It is with great sadness that Washtenaw Com-munity Health Organization (WCHO) reflects on the loss of our Executive Director, Patrick Barrie. Patrick Barrie had served in an administrative role with the WCHO since 2008 and became the executive director in 2009. Formerly, he was the Senior Deputy Director of the Michigan Depart-ment of Community Health’s Mental Health Sub-stance Abuse Administration.

Colleague and close friend James Haveman, Director of the Michigan Department of Commu-nity Health shares “The passing of Patrick Bar-rie ... is a loss not only to those who knew him personally, but to the many Michigan residents whose lives have been touched by his commitment to behavioral health.” "I personally have lost a close friend and trusted col-league,” “Patrick was a brilliant mind, and never failed to think outside of the box and find solutions to complex issues that people had never dreamed of before. He always approached a project by focusing on what was best for the consumer,” according to Haveman’s statement. “Michigan residents have lost a true champion.”

While WCHO continues to move forward with its mission and vision, we will always remember Patrick as a crusader for people’s rights and dreams and honor his memory by providing the best care to those we serve.

Patrick Barrie Remembered

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Conway 2

ACCESS 2 Celebration of Success

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CEHR 4 Digital Signatures 4

New Grant 5 Recovery Mentor Program

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Therapist 6

Flash Mob 7

Free Classes 7

Forgiveness 8

Personal Health Record

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W A S H T E N A W C O U N T Y

WCHO News S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2

S A V E T H E D A T E S

• May 8, Walk a

Mile in my Shoes Rally in Lansing

• October, Cele-

bration of Suc-cess and 50th Anniversary of the founding of Commu-nity Mental Health

Some Achievements and Accomplishments:

⇒ Husband to Mary and father to Cullen and Phillip ⇒ Class valedictorian in his political science class at Michigan State

University in 1971 ⇒ Received two masters degrees: one in history and another in psy-

chology ⇒ Brilliant mind and trusted colleague and friend to many ⇒ Shaped many of Michigan’s innovative initiatives and programs in

the field of mental health ⇒ ‘Michelangelo of how to shape Medicaid policy’

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Transportation is a privilege. Just ask what it means to the twenty four CSTS recipients of a new bike last year from Con-way Freight. To them, a bike means the difference between relationships, a job, access to services and a feeling of value that can only come from a gift that you yourself could never afford, but so desperately need. Imagine the excitement that each one of those twenty four recipi-ents experienced when a Con-way employee wheeled a brand new Trek 820 mountain bike up to them and handed it over, complete with bike lock. It is moments like this that trans-form a life.

On July 24, 2012, at least twenty four lives were transformed thanks to the thoughtfulness and gen-erosity of Con-way Freight. In an at-tempt to meet the needs of a vulner-able population, Con-way Freight com-mitted to and delivered the mountain bikes to CSTS consumers. In atten-dance, were twenty four Con-way Freight employees including the Presi-dent and Vice-Presidents of the com-pany. The Ann Arbor based company is a part of Con-way Inc which specializes in freight transportation and logistics services. Clearly, Con-way knows the value of safe and reliable transportation. Thanks to their commitment to their com-munity, twenty four CSTS clients have that same privilege as well.

Con-way Delivers More than Transportation

W C H O N E W S

Access has increased their service delivery effective February 25th, 2013. The Access Department hours of operation for the emer-gency services function of determining eligibility for and authorizing community inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for Medicaid covered and indigent individuals (Pre-admission screening function) has ex-panded to 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The second change is the expansion of the Access Department Triage Call Center operations from a Monday through Friday Washtenaw County only service to op-erating 24 hours/7 days a week to Triage our four County Affiliation Access Departments’ after business hours service requests. Each of the Affiliate Access Departments will have staff available on call to provide the Emergency Services interventions for individuals from their counties. Continued on next page

ACCESS Service Delivery Expanded

Kindness in words creates confi-dence.

