November 26, 2012
Volume 5 Issue 33
Kelly A. Hansen, Executive Director
an Affiliate of the New York State Association of Counties
41 State Street Albany, New York 12207 Suite 505
January 11, 2013
Army suicides have increased by at least 54 percent over the past 5 years. In 2012, more soldiers took their own
lives than died in combat. Many people say the stigma tied to seeking help for mental health issues is to blame.
New Peer-to-Peer Centers
Reach Out to New York’s
Veterans
(left) The Vets Peer-to-Peer Outreach Center in Watertown,
Jefferson County, home to Fort Drum
The epidemic of military suicides has
become so rampant, that for the first time in
ten years, death by suicide of active duty
soldiers has superseded the amount of
soldiers killed in combat, according to the
Military Suicide Report.
Last year’s state budget included funding for four
counties to initiate the Pfc. Joseph Dwyer Program,
aimed at providing PTSD support to veterans
through peer to peer support. Jefferson,
Rensselaer, Saratoga and Suffolk counties all have
programs that are up and running, each granted $200,000 to go towards their program’s logistic and administrative
costs. While most of these programs will provide either peer led or professionally staffed support groups, none of the
centers will offer counseling on site, rather, they are set up as a gateway for vets in the area, where volunteer veterans
will help their peers and their families get the services they need.
Amy Molloy, Project Director for the Rensselaer County Heroes at Home program explains, “We are building a safety net
of volunteer peer mentors and are working to increase sensitivity to veteran's issues among community-based providers
and resources (i.e. physicians, clergy, and counselors). She explains that peer support groups and family support groups
are located throughout the county and it is the goal to partner with them to enhance their overall impact.
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Nearby, Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY operates the Veterans on Campus program which seeks to help students with
military backgrounds make a smooth transition to college. Molloy anticipates Heroes at Home partnering with the college to offer
formalized peer training.
The Jefferson County Peer to Peer Center is homey and welcoming, with couches and televisions and a bookshelf full of volumes
about war experiences and the military. Tim Ruetten is the Coordinator of Mental Health Services for Jefferson County and was the
lead in developing their program. “Our peer support-staff are community volunteers who are themselves veterans that we have
trained in suicide prevention, active listening skills, spotting the signs and symptoms of PTSD, confidentiality and introducing their
peers to the vast resources available to them within the community.” Peer specialists can accompany veterans to appointments,
help with paperwork and will build a connection with the veteran, their family members, and those offering the services. "Right out
of the gate, we're probably going to see lots of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety, but we also can deal with
medical issues, homelessness, whatever kind of issues a veteran walks in the door with," explained Tedd Stiles, who directs the
Mental Health Association that runs the Jefferson County Center.
The goal of all of these centers is to try and deconstruct the stigmas of mental health issues in order for the veterans to feel like
they’re in a welcome and safe environment. Working with other veterans allows these men and women to relate and feel at ease by
sharing similar experiences with others who have endured the same physical and mental traumas and who speak the same military
language.
In Saratoga County, Andy Davis, Director of the Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency explains that one of their programmatic
goals is to create a program that is independently run after the initial State investment expires and that operates as a springboard
for other peer related programs such as Vet Court that focuses on the unique demands of veterans in the court system. In addition,
they are working with the Empire State College Office of Veterans and Military Education to provide college credit to the volunteer
mentors participating in the program.
All four of these Peer to Peer Programs will be part of a study by the University at Albany – with no records kept, no names written
down. The research will be conducted primarily on outcomes, what works and doesn't work. The Suffolk program is just getting
started, and the director of the county's agency for vets, Tom Ronayne, wants it understood -- especially for vets who shy away from
contact with the Department of Veterans Affairs -- that there will confidentiality. "Information is not going to find its way into their
VA service records or your medical history," he said. "We are happy to welcome a veteran into a group on a first-name basis." It’s a
bit like a 12-step program: vets who suffer from the disorder share experiences with others -- helped by facilitators who are also
vets.”
