“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.” – George Washington
June 29, 2009 – 5:38 pm
Local Library Moved with Knowledge
June 29, 2009 – 4:56 am
I’ve been in the mental health field as a consumer of services since I was nine years old. Twenty years have passed and I see more and more changes every day. Recovery this and recovery that. What the heck do these people mean? Recovering from what? I still need to take my meds. I still cry and get depressed. I still know I am mentally ill. But without knowledge of recovery and what it is, how am I ever going to get there?
Northern Lakes CMH has done a tremendous job with creating and sustaining recovery groups and projects throughout each of its six counties. Two years ago, we created the To See What I See: The Stigma of Mental Illness video documentary with the help of Dr. Mary Pierce from Northwestern Michigan College and Jeff Morgan of Prometheus Motion Pictures. On the inside cover it reads:
“One in five Americans have a diagnosable mental illness. The lucky ones will have supportive family and friends as well as the financial resources to get the help that they need. Unfortunately, many will not seek treatment partly because of the stigma of having a mental illness, or they may get help but face disrespect and discrimination at home, work or in the community. We look forward to the day when we will see communities of informed, caring people living and working together. With your help, that day will come soon.”
Although resources such as this documentary are available to help inform the community of what a mental illness is, when I went to our local library not long ago and checked their database for Mental Illness, the search came back with nothing. Then I checked for Mental Health…nothing again. Mental Disorders, Mental Health Recovery, Mental Health, ANYTHING…nothing was there.
I know we live in small communities, but this bothered me more than a little bit because how can anyone have any concept of what we [Northern Lakes] stand for if that information isn’t available except where we [Northern Lakes] put it?
I thought about the documentary I mentioned above and went back to my office and got an extra copy I had. I called the library and asked for their head librarian. She made an appointment with me so that I could take in a few samples of our photobiographies and the copy of the documentary for her to review. I collected as much information as I could, then headed out a few days later for that scheduled appointment.
When I arrived, one of the library staff told the head librarian that I was there to meet with her for our appointment regarding mental health and the recovery efforts we were undergoing at Northern Lakes. The librarian looked at me, hands full of photobiographies and resources, and said she didn’t have time to meet with me today – even though we had a scheduled appointment. I followed her into her office and began talking. I told her that because she was the best way to get ANY information out to the small community we lived in that she should hear what I had to say. She again told me that she didn’t have time and started walking away from me in a different direction out of her office. I again followed her. I started talking about the documentary (of which I had brought a copy for her to view and keep to add to their resources) and how it impacted my life not only as a mental health consumer but as a staff member at Northern Lakes as well. I continued on to tell her it made me think a lot about how we strive at Northern Lakes to be integrated into, and not segregated from, the community. I told her that by walking away from learning about mental health recovery, she was not being integrating at all but segregating. She stopped, turned around, then said, “Please come back to my office.” I followed her and began telling her about my story as a mental health consumer. I explained the wonderful photobiographies that the consumers had created. I even went so far as to show her on her computer my own personal recovery journey on this Virtual Recovery Center blog.
She sat quietly and read the entire thing before she spoke again. The next words out of her mouth were “I’m sorry.” I told her that she had no reason to be sorry because I personally knew what recovery meant to me as well as the meaning of mental health. However, she should be sorry for the folks who come into her library looking for help and answers about how to get services but can find nothing in their system. She agreed, took the documentary and viewed it with tears streaming down her face. I also handed her a copy of the movie “Canvas” starring Joe Pantoliano, Marcia Gay Harden and Devon Gearhart and asked her to view that as well and decide if that was a good enough start to a mental health resource area. She said she’d view it then call me.
Only ONE day went by before I received a phone call from the librarian. She called to tell me that both the documentary and the movie “Canvas” were in their database now and that she would be doing some research on how to make information about mental health diagnoses as well as other mental health related topics more available at her library.
Two weeks passed and I went back into that same library knowing that the head librarian was not there. I went on one of their computers and looked up Mental Health Recovery and there were 115 hits! Research papers, statistics, coping skills, diagnosis information, you name it. They had either purchased a book or copied a link of how to find more information on the topic.
