In This Issue

DMH Office of Communications and Community Engagement

DMH is Getting Social!  

DMH is Now 

DMH is on Twitter!

 @MassDMH  

Commonwealth Conversations

  BLOGS

 This social media platform provides news, updates and serve as a forum for open dialogue about issues related to all 16 EOHHS agencies.

 Click here to read blog posts by Secretary Polanowicz, Commissioner Fowler and others

Department of Public Health Blog 

Connections Correction

Conferences and Events

April 14, 2014

MassPRA Annual Meeting

Supporting the Recovery Workforce Toward Lifelong Learning

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hogan Campus Center, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester 

This event is free of charge but attendees are asked to register in advance. You can do so by visiting the website, or by clicking here to go directly to our event registration site. CEUs will be offered for CPRPs. 

For ADA Accommodations, please contact Amos Worth at: aworth@northsuffolk.org.

April 24, 2014

Elder Suicide Prevention Training for Cape and Islands Communities

Presented by the Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands

8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Heritage House Hotel 

259 Main Street, Hyannis, MA

This suicide prevention training led by The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands is designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among adults age 55 and older. The training is open to the public and is appropriate for anyone who has contact with older adults during their professional, personal or volunteer activities. After the training, participants will be able to: understand the warning signs of suicide in older adults; develop strategies for early intervention and prevention; identify risk factors, levels or risk, and protective factors for suicide in older adults; and learn effective methods for active listening and engagement with older adults who are suicidal.  

The training is available free of charge. We are able to offer 7.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to Registered Nurses, Social Workers, and Licensed Mental Health Clinicians. All participants will receive a certificate of attendance.  

For ADA Accommodations and more information, please contact Stephanie Kelly at the Samaritans: 

508-548-7999 

or ccsamaritans@verizon.net  

April 30, 2014

2014 Recovery Forum 

Recovery-Focused Health: Bridging Worlds in Health Care

Sponsored by the 

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership 

in collaboration with the 

Transformation Center

1 to 4:30 p.m.

Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center

181 Boston Post Rd W, Marlborough

Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. 

Light refreshments will be provided.

This event is free and all are welcome, but registration is required

Click here for an event flyer with full details 

Click here to register or register by phone, contact Kaitlyn Sudol at 617-350-1952.

For ASL and Spanish interpretation or special accommodations, please contact Kaitlyn Sudol at kaitlyn.sudol@valueoptions.com 

 or 617-350-1952 by April 23, 2014 

May 10, 2014

NAMI Walk

Check in: 9 a.m. 

Walk begins at 11 a.m.

Artesani Park, Brighton, MA 

Register at:

www.namiwalks.org/massachusetts. 

If you have any additional questions, email walk manager Karen Gromis or call 617-580-8541

Now Available 

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Suicide Prevention Training Calendar

Please click on the link below to register.

Suicide Prevention Events Calendar

When registering for a workshop, please note that each event has tabs titled with information regarding the workshop, available CEs and cost.   

Space is very limited for each workshop and fills up quickly, so please register early.

 Upcoming Trainings from The Bridge Training Institute

Click here for the complete 2013-2014 training calendar.

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

Best Friends Come in All Sizes-- 

And Some Have Fur

DMH Service Dogs Do Double Duty of Providing Therapy and Some Fun

Flynn, tell us about yourself.

I will be eight years old in May. I am a Golden Lab as were both my parents. I have 14 brothers and sisters, who are all Service Dogs.

I heard you had an eventful childhood, which some of the youth in DMH services can relate to.

Yes, I was born in California and moved to Montana to get trained by an outfit called Loving Paws. They had money problems and couldn't keep me. I was then placed with NEADS, National Education for Assistance Dogs in Sterling, Mass. NEADS placed me in the Prison PUP Partnership program where I was trained by an inmate in prison and I lived with him there for a time. After my NEADS graduation, I was in a placement that didn't work and was traded in after two weeks. That's when I met my teammate Laura.

