March 2016 Newsletter - Behavioral Health Services

March 2016
I’d like to begin my message with a quote from Joshua J. Marine, “Challenges are what
make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” With all the
changes we continue to initiate to prepare for the fee for service environment, this
particular quote hit home with me as we have to overcome all of the challenges we are
facing. It is good to see the incremental progress occurring across the organization,
however we have to continue to run the race as the finish line is beginning to come into
view (July 1, 2016).
The other day I had a few minutes to reflect on all of the programmatic changes which have occurred over the
past 4 years and it is an impressive list of services:

Assertive Community Treatment

Intensive Case Management

Case Management

Supported Employment

Crisis Residential Services

Intensive Treatment Residence

Forensic Residential Services

PATH

Two Accountability Courts (Alapaha & Lowndes)

Built a 15,000 square feet 30-bed Behavioral Health Crisis Center
In addition, the above list does not include several other significant initiatives. None of this would have been
possible without the hard work and team work that brought each of these services on-line so we can better
serve our consumers.
I’m pleased to announce the Governor’s Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2017 has a 3% pay increase for
Community Service Board employees. We don’t have any of the detailed information yet with regard to how
this will be implemented. However, the first step is for the General Assembly to approve it and as soon as
more information is available we will share it. I’m sure everyone will be anxiously awaiting more information.
I’d like to close with a quote from Roger Staubach, “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.”
David
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Janiya Davis
New Heights
Amanda Searcy
Tift Clinic
Orynthia Gaines
New Heights
Tina Harvey
Cook MH
Arlinda Pierce
BHCC
Rachel Merrick
START
Kelvin Alexander
BHCC
Pam Starr
New Outlook
Beth Martin
Lowndes Clinic
Shirley Henry
START
Stephanie Turner
Tift Clinic
Tiffany Denson
Tift Clinic
Jonathan Lovell
New Outlook
Brandy Moore
START
Ivria Hampton
New Outlook
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Kirk’s Korner
Am I allowed to use a cell phone while driving for
Behavioral Health Services of South Georgia?
Employees are not allowed to wear any type of headphones
or use a cell phone (hands free or handheld) while driving a
vehicle. Furthermore, employees are not allowed to smoke,
eat or consume any beverage while in the vehicle or while involved in consumer assistance.
If you would like more information regarding this information please don’t hesitate to call me at 229-671-6143,
or email at [email protected].
Five Steps to Setting Limits
1. Explain which behavior is inappropriate.
Just saying No is not enough – why are we
saying no.
2. Explain why the behavior is inappropriate.
Never assume the person knows why the
behavior is not acceptable – we have all been
raised different.
3. Give reasonable choices with
consequences. What path is the best path
and why. Road A takes you here and Road B
only leads here. We want to teach not punish.
4. Allow time. Give them a minute to consider their options and to clarify what the choices are.
5. Be prepared to enforce your consequences. Good or bad we must follow up with what
we said.
Wrong – “If you don’t attend group, your weekend privileges will be suspended”
Correct – “If you attend group and follow the other steps in your plan, you’ll be able to attend all
of the special activities this weekend. If you don’t attend group, you’ll have to stay behind. It is
your decision.”
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March Birthdays:
ADMIN
Laurie Henderson
BHCC
Melissa Bennett
Olivia Seymore
John Jackson
Pamela Barron
Kristina McIntyre
George Payne
BROOKS SC
Vanessa Knight
Cook SC
Lisa Kendrick
COOK CLINIC
Myra Jordan
HERITAGE
Selena Head
LOWNDES CLINIC
Amy Bradshaw
Kellie Thomason
LOWNDES SC
Chelsea Morrison
Velma Harris
Jane Singletary
MIDTOWN
Timothy Travis
Richard Rowe
NEW OUTLOOK
Maureen Kirkland
Pamela Starr
START
Rhonda Hillman
TIFT CLINIC
Debora Floyd
Francine Simmons
TURNER SC
Christonia Martin
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Improving Our Agency’s Quality!
Apply on the BHSGA website
A Team Improvement Project (TIP) Sheet can be located under the Agency
