In This Issue

DMH Office of Communications and Community Engagement

DMH is Getting Social! 

DMH is on Twitter!

 @MassDMH  

Click here to view the video on the YouTube site

In 2012, as part of the Governor's Community First Initiative, DMH was allocated money by the Massachusetts State Legislature to create new residential programs for people throughout the state who'd been in state hospitals for more than two years. Patients were identified as ready to leave the hospital, but needing extra support beyond what a standard residence might provide.

With the help of these funds, work began to develop new programs and improve existing ones throughout the Commonweath. The goal was to identify and tailor services to the needs and personal preferences of these individuals.

It's been over a year since these houses opened their doors. We had the opportunity to meet some of the individuals who now live in these homes. Staff from the Metro Southeast Area Office and the Friends of Metro Boston embarked on a journey throughout southeastern Massachusetts, talking with five people about their experiences in the community over the past year. We chronicled our visits with a 10-minute video documentary entitled "A Way Home." 

On this journey, we encountered clinically savvy, dedicated staff who were proud of the support services they provide to enable clients to live independently in the community. We found that, for the most part, folks were thriving and happy to be in their new homes. Many were involved in every day activities that all of us take for granted, ranging from making a snack to bringing in the trash barrels. One had a part-time job at the Salvation Army, another had recently taken up playing the piano after a long hiatus, another had helped cook Thanksgiving dinner for the house, another was going out regularly with her sister, and another had reconnected by phone with family across the globe. It was evident that each person had been given the chance to move closer to the kinds of freedom and simple pleasures we all enjoy -- the chance to find a way home.

July WellMASS Wellness Tips

July is a great time of the year to spend outside and celebrate our nation's freedom. The sun, in all its glory, helps to heat the earth, make plants grow, and so much more! The benefits from the sun well outweigh the dangers. That does not mean we shouldn't be aware of the damage that the sun can do to us all. Knowledge and action are two key components in preventing diseases like skin cancer and glaucoma. The sun can also cause wrinkles and sun/age spots. By staying aware and protecting you and your family against the sun's harmful rays, you can help prevent sun damage. 

Prevention There are many different ways to protect yourself and your family from the sun's harmful rays. Start by applying a sunscreen that contains an SPF rating of 15 or more each morning. Children should use a sunscreen that contains no less than 45 SPF. Sunscreen should not be applied to babies under 6 months old unless absolutely necessary. Remember, even on a cloudy day you can be exposed to too much sun and burn. Don't think you are covered if your daily cosmetic products or lip balm contain some sunscreen. Usually these don't contain enough to prevent burning, but they do help. You will need to apply sunscreen liberally to all exposed skin. A typical bottle of sunscreen should only last you a few days when applied appropriately. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 2-3 hours. Remember to check the expiration date on your sunscreen, too. Expired sunscreen loses its effectiveness and should be thrown out. Sunscreen comes in a variety of different brands, scents, and applications. Creams, sticks and sprays are widely available at drugstores and other retail outlets in your area. Sunscreens containing insect repellents like DEET should be used cautiously. The insect repellent absorbs into the skin with each reapplication of sunscreen and should be limited in children. Consider wearing clothing that covers your exposed skin if you need to be in the sun for an extended amount of time. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses are easy ways to help diminish the chances of becoming overexposed to the sun's harmful rays. Have a fun and sun safe summer! 

Click here for a recipe for Healthy Peach Cobbler and take the July Challenge.

Conferences and Events

MA Department of Public Health Suicide Prevention Program 

2013 Trainings  

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Suicide Prevention Program Workshop Calendar is available with the full schedule of trainings. More workshops will be added throughout the year. When registering, note that each event has tabs titled with information regarding the workshop. Space is limited for each workshop and fills up quickly, so register before the deadline. Click here to view the current Suicide Prevention Training Calendar.

Upcoming Trainings from The Bridge Training Institute

Click here for the complete 2012-2013 training schedule.

Training Institute events are held at the DoubleTree Hotel which is wheelchair accessible to people with mobility limitations. If accommodations such as ASL interpreters or visual aids are needed, please contact Stephen Murphy at:

stevem@thebridgecm.org 

or 508-755-0333 three weeks in advance of the training date.

 Upcoming Workshops at the Center for Professional Innovation 

(formerly Community Program Innovations) 

 CPI offers continuing education for mental health and healthcare professionals and educators, holding day-long workshops throughout Massachusetts on clinical and management topics. Trainings are held in Billerica, Foxborough and Springfield. To view the complete schedule and to register visit  

 http://bridgewellcpi.org   

All facilities are wheelchair accessible. If accommodations such as ASL interpreters or visual aids are needed, email:info@BridgewellCPI.org 

 or call  339-883-2118.

 Click here for the Transformation Center website and all the latest information and events happening throughout the mental health community.   

Please send your event information to

  Michelle Cormier Tallman

by the 15th of each month for publication in DMH Connections 

Third Annual DMH Mental Health and Law Enforcement Conference a Success

The Mental Health and Law Enforcement Conference, held at Fitchburg State University last month drew more than 200 people, including representatives of approximately 40 police departments from across the state. Presentations included topics related to public perception and the reality that most violence in society is not caused by persons with mental illness and that community partnerships aimed at prevention and diversion can be helpful in directing people in crisis to needed treatment. Attendees also heard presentations on victimization of persons with mental illness through the Disabled Persons Protection Commission. In addition, Northampton, Wakefield and Fitchburg Police leadership presented on the development of Crisis Intervention Teams in their communities. Diversion in Action included a personal account from Dan Murdoch, Certified Peer Specialist, Riverside Community Care, recounting his own experiences with emergency hospitalization in a powerful tale relating the thoughts and feelings of someone in crisis.

