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.

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Events Staff

DBHDD participates in national opioid abuse meeting

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reports that since 1999, more than 125,000 deaths have resulted from overdoses related to opioid pain relievers, calling the trend a national epidemic.

On July 17 and 18, the health and human services department hosted a meeting, “Advancing Policy and Practice: A 50-State Working Meeting to Prevent Opioid-Related Overdose,” in Washington, DC—the first-ever convention of governmental partners from all 50 states that focused solely on this issue. DRUGoverdoseEpidemicGA “I am encouraged by HHS’ initiative to bring states together on this important topic and recognize the impact that this epidemic is having on families and communities across our nation,” said DBHDD addictive diseases director Cassandra Price. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration with partners in other states as we work to reduce opioid abuse in Georgia and across the U.S.”

DBHDD staff joined peers from across the nation at the meeting, which featured presentations from national experts who provided a comprehensive overview of the epidemic, highlighting many of the intervention strategies being used throughout the U.S. to address opioid abuse. States also met in teams to discuss state-level planning for prevention strategies, access to medication-assisted treatment, including Naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose, and strengthening health care provider accountability.

Visit our website for more information on substance abuse prevention efforts in Georgia.

Prescription Drug Overdose in the United States: Fact Sheet (CDC)

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Community

Olmstead Success Story: Donnie

Submitted by Lookout Mountain Community Service Board

donnie-olmsteadDonnie grew up in rural Trion, Georgia. He lived on a small farm where he enjoyed southern cooking, especially pinto beans with onion and cornbread which he still talks about regularly. In 1984, when his parents were no longer able to care for him, he was admitted to Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital.

He spent the next 27 years in various units at the hospital. In June of 2011, Donnie moved from to the Magnolia CLA in Summerville. Little did the staff know at that time the great gift they had received when this gentleman moved into his new home. Donnie had become dependent on a feeding tube and often needs oxygen to assist with his breathing. He had learned ways to deal with stress and also how to get people not to bother him. He would curse and spit. Despite his defenses, the staff at Magnolia fell in love with him instantly.

Over time his mental status was evaluated, and as much as he tried to shut people out they wanted to help him, to love him more, and for him to be happy. He was given a new medication, which seemed to have a positive effect overnight. He seemed more at peace with himself, and he doesn’t spit anymore. He still curses sometimes, but it’s usually with a smile. He hugs and smiles more, and he seems to love himself more.

Any staff that works with him can’t help but love him. He likes to give hugs now and he has become more comfortable in his home. His room is decorated with the things that are important to him. He loves money and Coca-Cola. No one knew these things about him when he moved into Magnolia CLA, but the caring staff was able to get him to open up and share his hopes, dreams, likes and dislikes. He doesn’t talk a lot, but the staff takes the time and sits with him, and even though he speaks in short or one word sentences, he will talk about things that make him happy. He tells staff what he needs or wants.

Donnie is considered medically fragile, but he often attends community functions and attended all of one of his housemate’s baseball games this spring. Donnie needed a caring home, and he found it at Magnolia CLA, but he has given the staff so much more.

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Events Staff

National Association of the Deaf Conference

Atlanta hosted the 52nd Biennial National Association of the Deaf Conference, which took place between July 1 and July 5 at the Hilton Atlanta.

 “It was exciting to meet so many other community members and leaders from around the country supporting the 2014 National Association of the Deaf conference theme of deaf civil rights, which parallels the mission of DBHDD’s Office of Deaf Services to provide and promote equal accessibility and choice of services and programs to our deaf and hard of hearing communities,” said DBHDD Deaf Services Director Candice Tate, Ph.D. “Deaf services staff were honored to attend the opening ceremony with Commissioner Berry and Assistant Commissioner Gault, and several attendees approached us later during the conference to express how much it meant to see our state leaders support and lead our efforts to ensure equal behavioral health care access for all Georgians.”

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Department News Staff

System of Care Academy: Engaging youth, parents and providers

In June, the Interagency Directors’ Team of the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council hosted the 7th annual System of Care Academy in Stone Mountain. Partnering agencies included DBHDD, the Division of Family and Children Services and the juvenile justice, community health, public health and education departments, along with the Georgia State University Center of Excellence for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health.