How can Service Dogs help people?

Some of my peers are called social dogs and help kids on the Autism spectrum by being a friend who doesn't judge the person. They help kids build confidence and gain social skills. Others help people who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and alert their partner to sounds around the house and sounds in the community, such as traffic, honking horns, and other sounds like that. Some of my brothers and sisters assist people with physical handicaps by performing tasks they have trouble with, such as turning off lights, opening doors, bringing the phone, etc. My favorite kinds of service dog are those who take part in the Canines for Combat Veterans program at NEADS. These partners can help military veterans with physical disabilities, as well as those with PTSD, working as a companion, encouraging social interaction and can sense when their partner needs emotional support.

What do you do at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital?

I have a full-time job. In the morning, I work with youth who need my companionship. Afterwards, I go with them to school at WRCH, and help the kids stay focused on school, and be there for those who need it. At 4:30 in the afternoon, I go to Laura's office and remind her that it's quitting time. But that doesn't always work! I also help youth transition into the community and accompany them on trips. I remember one girl who had always wanted her picture with Santa Claus, but it made her really nervous. I went with her and her therapist to the mall at Christmas time and we got our picture taken together with Santa. It was an amazing holiday gift, and Laura keeps that picture of all of us.

What else do you do?

I love to work. On the weekends, I go to the local sportsman's club and hang out with the older members. They love to pet me and I think it helps them interact with each other. I am sort of always working to promote NEADS and service dogs in general. When Laura and I go out, people always asks questions about me, about what I do and about service dogs in general.

You work in a hospital. What about infections?

I get bathed a lot more frequently than most dogs, at least once a month. Housekeeping is great at WRCH, so there isn't a lot of hair around, either. Even kids with pet allergies seem to not have problems around me.

So, how does someone get a Service Dog?

Left to right, the assistance dogs Mahoney, Flynn and Merlin struck a pose -- and waited for treats, at the adolescent unit at WRCH.  They serve as loyal friends and companions to the patients who come into the unit.

Pictured left to right: Metro Boston Area Director Patricia Kenny, Commissioner Marcia Fowler, Rep. Russell Holmes, and Ann Whitman

Commissioner Fowler with Sen. Harriette L. Chandler and Central-West Area Director Susan Sprung

Susan Sprung, Sen. Gail D. Candaras and Commissioner Fowler

Sharing stories is the most powerful tool we have in the recovery toolkit. At all the DMH Citizens Legislative Breakfasts, we hear the courageous and compelling personal stories of adults, youth and families living with mental illness and thriving in the face of their challenges. This year we have made videos of some of these stories, available on our DMH Connections YouTube Channel for everyone to see, get inspired and continue the conversation. To view, click their names linked above to hear their powerful stories!

Spotlight on NAMI Greater Boston Consumer Advocacy Network

By Julia Cardoso

NAMI GBCAN (Greater Boston Consumer Advocacy Network) brings meaning, hope and life to the word recovery. We are a group of peers working together to advocate, support and educate people about mental illness in hopes of alleviating some of its associated stigmas. Our staff is composed of mostly volunteers who are a part of something greater than us. Here's what some of the staff have to say about what being a part of NAMI GBCAN means to them:

I get to listen to others and help individuals with issues they are struggling with.  For one day a week, sometimes two, I feel like a professional I used to be.

To me NAMI GBCAN means being able to connect with people who understand where I am coming from. GBCAN makes me feel like my skills and abilities are valued and useful.

NAMI GBCAN gives me hope. The people that I have connected with here brings to life the idea that recovery is real!

I am proud that I have been able to mentor people to work in human services. Being active in NAMI GBCAN has helped me feel like I have made a difference.

When I'm around peers at the NAMI GBCAN, the stigma of my illness is somewhat lifted and it allows me talk freely with no clouds over my head.

