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County Mental Health

Legislature's proclamation raises awareness of suicide, substance use, mental health issues

By Mike Pettinella

The Genesee County Legislature today sent a timely and vital message of “hope and healing” as it issued a proclamation in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week (Sept. 6-12), World Suicide Prevention Day (Sept. 10) and National Recovery Month (September).

Legislator Gary Maha, reading from the decree that also shined a light on mental health awareness, said that “in these challenging times, messages of hope and healing are needed more than ever” as representatives of the County Mental Health Department, Genesee Justice and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse looked on at the Old County Courthouse.

“Where millions of people around the world join their voices to share messages of hope and healing … these observances are united to raising awareness that prevention is possible, treatment is effective and people do recover … in these challenging times messages of hope and healing are more needed than ever,” Maha read.

The proclamation went on to state that county residents have “access to high-quality prevention support, rehabilitation and treatment services that lead to recovery and a healthy lifestyle … and that every day in Genesee County, people begin treatment at behavioral health services and community supports to begin the road to wellness and recovery.”

Maha read that that the “benefits of preventing and overcoming mental health challenges, suicide attempts and loss, and substance abuse are significant and valuable to individuals, families and our community at large … (and) it is essential that we educate residents about suicide, mental health and substance abuse and the ways they affect all the people in the community.”

Lynda Battaglia, director of mental health and community services at the Genesee County Mental Health Department, said it was “wonderful” that the legislature was acknowledging these issues and spoke of the “incredible collaboration” across agencies – calling it “a shared mission” to provide help and hope.

She said that every day, on average, 132 people die by suicide.

“Every number is a person … a loved one,” she said.

Battaglia encouraged those contemplating suicide or having serious mental health or substance use issues to reach out because they “are not alone.”

“There are people who want to help you and care for you,” she said. “We are your lifeline.”

Photo, from left, Shannon Ford, GCASA services director of Communications, Development and Prevention; Sue Gagne, Genesee County Suicide Prevention Coalition coordinator and GCASA recovery center coordinator; Maha; Catherine Uhly, director of Genesee Justice; Legislator Gordon Dibble; Battaglia. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Problem gambling can be a source of emotional distress and mental health struggles

By Billie Owens

From the New York Council on Problem Gambling:

Mental health refers to our cognitive, emotional, and behavioral wellness. How we think and feel can attribute to the behaviors we display. Many individuals struggle with their mental health in a daily basis.

A variety of factors come into play, but did you ever stop and think that problem gambling may be a source of emotional distress for someone?

Nearly 668,000 New Yorkers have experienced a gambling problem in the past year. That is a lot of family, friends, and colleagues having trouble; possibly half of the state population.

Problems from gambling can include sleep issues, strains on relationships with loved ones, financial problems and struggles at work. 

Each person struggling with problem gambling affects up to 10 of the closest people to them. A study found that nine out of 10 people affected by someone else’s gambling problems felt emotional distress.

This means that between the people struggling with problem gambling and the people closest to them, nearly 6.7 million New Yorkers are affected by problem gambling and may struggle with mental health issues because of it.

People who struggle with problem gambling are also at a higher risk for struggling with other mental health disorders.

Two out of three gamblers reported that their mental health suffered as a result of their gambling problems.

In addition to struggling with gambling they may be struggling with mental health problems such as a mood disorder, personality disorder, and anxiety.

On top of that, problem gambling has the highest suicide rate among all addictions. About 50 percent of those struggling with a gambling problem have either thought about or attempted suicide. And one in 5 has attempted and/or died by suicide.

Those are frightening statistics.  

How can we tell if someone is struggling with a gambling addiction? There are several warning signs to look out for including: being absent from friend/family events because of gambling; feeling stressed or anxious when not gambling; low work performance due to absence or preoccupation with betting; and lying to family and friends about how much money and time is spent on gambling.

For more information and help in Western New York, please click here to access the website of the Problem Gambling Resource Center in Williamsville. Or call (716) 833.4274. Email is:   WesternPGRC@NYProblemGambling.org

State aid cuts jolt GCASA, Genesee County Mental Health

By Mike Pettinella

Genesee County officials today learned that its mental health department will be getting 20 percent less in state aid this year.

The cut equates to a loss of $132,710 in revenue for mental health clinical services in the county, said Assistant County Manager Matt Landers.

“We’ve been told all along that there would be cuts of 20 to 50 percent,” Landers said. “We’ve been bracing for that.”

The county’s budget for the mental health department for 2020-21 is $5.6 million, he said, with state aid just one part of the revenue stream.

New York State took a bigger chunk – a 31-percent cut – out of its annual support to the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, action that will have a direct impact upon services provided by Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

“Just in the third quarter alone, this is a $160,000 loss in state aid, with $134,000 of that for Genesee County,” GCASA Executive Director John Bennett said. “Not only will this affect services, but it could very well result in potential layoffs.”

Bennett mentioned that the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program loan will help soften the blow somewhat.

There has been no word on cuts to the state Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (formerly Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities).

In another development, Landers said the county has called back 19 of the 48 employees who were furloughed, including a Department of Motor Vehicles worker needed to help process a heavy load of work since the office reopened.

The furlough program ends on July 31, said Landers, adding that the county’s strategic hiring freeze continues.

Riding the wave: County Mental Health department embraces telehealth services

By Mike Pettinella

Moved to the forefront by COVID-19, telehealth is the wave of the future for Genesee County Mental Health & Community Services, the agency’s director said on Monday.

Speaking at the County Legislature’s Human Services Committee Zoom videoconferencing meeting, Lynda Battaglia said her employees “love the fact that we can offer telehealth” as she presented a departmental review.

Legislators commended Battaglia, who was hired about eight months ago, for turning around a department that had been in disarray.

“Lynda came in at a very difficult time and has done a wonderful job,” Legislator Gordon Dibble said. “I know I speak on behalf of the board (when I say) that she’s done a great job under very difficult circumstances.”

Battaglia acknowledged that the agency has faced some turmoil over the past year, but pointed out that the “level of service that has been provided to the clients never wavered. (That) really speaks to the quality of professionals that we have in the agency.”

She was hired after her predecessor, Ellery Reaves, departed and was replaced on an interim basis by Mark O’Brien, the former Orleans County Mental Health director who since has moved on to become commissioner of mental health in Erie County.

Before taking the Genesee County position, Battaglia served as the forensic unit chief at Attica Correctional Facility and as assistant outpatient coordinator for New York’s Western Region.

In her PowerPoint presentation, Battaglia outlined a serious of mistakes and oversights that beset the department, calling the last year “a roller coaster for GC Mental Health.”

She was quick to mention that services have continued without interruption, even in the face of the coronavirus, and has set the department on a progressive course that includes telehealth, implementation of enhanced safety measures and cross-training of billing clerks.

“Agencies are always going to have a couple outliers that question things, but for the most part the group of people at Mental Health wants to progress with changes, they’re excited for the changes (and) they love the fact that we can offer telehealth,” she stated. “We have some big plans moving forward.”

Battaglia outlined that telehealth was “the only potential solution” after the agency lost its on-site psychiatrist, leaving hundreds of clients needing a provider and increasing the wait time to see a doctor to nearly a year.

In its broadest definition, telehealth allows long-distance patient and clinician contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, monitoring, and remote admissions.

On March 5, the state Office of Mental Health approved the county’s application to use telehealth for psychiatric services. As a result, the wait time has been reduced significantly, she said, and the department has been able to add to its client base by providing another method of treatment.

Battaglia said that the OMH office is approving expanded telehealth services for all clinical staff and mentioned that Genesee County is applying for grants to sustain these services.