The three-day conference is the largest statewide multi-disciplinary gathering in the field of children’s behavioral health in Georgia, attracting over 400 parents, youth, agency staff and providers this year.

“The System of Care Academy allows for cross systems staff, providers, parents and youth to come together, learn together and work together,” said Linda Henderson-Smith, Ph.D., who chairs the conference and is director of DBHDD’s Office of Children, Young Adults and Families.

System of care involves coordination of a wide array of community-based services centered on individualized care and full participation from youth and their families.

The theme of this year’s conference was Ideal to Real. The goal is to train families and providers so that the system of care philosophy can be implemented at the local and community level.

“The System of Care Academy is about people working together,” said Henderson-Smith. “Parents are the drivers, and youth preferences are included in their treatment plans. At the academy, they learn practical information and strategies for implementing the System of Care framework at local county regional and state levels. It’s exciting to watch!”

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Community

“Recovery is Good”: Savannah peer group uses music to set aside differences

“Recovery is possible in the collaborative sense if we have processes and beliefs that make people feel equal.” – Bill Carruthers

Bill Carruthers is innovating recovery at Savannah Counseling Services, where he is director of the Chatham Peer Program which serves about 20 adults with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. Carruthers, a certified peer specialist, started the outpatient recovery program with the help of Savannah Counseling director Amanda Tillman in July 2013.

“When Amanda asked me to start a peer program, she let me have free rein in its design,” Carruthers said. “So I took everything that I hated about the programs I had been in, and I turned it inside out. I call it ‘recovery on fire.’” The program is consumer-driven, an aspect that is very important to Carruthers.

In April, Carruthers had a new idea. “One day, I walked into the center, and everyone was in various states of existing separately and communicating within the construct that was most convenient for them.” Carruthers compares the discord with the Tower of Babel. “I tasked them to create a song,” he said. At first, chaos ensued, but quickly everyone came together around their primary purpose: recovery.

Carruthers’ only instruction was to be inclusive, rather than exclusive. “I wanted them to have something they could be proud of. Many of them had never had anything of value,” said Carruthers. “This song and its process allowed them to take ownership of their recovery and of how to communicate it.”

Each individual contributed to the production of the song. “We have one guy whose goal is to become a music producer. He had all of the equipment, so he created the beats and put the vocals over them.” Carruthers says that all of the recording was done at the peer center. “Everyone came together; everyone wanted to be a part of it.” They selected the title, “Recovery is Good” to express their process, both as individuals and as a group.

In June, the individuals in the Chatham Peer Program had the opportunity to present their song to DBHDD Commissioner Frank Berry. “One of the milestones in my recovery occurred when I was invited last year to share my story with Commissioner Berry and [DBHDD’s] board,” Carruthers said. “I wanted the peer group to get that same feeling that I did: validation.”

Listen to “Recovery is Good.”

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Community

Success Story: Helen, Waycross

Easter Seals Southern Georgia, Satilla Solutions

Helen, 62, lived at Central State Hospital for 41 years before moving into a Waycross apartment in 2011. She shares the two-bedroom home with Jeannette, another Easter Seals client. Both ladies receive around-the-clock supports from their caregivers. Helen is primarily non-verbal but communicates with, “hey” and by humming. She understands most everything that is said to her even when she appears not to.

Easter Seals Southern Georgia Executive Director Beth English said that since moving into her own home, Helen’s personality has blossomed. Helen loves to get attention. She likes going out in the community and socializing with other people, and her appearance is very important to her. She always wants to look nice and have her makeup and lipstick on. Her hair has to be fixed exactly the same way each time she goes out. It is important for Helen to feel pretty, and she likes to receive compliments. She carefully selects her clothing and always accessorizes with jewelry, particularly watches and rings.

Helen loves to go to the mall and look in the shops. She values spending time with her peers and is always excited when her bus comes to pick her up for outings. At home, she likes to play games and watch TV. Her favorite channel is TVLand.

Since moving into her apartment, Helen has demonstrated to Easter Seals staff and to her peers that she really enjoys her home and that she likes spending time with those around her. Helen recently wrapped up another season with the Miracle League, where she participated in the games, laughing and yelling “hey” to others as they played ball.  Helen also attends a local church, where she has even participated as an “honorary usher.”