I just want everyone to be aware that not all people in our communities have knowledge about what mental illnesses are. Here was a very knowledgeable person with a degree in research as a librarian who didn’t know squat about what being diagnosed meant. I appreciate that she took the time to listen, learn, and HELP. I’m on a mission to this day to go to all six of our counties’ libraries to see if they have information available to those who might be too scared to ask but want to try to learn through self-help material about why they are so depressed and/or upset.
My BIGGEST hope, though, is that if you’re reading this, you’ll continue on your path of recovery and educate someone who doesn’t know about mental health related issues. Tell them how far you’ve come. Ask them for their opinions and advice. Because like the Northern Lakes vision included on the inside cover of the documentary says: We look forward to the day when we will see “COMMUNITIES of INFORMED, CARING people LIVING and WORKING TOGETHER.” And of course, “With YOUR help, that day will come SOON!” Good luck and happy educating.
Stereotypes and Stigma
June 22, 2009 – 5:41 am
I went into a local store where I live a few weeks back and saw a woman and her two sons standing at the cash register fully clothed from head to toe in almost 70 degree weather. I assumed this was because of their religion because, growing up, we were taught that people who looked like “that” were odd or different. They struck my attention as soon as I entered the store and I found myself staring at them because “their kind” wasn’t common in our town.
I got closer and one of the sons smiled at me and said “Hello.” His mother just looked at him with such love in her eyes so as to say, “Good job, Son, you just made that lady’s day with a simple hello.”
Truth be told, he did. I had been suffering with my own personal mental and physical health, crying a lot and fully engulfed in a personal pity party for myself.
This mother and her two sons didn’t stop for one moment to look at me and in their mind say, “She must be mentally ill,” or “Look at the way SHE dresses.” Instead they reached out with a simple smile and unbiased hello, with no stigma or stereotypes attached.
I went home and thought about this experience, which I will continue to do with one ending thought in my mind, which as some say is the moral of the story: What really is common, normal, or even odd? All of us. Just like being diagnosed with a mental illness, we are all alike in some capacity.
“An unhurried sense of time is in itself a form of wealth.” – Bonnie Friedman
June 22, 2009 – 5:37 am
Remembering people buried at state hospitals
June 18, 2009 – 5:55 am
After several years of planning, organizers held a dedication ceremony on June 10 for the national consumer memorial which commemorates the hundreds of thousands of mostly anonymous people buried at state hospitals across the country.
Our friend Larry Fricks, director of the Appalachian Consulting Group and vice-president of peer services for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, has been an active leader on this project.
For our part, a couple of years ago we provided the documentary, Recovered Dignity, on a local public access channel and held a discussion panel following the movie on the issues of treating people with mental illness with dignity and respect. The program was well received and helped to raise awareness of the project to create a national memorial at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Locally, Michelle Fisher was inspired to get involved to raise funds. She raised $500 to help support the project, and as a thanks for her efforts, she will be able to inscribe three stones in the memorial gardens with a commemorative message. Way to go, Michelle!
Michelle says, "It is very important to me to recognize those that have died in mental hospitals because my uncle died in one several years ago… The wonderful garden at St.Elizabeth's will be a forever reminder of those who deserve to be honored for their strength and the courage that it takes to live with a mental illness. I am honored to be able to contribute to the project."
Liz MacCord, RN, Case Manager at Northern Lakes CMH, concurs, "This project is a big deal! And another way to apologize for the stigma that was, and continues to be at times, attached to those with a mental health diagnosis. For so long those diagnosed with a mental illness have fought for dignity while living and to have the stigma continue in death has been a travesty and disgrace. My personal thanks to St. Elizabeth's for this project."
Mental Health America (MHA), in partnership with the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health, held the event on June 10 on the grounds of St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., and installed a granite marker bearing the quote "I must fight in the open" from MHA founder Clifford W. Beers. The ceremony was held in conjunction with MHA's Centennial Conference.
You may read more details about the project in the Behavioral Healthcare magazine article, "Remembering patients buried at state hospitals".
You may also view a video which explains the need for the memorial on the Today Show: The City of Lost Graves.
This is RD, Recovery Doll – by Anna Marie Lawrence
June 17, 2009 – 10:21 am
This is R.D. (short for Recovery Doll)
He comes with many parts and many colors.
We too, have many parts and come in many colors.
If someone hits R.D.,
it doesn’t hurt him.
If someone hollers at R.D.,
he doesn’t let it bother him.
If someone hits you,
don’t let it hurt your feelings.
If someone hollers at you,
don’t let it bother you,
no matter what they say.
Be like R.D.
Try to stay steady.
Do like R.D.
Don't let the hurts hurt you.
There are many illnesses.
Some of them drive us to
thoughts of suicide.
We do not have to be victims,
but we do need to be winners.
Choose life.
If you don't feel the hurt,
if you don't hear the hurt,
then you don't receive the hurt.
Recovery Council materials here – February to June 2009
June 17, 2009 – 9:16 am
The Recovery Council meets monthly to help move the Northern Lakes system transformation forward so the organization is increasingly more recovery-based.
Some of the key accomplishments of the Council:
- The Recovery Council developed the official Definition of Recovery – The definition is key to driving system transformation and keeping our vision on track. The definition is posted in all NLCMH offices, included in monthly CEO Reports to the Board of Directors, and read at all Learning Communities.
- The Recovery Council provided key input to develop a policy on Promoting a Recovery Oriented Service System (adopted April 27, 2009). This policy applies to all NLCMH direct-operated clinical services and contractual providers. The policy formally expresses the concept of recovery as the overarching goal of the NLCMH service system. It provides guiding principles to use as guides, and also provides a framework to operationalize achieving what we want. The policy has far-reaching implications.
- The Recovery Council provided key input in developing the Recovery 101 curriculum. Offerings now include Pathways to Recovery, MI-PATH, WRAP, and Art Groups. Soon, movement groups will be added too. The movement class will assist in individuals’ recovery and will also address people’s holistic wellness, which was another task of the Recovery Council.
- Recovery Council discussions about holistic wellness helped drive development of the Living Well theme of the fall consumer conference, where learning opportunities were presented on relaxation techniques. The movement group mentioned previously is being added as a result of Recovery Council recommendation. In addition, a smoking cessation group has started in Cadillac for consumers and their families.
- The Recovery Council provided key input to developing the Virtual Recovery Center on the NLCMH web site. As one example of a change resulting from the Recovery Council’s recommendation, we now have revolving pictures, which liven up the site and make it feel more welcoming. This has helped make the site a thriving place where recovery information is shared. The web site averages about 6,000 visits every day.
- The Recovery Council provided valuable feedback on NLCMH use of the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) survey. This feedback is being used locally by NLCMH and was also shared with the State Recovery Council to assist it in making its recommendations for statewide adoption.
- The Recovery Council provided key input on block grant projects.
- The Recovery Council provided recommendations on environment improvements which have been implemented, such as: recovery towers in each office, photobiographies throughout each office, inspirational quotes posted weekly, and artwork displayed in each office. Outside auditors and reviewers as well as visitors to the buildings regularly state that an expectation of recovery is apparent from the minute you walk through NLCMH doors.
- The Recovery Council created a survey and a process to collect information on the gaps in community resources that consumers say they need and cannot obtain.
- Recovery Council discussions have set the stage for making some changes to improve the access process and packet, with recommendations on using the 5 Stages video and various handouts.
If you would like to learn more about what the Council does, you may check the recent agendas from February, March, April, and May.
Also informative are the Meeting Minutes. Here are the minutes from October 2008, January, February, March, and April.
Recovery Learning Community Materials Here: January to June 2009
June 17, 2009 – 8:34 am
Here are Learning Community agendas from January, February, April, May, and June. During March, Learning Communities did not meet. Instead, Northern Lakes Community Mental Health conducted the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) survey.
For several months, the Learning Communities learned about a different diagnosis each meeting. In January it was Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. In February the topic was Seasonal Affective Disorder. April’s topic was Personality Disorder.