Kindness in think-ing cre-ates pro-foundness.

Kindness in giving creates love.

Lao Tzu

Historically the University of Michigan Psychiatric Emergency Services De-partment (PES) was contracted to provide the 24/7 Pre-admission screening and Telephone Triage functions for the WCHO. Our partners at PES have worked collaboratively with WCHO/CSTS leadership since the spring of 2012 to transition these functions to our “in house” staff at CSTS. PES will con-tinue to provide traditional emergency services to the community and to indi-viduals we serve when those emergency services are necessary. For more information about this expansion of services or to contact Access directly, please call 734.544.3050 or 1.800.440.7548.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2

Celebration of Success: 2012

ACCESS Service Delivery Expanded continued

It has been said to celebrate what you want to see more of. That was definitely the case on the night of July 26, 2012 when the annual CSTS Cele-bration of Success took place at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor. Seventy five clients, providers, and family members were honored at the cele-bration. Amidst applause and words of acknowledgement, those awarded re-ceived certificates for their accomplishments.

One such honoree was Dani White who has made great progress to-wards her goals over the past few years. She can now attend and participate in all appointments, listens to her staff and family, and has not been hospital-ized in over three years. At school, Dani goes into the community on a regular basis, has meaningful peer relationships and participates in Special Olympics. Elizabeth Leadford, the family’s case manager stated, “Dani and her mother are a great example of how services through the Children’s Waiver Program, hard work, persistence and consistency can help a family work towards their goals.”

Bill Teepen, another of the night’s honorees has been the true defini-tion of success. He has secured his own apartment, has taken proactive steps to improve his well-being, has sought to repay his debts, and works part-time at TJ Maxx. In addition, Bill is a regular volunteer at the Backdoor Food Pantry and a founder of the pantry’s garden. Bill is also an active member of Fresh Start Clubhouse where he is admired for his determination and incredible work ethic. “(Bill) is committed to doing whatever it takes to reach his goals!”

Congratulations to all those recognized for their achievements at the Celebration of Success. We are proud of you and your accomplishments!

If you would like to nominate someone for this year’s Celebration of Success, e-mail customer_service@ewashtenaw.org

Success is to be meas-ured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.

Booker T. Washington

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Digital signatures are coming! Forms that you currently sign on paper will be changed to use an electronic signature over the next several years. This will save trees and make the process of finalizing your signed documents in your electronic health record faster and easier. Our goal is to have the first form (the Release of Information ) ready for digital signatures by the end of June, 2013. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to sign with a computer mouse or a digital signature pad, just like when you sign for a deliv-ery!

The Community Electronic Health Record (CEHR) is here! You can use it to access your personal CSTS health record from any computer with an internet connection. Access to the CEHR will also be made available through kiosks placed in the waiting rooms at the Towner, Ellsworth, and Annex buildings (PORT).

The CEHR system will allow clients to view informa-tion from their record, such as demographics, emergency contacts, allergies, diagnosis, medications, vitals, lab re-sults, and appointments. Consumers will also be able to view the contact informa-tion we have on file for them, as well as contact information for people that should be contacted in case of emer-gency. When addresses or phone numbers change, con-sumers can use the CEHR system to send a message to their case manager to let them know.

Protecting the confi-dentiality of the consumer’s records is top priority – the only informa-tion a person will see will be their own.

Ask for your private login at your next CSTS appointment!

CEHR: Information at your fingertips

W C H O N E W S

Digital Signatures Announcement

Without continual growth and pro-gress, such words as improve-ment, achieve-ment, and success have no meaning.

Benjamin Franklin

Recovery Mentor Program

New Grant brings New Possibilities P A G E 5 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2

Washtenaw Community Health Organization was awarded the Adult Mental Health Block Grant from the Michigan Department of Community Health for the funding year 2013. The grant will allow us to do many exciting things.