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Community Events

Augusta walks to support recovery

On June 21, DBHDD, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse and the Georgia Parent Support Network hosted a recovery walk in Augusta to increase awareness about recovery and local community-based services to support individuals who are struggling with a mental health challenge or substance abuse disorder.

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“Walking Together in Recovery is a wonderful celebration of the important journey so many of us make to recovery,” said DBHDD’s director of recovery transformation, Mark Baker. “It is critical for people to know that they do not have to face this road alone.”

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More than 100 people attended, including family members of those approximately 40 participating in the mile-long walk that began at the Augusta Common and followed the Savannah River. Activities included a live band made up of individuals living in recovery, a cookout and games for children. After the walk, attendees shared recovery stories while they enjoyed lunch and music between presentations. “Through this important event, people were able to come together, share their stories and heal. That process is very empowering,” Baker said.

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DBHDD, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other local providers of mental health and addictive disease recovery services set up tables to offer recovery information and resources. The organizers plan to make Walking Together in Recovery an annual event.

Photo credit: Mark Baker

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Events Staff

Engaging with leaders in municipal government

DBHDD attended the Georgia Municipal Association’s annual conference in Savannah. Commissioner Berry spoke on a panel at the meeting of the association’s Community Development Policy Committee. Berry discussed new community-based services and shared success stories with members of the committee chaired by Councilmember Ruth Bruner of Gainesville. Other panelists included Representative Patty Bentley (D-Reynolds), Department of Community Affairs Deputy Commissioner Brain Wilson and Rome Assistant City Manager Sammy Rich.

Department staff and partners also participated in the convention’s expo, where they had the opportunity to speak with mayors and city council members about community-based services, including our new behavioral health crisis centers in region 4. We were proud to showcase our broad network of community partners that provide easy access to high-quality care across Georgia. Many thanks to our CSBs which provided us with handouts for their regions, and especially to Jeannette Bacon and Melody Wente in our region 5 office and David Crews and Amanda Tillman of Gateway Behavioral Health Services for taking time to help at our booth.

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(L-R) Amanda Tillman, Commissioner Frank Berry, Melody Wente and Angelyn Dionysatos (Photo credit: Chris Bailey)

View more photos from the convention.

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Events

Celebrating the long road home: 15 years of Olmstead

Commissioner Berry speaks at the Carter Center.

Commissioner Berry speaks at the Carter Center.  (Photo credit: Chris Bailey)

June 22 marked the 15th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C., which protects the rights of individuals with disabilities to live fully integrated in their communities. This historic ruling continues to shape DBHDD’s service delivery system, which is focused on providing easy access to high-quality care for all of the people we serve.

DBHDD joined the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and the U.S. Department of Justice at the Carter Center on June 23 to celebrate individuals who are living meaningful and fulfilling lives in the community because of Olmstead. Commissioner Frank Berry gave an update on the progress Georgia has made to help individuals with behavioral health challenges and developmental disabilities receive high-quality services in community-based settings that allow them to live lives of recovery and independence.

To honor these individuals, we will feature Olmstead success stories, provided by our CSBs and other partners, regularly in our e-postcard. To send us your story, please email press@dbhdd.ga.gov.

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Community Events

DBHDD clients participate in “Artwork Extravaganza!” at Troy University

View Point Health, DBHDD’s community service board serving Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale counties, recently held an art exhibit at Troy University. The exhibit, “Artwork Extravaganza!,” featured original pieces from clients served by View Point and showcased creative ways in which art can assist recovery for people struggling with behavioral health challenges.

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Art is often used to educate people about mental illness and to reduce the stigma surrounding it. Both are key components to improving and strengthening our mental health care system. One of the biggest barriers to effective mental health treatment is the tendency for affected individuals to avoid expressing themselves. This prevents them from addressing the concerns and can even exacerbate the illness. Creative approaches like artwork are beneficial because visual expression is less likely to be judged critically. It allows people to feel a sense of safety in expressing themselves. DBHDD salutes View Point Health for seizing this opportunity to transform creativity into therapy, bring awareness to mental health and shed light on the art of recovery.