Other services are available to veterans such as The Veterans Crisis Line, run by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs seek to
keeps vets alive. At the suicide prevention call center in upstate New York, America’s veterans are calling in for help. And that help
is needed more than ever. This past year witnessed a terrible death toll from suicide. The epidemic of military suicides is a riddle.
More men than women kill themselves, more enlisted men than officers. The number started climbing in 2004, with the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars in full swing — but suicide is high even among those who did not fight. The VA has admitted problems with
providing mental health care. So this year President Obama ordered measures that include doubling the staff at the Veterans Crisis
Line.
Nationally, the Veteran’s Administration has hired about 300 peer counselors since 2006, with about 60 hired since President
Obama signed an Executive Order requiring the VA to hire 800 additional peer counselors by the end of 2013. VA peer counselors
are provided a year of training and must meet certification standards established by the department. They also must be veterans
who have recovered or are recovering from a mental health condition. The department wants to assign at least three peer
counselors to the staff of every medical center and at least two to the staff of large community-based outpatient clinics.
Jeffrey Burk, a psychologist who serves as the national mental health director for VA’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery
Service, said peer counselors serve as part of an integrated mental health care team, which includes traditional clinicians. But, he
said, veteran peers bring a “unique perspective in caring for other vets because they walked the same path.”
(Excerpts in this article were taken from NPR, Newsday and North Country Public Radio)
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors
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CLMHD News
Study Questions Effectiveness of Therapy for Suicidal
Teenagers Most adolescents who plan or attempt suicide have already received at
least some mental health treatment, raising questions about the effectiveness of current
approaches to helping troubled youths, according to the largest in-depth analysis to date
of suicidal behaviors in American teenagers. The study, in the journal JAMA Psychiatry,
found that 55 percent of suicidal teenagers had received some therapy before they
thought about suicide, planned it or tried to kill themselves, contradicting the widely held
belief that suicide is due in part to a lack of access to treatment. The findings, based on
interviews with a nationwide sample of more than 6,000 teenagers and at least one parent
of each, linked suicidal behavior to complex combinations of mood disorders like
depression and behavior problems like attention-deficit and eating disorders, as well as
alcohol and drug abuse.
Emergency Department Suicide Screening Tool
Accurately Predicts At Risk Youth. Time-crunched ER
nurses and doctors can use four questions to screen youth at risk for
attempting suicide. Read
State Report Card on Mental Health Care
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) gave the USA an overall grade of
D for its delivery of mental health care in a 2009 report. New York State
receives a B. Read
Americans Die Younger than Others in Rich
Nations Americans live sicker and die younger than people in other
wealthy countries — and the gap is getting worse over time, a new report
shows. Read
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America's Health Disadvantage
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors
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CLMHD News
OPWDD Public Hearing on the Statewide Comprehensive Plan:
Friday, January 18, 2013: 12:30–4:00. This hearing will be held at six locations statewide and will be conducted as a live
video-conference with Commissioner Courtney Burke, who will be in attendance at the Schenectady location. OPWDD
intends to utilize the ideas, suggestions, and comments received through this public hearing to improve services and
supports in New York State. OPWDD urges self-advocates, family members of people with developmental disabilities,
providers, advocates, and other interested parties to participate in the hearing.
The Statewide Comprehensive Plan for Services reflects OPWDD’s mission and vision statement. It sets forth plans for
implementing a transformational agenda for supporting people with developmental disabilities to enjoy meaningful
relationships with friends, family, and others in their lives; experience personal health and growth; live in the home of
their choice; and fully participate in their communities.