First of all, we are able to create more volunteer opportunities for the people that we serve through the establishment of the Recov-ery Mentor Program. Whether greeting people in the lobby, ex-plaining the program to those entering our system of care, or men-toring people one on one, program participants have the opportu-nity to impact lives. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Recovery Mentor Program at 734-796-6947.

Secondly, the grant allows for all the Certified Peer Support Spe-cialists, agency employees with lived experience with mental ill-ness, to meet on a monthly basis. These meetings give peers the opportunity to share best practices, problem solve and receive ad-ditional training.

Thirdly, several of the Certified Peer Support Specialists are working to de-velop a set of lessons which focuses on five areas of wellness: nutrition, cooking, physical activity, connections, and healthy lifestyle. This toolkit, as it is called, will be used to provide people with the information and activities most helpful to support them in making healthier decisions. If you would be interested in attending an 11 week group this summer based on this material or would like more information, please call 734-796-6947.

Lastly, the grant was designed to encourage use of the kiosks that are lo-cated in Towner, Ellsworth, and the Annex. The kiosks or oddly shaped com-puter monitors, are available for people to provide customer satisfaction feedback, as well as to access their personal health record or CEHR. (see related article)

On March 7, the Recovery Mentor program was officially launched when ten volunteers completed a six hour training to become one-on-one mentors to those entering CSTS for services. The program, which consists of three tiers of service, is designed to meet the needs of both those who cur-rently receive services and those just entering our recovery-oriented system of care. Regardless of where you are in life, people crave connection, inspira-tion and the desire to be understood. The Recovery Mentor program seeks to meet those basic needs through the gift of service. Volunteers can give as little as a half an hour to two hours per week by choosing one of the three tiers of service: working as a Lobby Greeter to make the lobby a warmer and more friendly environment, serving as an Intake Volunteer connecting with and explaining the program to others, or as being a one-on-one mentor to someone new to CSTS. In whatever capacity that they choose to serve, the

Want to volunteer? Impact the lives of others through your service? Call the Recovery Mentor Program for more informa-tion at 734-796-6947.

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volunteer benefits from giving back and being involved in something bigger than themselves. They can also establish a volunteer history which may help them gain employment, as well as enhance their communication and problem-solving skills which will make them more marketable The people being served definitely benefit from the Recovery Mentor program. Not only will their experience with CSTS be en-hanced through extra support and encouragement, they can see firsthand that our system works and that there is hope for their fu-ture as well. Nothing speaks louder than a life in the process of be-ing re-established through recovery.

Recovery Mentor Program continued

W C H O N E W S

Like timidity, bravery is also contagious.

Munshi Premchand

‘You can run from it or you can learn from it’ is not only a quote that inspired Catherine Starr, a Youth and Family Services therapist who lives with bipolar disorder, but it sums up her story. Diagnosed at the age of sixteen with depression and then, two years later, with bipo-lar disorder, Catherine has firsthand knowledge of what it is like to live with a mental illness.

Raised in Ohio, Catherine was a high performer academically when her symptoms began. Thinking that she was simply going through a teenage phase, Catherine tried to tough it out on her own. When she finally knew where and how to reach out for help, she was at the point that she wanted to end her life. Through the support she received from her psychiatrist, Catherine went on to Yale as a college freshman. She managed just two years there before the stress and constant mood episodes caused her to reach a breaking point. She returned home feeling defeated, angry, and hopeless. When medica-tion and therapy were still not producing any significant results, Cath-erine became suicidal and was hospitalized twice within one year. It was on the inpatient unit that she saw the suffering of others with men-tal illness and became committed to reconsider the options in her life.

