talkitupmichiana
Transcription
talkitupmichiana
An Oaklawn publication for professionals Summer 2014 Volume 36 Number 4 #talkitupmichiana Introducing Mental Illness Awareness Week October 2014 Oaklawn celebrates Mental Illness Awareness Week with events in St. Joe County, anti-stigma campaign Sixty million people. That’s how many Americans face a mental health disorder each year. That’s 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Yet for as many people as it affects, most remain silent. “Despite all the progress we’ve made and all the research we have, people are afraid to talk about it,” said Matt Lentsch, executive director of the Oaklawn Foundation. “That has to end. We have to break down the stigma.” will speak at a professional luncheon and a community support forum on October 6 and 8, respectively. The events are the first of their kind in St. Joseph County, where Oaklawn expanded in 2010. To that end, Oaklawn will host three events during Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 5-11, as well as lead a community-wide anti-stigma campaign, #talkitupmichiana. In the weeks leading up to Mental Illness Awareness Week, Oaklawn will blanket the community with messages about the prevalence of mental illness, using #talkitupmichiana to engage community members in the conversation through social media. The Oaklawn events will feature two nationally renowned guest speakers. Oaklawn employees will also be encouraged to take part in promoting education about mental illness in their own circle of family and friends. Pete Earley, author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book “Crazy: A Father’s Search through America’s Mental Health Madness,” will speak at a luncheon and fundraiser on October 7. Earley will share his personal experience with his bipolar son, who was charged with a felony after breaking into someone’s home during a manic episode. What Earley learned about the mental health and legal systems in the months and years that followed has made him a leading advocate for reform. “We are so excited to spark a conversation about mental health in our community and help break down the stigma associated with mental health disorders,” Lentsch said. “Mental illness affects all of us, and it’s time we talk it up.” Dr. Michael Sherbun, a 25-year veteran of the healthcare field and author of “Caring for the Caregiver; 8 Truths to Prolong Your Career,” In this issue: • • Read more about Pete Earley’s journey with his mentally ill son and why he’s inspired to fight for change Oaklawn brings Mental Health First Aid to St. Joe County Join us for Mental Illness Awareness Week 2014 Monday, Oct. 6: “Caring for the Caregiver: A Guide to Survive and Thrive,” featuring Dr. Michael Sherbun. This professional education luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. Cost is $25 and includes a buffet lunch and 1 CEU. Tuesday, Oct. 7: “Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness,” featuring author and advocate Pete Earley. This luncheon and fundraiser will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Palais Royale in South Bend. Cost is $50 per person. Wednesday, Oct. 8: “Healthy Me, Healthy Community,” featuring Dr. Michael Sherbun. This discussion and support forum for family caregivers will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Oaklawn’s South Bend campus. It includes light refreshments and is open to the community. No registration required. Registration for the two lunch events can be found at www.oaklawn.org/miaw. #talkitupmichiana Earley: ‘I had no idea what it was like to be on the inside looking out’ Pete Earley watched helplessly as his son, Mike, lost touch with reality. It had happened before. Mike, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, had experienced psychotic episodes requiring hospitalization. “At least, this time I’ve gotten him to a hospital before he was too far gone,” Earley recalls in his Pulitzer Prize-nominated book “Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.” Author Pete Earley (right) and his son, Mike. him to jail, and you don’t want that to happen.” Despite his obvious break from reality — Mike told the doctor that he was an indestructible messenger from God — the doctor could not treat him. Before this, Earley thought he understood America’s legal system. He was a journalist with The Washington Post. He had reported on hundreds of legal cases. He had even published several crime thrillers. “Virginia law is very specific,” the doctor told Earley. “Unless a patient is in imminent danger to himself or others, I cannot treat him unless he voluntarily agrees to be treated.” “But I was always on the outside looking in,” he wrote. “I had no idea what it was like to be on the inside looking out.” So Earley did the best he could to help his son. He took him home and kept him under constant surveillance. He even tried hiding Mike’s medication in his food. One day, Mike caught him. Furious, he ran. Mike broke into a stranger’s house, setting off the security alarm. Police responded, and it took five officers and a police dog to subdue him for arrest. Early on, police officers gave Earley some friendly advice: “Unless you tell the medical personnel ... that he’s threatened to kill you, they