REGISTRATION: Registration to attend the public hearing is required. Please call the regional contact person to register,
as conference room space is limited. When you register, please indicate whether you are planning to attend only, or
attend as a speaker. Speakers must limit their comments to three (3) minutes and bring three (3) copies of their
testimony. Locations and contacts for registration are listed below. Written testimony may also be submitted to:
Ray Pierce, OPWDD 44 Holland Avenue Albany, NY 12229 or via email at mail to: Raymond.L.Pierce@opwdd.ny.gov
A video presentation of the hearing may be viewed online at http://www.opwdd.ny.us/ following the event.
For general information about the public hearing, please contact OPWDD’s Bureau of Strategic Planning and
Performance Measurement: Phone: (518) 473-9697 Fax: (518) 473-0054
To register for the hearing and to reserve a spot to give testimony, obtain more information or directions to the hearing
location, or to arrange for a special accommodation, please call the regional contact person for the hearing location at
the telephone number listed below.
Video Conference Locations and Contact Information:
Kingston
Taconic DDSO
521 Boices Lane, Kingston, NY 12401
VC Room
Contact: Garry Krom at (845) 877-6821 Ext. 3451
Long Island
Long Island DDSO
415 A Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY 11788
Multi-Purpose Conference Room
Contact: Stephanie Chatman at (631) 434-6136
New York City
NYCRO/Metro New York DDSO
75 Morton Street, New York, NY 10014
Activities Center, 1st Floor
Contact: Lou Mazzella at (212) 229-3601
Rochester
Finger Lakes DDSO/Monroe Developmental Center
620 Westfall Road, Rochester, NY 14620
Room 25 Leaf
Contact: Rebecca Scott at (585) 241-5766
Schenectady
Capital District DDSO
500 Balltown Road, Schenectady, NY 12304
Building 3, Conference Room 2
Contact: Karen Francisco at (518) 370-7429
Syracuse
Central NY DDSO
187 Northern Concourse, North Syracuse, NY 13212
Regional Training Center
Contact: Sandy Smith at (315) 473-6371
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors
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CLMHD News
New Grants Awarded to Help Community Health Centers Meet the
Primary Care Needs of Patients
The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) has awarded six grants totaling $600,000 to expand the capacity of
health centers. The grants will help community health centers in five medically underserved regions—Southern Tier,
North Country-Adirondacks, Capital District, Hudson Valley, and Central Leatherstocking-Catskills—take practical steps
to care for more patients, expand existing sites, establish new sites, and/or increase the range of services provided.
“Community health centers are on the front lines of primary care, and making sure they have the capacity to serve the
growing number of New Yorkers in need of their services is critical,” said James R. Knickman, President and CEO of
NYSHealth.
These grant awards will support a range of activities to help community health centers in underserved areas meet
growing demand for services: clinical and business planning; real estate assistance; workforce recruitment and training;
and consolidations.
For example, Refuah Health Center will expand services in Sullivan County, which ranked 61st out of New York’s 62
counties on overall health outcomes, last for mortality, and 58th for morbidity. Focusing on the town of South Fallsburg,
Refuah will use the NYSHealth grant to create a central hub to provide health care and social services by building a
community health center able to serve more than 4,500 patients.
Open Door Family Medical Center serves more than 40,000 patients annually—many of them vulnerable immigrants,
women and children—at 10 sites in Westchester and Putnam Counties. The NYSHealth grant will support Open Door’s
efforts to establish permanent dental locations in Mt. Kisco and in Brewster, as well as plans to integrate primary care
and behavioral health services.