Like everyone with mental illness, Catherine’s recovery hasn’t been easy. It was filled with suffering, pain and anger; anger first at the damage it did to her life and then, at the society that makes a men-tal health diagnosis so damaging. Her passion as fuel, Catherine has used her experience with mental illness to shape her life for the better. Both her undergraduate work in psychology and her graduate focus in social work at the University of Michigan were ultimately influenced by

Therapist with Lived Experience

Flash Mob at Ellsworth by D. Yarrow Halstead

WCHO/CSTS offers Free Computer Classes

Therapist with Lived Experience continued P A G E 7

If CPU makes you think of a Star Wars character or the computer makes you cringe, then you may want to attend the free basic computer and internet skills class now being offered by WCHO’s Information Management team. Offered on the second and fourth Monday of the month from 1 -2 pm at 304 Harriet Street in Ypsilanti, these one hour, stand alone, classes will start in March and run through August.

A Basic Computers class will be offered on the second Monday of the month. The class will cover the parts of the computer, as well as topics such as file management and trouble shooting. The fourth Monday of each month, .

NEWS FLASH! That's right! Several staff from CSTS, participated in an unannounced (flash mob) dance in our lobby. This dance was choreo-graphed to a piece of music, "Break the Chain". On Valentine's Day, our sis-ters (and some brothers!) from all over the world, danced in solidarity: We sent a universal message saying that we are breaking the chain of violence perpetrated on all of our sisters. From every continent, every culture we danced and we sang as one collective voice affirming a woman's right to self-determination - reclaiming our bodies, our beauty, and our strength. Here at CSTS, members of our women's trauma recovery group felt the healing power of "Break the Chain" as they watched our flash mob. Robin Wilson, Professor of Dance at U of M, took time from her busy schedule, to come to CSTS and get us, more or less, ready for our flash mob event. We are indebted to her! - No more silence! No more violence! We say, "Break the Chain"!

her bipolar disorder. Her perfectionism faded and she developed a greater compassion for people and the vast array of human experience. Finally, she has found activities and people that support her recovery and contin-ued stability.

As a therapist at Youth and Family services, Catherine can now be that person that extends a hand of hope to a hurting soul. ” I realized that I wanted to help other people through (mental illness) because I had felt very alone and scared. I didn’t want other people to feel like they didn’t have anyone to go to if they were also struggling.” With nine months of ex-perience as a therapist and over nine years with lived experience, Cath-erine Starr brings her own unique light to the Youth and Family Services team. “It is important that people know that recovery happens and that you can end up in a good place but that it takes time, work from yourself and support from other people. I hope that people are able to ask for help and have other people to support them.” Catherine is one of those people, a person that someone can not only run to, but can surely learn from.

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you. Thomas Jefferson

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Every person dreams of who they will become. As a child, the very games you play prepare you for roles that you think you will hold in your future. Whether through a board game family from the game of Life or an active game of make believe as an aspiring doctor, you begin to create a person that you hope to be. Then, reality sets in. A trauma oc-curs, a mental illness manifests itself and those dreams are altered. You are left with the sadness of loss and the guilt of failure. In his New York Times Best-selling book, ‘The Traveler’s Gift’, Andy Andrews lists forgiveness as one of the seven decisions that determine personal success. He states,” I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit: I realize today that it is impossible to fight an enemy living in my head. By forgiving myself, I erase the doubts, fears, and frustration that have kept my past in the present. From this day forward,

a Basic Internet class will touch on topics such as Internet browsing and proper terms and use of computer equipment. Both classes will also include a how-to lesson on accessing and making changes to your own personal health record, the CEHR, (See related article) from a personal computer.

Since each class is independent and stands alone, feel free to attend one or both of the classes offered. Classes repeat each month, so tell others from CSTS to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Space is limited, however, so please call Jeff to re-serve your spot today at 734-544-9730. Come and learn how tech-nology can make a difference in your life.

Free Computer Classes continued...

W C H O N E W S

Must Have: Forgiveness

Free Computer Classes:

WHEN: 1-2 pm Basic- April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8 and August 12

Internet- April 22, May 27, June 24, July 22, August 26 WHERE: 304 Harriet Street, Ypsilanti (Work First Building)

REGISTER NOW: 734-544-9730

The weak can never forgive. Forgive-ness is the at-tribute of the strong.

