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DMH Office of Communications and Community Engagement
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Questions or suggestions?
Contact Michelle
Communications Coordinator 617-626-8118
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Click here for the 2016 Editorial Calendar
Submission Deadline is the 15th or the month prior to when you would like your article or event published
Please send all materials to
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Go Social with DMH!
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ReachHire offers young adults and anyone seeking a wealth of tools, advice, and resources designed to help you reach your dreams - for building a career, getting an education, and supporting yourself financially.
With a positive attitude and the right support, you can make it a fun and fulfilling experience.
Get Started Today at:
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Connections Correction
We apologize that In the December 2011-January 2012 issue, in the "Recovery, Peers are Key to DMH Inpatient Mission" article we noted
"Kevin Huckshorn, who now serves as director of the National Technical Assistance Center for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors" Kevin is the Commissioner of
of the DE mental health and substance abuse service system. | |
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Focus on
Employment
Commissioner Mikula Awarded for Employment Focus
By Michael Stepansky DMH Director of Employment
The Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition (MCC) held its 20th Annual Employment Celebration
in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House. The annual event celebrates the importance of employment to clubhouses and their members, and honors employers who have demonstrated a strong commitment to hiring clubhouse members in transitional employment (TE), supported employment (SE), and independent employment (IE) positions.
This year, the MCC presented DMH Commissioner Joan Mikula with a Leadership Award for her "strong commitment to improving the lives of Massachusetts residents who have mental illness and for [her] understanding that employment with support plays a critical role in recovery and [her] action to ensure that employment is prioritized by Clubhouses." According to Paula Fisher, MCC President, "the Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition has chosen to give Commissioner Mikula an award today because in her first year as DMH Commissioner she has taken swift action to re-focus Clubhouses on our critical role of helping our members gain employment with support."
In addition to Commissioner Mikula, twenty four employers were honored, including: the Newton Free Library, Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, Thumbprint Realty, Bell Tower Caf� in Lawrence and the DMH Western MA Area Office, as well as employers who serve on the MCC's Employment Expansion Project Employer Advisory Board. Attendees included clubhouse staff, members and family members. Thirty two Massachusetts State legislators presented awards to employers during the event.
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Conferences and Events
or the calendar image below to view the NEW DMH Conferences and Events Calendar
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Upcoming Events at The Bridge Training Institute Continuing Education for Mental Health Professionals - See our training calendar at www.thebridgetraininginstitute.org
Our day-long trainings are held at the Courtyard Marriott in Marlborough, MA. If accommodations are needed, please contact Stephen Murphy at [email protected] or 508-755-0333
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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Suicide Prevention Training Calendar Please click on the link below to register. 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 All facilities are wheelchair accessible. If accommodations such as ASL interpreters or visual aids are needed, email: [email protected] 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 by the 15th of each month for publication in DMH Connections |
DMH Connections Celebrates
Thank You for your readership as DMH Connections proudly celebrates 7 years of continuous publication!
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DMH Connections is posted on the DMH's archives page of the DMH Internet. View issues from 2008 to the Present at
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An Illuminating Performance of Express Yourself!
By: Daniela Trammell, Director of Communications and Community Engagement
As DMH Commissioner Joan Mikula proclaimed the evening at Express Yourself (EXYO) was magical! True to the theme
of "Illuminate" the entire Citi Performing Arts Center was shining as the thanks to the florescent glow sticks each audience member received. There was no shortage of energy from the audience to the young performers and EXYO leaders one would never know this was the 22nd year of the performance which occurs during May - National Mental Health Awareness Month.
 Once the lights dimmed and Commissioner Mi kula and Citi Performing Center President and CEO Josiah A. Spaulding took to the stage, the tone for the evening was set. Their historical opening reflections quickly transitioned into the pair being part of the show. The two were whisked away by a group of EXYO kids who donned Mikula and Spaulding with regal costumes fitting for the live Red Carpet, an elevated woman on center stage whose gorgeous red ball gown flowed into the actual red carpet on the stage, and additional kid performers played the role of red carpet escorts and paparazzi.