aren’t going to treat him. We’ll end up taking He discovered frustration, inconsistencies, Catch 22s and legal roadblocks at nearly every turn. The system was crazy, he learned. Absolute madness. He also knew that if this could happen to his family, it could happen to anyone. So Earley did what he knows best: investigated. Earley spent a year following mentally ill inmates at the Miami-Dade County jail. His book weaves together his personal experience, as well as stories of the people he met during the course of his reporting. What he found is that all too often, prisons are becoming modern-day asylums where the mentally ill don’t receive the treatment they need. He is now a leading advocate for reform, including commitment and forced treatment under certain conditions. In an interview with the online news site Salon.com, Earley explained his position: I had to come at this as a parent. And I’ve got to tell you, it’s almost impossible to describe what it’s like to have a sick child and not be able to get them help. And to watch them go further and further and further into this abyss and not be able to pull them out. ... Yes, I want [my son’s] civil rights protected — but when everyone in the room knows he has a serious mental illness but lets a person walk out the door and get into trouble, how does that help them? Earley will share his experience and insight at a luncheon and fundraiser for Oaklawn at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Palais Royale in South Bend. For more information about the event, visit www.oaklawn.org/MIAW. Oaklawn brings Mental Health First Aid to St. Joe As part of its work to improve the mental health of our community, Oaklawn will host St. Joseph County’s first public Mental Health First Aid training this fall. Mental Health First Aid is a course developed by the National Council for Behavioral Health and aims to teach everyday people about common mental health issues, as well as where they can turn for help. “It’s about recognizing the signs and symptoms of possible mental health issues in people you know over time,” said Darrin Miller, Oaklawn’s director of risk and residential services, who is certified by the National Council to teach the class. “It’s about creating a community of people who are aware and want to help.” About Mental Health First Aid The 8-hour training covers specific mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, addiction, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It teaches risk factors, dispels myths and provides people with practical steps they can use to help others. Bobbie Newberry, lead receptionist for Oaklawn, took the class about a year ago during an internal training Miller taught. Newberry and her team answer about 800 calls per day, some from people in distress. “Before the class, I would try to be polite and caring in the tone of my voice, but I did not address what they were calling for directly,” Newberry said. “Now I’m very comfortable saying, ‘I’m sorry you’re feeling that way, I can connect you to someone who can help.’ ” Newberry’s class incorporated role-playing, where participants met in a small group, with one person pretending to have a problem and the others offering their response. Afterwards, the group met to discuss what they would have done and what would be most appropriate to the situation. “There’s a lot of practical takeaways,” Miller said. “People feel more prepared, they feel like they have some real tangible things they could do if they encountered a situation where someone needed help.” Photo courtesy / National Council for Behavioral Health Participants role-play during a Mental Health First Aid training. Role-playing is one way attendees learn practical ways to help someone facing a mental health issue. Newberry’s new-found confidence was put to use just weeks after she completed the class. She received an early-morning phone call from someone who said he wanted to end his life. With no one else in the office, Newberry knew she had to get the man’s name and phone number so Oaklawn’s oncall clinician could call him back. “I said, ‘Tell me what’s happening. Why do you think you want to die?’ And it was almost like you could hear him think, ‘Oh, this person wants to help,’ and he gave me his name and number,” Newberry said. The class is designed for people like Newberry, who don’t have a professional background in mental health. Some targeted audiences, according to the National Council, include employers and business leaders, clergymen, school or university staff, law enforcement, public officials and anyone who works in social services. “From my perspective, it’s for anyone who has concern for others,” Miller said. Oaklawn and MHFA Mental Health First Aid was introduced in the United States in 2008, according to the National Council’s website. Since then, more than 140,000 people across the U.S. have taken the class. The trainings have been offered in nearby locales, including Elkhart, for several years, but never in St. Joseph County. “It’s a needed thing,” Miller said. He was certified about a year ago, through grant funding from a partner organization. Miller sees the class as a great outreach for Oaklawn, partly because as people learn about mental health, it helps end