Forms in the Administration Section
Congratulations to Annett Davis, Lowndes Clinic,
for becoming a Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment
Specialist (CARES).
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FEBRUARY STAFF ANNIVERSARY
Johnnie Hampton – 27 yrs
Brenda Chambless – 24 yrs
Martha Jones – 18 yrs
Lori Roberts – 17 yrs
Jodi Feathers – 16 yrs
Niki Sexton – 15 yrs
Lesia Gertman – 14 yrs
Frances Miley – 6 yrs
Stephanie Johnson – 5 yrs
Terry Williamson – 5 yrs
Penny Williams – 3 yrs
Marianne Wright – 3 yrs
Denoltra Williams – 3 yrs
Monica Brooks – 3 yrs
Adrianna Ramos – 3 yrs
Brandy Holsendolph – 2 yrs
Shaikal Pertilla – 2 yrs
Michael Hall – 2 yrs
Deon Nelson – 2 yrs
Ting Lott – 2 yrs
Delores Horton – 1 yr
Robin Sheppard – 1 yr
Jamaal Quezergue – 1 yr
Rollins Donaldson – 1 yr
LaTosha Adams – 1 yr
MARCY’s Information
HIPAA is the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, and it affects each of us
every day. It protects a patient’s private health information or as we commonly refer to it, the
consumer’s confidentiality. Something as innocent as being overheard while talking in the front
lobby can be a violation of HIPAA. If you talk to a family member who says that they are the
emergency contact or next of kin but you don’t have a release of information, you are violating
HIPAA. If a consumer has revoked a release of information, and you give the person information
anyway, you have breached HIPAA. So you must be extremely careful when releasing any
information to family, friends, attorney’s, or anyone that may be requesting it.
There is an entire section in the BHSGA Policy and Procedure manual entitled “HIPAA” that will tell you everything that
you need to know, but the easiest place to find basic information is in Client’s Rights and Responsibilities. There are a
few things that are you need to remember:
1. In Avatar, it can be confusing which releases of information are current, please review them with your consumers
and revoke those that are no longer valid. That will make it clear for anyone that may look at the chart later. IT
sent out instructions recently on how to do this.
2. There is currently no place in Avatar to report disclosures that have no release of information. Some examples
include CPS disclosures, calls for medical information at the ER, or court orders. Please send me a secure email
telling me what was released and to whom so that I can keep a record. This is very important in case we are later
audited.
3. If you have a friend or family member that attends services at BHS, you do not need to have access to the record.
Please tell your supervisor or contact me directly, and I will block your access to the record. You will not be able
to see anything, and it will protect not only the consumer’s private health information but you as well.
If you have questions, please ask your supervisor or contact me at [email protected].
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Pictured (left to right) are Demetrius Jones, Curtis Dowers, Norah Aldawsari, Steven Gray, Eric Lee, Clarence
Billoups, Gerry Ford, and Theresa Lester.
Therapist Eric Lee explored the topic of support during his Intensive Recovery Group on February
4, 2016. Group members learned about different types of support – including physical, emotional,
social, and financial support. Eric used BHSGA to illustrate support of the treatment team –
including doctors, therapists, case managers, nurses, and clerical staff. Eric asked members to
explain what support means to them - prompting members to identify a time when they felt
supported as well as a time when they did not feel supported.
Sitting in on the group was Lowndes AMH Therapist Intern Norah Aldawsari, who is working on
her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology at Valdosta State University. Eric stated, “this group
session went remarkably well,” explaining “the group responded very well to Ms. Aldawsari, and
I’ve invited her to come back and fill in for me as needed.”
On Feb 3rd, New Heights’
consumer, Marsha Clement,
and Heritage consumer, Zak
Williams, attended their first
official date at Cheddars. They
were overjoyed to be able to
spend some quality time
together over dinner.
The community outreach from
District 1 came out and shared
loaves of bread with our
consumers. They were all very
thankful for the generosity shown
by the outreach members!
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Valentine's Dance creates life
memories