Advocacy is an important part of our mission. Some of the issues we have fought for include housing, veteran support, outreach to young adults diagnosed with mental illness and reducing and eliminating restraint and seclusion. In addition to weekly staff meetings, GBCAN sponsors many social activities and services which are open to all.

NAMI GBCAN is a partner of the Metro Boston Recovery Learning Community.

We hold a monthly Business Meeting every third Thursday at Center Club, 31 Bowker Street in Boston, located right around the corner from the Haymarket MBTA station. Free pizza and soda are served at 6:30 pm. Meeting runs from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

A favorite of many, the Two Hats Networking Dinner takes place every second Thursday of each month at the Royal East Restaurant, 792 Main St. in Cambridge. Check out www.TwoHats.org. Free on street parking after 6 p.m.

Peer facilitated NAMI Connection Support Group meets at the Hope Center every week on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Opening Doors to the Arts (ODA) are free art events such as theatre, musicals and concerts which are sponsored by NAMI GBCAN. Supported by a generous grant from NAMI Cambridge-Middlesex, these social events are often an occasion for free food gatherings before or after the event. Go towww.openingdoorstothearts.org.

Thinking of ourselves as peers and consumers has helped us build a strong network of support. Anyone interested in weekly staff meetings or any of the other events listed is welcome to join us. Call 617-626-8691 or 617-626-8694 and leave a message. To volunteer, please contact ewa@namigbcan.org. NAMI GBCAN is a partner of the DMH-funded Metro Boston Recovery Learning Community, visit our website at www.mbrlc.org.

NAMI GBCAN offices are located at the DMH Erich Lindemann Community Mental Health Center, Plaza Level, 25 Staniford St. in Boston. 

April Wellness Tips 

When we are tired or stressed, sometimes getting exercise seems like the last thing we want to do with our free time. As we age, we tend to lead more sedentary lives. Even 15 minutes of exercise per day can help you reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and more. Here are some tips on exercise success: 

Whether you want to lose weight, manage stress, or reduce your health risks, the best activity for most people is walking. Experts recommend 45-60 minutes of walking each day for optimal health; the good news is, walks can be split up into shorter increments without losing health benefits.   

Bike to work

Cycling is a great calorie burner and may help to decrease traffic congestion and air pollution.  

Stair climbing is a great way to build endurance and muscle, burn calories and condition your legs and glutes.    

If you drive to work, park your vehicle at the far end of the parking lot and walk the distance to the building. If you take the train or subway, get off a stop ahead and walk the rest of the way.    

Take frequent breaks from sitting

A study of people who sat for long periods of time, but took frequent small breaks to stand, walk, and /or stretch, had more favorable levels of blood sugar and fat metabolism than counterparts who sat for hours without taking breaks. Aim to get up from your desk at least once every hour.   

Attend or organize exercise classes before or after business hours

Many worksites allow certified instructors to use their facilities so employees can exercise in a formal setting.   

Click here for a delicious recipe for a Healthy Turkey Reuben and to take the April Challenge.

The MA Department of Public Health Suicide Prevention Program presents the

"The Future of Suicide Prevention: Suicide Prevention Across the Lifespan"

April 16 & 17,  2014

The Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center

Please click link for brochure and registration:

http://www.cvent.com/d/d4qqqz

Please check all tabs for information!

A note from lessons learned from past conferences:  Many of you have expertise in your own areas so that you may know as much as a conference presenter.  We encourage you to try something new, step outside the box and consider attending workshops on topics or populations that are new to you!

Before selecting your workshops please click the "Workshop Descriptions" tab to view ALL

Members of Tunefoolery perform at the Porter Square Book Store in Cambridge. Visit Tunefoolery's website  at www.tunefoolery.org to find performance dates and information, listen to music clips, sign up for the In Tune monthly newsletter and much more!

Access photos of all DMH events at the DMH Photo Gallery on Shutterfly 

and now on Flickr!

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

DMH Connections