Welcome to the Spring edition of the ProtoCall newsletter! Spring has brought forth many inspiring initiatives at ProtoCall which Phil summarizes below. Also, check out our offer for free registration at an Open Minds conference next month in New Orleans! |
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 | | Phil Evans |
Spring is a time of new growth (and fresh ideas), and so it is at ProtoCall as well. We're excited to announce that we've just become the newest Affiliate Member of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (www.thenationalcouncil.org). It's always been important to us at ProtoCall that we participate materially in our industry associations. I've recently finished a term as the President of the Employee Assistance Society of North America (www.EASNA.org) after nearly 10 years of serving on it's Board. Staff at ProtoCall have also been consistently active in the local EAPA chapter, serving in various leadership positions. (see also the National Association for Rural Mental Health and the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors!)
Our newest Affiliation with the National Council is reflective of our continued growth and success serving community mental health centers across the country. With more than 1,900 member agencies throughout the country, the National Council has become the leading voice on behalf of community providers and the millions of individuals with mental illness who depend on their vital support. At a time when healthcare reform and budget constraints are combining as never before to force agencies to do more with less, we at ProtoCall are grateful for the National Council's extensive industry leadership, advocacy, and technical support. We are looking forward to supporting the National Council's efforts while learning from, adding to, its technical expertise and support services.
Also in the spirit of learning and trying new things, ProtoCall will be attending the 2012 Open Minds Planning and Innovation Institute, June 6-8, in New Orleans (http://www.openminds.com/planning-innovations-institute/). This will be our first time sponsoring an Open Minds conference and we are very impressed by the high quality line up of speakers and very timely topics. We hope to see some of you there. (Check out the side bar for information on attending for free...!)
So here's to a season of new growth and fresh ideas for all of our partners. We are consistently grateful to each and every one of you who have shared with us the opportunity to serve your consumers and your staff. May your efforts to plan, innovate, and grow continue to bear fruit and improve the lives of those you serve!
Warm regards,
Phil Evans
President/CEO
ProtoCall Services |
| Employee Spotlights |
 | Linda
LCSW, Clinical Specialist II |
Linda has been with ProtoCall since 1998. Here she describes what her work at ProtoCall means to her: "I have worked for ProtoCall for more than 13 years and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I started when ProtoCall was a much smaller organization and have watched it grow over the years. I work with a great group of clinicians and supervisors who are highly skilled, very competent, and there is great support to provide the high quality of work that our customers, callers, and ourselves expect.
I appreciate the opportunity to help so many consumers and customers from a variety of geographical locations and backgrounds. One of the times I remember most at ProtoCall was 9/11 and the heart-wrenching calls from people who were in the twin towers when the planes hit. That was a day when we helped a lot of people and EAPs that were unable to operate without us. That is very gratifying to me."
 | | Nora Relationship Manager |
Nora has worked for ProtoCall in a variety of roles within the Account Relations Department. Here is what her work at ProtoCall means to her: "I've worked at ProtoCall Services for almost 9 years and I've been in a variety of roles. My current post as Relationship Manager allows me to work more closely with our customers and our clinicians than in my previous positions and I find that quite rewarding. I love language and words so it's interesting to be involved in writing clinical procedures and communications designed to effectively express the needs of both customers and our staff in a succint, accuate, and thorough fashion.
I've always supported our mission and enjoyed working with people who exhibit a passion for serving others. ProtoCall's dedication to service and my contribution to it is what keeps me invested and interested in the work I do." |
 "Working with Thought Disorders Over the Phone" by Sabrina Hadeed, MA
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ProtoCall counselors encounter many different types of presentations on the phone and need to be able to adapt quickly to best meet the needs of each individual caller. One of those types of presentations is persons with thought disorders. Specifically, individuals with thought disorders who call feeling distressed with various types of hallucinations or delusions.
As with any type of call or caller establishing rapport is the most important first step a counselor takes when working with persons experiencing hallucinations or delusions. It is important to empathize and validate the caller's experience of such events as concerning, stressful, scary, and anxiety producing. Do not focus on proving the voices or hallucinations are not real. It is also important at this stage to inquire about psychotropic medication compliance and any triggering events the caller can identify that prompted their hallucinations.
Once rapport has been established it is important to understand the nature of the hallucinations or delusions as they relate to safety planning. For example, if your caller is reporting they are hearing voices, ask whether or not the voices are instructing the caller to hurt themselves or others? Have they ever followed the instructions their voice(s) gave them? Have there been times they didn't follow those instructions? What happened then?
Depending on the level of rapport and ability to engage the caller, some individuals respond positively to reality checking questions. If there are pets in the home, how are they behaving? Can others around you see what you're seeing? Did you see the other person's lips move? Are the doors and windows of your home locked?
Use solution-focused questions to help the caller develop
a coping strategy until they can follow up with their primary provider. Asking what has helped in the past when they've experienced hallucinations or delusions?
Helping callers with thought disorders can be challenging, however, like any caller they want to experience feeling heard, understood, and supported during their time of need. |
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: We're having difficulty getting to calls during the daytime hours. Is ProtoCall able to help us with that?
A: Absolutely! We have a variety of different coverage options for customers, such as daytime overflow coverage. Your phone system can flow calls to us during the day when all of your staff are already on the phone or otherwise occupied.
Contact your Relationship Manager for more details! | | | |
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On the Road...
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The 2012 Open Minds Planning and Innovation Institute
New Orleans, LA
June 6-8, 2012
ProtoCall is offering FREE Registration for this event-a $500 value! Interested persons please contact Laura Schaefer: 877-819-0287 as soon as possible.
For more information on thet Institute click here:
Open Minds Institute
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