the stigma. That’s a key goal for Oaklawn, and something everyone — mental health professionals and laypeople alike — can and should work to achieve. Since his certification, he has offered multiple trainings to Oaklawn’s non-clinical staff, but is looking forward to offering it communitywide. “Part of our mission is to join with individuals, families, and our community on the journey toward health and wholeness, and that has to be a community effort,” said Miller. “We have to work to advance a positive message about recovery and hope, and Mental Health First Aid does that.” The class will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at Oaklawn’s South Bend campus, 415 E. Madison St. The cost is $50. More information, including how to register, can be found at www.oaklawn.org/events. Oaklawn is partnering with CAPS to provide Goal-Driven Parenting Training for Professionals this fall. This training will help equip front-line professionals in Elkhart County to better help families who are struggling with parenting issues. Oaklawn South Bend campus: September 23 Oaklawn Elkhart campus: November 11 The training will be hosted from 8:15 a.m.12:30 p.m. on six Fridays from September 26-November 14 at CAPS, 100 W. Hively Ave., Elkhart. Trauma-Focused Therapy Registration Learn more about practical, trauma-informed therapies that Oaklawn is offering and will soon introduce. John Horsley, MBA, LSW, LCAC, will present on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing; Robin Ebright Zehr, MSW, LCSW, on Seeking Safety, and Shin Yee Tan on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Oaklawn mental health breakfasts are free seminars offered by Oaklawn professionals for those in the mental health community, including mental health providers, staff of schools, probation and Department of Child Services. Registration is required. Schedule: 7:30—8 a.m. - Registration and breakfast 8–9:30 a.m. - Presentation 9:30-10 a.m. - Questions & answers Find full event details and registration online at www.oaklawn.org/events Oaklawn Elkhart campus: October 14 Oaklawn South Bend campus: November 4 The training costs $100 per participant and 24 CEUs are available for an additional $100. Space is limited to the first 30 participants. For more information or to register, contact Gina Stone at [email protected] or at 574-295-2277. P.O. Box 809 330 Lakeview Drive Goshen, Indiana 46527 Oaklawn Mental Health Breakfasts: Goal-Driven Parenting Training Explore assessments, safety plans, where to turn for services and the challenges surrounding bed space with Amy Rosen, director of Oaklawn’s Access Center, as well as a representative from either Epworth and Elkhart Behavioral. Address service requested Oaklawn Educational Events How to Access Hospital Services New Oaklawn professionals Nick Kramer, MD Amanda Rhoades Cyrus Solhkhah, MD Gurvinda Arora, MD Sadeq Al-Sarraf, MD Priscilla Perez Sara Keel Heather Gorball Thomas Walters Jessica Haines Nicole Ploehn Catina Groves Dr. Nick Kramer is a psychiatrist in the adult medical clinic at Oaklawn’s Goshen campus. He holds an MD from the Indiana University School of Medicine, and completed his residency at the University of Louisville Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Sadeq Al-Sarraf is a psychiatrist in the child and adolescent medical clinic in Elkhart. He received his medical degree from the University of Baghdad College of Medicine. He completed his residency in psychiatry at New Jersey Medical School. He was previously a fellow in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Cyrus Solhkhah is a child and adolescent psychiatrist in South Bend. He has been with Oaklawn as a locum tenens, but officially joined as an employee on August 11. He has an MD from St. George’s University School of Medicine, and a JD from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He was previously the medical director for Singer Mental Health Center in Illinois. Dr. Gurvinder Arora is a psychiatrist in the child and adolescent medical clinic in South Bend. He received his medical degree from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in India. He completed his residency in psychiatry at New Jersey Medical School. He was previously a fellow in child psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Alma Perez is a social worker with South Bend Child & Adolescent Clinical Services. She has a master of social work from Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI. She was previously employed as an ESL interventionist with Benton Harbor Area Schools, Benton Harbor, MI. Amanda Rhoades is a social worker with Oaklawn, The Children’s Campus. She has a master of social work from Indiana University South Bend. She was previously employed as a home based therapist with Riverwood Center, Benton Harbor, MI. Thomas Walters is a therapist with Oaklawn, The Children’s Campus. He has a master of science in education counseling from Indiana University South Bend. He was previously employed as a therapist with Live Life Counseling, South Bend. Heather Gorball is a social worker with Goshen Addiction Services. She has a master of social work from Indiana University South Bend. She was previously employed as a youth development specialist with