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Connections Correction

DMH Employment Services is increasingly finding diverse and exciting ways to incorporate the benefits of peer support. Through events such as Storytellers, The Schiff Awards, peer-run job clubs at clubhouses, Recovery Learning Communities, on inpatient units, and especially through the presence of staff and managers with lived experience themselves, peer-services and vocational-services continue to find new ways to support and reinforce each other. 

One of the most promising innovations at the intersection of peer- and vocational-services is the development of Vocational Peer Support (VPS), a training program offered by the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation (CPR) for peer specialists specifically focused on how they can best help individuals "consider, pursue and achieve vocational recovery." Says Debbie Nicolellis of CPR, vocational recovery is "bigger than just a job... it's supporting people around the multitude of decisions they make when they think about going to work."

Rather than creating a peer position dedicated to employment, the VPS training model maintains the peer specialist role as is, but offers advanced training for those with a particular interest in employment and education. Training includes up to ten modules on topics such as "Partnering for Vocational Recovery," "Building Motivational Foundations," and "Keeping Jobs and School." VPS was created by Lyn Legere and Debbie Nicolellis in 2009 and training formally began in 2010. To date, CPR has trained approximately 60 peer specialists in three states. An ongoing research project is studying the impact of VPS on employment outcomes, as well as how it affects hope for Vocational Recovery and engagement. 

Core to VPS training is the concept of the Vocational Recovery Story. Peer specialists learn how to identify their own Vocational Recovery Stories from lived experience, as well as how to use those stories to inspire hope for a meaningful vocational life. VPS teaches specific strategies that peer specialists can use to support people as they consider work, choose the right situation, get into a job or school and keep that position or program for as long as they want and need it. 

For more information on the VPS program, visit the BU Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation website.

or contact Debbie Nicolellis at

Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project: Helping Pediatricians Address Children's Behavioral Health Needs

Do you know that Massachusetts has more psychiatrists per capita than most states, but typically families wait two months or more for psychiatric appointments? And do you also know that the majority of children's behavioral health issues can be safely managed by pediatricians in partnership with behavioral health providers? At the same time, many pediatricians feel relatively unprepared to meet these needs. They also are less likely to have referral relationships with psychiatrists and mental health therapists than with other specialists. This is where the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP) comes in.  

Started in 2004, MCPAP is a DMH funded program administered by Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership. MCPAP is a system of regional children's behavioral health consultation teams designed to help pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) meet the needs of children with behavioral health issues, regardless of their insurance status. MCPAP provides PCPs with timely access to child psychiatry consultation, and when indicated, transitional services for families into ongoing behavioral health care.  

Pediatric practices are enrolled with one of MCPAP's six regional teams, or hubs.  Each hub is staffed with a full-time child psychiatrist, independently licensed therapist, care coordinator and administrative support.  PCP's consultation with a MCPAP hub results in one of the following outcomes: 

• An answer to PCP's question 
• Referral to team care coordinator to assist family in accessing local behavioral health services
• Referral to team social worker to provide transitional care until family can access routine, local behavioral health services
• Referral to team child psychiatrist for a face-to-face consultation with child and family 

MCPAP collects encounter data on all PCP requests for consultation. The team also administers an annual provider satisfaction survey to inform ongoing improvement of MCPAP services. In 2013, MCPAP provided services to PCPs on behalf of nearly 11,000 children throughout the Commonwealth. Provider survey data reveals that PCPs have experienced marked improvement in their self-reported ability to meet the needs of children with psychiatric problems since using MCPAP services.  

In the coming issues of DMH Connections, you will hear about several new MCPAP initiatives to enhance primary care providers' capacity to address early childhood mental health issues, adolescent substance abuse, and postpartum depression (with a focus on adult and pediatric PCPs). 

Conferences and Events

October 15, 2014

ADHD AWARENESS SEMINAR

1 to 2 p.m., Multi-Cultural Independent Living Center of Boston, 329 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 02130.  In recognition of ADHD Awareness Month, The Multicultural Independent Living Center of Boston will be hosting a FREE ONE HOUR SEMINAR on The Many Faces of ADHD. The goal of this seminar will be to educate the community, media and policy makers about the understanding and treatment of ADD/ADHD, the different interventions for managing ADD/ADHD and how to create strategies for success. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC !!  Please RSVP and for accessibility accommodations, call Trish at: 617-436-5670  Light Refreshments will be Served.

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Upcoming Events at The Bridge of Central Mass.

Click here for the complete 2014-2015 training calendar.

Training Institute events are held at the DoubleTree Hotel which is wheelchair accessible for 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.

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, please register early.

__________________
  

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

National Depression Screening Day 2014 encourages mentally healthy workplaces

National Depression Screening Day (NDSD), this year on October 9, is dedicated to raising awareness and screening people for depression and related mood and anxiety disorders. NDSD is a voluntary, community based screening program that gives access to validated screening questionnaires and provides referral information for treatment. Individuals can locate a mental health screening site or take an online screening at www.HelpYourselfHelpOthers.org.

