA eligibility forms.

 

One of the key roles Dwayne picked up in last year is to monitor & report all Seclusion & Restraint activity.   Here Dwayne reviews seclusion & restraint documentation for every event, updates reporting logs, provides feedback to staff & works closely with Don to continuously monitor the quality of our documentation of these events.  Dwayne also makes sure that the treatment team reviews every seclusion & restraint event within 24 hours, which he ensures is appropriately documented.

 

As more UM responsibilities have been laid upon us, Dwayne has also stepped up to accept more responsibility outside of his role as Baker Act Coordinator.  He's done this with a willingness that demonstrates his strong commitment to CBHC & the well being of our clients.  It's been an amazing journey for this young teenager who has turned into a respected & knowledgeable member of our administrative team.  Congratulations, Dwayne, ongoing Above & Beyond!  We sure do appreciate you!

 

Mitzi Brown, Administrative Assistant

Happy Birthday
 
Last Name
First Name
Birth Month
Birth Day
Dept
PetkoAntonioMarch2CSU
Zinck-LaddWendyMarch6CM
FichthornKerryMarch8CDC
PostMatthiasMarch8TFC
WorthenMelissaMarch10OP
GlynnRalphMarch11Admin
BrotmanRobertMarch13OP Med
HouserSheliaMarch13OP
HatchRichardMarch14Maint
StoneDavidMarch17CSU
WhartonCherylMarch17OP Med
JosephTasandraMarch18CSU
PalmWilliamMarch20CSU
HartsellCarlysleMarch21MHC
HardySusanMarch22OP 
HoldsworthBonnieMarch22CSU
KossickRoseMarch25OP Med
MolieriVicenteMarch25CSU
EnnisDwayneMarch29CSU
MuccioKathrynMarch30Admin
      
Staff Celebrating Years of Service
     
Start Date
Dept
Last Name
First Name
3/14/2005AdminMuccioKathryn
3/5/2007OPGrossmanMolly
3/12/2007CMZinck-LaddWendy
3/13/2007CSUCousinsFlorine
3/31/2008CSUCousinsSherwin
3/8/2010OP MedBrutusMarie
3/8/2010CSUTroughtCalvin
3/14/2011MHCTeroMary
3/12/2012OP MedDenmanKenneth
3/12/2012102ShineLaShell
3/26/2012181GreavesJulie

Welcome New Hires to CBHC 
            
Date of Hire
Dept
Last Name
First Name
1/18/2013Med OpBrotmanRobert
1/22/2013FDHartmanDonna
2/11/2013Med RecSavoiePhilomena
2/11/2013CSURichardsonGayle

clear logo  

2012-2013  Board of Directors

 

Ed Wotitzky, Wotitzky, Wotitzky, Ross & McKinley

President

 

W. Cort Frohlich, Esq, Frohlich, Gordon & Beason

Vice President

 

Tina Narr

Secretary

 

Larry Stewart

 

Jeff Brown, Ashley, Brown & Company

 

Major Mark Caro, CCSO

 

Michael B. Cronin

 

Melinda Diedrick, Merrill Lynch

 

Michael Grant, Ambitrans

 

Margaret C. Lang

 

Robert C. Sifrit, Esq.

 

Dr. David Winsor, Access Chiropractic Center

  
Margaret C. Lang
President Emeritus
 
Donna Worthley
President
 
Teri Ashley, Centennial Bank
Vice President
 
Robert Dickinson
Treasurer
 
Liz Green, Harbor Style
Secretary
 
Paul Lioon, Independent Trust Services of SWFL
 
Sushila Cherian
 
Joseph Fiorillo, Jr., Merril Lynch
 
Ed Wotitzky, Esq., Wotitzky Wotitzky, Ross & McKinley
 
Keith Callaghan, Edison State College Foundation
 
Miranda Fields, Just Counters & Other Stuff
 
Tracy Holtrey, Charlotte County for Vitalcare Home Health
 
Kevin Shirley, Attorney

Charlotte Behavioral Health Care underwent its' fourth accreditation review by the nationally recognized and highly respected CARF (Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities).  CARF accreditation indicates CBHC's commitment to continually improving treatment services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community.  CBHC's programs and services received the highest possible level of accreditation.

 

  

"I attended a CSU tech meeting recently.  I am always impressed to see how our staff at CSU plan for and respond to emergencies.  On campus we know that if we have an aggressive person on the campus, we call them to handle it. 

But the rest of us rarely see how they must intervene to keep the unit safe.  These photos show the staff practicing takedowns, but particularly use of the safety shield in the event of a person with a weapon or extreme agitation. 

Thanks to the CSU staff who are sometimes in harms way and work to keep everyone   safe. "

~Vickie D'Agostino

 

 

 

  
The Accounting Department was feeling blue a few Fridays ago--what a team!!!


  

       

 

 

Northside Psychiatric Services receives New Medicaid Community Behavioral Health Location Certification Summary and Tool for the Northside Charlotte Behavioral Health location.

 

 The agency scored 100% across all domains [Facility/Environment, Leadership, Management of Human Resources, Records Management and Access to Care].  Therefore, you will find my attached letter which indicates that I am recommending that Medicaid Contract            Management activate this Medicaid Community  Behavioral Health Service location.  

 


  Congratulations on this achievement!!!

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

  Don't forget to check out our website, Facebook page and Twitter for up to date information!!!! 

 

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 www.cbhcfl.org

 

 

FAST FACTS 

 

  

Bipolar disorder affects5.7 million American adults, approximately

     2.6 percent of the adult population per year.

 

 

 

  

 

   In the UnitedStates, the annual economic, indirect cost of mental illness is estimated to be $79 billion. Most of that amount-

approximately $63 billion-reflects the loss of productivity as a result of illnesses.

 

 

 

 

Fewer than one-third of adults and one-half of children with a

diagnosable mental disorder receive mental health services in a  given year.

 

 

 


Jessica Boles
Director of Marketing
Charlotte Behavioral Health Care