Projects were selected through a competitive Request for Proposals and reviewed by a panel of NYSHealth staff and
external reviewers. The six projects are:
Capital District
Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Services, Albany, NY, Behavioral Health/Primary Care Integration Project
Central Leatherstocking-Catskills
Refuah Health Center, Spring Valley, NY, Supporting a Healthy Community: Expanding Services in Sullivan County
Hudson Valley
Hudson River HealthCare, Inc., Peekskill, NY, Preserving Poughkeepsie Access to Care
Open Door Family Medical Center, Inc., Ossining, NY, Expanding Oral and Behavioral Health in the Hudson Valley
North Country-Adirondacks
Hudson Headwaters Health Network, Glens Falls, NY, Expanding Capacity in Two Adirondack Communities
Southern Tier
Greater Hudson Valley Family Health Centers, Inc., Cornwall, NY, Exploring Expansion into the Southern Tier and the
Catskills
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors
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CLMHD News
OASAS:
Revised Incident & Death Report Forms & Submission Procedure
Beginning January 15, 2013, all reportable incidents and deaths must be submitted to OASAS on the revised SQA-53
(Incident Report)and PAS-23 (Death Report) forms. The revised forms must be entered into the fillable PDF document
and submitted via e-mail to OASAS at legal@oasas.ny.gov and your Field Office Program Manager (or your Bureau of
Addiction Treatment Center Liaison if you are an OASAS ATC). We believe the revised forms will help facilitate accurate
and timely reporting and data entry retrieval. Should you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact your
Field Office Program Manager (ATCs should contact the Bureau of Addiction Treatment Centers).
OASAS Releases Final Clinical Guidance Manual
The Clinical Guidance Manual is a resource for providers to support quality clinical practice consistent with OASAS
regulations. It was developed collaboratively with input from the Administrative Relief Group, Clinical Advisory Panel
and many other individual providers and OASAS staff.
SAMHSA: Grant Announcements
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Up to $3 Million in Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) Grants The STOP Act grants
aim to strengthen collaboration among the federal, state, local, and tribal governments and communities to
reduce and prevent alcohol use among youth more effectively.
Up to $1 Million in Funding To Help With Suicide Prevention Follow-up The purpose of this program is to
promote follow-up assistance to suicidal persons who call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program,
suicidal persons discharged from emergency departments, and those who are being otherwise helped by
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Crisis Centers.
Up to $10.7 Million in System of Care Expansion Planning Grants The purpose of these grants is to develop a
comprehensive strategic plan to expand and sustain the system of care approach to providing services for
children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families.
Upcoming Events:
WHAM: Eight Weeks to Whole Health through Peer Support Groups. January 15/2:00–3:30 pm
The National Council for Behavioral Health offers 2-day in-person trainings in WHAM — Whole Health Action
Management — a new science-based program that teaches participants to set and achieve whole health goals through
weekly action plans and 8-week support groups. Given the high incidence of chronic physical health conditions such as
diabetes, heart disease and obesity among people with mental illnesses and addictions, WHAM was developed by peers
for peers to help them improve chronic health and behavioral health conditions. The training is based on the WHAM
curriculum developed by the SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions (run by the National Council).WHAM
training supports the peer workforce to use person-centered planning and weekly action plans to create new health
behavior by engaging in weekly WHAM groups. It also teaches basic health screens for prevention and encourages
shared decision making with health professionals. Join this webinar to learn all about WHAM, the 10 science-based
whole health and resiliency factors the program is built on, and how you can bring a WHAM peer training to your
organization or region. Register at www2.gotomeeting.com/register/848956474.
OMH Webinar: Mental Health First Aid February 13/10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking public education program that helps the public identify, understand, and
respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. It is an interactive 12 hour course that presents an
overview of mental illness and substance use disorders in the U. S. and introduces participants to risk factors and
warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common treatments.
Register
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors
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CLMHD News
SAMHSA: Peer Specialists in Rural Communities: Promoting Community Inclusion: January 24/2:00 - 3:30 PM
The second in a series of free webinars discussing the roles of Peer Specialists in today's mental health systems.