How does mental illness affect your life? It is likely that you and every employee in your place of work know someone who has a mental illness. In fact, it is estimated that about one-third of those with a mental illness are employed.

And according to the National Institute on Mental Illness, nearly a quarter of the U.S. workforce (28 million workers ages 18-54) will experience a mental or substance use disorder. Some of the most prevalent mental illnesses in the workplace include:

• Alcohol abuse/dependence: 9 percent of workers
• Depression: 8 percent of workers
• Social anxiety disorder: 7 percent of workers

Despite these significant statistics, 71 percent of workers with mental illnesses have never sought help from a medical or mental health specialist for their symptoms.

One of the most undertreated and misunderstood mental illnesses in the workplace is depression. The mood disorder is more than a passing feeling and is a major, but treatable, illness. Depression affects people in all walks of life. No job title, organization or personality type is immune.

When left untreated, mental illness can be costly to both the individual and the workforce. A RAND Corporation study found that people with depressive symptoms spend more days in bed than those with diabetes, arthritis, back problems, lung problems, or gastrointestinal disorders. Depression accounts for close to $12 billion in lost workdays each year. Additionally, more than $11 billion in other costs accrue from decreased productivity due to symptoms that sap energy, affect work habits and cause problems with concentration, memory and decision making. These costs can increase even more if an employee's depression is linked to substance abuse.

The good news for employers and employees is that mental illness is treatable. According to the World Health Organization, the vast majority (60-80 percent) of people with a mental health disorder will improve with proper diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. 

• Employee wellness programs that incorporate mental health
• Manager trainings in mental health workplace issues
• Support for employees who seek mental health treatment or who require hospitalization and disability leave
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or other appropriate referral resource
• Health care that treats mental illness with the same urgency as physical illness
• Regular communication to employees regarding equal opportunity employment, wellness, and similar topics promoting an accepting work environment

Early intervention and prevention programs can be fundamental in preventing progress towards a full-blown disease, controlling symptoms of mental illness, and improving outcomes. Anonymous online screenings are an effective way to raise awareness. A screening program can also work well for small organizations that lack official EAP services. 

If you or someone you know may be suffering from depression, visit www.helpyourselfhelpothers.org to take a free depression screening.

Information for this article was obtained from: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Workplaces That Thrive: A Resource for Creating Mental Health-Friendly Work Environments. SAMHSA Pub. No. P040478M. Rockville, MD: Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2004.

DMH YouTube Spotlight:

I had a black dog, his name was depression

This month we feature the short film from World Health Organization titled "I had a black dog, his name was depression." 

"At its worst, depression can be a frightening, debilitating condition. Millions of people around the world live with depression. Many of these individuals and their families are afraid to talk about their struggles and don't know where to turn for help. However, depression is largely preventable and treatable. Recognizing depression and seeking help is the first and most critical towards recovery." 

I had a black dog, his name was depression

An additional video from World Health Organization titled "Living with a black dog" is a guide for partners, carers and sufferers of depression. It advises those living with and caring for people with depression on what to do, what not to do, and where to go for help.

Children's Behavioral Health Knowledge Center Implementation Science Workshops:  October 15 and 16

There is considerable evidence regarding what to do to improve outcomes for human services. Researchers have produced a large number of practices, programs and other effective innovations. Indeed, a wide array of evidence-based programs/practices and service delivery innovations are being implemented throughout the Massachusetts behavioral health system for children, youth and adults.

It is not enough to know what we want to do; we must also know how to make it happen. Implementation science is an emerging body of research evidence and best practices that provides frameworks and tools that guide the complex process of implementing and sustaining evidence-based and innovative programs and practices. The National Implementation Research Network (NIRN), a leader in this field, has developed action-oriented tools and numerous online resources, available at http://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/. 

The CBH Knowledge Center is hosting a workshop on the NIRN's framework and tools for implementation teams working in the Massachusetts behavioral health system. Teams and their projects can be any stage in the implementation process to benefit from attending this workshop. The workshop includes hands-on application of the NIRN tools and will be a richer experience if members of a project team attend together.   

You will learn how to: 

• Develop strategies for using individual, organizational and leadership drivers. 
• Assess, plan and track implementation activities across stages, from design to sustainability.
• Apply a shared language and framework across initiatives. 
• Learn from colleagues across projects that are at various stages of implementation

The Workshop is a full-day session (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.). 

Sessions will be held in two locations: 

• Wednesday, October 15, at the Doubletree Hotel in Westborough 
• Thursday, October 16, at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston 

For more information or for accessibility accommodations, please contact Susan Maciolek at: cbhknowledgecenter@massmail.state.ma.us

With WellMASS at work, simple 

changes can start today

For nearly three years EOHHS and the GIC have been through the WellMASS Initiative offering agency staff the opportunity and resources to improve their overall health and well being. Many DMH sites have been active in WellMASS activities and have become models for wellness across the state. Below are a few examples: 

• WellMASS Program Manager Ashley Mason leads Nutrition Group meetings every quarter for DMH staff employed at a group home in the Northeast area. She discusses nutrition topics of interest to employees and helps staff improve the nutrition of the home's residents. She has been leading these groups for almost two years.
   