Worcester and Boston Police Department representatives as well as their community mental health provider partners, Community Healthlink and the Boston Emergency Services Team discussed their successful jail diversion models.  And to cap the program, local providers and Somerville Police Department, Franklin/North Quabbin leadership of DMH and partners at Clinical and Support Options, Vinfen and ServiceNet spoke on effective engagement of individuals who have frequent contact with local law enforcement.

Focus on Juveniles: The day ended with an important presentation on youth intervention strategies, which has been a goal of DMH grant funded police-based Jail Diversion Programs. The presentations at the conference spotlighted Tracy Longvall-Rivera, Department of Youth Services (DYS) Director of Alternative Lock-Up Programs (ALPs) and Lynsey Heffernan, the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) Detention Reform Specialist for DYS, as well as Lt. Leonard DiPietro, Commanding Officer, Community Services Unit, Cambridge Police Department, emphasizing strategies to divert youth from arrest and juvenile detention. This presentation reflects collaborative efforts between the Juvenile Trial Court, DYS and other stakeholders including DMH in JDAI efforts.  The presentation at the conference punctuated the remarks presented on June 7, 2013 at the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Conference by Robert Kinscherff, Ph.D., J.D.of the Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, and Director of Forensic Studies, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Kinscherff spoke of the critical need to attend to youth with co-occurring disorders and trauma histories at risk of juvenile justice involvement. The June 7 conference had participation from numerous justice and provider stakeholders working with DMH, including representation from law enforcement professionals, the Department of Correction, the Judiciary and Court Administration, the Department of Public Health, the Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention, the Department of Youth Services, the Attorney General's Office, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Mass Health, UMass Boston, the Office of the Child Advocate, and numerous others who shared the day listening, learning and engaging in dialogue to help improve services for those individuals with mental health and substance use disorders who are court involved or at risk of becoming court involved. For more information on that conference, CLICK here.

Call for Nominations: Ulis Advocacy Award 

Nominations are open for the 2013 Isaiah Uliss Advocacy Award. Named in honor of Isaiah Uliss, a pioneer in advocacy by a person in recovery from a psychiatric disability, the award will be presented on Oct. 30 at the 2013 annual Massachusetts Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (MassPRA) conference at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester.

Isaiah Uliss levereged his background as a Teamster's Union treasurer within Center Club clubhouse in Boston to build a national reputation as a staunch advocate. He served on Center Club's board of directors at a time when this was unheard of by people with psychiatric disabilities who were also service recipients. He developed a reputation for speaking truth to power at every opportunity, loudly and clearly but with humor and grace. He related to governors and other leaders in exactly the same manner as he did to members of Center Club, and he came to serve as inspiration for generations of peer advocates that followed him. 

This year marks the 8^th annual presentation of the Isaiah Uliss Advocacy Award. Previous recipients are:

• Paul Seifert, IAPSRS (USPRA)
• Jonathan Delman, Consumer Quality Initiatives of Massachusetts
• Deborah Delman, M-POWER
• Moe Armstrong, Vinfen
• Marcia Webster, The Transformation Center
• Keith Scott, Advocates
• Ruthie Poole, The Transformation Center

Nomination requirements: 

• Individual has made a significant contribution to promoting quality psychiatric rehabilitation services
• Individual has taken a public leadership role in psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery activities
• Individual has made a significant contribution over an extended period of time, thereby showing dedication and persistence
• Individual has succeeded as a change agent, influencing attitudes and practices in rehabilitation and recovery

Nomination preferred criteria:

• Individual is a self-identified person in recovery
• Individual is a PRA (formerly USPRA) member
• Individual has been active in MassPRA and/or PRA affairs 
• Individual has demonstrated creativity and/or critical thinking, changing the way psychiatric disability, rehabilitation and recovery are viewed.

Nomination Process

Any PRA member can nominate a person who meets the above criteria. The MassPRA Board of Directors will select the award recipient from among the qualified nominees. Nominations are due Aug. 30, 2013 and the winner will be presented at the MassPRA conference on Oct. 30, 2013. The winner will be notified before the conference.

Submissions must contain the following information:

• Nominee's name, address and telephone number (either home or work), e-mail (if possible), and any other contact information
• Nominator's name, address, telephone number, and e-mail.
• A narrative between 1/2 and 2 pages in length describing how the nominee meets the criteria above and why they are deserving of the award.

Send by regular mail or e-mail to:

Mary C. Gregorio

Center Club

31 Bowker Street

Boston MA 02114

e-mail: mgregorio@baycove.org

617-788-1002

B.A.T.T.L.E.M.I.N.D

TRANSITIONING FROM COMBAT TO HOME

  

 In his highly acclaimed presentation, combat injured Army Veteran Kevin Lambert from the Department of Veteran Services Statewide Advocacy for Veterans Empowerment (SAVE) described the on-the-ground military mindset to Central Office and Metro Boston staff. Kevin's presentation highlighted the sources of trauma and the significant reintegration and transition challenges veterans face returning to communities, workforce and schools. This workshop also provided staff a better understanding of the psychological and social stressors endured by service members both during their deployment and upon returning home as well as providing information on how families members can be supported. Kevin is pictured here with his assistance dog.

Access photos of DMH Events anytime at the DMH Photo Gallery on Shutterfly   

If you have photos from a DMH event that you would like featured as photo of the month or on the site, please send them to

Michelle Cormier Tallman