Focuses on the special challenges facing peer specialists in rural America and review the uniqueness of rural America,
the innovative approaches used by peer specialists in rural settings, and the challenges they face in promoting
community inclusion. Register
January 28-February 3 is National Drug Facts Week (NDFW) NDFW is a health
observance week for teens that aims to shatter the myths about drugs and drug abuse. Register for local events, learn
how to host or sponsor an event, or take the National Drug IQ Challenge. National Drug Facts Week (NDFW)
Open Position: Behavioral Health Care Coordinator/Columbia County
The Columbia County Department of Human Services is currently recruiting for a full time Behavioral Health Care
Coordinator. This is a new title and permanent appointment to the position will be provisional pending results of a civil
service exam. The BHCC will provide comprehensive care management in the context of a Health Home to coordinate all
aspects of physical and behavioral health care. Current available position requires providing care coordination for adults
diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness. This includes assuring appropriate follow up is provided at points
of transition such as discharge from medical, chemical dependency or psychiatric inpatient stays, etc. The BHCC will
assist clients in obtaining services and in developing supports through referral and linkage to community resources.
Minimum qualifications: bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, nursing, rehabilitation, education,
occupational/physical/recreation therapy, counseling, community mental health, child and family studies, or sociology
AND four (4) years of full-time experience in a behavioral health setting providing direct services to mentally ill and/ or
chemically dependent consumers; or experience in linking mentally ill and/or chemically dependent consumers to a
range of services essential to successful living in the community setting. A master’s degree in one of the fields listed
above may be substituted for two years of experience. Possession of a valid NYS Driver License is required at the time of
appointment and beyond. Please submit a Letter of Interest and Resume via email to:
CCDHS_Jobs@coumbiacountyny.com by January 18, 2013. Preference may be given to Columbia County residents.
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Triage System Helps Colleges Treat Mentally Ill Students
Networking, Professionalism, and the Internet
Why Exercise May Do A Teenage Mind Good
Click here for a peak at the first NYSAC Quicktips of 2013.
Proven Reforms Help Beat Homelessness Even in Tough Times
Not Just Child's play: Don't Take Away Recess, Docs Argue
For Americans Under 50, Stark Findings on Health
Violence Plays Role in Shorter US Life Expectancy
New York City to Restrict Prescription Painkillers in Public Hospitals' Emergency Rooms
Prescription Drug Misuse Remains a Top Public Health Concern
Op Ed: Don’t Link Violence with Mental Illness
A Better Path: Drug Treatment Courts Offer Hope for Youth
The State of Mental Health Care and Research 50 years after President Kennedy’s
Special Message to Congress on Mental Health
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors
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CLMHD News
Save the Date:
Saratoga Springs Holiday Inn:
Meeting Calendar:
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene
Directors Staff
JANUARY
Mental Hygiene Planning - 1/17/13
11:00 or 11:30 a.m. (TBD) – 2:00 p.m., 41 State St., Suite 505
Go to Meeting Access Available- contact CLMHD for access
Director’s Meeting - 1/29/13
10:30 a.m. – Noon, 41 State St., Suite 505
Go to Meeting Access Available - contact CLMHD for access
Executive Committee Meeting - 1/29/13
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 41 State St., Suite 505
Go to Meeting Access Available- contact CLMHD for access
FEBRUARY
Mentoring Program Workshop -2/8/13
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Syracuse – Doubletree Inn, Carrier Circle
Kelly A. Hansen
Executive Director
kh@clmhd.org
Jeremy Darman
Director, Governmental Relations
jd@clmhd.org
Betsy Gorman
Communications Associate
bg@clmhd.org
Vicky Quinn
Executive Assistant/Office Manager
vq@clmhd.org
Jed Wolkenbreit
Counsel
jbw@clmhd.org
Officer’s & Chairs Conference Call -2/13/13
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Call In Conference Call - contact CLMHD for access
Mental Hygiene Planning - 2/14/13
11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 41 State St., Suite 505
Go to Meeting Access Available- contact CLMHD for access
Director’s Meeting - 2/26/13
10:30 a.m. – Noon, 41 State St., Suite 505
Go to Meeting Access Available - contact CLMHD for access
Executive Committee Meeting - 2/26/13
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 41 State St., Suite 505
Go to Meeting Access Available- contact CLMHD for access
NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors