Author: Georgia DBHDD

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities provides treatment and support services to people with behavioral health challenges and addictive diseases, and assists individuals who live with developmental disabilities.

The agency’s mission is to lead an accountable and effective continuum of care to support people with behavioral health challenges, and intellectual and developmental disabilities in a dynamic health care environment.

Categories
Community Events

DBHDD kicks off Red Ribbon Week, reminds Georgia’s youth that Real Life is Drug-Free

DBHDD kicked off Red Ribbon Week on behalf of the Governor’s Red Ribbon Campaign, which supports the national Red Ribbon movement started by the National Family Partnership in 1988 to honor federal DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was murdered while working in Mexico to fight drug trafficking. Today, Red Ribbon focuses on educating children about the dangers of drug use and encouraging them to seek healthy alternatives to drugs.

DBHDD provides educational materials and resources to Georgia schools and communities to help them encourage drug-free living year-round. Our efforts culminate annually during National Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31), which is celebrated with activities and events that encourage healthy alternatives to drug use and alcohol abuse.

Approximately 1,500 children from across Georgia gathered at the October 22nd kick off in Mableton. Many of the schools participated in a talent show that featured posters, skits, singing and dancing as expressions of their commitment to living drug-free.

See our event featured in the Marietta Daily Journal.

Categories
Community Events

Peers set 2014-2015 priorities at Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network annual conference

FWB at 2014 GMHCN

Commissioner Frank Berry addressed spoke to a crowd of over 600 the 23rd Annual Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network Conference on St. Simon’s Island in August.

The theme of the conference was the “Year of the Peer” and featured workshops on peer support, wellness and recovery. Sessions also included information about going back to school and work. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Peer Mentor Program, GMHCN’s peer mentors talked shared ways that helping others successfully transition from institutional to community life has supported their own recovery and creation of a meaningful life.

During the annual panel discussion with DBHDD leadership, numerous peers expressed gratitude for being able to work as certified peer specialists (CPS), attend peer support services and Double Trouble in Recovery (DTR) groups; and participate in peer supported whole health (PSWH) services. One participant talked about how happy and confident he feels now that he’s eating healthy and exercising every day. Another said she’ll live longer because she’s learned how to talk to health care professionals about high blood pressure and cholesterol. “Thank you. Living my life is happy. This is awesome,” she reflected.

Each year, conferees vote on the GMHCN’s top five priorities, which for 2014-2015 include:

1. Jobs/employment/supported employment
2. Affordable, accessible housing
3. Access to affordable medical, dental, eye care and medication
4. Educational opportunities/supported education/job training
5. Higher wages for peer staff including certified peer specialists

Sign up for DBHDD’s newsletter. 

Categories
Community

Suicide prevention is everyone’s business

The recent death by suicide of actor Robin Williams has drawn national attention to the struggles with mental health that many people face every day. In Georgia, suicide claims more lives than homicide or automobile accidents. More than eleven hundred Georgians took their lives in 2011.

DBHDD and our partners statewide recognize that effective prevention strategies require a multifaceted approach. “To bring down the numbers of suicides and attempts in a community, you need to have multiple initiatives going on at the same time,” said Sally vander Straeten, DBHDD’s suicide prevention coordinator. Instead of looking at individual suicide prevention strategies, we focus on building suicide-safer communities and schools through outreach and training, as outlined by the Georgia Suicide Prevention Information Network.

PillarsOfSaferSuicide

DBHDD introduced the suicide-safer campus initiative to over 40 colleges and universities at the 5th annual Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention College Conference last spring, but Savannah State University is already ahead of the curve.

Jacqueline Awe, who is director of student development for the university, says that the school’s counseling center regularly holds group sessions, workshops and trainings. “We want to encourage students to pursue healthy, help-seeking behaviors,” she says.

Awe’s staff includes two full-time counselors. They offer crisis response, counseling and mental health screening, but a large part of the school’s suicide prevention efforts are carried out by the students themselves. Awe has five student interns this year. They receive gatekeeper training, which teaches how to identify signs and suicide risk factors. DBHDD brought this training model to the campus in 2010. Gatekeepers also learn how to approach someone who exhibits these traits and get them to help.

In 2010, the counseling center started a prevention campaign called, “Help is not a bad, four-letter word.” Activities and information sessions focused on reducing the stigma of seeking help for mental health issues. The most recent effort, “Ain’t nobody got time for that,” got its name from a popular YouTube video. Student interns conducted workshops and lectures, in classrooms, particularly for freshmen. The sessions provided instruction on how to be an effective bystander by supporting peers and getting involved when someone needs help. “Suicide prevention is everyone’s business,” Awe says. “Even if you think you are not affected, you could be the one who saves someone’s life by making it your business and displaying some level of concern.”

The interns lead prevention efforts all over the campus. Awe stresses the importance of using multiple prevention strategies. “You can’t do one-hit-wonders because everyone takes in information differently,” she says. “We have different modalities, including trainings, workshops, outreach, online college health screening, online Kognito gatekeeper training to help faculty and staff learn how to respond to students in distress, writing and PSA competitions and a weekly radio show, which students cohost.”

The show airs on Savannah State’s radio station from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Fridays and focuses on behavioral health and wellness. On the first Friday of each month, the student hosts partner with NAMI Savannah to bring in experts on mental health from the surrounding community. The show streams live on WHCJ 90.3 FM.

To learn more about prevention efforts at Savannah State University, contact the counseling center. For information on DBHDD’s suicide prevention program, visit our website.

Sign up for DBHDD’s newsletter. 

Categories
Community

Profiles in Success: Greg

Advantage Behavioral Health Services

Greg (Advantage) 8.20.14When Greg graduated from Madison County High School in 1992, he was determined to become self-sufficient. His family helped enroll him at the Fine Finish Service Center. There, Greg took part in a pre-employment program and other services. After a year and a half in the program, Greg took a job at T.J. Maxx where he still works today.

While at the center, Greg has achieved many milestones. In 2008, he learned to drive and purchased his first vehicle. He was selected as a T.J. Maxx employee of the month in 2010 and has also been promoted. In 2013, he realized a lifelong dream of moving into his own apartment.

Greg’s managers at T.J. Maxx call him an asset. He takes pride in his work, is very friendly and always willing to help in other departments or areas of the store.

Greg continues to receive supports from Fine Finish. When he isn’t working, Greg enjoys bowling, cookouts at the park, playing basketball at the church gym and using the computer at the library. He even takes cooking classes and has learned to prepare a variety of healthy meals.

Fine Finish and DBHDD are proud of Greg and his many accomplishments.

Advantage Behavioral Health Services is one of twenty-six community service boards in the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities’ statewide public safety network. Fine Finish provides developmental disability services for Advantage in Madison County. Advantagebhs.org

Categories
Community

DBHDD and BHL offer support and mental health counseling after death of Robin Williams

Image credit: Channel 2 Action News

The comedy and personality of Robin Williams were a hallmark of a generation. His warm smile and sense of humor was an inspiration for many throughout the last four decades. His death by suicide at age 63 is a stunning reminder that millions of Americans fight against depression and mental illness every day.

Following Williams’ death, Wendy Schneider and Allison Trammell of Behavioral Health Link, which provides DBHDD’s GCAL service, participated in a helpline hosted by 11Alive. Trammell, who is BHL’s chief of quality management, and Schneider, chief clinical officer, joined other behavioral health experts to answer questions about depression and offer resources for counseling and support.

GCAL Robin Williams 8.20.14

Suicide claims more than 38,000 American lives each year. For many experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts, the battle can seem very lonely. You are not alone. DBHDD offers free, 24/7 access to mental health counseling through our partner Behavioral Health Link. If you or someone you know is struggling, please call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line today: 800-715-4225.

Categories
Community

Senate health and human services chair tours South Georgia behavioral health providers

On August 11, State Senator Renee Unterman (R-Buford) visited four of DBHDD’s community service boards, including Behavioral Health Services of South Georgia (Valdosta), Unison Behavioral Health (Waycross), Gateway Behavioral Health Services (Brunswick) and the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia (Dublin).

Unterman, who chairs the Senate’s health and human services committee, says visiting these sites plays an important role in better understanding the challenges that Georgia’s behavioral health system faces. “I am grateful for the opportunity to visit several of DBHDD’s facilities in South Georgia,” said Unterman. “It’s important to compare behavioral health care across all parts of the state. Access issues are very different in rural and urbanized areas. This visit underscores the need to ensure a qualified behavioral health care workforce across Georgia.”

Representative Ellis Black (R-Valdosta) and State Senator-elect Greg Kirk (R-Americus) also joined Unterman at Behavioral Health Services of South Georgia (BHSGA).

David Sofferin, CEO of BHSGA, was proud to show off the Valdosta crisis center. “Since opening our new behavioral health crisis center earlier this year, our team members have been providing a valuable service to individuals with substance abuse disorders and/or a mental illness,” Sofferin said. “Our 10-county service area has never had a crisis stabilization unit located in one of the 10 counties. The response has been phenomenal.”

BHSGA 8.20.14Pictured left to right: Mary Girsch, RN, director of  BHSGA’s behavioral health crisis center; Representative Ellis Black; State Senator Renee Unterman; State Senator-elect Greg Kirk; David Sofferin. 

 

Categories
Community

CSB Spotlight: River Edge

On August 1, DBHDD partner River Edge Behavioral Health Center in Macon hosted Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) public health analyst David Shillcutt. Shilcutt requested the meeting to learn more about community-based services and to get input from River Edge leadership on Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) and SAMHSA policy enhancements that facilitate better access to care for people seeking recovery from mental health challenges and drug or alcohol addiction.

River Edge CEO Shannon Terrell Harvey welcomed Shillcutt’s visit saying, “We know treatment is effective and recovery can be expected. Sound policy makes access easy and affordable because every dollar invested in treatment saves seven dollars in social costs and five more in medical cost offset.”

Shillcutt toured River Edge’s residential detoxification and crisis stabilization unit and also visited an outpatient and supported employment facility for individuals  in mental health and addiction recovery.

River Edge Behavioral Health Center is one of twenty-six community service boards in the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities’ statewide public safety network. River Edges serves more than 12,000 youth and adults with mental health and addiction disorders and developmental disabilities annually through multiple locations in Bibb, Baldwin, Jones, Monroe, Putnam, Twiggs and Wilkinson counties annually.

Categories
Community

Profiles in Success: James

Avita Community Partners

James struggled with drug addiction since age 13. He has a criminal history and has had difficulty finding and retaining a job all of his adult life. Last year, he began working with a supported employment specialist at Avita Community Partners.

The specialist helped him obtain a job as an assembler even though he had no prior related experience. James worked hard and learned to manage symptoms of worry and the feeling of being treated differently from others who worked around him. He performed well in this job for three months but was let go in a round of layoffs at the company.

The supported employment specialist worked with a local temp agency to arrange a mock interview for James and help him improve his interview skills. Two weeks later, James was hired as a forklift operator by a local plastics company. He stayed in the supported employment program for three months after starting the new job until he felt that he no longer needed assistance. He was placed on medication maintenance through Avita at that time.

James recently sent a message to his supported employment specialist that he was doing well and loving his job. He is training in other areas with the company and works a lot of overtime, which has enabled him to buy a car and catch up on past-due rent. He is now saving money to get his own apartment, so that he can move out of the halfway house he has been in for the past two years.

Categories
Department News

Nurses wanted

registeredNurseHiringFairECRH

Do you know someone looking for a great place to work with flexible shifts and career advancement opportunities?