Mahatma Gandhi

Must Have: Forgiveness continued P A G E 9 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2

my history will cease to control my destiny…I will forgive even those who do not ask for forgiveness. I will forgive those who criticize me unjustly. I will for-give myself.”

Oh, the challenge and necessity for those with mental illness to for-give. For one, they must forgive themselves for the ways in which they fall short in their own minds. Next, they must forgive those they love and depend on for not being able to fully understand their plight and the plethora of un-met expectations that may ensue. Finally, they must forgive the society that continually shuns and communicates to them that they are less than, a punch line or, worse yet, a danger.

So, how can someone with a mental illness move beyond the hurt to an acceptance that heals? One, we must accept the wrongness of the wrong or acknowledge that to live life with a mental illness is not what any person would choose. One must, then, realize that the fact that life hasn’t measured up to our childhood dreams isn’t always the result of our own inadequacies

or poor choices; it is more often the result of genetics and dumb luck. Abdicating some personal responsibility relieves some of the guilt that those with mental illness often feel. Next, being able to express our pain and still be accepted is an important aspect of forgiveness, as is the ability to accept ourselves and others as they are. Being able to accept ours and others limitations and pains makes it easier to realize we are

not alone in our suffering. We must recognize that we are not the only ones who haven’t been able to live up to those childish ambitions, nor do we hold the monopoly on personal pain or loss.

Admittedly, it sounds counterintuitive to relinquish personal responsi-bility or to lower your expectations in order to forgive, but so many times it is necessary to look back with kindness and a nonjudgmental stance before taking responsibility for those things that are within our control. We must sur-render the ideas of what should have been before we can rebuild or recog-nize the areas in which it is imperative to accept responsibility. As one thera-pist stated, ‘each day you must reach for the bar. Some days, the bar is on the ground and that is okay too’. The important action, for which the individ-ual is responsible for is the act of reaching as high and as far as is possible each day, learning from those things that may feel like failures and acknowl-edging that each experience is an opportunity to proceed with more knowl-edge. For as there is much beyond our control, there is much more that is within our control. With each decision to manage our emotions, to give all that we have and to forgive when necessary, we are becoming a person worthy of our dreams.

Love is an act of endless forgive-ness, a tender look which becomes a habit. Peter Ustinov

555 Towner

Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197

Phone: 734.544.3000 or

800.440.7548

Hours are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

excluding Holidays

Washtenaw Community Health Organization

Can twenty minutes change your life? It just may if you spend it getting a snapshot of your physical health. That snapshot can then be used by healthcare professionals to provide you with recommendations and/or referrals to wellness groups, specialized nurse case management and other specialty care services.

The snapshot, or Personal Health Review as it is called, is an annual assessment provided to anyone served by CSTS. Made up of six sections, the Personal Health Re-view involves questions on medications, health conditions, risk factors and family history. Vitals, such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration count, height and weight, will also be taken, along with a blood glucose level test if necessary.

The Personal Health Review, gathered at least 14 days from intake into services or prior to your annual individual plan of service (IPOS) meeting, is actually a consolidated medi-cal record of your medical history and personal health information. Once gathered, this snapshot into your health becomes a valuable tool in your overall treatment. Since physi-cal and mental health are so closely connected, the physical health information that you provide can lead to better decisions about your mental health, as well as assist you in improving your physical health through referrals and recommendations. These recom-mendations can even lead to health goals reflected in your IPOS.

So, how do you get a Personal Health Review? You will be contacted by the nurse 30 days prior to your IPOS or shortly after intake into services, ACCESS staff make an appointment for you. It is your responsibility to notify staff of any changes or additional diagnoses that may occur throughout the year concerning your health. Remember, infor-mation is power. The more information that is shared with the provider, the more opportu-nity that they have to better serve you and assist you in meeting your health goals.

Personal Health Review: Why it’s Important to You

WCHO

Spring 2013