In May, the groups heard an extremely valuable presentation on Customer Services – What NLCMH Customer Services representatives do and how to reach them. If ever you have a question about Community Mental Health, whether it be on services, supports, classes, resources, how to volunteer or some other topic, Customer Services is a great place to start. If Customer Services representatives do not know the answer, they will do their best to find out.
In June, Recovery Learning Communities looked at Crisis Planning and examined a new Crisis Planning Form. The form is based on one in the Pathways to Recovery curriculum and is very user friendly. Filling out a Crisis Planning Form and giving copies to the significant people in your life is a way to keep control of your own treatment when you are unable to communicate your wishes.
In June, the groups also learned about the Recipient Rights Advisory Committee (RRAC) and the Application and Appointment Process. They learned about openings on the committee for people living in Grand Traverse/Leelanau Counties and Crawford/Roscommon Counties. They also received an RRAC Application Form.
If you are interested in attending the Recovery Learning Community, you are welcome at any time. You can come and listen to the topics of the day. There's no pressure to speak or share. For the latest schedule, check the NLCMH Calendar of Events. There is no cost to attend and you do not need to register ahead of time. Just come!
Value of Consumer Involvement: Volunteers are Priceless! by Diane L. Boulais
June 15, 2009 – 6:24 am
There are many reasons that people volunteer. Some people want to feel needed or to share a skill that they have. Some want to get to know a group of people or to show a commitment to a cause or belief. Many people need to volunteer to repay a debt or to earn credit in school. Then there are people who volunteer for fun, to keep busy, to make new friends, or because there is no one else to do it. In short, there are many reasons that people use to offer their time for free.
Most people will find themselves in need at some point in their lives. So, one day you may be the person with the ability to help and another day you may be the person who needs the help of a volunteer. That’s how it works. Adding your effort to the lives of others makes everyone’s life better.
Let’s look at how consumer involvement can make your life better. You will begin to feel better about yourself and possibly have less fear about decisions you make. You might have a new reason to get up each day, knowing that you are contributing to the community around you. Having something to look forward to also affects your health. Physically and emotionally, things may begin to improve as you are filled with energy to get out and have fun, meet new people and do something you enjoy. Meeting new people as you become involved will give you the confidence to make new friends and improve your life in other areas. If you are looking for a job, volunteering may give you some skills that can be used in future employment.
Most importantly, you will get the satisfaction of seeing how your thoughts, opinions and insights are important in creating change and sharing in the common good of the mental health and developmentally disabled community as a whole.
What you think and do matters. You are important!
There is a quote I like by S. R. Gibbons, “To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”
How do you become involved?
There are many ways that consumers have been involved at your local CMH.
- You can start being involved just by taking surveys as they come to you during your care.
- Providing helpful information to your Customer Service Representatives or Consumer Advocacy Council/Panel members is another way you can begin your involvement. (Or seek out other committees where you can serve.)
- Writing letters to the editor of your local paper or to your state senator and representative can be helpful.
- Join your local NAMI chapter (National Alliance on Mental Illness) or your local Consumer Advisory Council/Panel when an opening is advertised.
- Take part in the annual trip to Lansing to attend the Walk a Mile in My Shoes Rally and don’t just hang out, seek out your senator and representative and tell them what issues are important to people with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
By taking part in any of the above, you will begin to participate in the political processes and learn how democratic steps are taken. Your voice will be heard.
“Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!” (Author unknown)
“I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody. (Lily Tomlin)
Written and shared with permission by Diane L. Boulais. Diane shared this information at a recent Northwest CMH Affiliation training on consumer involvement, called "Make A Difference."
Diane is a member of the West Michigan CMH System Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP). She also serves on their PIOC (Performance Improvement Oversight Committee), their Anti-Stigma Committee, the Recipient's Rights Committee, the West Michigan CMH System Board, and the Northwest CMH Affiliation Quality Oversight Committee (QOC).
Thank you, Diane, for sharing your thoughts on volunteerism! We think volunteers are priceless, too!