Youth Services Bureau, South Bend. Sara Keel is a social worker with South Bend Adult Clinical Services. She has a master of social work from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. She was previously employed as an intake access and crisis clinician/outpatient therapist with Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network, Cassopolis, MI. Jessica Haines is a social worker with Bashor. She has a master of social work from Indiana University, South Bend. She was previously employed as a Young Adolescent Group Leader with Alcohol and Addictions Resource Center, South Bend. Nicole Ploehn is a social worker with Elkhart County Child & Adolescent Clinical Services. She has a master of social work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She was previously employed as an adult inpatient psychiatric social worker with Oaklawn Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI. Catina Groves is a social worker with South Bend Addiction Services. She has a master of social work from Indiana University South Bend. She was previously employed as a family development consultant/special project coordinator with Real Services, South Bend. Oaklawn helps Katrina evacuees move home Raymond Compton Sr. left everything he owned in a flooded home west of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area. He trudged through rising waters with his wife and four children, carrying his youngest son, who was only 3, on his shoulders. Nearly nine years later, he’s doing something he never thought he would — going back. The Road Here Compton remembers the storm vividly. Though his town of Kenner had been evacuated, the Comptons were “strong fighters, and we thought we could box that on out,” he said. So the family stayed through the storm. The next morning, they saw their home had been nearly ripped in two. The next morning, when Compton awoke, he stepped out of his bed into rising Gulf waters. “That’s when we knew it was time to leave,” Compton said. “We got outside and you couldn’t go down the street. There was a big swamp boat in the middle of the street.” Compton’s adult daughter came to get the family and took them 200 miles north to a small shelter in Alexandria. It was there a woman from South Bend came with a bus and asked if anyone was willing to relocate. Compton’s wife, Jackie, immediately said yes. “I said, ‘You don’t know where we’re going,’ and she said, ‘I don’t care where we going, we can’t stay here.’ ” So the Comptons came to South Bend. They made a new life here and planned to stay — but Jackie died unexpectedly two years ago at the age of 36. Compton, now 67, was left to care for his four children — ages 12 to 19 — alone. But his health is also failing. That’s when he, and his support team, led by Oaklawn wraparound facilitator Derrick Perry, decided the family’s best supports would be back home in Louisiana, where Compton’s grown children live. Raymond Compton Sr. holds a picture of him and his late wife, Jackie, during a vow renewal ceremony shortly after they moved to South Bend. The couple came here nearly nine years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Raymond, now 67, is moving back to Louisiana so he and his young children will be close to his adult children. “They’ve got to be safe,” Compton says of his kids. “I ain’t no spring chicken.” The Road Home On a sunny day in early August, Compton sits on his front porch as the last of his belongings are packed into boxes. His youngest son, Master, now 12, is looking forward to the move to Louisiana. South Bend is the only home he has ever known, but “I’m looking forward to [the move],” he says. The day is the culmination of two months of planning by Perry and a team of others who have helped Compton and his children throughout the years, including Compton’s grown daughter, a police officer in Louisiana, who will help the family when they arrive. Perry ensured that when they get to Louisiana, they have a place to stay until they find a new home. He also arranged for the family to enroll in Louisiana Medicaid. The children have contacts at their new schools, and a binder full of information their new supports will need to provide a smooth transition of care. “Our goal was to keep the family together, and they’ve got the best shot at that where they have more family support,” Perry said. “It really took everybody working together to make this happen.” Even as Compton waited for the last of his things to be packed, Perry was with him, helping to celebrate this next chapter of his life and ensuring their move went smoothly. Compton said he’s grateful for the people he has met at Oaklawn, people like Perry: “They have been so good to us,” he said. Oakleaves is published three times a year and is designed to address timely mental health and addictions clinical issues as well as inform professionals of Oaklawn’s services and educational events. Send changes of address, letters, and requests for free subscriptions to: Kari Tarman, manager of marketing, communications and volunteer services Oakleaves P.O. Box 1109 Goshen, IN 46527 Phone: (574) 533-1234, [email protected], oaklawn.org Laurie Nafziger, president Daniel Kinsey, MD, medical director
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