But the true highlight of the evening was the EXYO kids. In a brief video, a metaphoric light was beamed upon the youthful participants and the audience as the youth in the show described why EXYO means so much to them. Many of them talked about discovering their voice, finding a place to fit in, learning something new, making new friends, and not being judged - healthy lessons that start with EXYO but will easily transcend into other areas of life.
Once the video concluded the young performers emerged onto the stage, and they were just as diverse in their talents as they were in age and background. They did it all - acting, singing, dancing, stepping, drumming, hoola-hooping and amazing set and prop design. In addition to the great introduction, the crowd was amazed by performance pieces featuring the young people and special guest artists like Samantha Johnson, America's Got Talent finalist, STOMP, Jared Mason from Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet, Ten31 Productions, and West African Drumming. One would think that the special guests would intimidate or outshine the youthful performers, but they all commanded the stage.
Throughout the year, EXYO prepares the 150 young performers for this one evening to showcase what they've learned by participating in their art immersion programs. To learn more about the program or to attend next year's show please visit www.exyo.org.
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Young Adults Burst the Stigma during May is Mental Health Month
 During May is Mental Health Month Young Adults got caught up in a new Burst the Stigma campaign! A few Burst the Stigma campaigns in the past included Young Adult Flash mobs across the state, a Young Adult Summit, and Burst the Stigma artwork including green t-shirts and green sunglasses!
This year was revamped with a water balloon twist, the Statewide Young Adult Council (SYAC) came up with a great, attention-grabbing idea to burst the stigma around mental illness this May.
Green "Burst the Stigma" Water balloons were popping - up on all forms of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc, challenging folks to get involved and share their own experience bursting, overcoming, and/or educating others to eliminate stigma.
Watch the DMH STAY and Youth Forward staff Burst the Stigma and challenge their community partners!
To get involved: YOU still have the opportunity to nominate others to continue the fight to end stigma surrounding mental health visit www.SpeakingofHope.org for the latest updates, and follow Speaking of Hope on Facebook and Twitter to see all the bursting the stigma videos!
So during the hot summer months get your hands on some green water balloons and keep a join the 2016 Burst the Stigma Campaign!
The SYAC has also created a music playlist on Spotify. Click here to celebrate good mental health all year long with songs that inspire young adults in their recovery.
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MMHC's Veronica Besancon Recognized as part of the 2016 Boston Globe Salute to Nurses Campaign
Congratulations to Veronica Besancon who is a nurse at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center (MMHC). Veronica was nominated by Dr. Gail Levine for her tremendous contributions to the MMHC community and her write up was included as part of the 2016 Boston Globe Salute to Nurses Campaign. Hundreds of nurses were featured during Nurses Week May 6-12.
Dr. Levine wrote the following about Veronica:
I am a primary care doctor I work at the Brigham & Women's Primary Care Center at Massachusetts Mental Health Center where Veronica Besancon, RN, is the nurse manager of the ambulatory clinics. Veronica has been a psychiatric nurse for over 40 years. Our patients are chronically severely mentally ill. Veronica shows up every single day determined to do what she can to get every patient's needs addressed. Over the course of her career she has driven patients to the hospital in labor gone to their homes and taken them out to lunch in order to persuade them to get necessary testing or accompanied them to doctor's appointments, arranged transportation for patients who can't come for appointments because they've run out of money for transportation. She bothers to find out why people aren't getting the care they need and goes the extra mile to help them get that care. If anything looks off about a patient, she notices and steps in to express her concern and help. She speaks up to all the members of a patient's team to ensure that they get the care they need whether that be money for food, help obtaining medication, or a few extra minutes of consideration from a physician. I can't stress enough how deserving she is of this award for using her considerable tenacity and compassion in the service of these most undeserved stigmatized patients.- Nominated by Gail Levine
Thank you Veronica and all nursing staff whose care helps to build healthy communities. Your skill, commitment, and compassion are an inspiration to all of us! |
DMH Teams Support the 13th Annual NAMI Walk
 Teams from the Metro Boston and Northeast Areas joined thousands of individuals living with mental illness, family, friends and advocates from across the state for the 13th Annual National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Walk. Staff and persons served from all Sites and facilities came out for a day of fun and support. Staff members brought family, friends and furry animals to join the event. Metro Boston walked as the Recovery is Real team, and raised funds for the NAMI affiliate NAMI Greater Boston Consumer Advisory Network (GB-CAN). The 2016 Walk kicked off with a speaking program emceed by Fox25 News Anchors Vanessa Welch and Mark Ockerbloom , and featured Commissioner Joan Mikula and Allie Raymond. Having been diagnosed with bipolar and generalized anxiety disorder after a suicide attempt in 2009, Allie delivered a personal and powerful message that recovery is achievable.