• Metro Boston WellMASS Champion Cathy Andrews organized a successful "Smoothies, Salads, and Sides Summer Potluck Series" at the Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center last summer. She was featured in the Great Ideas segment of one of the monthly Wellness Champion calls and shared that idea with other EOHHS WellMASS champions.  
   
• Southeast WellMASS Champion Matt Cianci of the Southeast Area Office became a role model for other Wellness Champions by sharing his "standing workstation" with them during a recent monthly meeting. After learning about the benefits of standing workstations during a previous Wellness Champion meeting, he got right to work and created a makeshift standing desk in his own office, proving to other employees how easy it was to do and how beneficial it could be to their health.
   
• For the past four years Metro Suburban WellMASS Champion Eileen Weber has organized an event to celebrate SAMHSA's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Awareness Week every September at Tewksbury Hospital. Ashley Mason has spoken and led workshops at the event each year. The events have drawn a large crowd of both employees and consumers. Learn more about this great event in the article below! 

As we begin year three, DMH staff are encouraged to take or retake their Health Assessment (HA). 

Complete your WellMASS Health Questionnaire TODAY! 

WHY TAKE THE HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE? 

• Receive a snapshot of your current health 
• Determine which health areas/behaviors need more attention 
• Access resources on health topics like nutrition, stress and blood pressure 
• Your results may qualify you for FREE health coaching 

So you completed the Health Assessment last year? Take it again for a year-to-year-comparison! 
 

EARN REWARDS: 

• Your choice of a $20 gift card or a deluxe gym bag pictured right. Please Note: the $20 gift is taxed on your W2, the gym bag is not.
• Entry into a monthly raffle for an iPad2 -- the sooner you complete the Health Assessment the more raffle entries you receive!
• Six-month subscription to NutriSavings, a website that provides you with nutrition information about your grocery purchases and discounts for purchasing healthy foods 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  

• Visit the Website: https://wellmass.staywell.com
• Follow WellMASS on Twitter: @GICWellMASS
• Read the Blog: http://wellmass.wordpress.com  
• Call the HelpLine: 1-800-926-5455
• Learn More: www.mass.gov/gic/wellmass  

GIC-insured employees of the Executive and Legislative Branches and Constitutional Offices are eligible to take the Health Questionnaire. Your Health Questionnaire results are never shared with the GIC, your agency or your health plan.

DMH Northeast Suburban Area Celebrates National Wellness Week

It was sneaker week for the Northeast-Suburban Area staff who observed National Wellness Week (September 15 to 21) by wearing their sneakers to work for a week to promote a healthy, active lifestyle for staff and persons served by incorporating physical activity into one's day.  

The Northeast Suburban Area also commemorated the week with the Area's 4th annual Wellness Week Event, "Celebrating the Whole You."  The daylong event at Tewksbury Hospital was organized by the Northeast-Suburban Area Healthy Changes Task Force and the Recovery Action Team. 

Northeast-Suburban Area Director Susan Wing and Tewksbury Hospital COO Debra Tosti welcomed more than 100 attendees followed by opening Remarks by Dan Breslin, M.D., Area Medical Director and chair of the DMH Statewide Healthy Changes Task Force, who shared his personal use of mindfulness practices, including mindful walking.

A keynote presentation focused on an aspect of wellness as important as good nutrition and physical activity, but often overlooked -- getting a good night's sleep. In his presentation, "A Good Night's Sleep:  How to Maximize Your Nights and Energize Your Days," Lawrence J. Epstein, M.D., pictured right, one of the nation's leading sleep experts, (Brigham and Women's Hospital; Harvard Medical School; and Welltrinsic Sleep Network) spoke about the importance of sleep and provided six steps to a good night's sleep:

1. Recognize the importance of sleep.
2. Adopt a healthy lifestyle (good nutrition and physical activity)
3. Maintain good sleep habits
4. Create the optimal sleep environment (eliminate TVs and electronic devices from the bedroom)
5. Watch out for sleep saboteurs (caffeine and alcohol)
6. Seek help for persistent sleep problems

Additional information can be found at: http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu and www.sleepeducation.com

The event included a poster session showcasing wellness projects from DMH and providers across the Northeast-Suburban Area and blood pressure screenings by Nizhoni Health Systems. In a special segment, four young adults from STEPS, a young adult resource center operated by Wayside Youth and Family Support Network, courageously shared their wellness recovery stories. 

Participants also had a the opportunity to experience art as a child would pictured right, try yoga/meditation practices to help manage stress or learn about a four-step process for overcoming emotional eating. The day concluded with a fast paced Zumba (dance fitness) session.

Click here for a printable version, take the October Improving Digestion challenge and try a delicious recipe for Breakfast Quinoa.

Photo of the Month

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