By Desiree Carver [email protected]
Feb 13, 2016
VALDOSTA — Freddie Finnissee and Behavioral Health Services of South Georgia have for several
years hosted a special Valentine’s dance for clients who are adults with developmental disabilities.
The dance was held again Friday morning. Manager David Burley of the Howard Johnson hotel on
North Valdosta Road has offered his location every year for the event.
David Sofferin, CEO of Behavioral Health Services, and Jane Singletary, director, were both in
attendance with other staff members and volunteers.
Food and decorations were put together by Yolanda Finnissee, Bonita Bailey and Jamie McKinnon.
They, along with other volunteers, helped transform the hotel meeting room into a heart-filled dance
hall.
Clients were able to spend a few hours together dancing to musical hits and socializing.
“I wanted these individuals to participate in normal activities just like everyone else,” said Finnissee.
“We strive to get them out in the community and we plan to continue to do this.”
The dance had an added touch with Walter Byrd of Hahira donating his horse and buggy services to
the clients to give them a magical experience.
Desiree Carver is Lifestyles Editor at the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be reached at (229) 3755777.
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Even the staff had fun during the Valentine’s Dance hosted by the
Lowndes Service Center on February 12th.
Khrystal Wright, New Heights Manager
and William Bright, consumer at
Heritage House
Pictured above Staff Members: Berinda
Nwakamma, Engagement/Marketing
Coordinator; Jane Singletary, County
Manager and Velma Harris, Lowndes
Service Center
“If [thankfulness] were a drug it would be the world’s best-selling product with a health maintenance indication for every
major organ system.”
~ Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy. ~
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2016 CSB DAY AT THE CAPITAL
ON THE FLOOR OF THE GEORGIA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
Pictured left to right: Troy Black, David
Sofferin, BHSGA CEO, Karen Black, CSB
Member, Echols Representative, and Rep.
John Corbett
Pictured left to right: David
Sofferin, BHSGA CEO, Karen Black,
CSB Member, Echols Representative,
and Rep. Joyce Chandler
Pictured left to right: Troy Black, Rep.
Dexter Sharper, Karen Black, CSB Member,
Echols Representative, and David Sofferin,
BHSGA CEO
On Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Karen Black, Echols County
Board member, and David Sofferin represented Behavioral Health
Services of South Georgia (BHSGA) at the annual Community
Service Board (CSB) Day at the Capitol.
Mrs. Black and Mr. Sofferin spoke with several of our General
Assembly members, Senator Greg Kirk, Representative John
Corbett, and Representative Dexter Sharper. They also spoke with
Representative Joyce Chandler.
Mrs. Black and Mr. Sofferin also represented BHSGA at the CSB
Association Board meeting in the afternoon.
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Congratulations to our 18th BHCC “In the Spotlight”
recipient, Angie Cook, RN. Angie is one of the BHCC
RN’s on dayshift. She has been an RN for 21 years and
worked in the mental health area of nursing
approximately 5 of those years. She has also worked in
Post Partum/Labor and Delivery. Angie is versatile in
her nursing roles and can accomplish any task she is given, including being in a leadership role
as Charge Nurse on occasion. She has received consistent accolades in the Consumer
Satisfaction Surveys related to her outstanding nursing care, good attitude, and assistance to the
consumers. Angie is known for keeping a calm demeanor in all situations and always treating
the consumers with a patient, caring attitude and sweet disposition. She is often able to deescalate crisis situations with her pleasant and soft spoken manner and she has excellent
assessment skills that often avert potential harm in a variety of situations. Angie is self
motivated and goes above and beyond her own job duties by assisting management with chart
issues and follow ups when she has time. She is a strong resource for others and her work ethics
are above reproach.
Angie has little free time, but when she does, she loves spending
time with her “heart and soul”, 13 yr. old daughter Annabelle. She
enjoys doing fun things with her and watching her grow. You
may be surprised to learn that Angie also enjoys nature,
wildlife, and landscape photography. She feels it can be a form
of stress relief as she tries to capture just the right photo and is
oblivious to the world around her in those moments.
Thomas, a consumer at the Lowndes Outpatient
Center, shows off his Mindfulness Display
board he assisted Leslie Lunney in creating.
The Mindfulness Board is to help one to
remember to “breath” and calm down.
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Homeless Task Force Meeting
BHSGA sponsored the first Homeless Task Force
meeting on Jan 28th at the BHCC. Roz Johnson was
nominated as Chair of this committee. The Task Force
started out of a partnership between BHSGA’s PATH
Homeless Program and the Valdosta Police Dept. The
first task force meeting was well attended with
approximately 20 community stakeholders including
LAMP, Salvation Army, the school systems, churches,
etc. Goals of the task force include finding a way to make
identification cards for homeless individuals so that they
can better access housing and other community
resources, making a resource manual, and eventually a
fund raiser. A delicious working lunch was provided by
BHSGA’s Chef Dion Mathis.
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