Friends of Metro Boston, and colleagues generously made sandwiches for all their participants. After an invigorating walk on a beautiful, sunny day, they all picnicked together on the banks of the river and enjoyed another successful NAMI Walk together!
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CBH Knowledge Center News
Addressing the Behavioral Health Workforce at the 4th Annual CBH Knowledge Center Symposium and Gailanne Reeh Lecture
By: Kelly English, PhD, LICSW
Director of the Children's Behavioral Health Knowledge Center
The Children's Behavioral Health Knowledge Center hosted its third annual Symposium and Gailanne Reeh Lecture on May 6 at the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital. Over 150 people attended the day-long event hosted in celebration of Children's Mental Health Awareness Week.
 The keynote speaker was Dr. Michael Hoge pictured, Professor and Director of Clinical Training in Psychology within the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine. He also serves as the Director of Yale Behavioral Health, which delivers a broad array of mental health and addiction services to adolescents and adults. As a founding member of The Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce, he was instrumental in launching a national, inter-professional effort to improve the recruitment, retention, and training of individuals who provide prevention and treatment services for persons with mental health and substance use conditions.
To address the current behavioral health workforce crisis, Dr. Hoge spoke about the need to expand workforce roles for clients, families, and community groups. He stressed that it is often friends, family, and neighbors that people turn to for help; yet they receive little training or support in how to assist their loved one with a behavioral health issue. He also noted that behavioral health providers and policy makers need to attend to the issue of leadership and supervisor development as a key strategy for better supporting the workforce. Supervisors tend to be a more stable (i.e. experience less turn-over) and have considerable influence over their supervisee's practice. Therefore, making critical investments to support supervisors through professional development opportunities, low caseloads, and adequate compensation should be a high priority for the behavioral health system. Dr. Hoge also reviewed a number of paradoxes with respect to the behavioral health workforce such as: 1) graduate schools tend to prepare students for a world that no longer exists 2) those who spend the least time with clients receive the most training and 3) the diversity of the workforce does not match the diversity of the client population.
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"Understanding Parental Substance Use and its Impact on Young Children"
Presenters: Debra Bercuvitz is currently the coordinator of the perinatal substance use initiative for the DPH Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition. Susan O'Donnell, LMHC, Director of Project BRIGHT at the Institute for Health and Recovery (IHR) in Cambridge, MA
Wednesday, June 15th, 2016
Please join the Children's Behavioral Health Knowledge Center for free a webinar to learn about parental substance abuse and its effects on young children. More and more children today are living with a parent who is dependent on or abuses alcohol or other drugs. In this webinar, presenters from the Institute for Health and Recovery (IHR) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health will discuss the impact of addiction on the parent-child relationship and what providers can do to meet the complex needs of the parents and the children.
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Photos of the Month
Metro Boston Area Celebrates
2nd Annual One Boston Day and Annual Hoops Contest at the Lindemann
Metro Boston held their second annual One Boston celebration, as the Mayor has declared April 15th One Boston Day - a day to celebrate resiliency and offer random acts of kindness, on the third anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. The community in the Fuller building joined together for food and celebration, and partnered with the group "Back on My Feet" - a local organization that works with people who are homeless and teaches them to learn to run. Kathy Lau, the Program Director spoke to the group and described their services. Donations were brought in and a raffle was held for a gym bag - with the proceeds being contributed to "Back on My Feet".
The DMH Metro Boston Area recently held their annual staff vs client basketball game for the DMH Cup. The event was sponsored by the Friends of Metro Boston who coached and recruited Area clients. It was a hotly contested game, but the clients won by 2 points at the end!
Events prior to 2014 are posted on the
DMH Photo Gallery on Shutterfly and all current events are on Flickr!
If you have photos of a DMH event that you would like featured here or on DMH's Flickr site, please send them to
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