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) is hiring talented, compassionate and motivated nurses at each of our five state hospitals. Job descriptions and applications are available by location at dbhddjobs.com. Recruiters accept applications on an ongoing basis.

DBHDD nurses are among the best in the mental health field in Georgia and in the U.S. Our registered nurses (RN) and licensed practical nurses (LPN) work with professional colleagues who are committed to providing high-quality care to the individuals we serve. We encourage our nurses and provide them opportunities to practice to the full extent of their education and training.

Our nurses have a variety of career opportunities which may be clinical, programmatic or leadership-focused. An RN in our hospitals may advance to a charge nurse, nurse educator, nurse auditor, nurse manager or administrator, specialty or advanced practice nurse, nurse practitioner or nurse executive. Positions for RNs and LPNs are open in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Milledgeville and Savannah. Applicants are generally able to choose the shift they would like to work.

We offer competitive salaries, including shift differentials for nurses who work on second or third shift. Additionally, our full-time nurses are eligible for the state’s comprehensive benefits package—one of the best available in Georgia.

DBHDD nurses are at the forefront of health care delivery for people with behavioral health challenges and developmental disabilities. Interested parties are invited to apply for a position today, and see why there is no better place to help people in the state of Georgia than with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

 

Categories
Staff

DBHDD Management Academy

DBHDD is offering a new training program for managers within the agency. The “Management Academy” features a six-month curriculum designed to equip current and future leaders with the tools necessary to help the department achieve its mission of providing high-quality services in a changing behavioral health and developmental disability environment.

The Management Academy, developed by DBHDD’s Office of Learning and Organizational Development (OLOD) in partnership with the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, provides management training across all divisions of the agency. Using core components from other management programs, the Vinson Institute worked with OLOD to develop a curriculum that addresses needs and challenges specific to DBHDD.

“The Management Academy allows us to come out of our day-to-day jobs and look at leadership in a multidisciplinary way,” said Debbie Atkins, regional service administrator for behavioral health in DBHDD’s region one. Atkins is a member of the inaugural class, which began in May. “In the sessions, we are learning how to apply basic management and leadership skills to real-life challenges that we encounter in our jobs.”

Former OLOD director Erick Allen began working with the Vinson Institute in the summer of 2012 to develop the Management Academy. The program is intended to help DBHDD manage system changes that will lead to a better service delivery system for our clients and partners. Allen says that the academy was designed with three goals in mind: to support the department’s strategic change initiatives; to develop future and current leaders; and to improve job satisfaction and retention.

“The department has attracted the best and brightest in the fields of mental health, addictive diseases and developmental disabilities,” said Allen. “The purpose of the DBHDD Management Academy is to supplement the technical skills with the best methodologies in management and leadership.”

The program is limited to 25 participants and features classroom-style lectures and seminars, led by the Vinson Institute. Coursework includes supplemental reading and a capstone project. The class is divided into groups of three-to-five members across disciplines and tasked to design a project which examines an aspect of management that applies to DBHDD. The sessions allow some time to work on the project, but many groups also meet between the sessions. Each group will present its findings during the graduation ceremony and make a formal recommendation to DBHDD leadership.

Sessions are held in different location throughout Georgia and cover a variety of topics. The first two focused on “leading in the public sector” (Atlanta) and “developing people” (Macon). Upcoming sessions include:

  • Unleashing the power of inclusion (August 7-8)
  • Managing change and transformation (September 18-19)
  • Building capacity (October 30-31)
  • Graduation: enhancing organizational effectiveness (November 20-21)

The DBHDD Management Academy is designed for emerging leaders within the department and intended for people who have worked for DBHDD for at least two years and are no less than five years from retirement. Graduates will receive a certificate in leadership from the University of Georgia.

A new class will start again in January 2015 and will be offered twice each year. Participants must be nominated by their supervisors. Contact Donna Johnson, interim director of OLOD at donna.johnson@dbhdd.ga.gov for information on program requirements.