On the subject of safety, she said Mental Health has “come up to speed where DSS (Department of Social Services) was in regards to workplace safety.”

She said the department contracted with a company called Securemedy to institute numerous facility, group and personal safety measures, such as conducting rounds daily, having an on-site supervisor to intervene with immediate issues, improving communication and security checks, and making sure all posts are guarded.

The agency has seen a 13-percent increase in the average of monthly services for billing over the first four months of 2020, Battaglia said, attributing that to a streamlined billing process along with a “high demand” for services at this point in time.

“One of our missions is to decrease the cost to our county, and one way to do that is by getting the billing folks together and having them cross-train now that we have our new electronic medical records going live on July 1,” she explained. “It’s really going to mainstream how we conduct billing … We’re going with a clearing house, which is going to be great.”

------------

Correction: Mark O'Brien left his position with Orleans County Mental Health to become the commissioner of mental health in Erie County. Information provided to The Batavian indicated that he had retired.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month: 'Tackle Box for Emotional Health' teleconference is May 28

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Even though we are not sure when Western New York will meet the last of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s seven metrics for Phase One reopening from the COVID-19 pandemic and New York on PAUSE restrictions, Mental Health PEER Connection (MHPC) has created a safe way to relieve stress and observe Mental Health Month – by online teleconference on Thursday, May, 28th.

Realizing that isolation exasperates mental health issues, the staff of MHPC, all of whom have mental health concerns, have developed a system of specific tools to help all people to deal with the pandemic.

Maura Kelley, CPRP, director of MHPC, will lead the staff in sharing their tools by making up a so-called “Tackle Box for Emotional Health.”

“We are doing this to celebrate ‘May is Mental Health Month’," Kelley said. "If we who already have mental illness can thrive in this troubled time, people should support us and learn from it during this observance.”

Each staff member selected a mental-or-emotional-health-enhancing topic to research and prepare a two-to-three-minute presentation. At 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, anyone who registers to log onto the GoToMeeting teleconference site will enjoy the 16 uplifting presentations.

If you wish to participate in the Mental Health Awareness Month Celebration, or have any questions, please email Jillian Moss at: jmoss@wnyil.org. Or call her at (716) 836-0822, ext. 146, before May 28th. Upon registering, you will receive the GoToMeeting link to log in.

A member of the Western New York Independent Living Family of Agencies (WNYIL), Mental Health PEER Connection is a peer-driven advocacy organization, dedicated to facilitating self-directed growth, wellness and choice through genuine peer mentoring.

Blue Pearl Yoga offering live stream yoga classes, discounts available

By Billie Owens

Press release:

It’s an amazingly challenging time, and in the spirit of chipping in and taking care of each other in our community, Blue Pearl Yoga is now offering live stream yoga classes.

The health benefits of yoga are very real. Yoga is wonderful practice for stress relief, relaxation and focus.

Yoga can increase flexibility, build strength, and improve balance.

There is a vast and growing body of research on how yoga improves immunity, reduces anxiety, lessens everyday aches and pains, and helps with a wide array of physical and mental health concerns. It is essentially self-care.

Due to the financial strain that many people are facing, Blue Pearl welcomes you to use a discount code offered when you sign up for a class (half off or free).

For those in a position to contribute, it is greatly appreciated to help offset our temporary closure of our physical space until that time when we can reopen the doors to the studio.

From all of us at Blue Pearl, may you be healthy, may you be happy, and may you have peace of mind.

Sign up for live stream yoga classes here.

LIVE: Interview with Tom Christensen, executive director Mental Health Association of Genesee and Orleans

By Howard B. Owens
Video Sponsor
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This morning we're talking with Tom Christensen, executive director Mental Health Association of Genesee and Orleans.

Our apologies to anybody who tried to watch this live. The live feed didn't go through to YouTube for some reason. But we did record the call so here is the full video of the interview.

Tom Christensen mentioned some helpful phone numbers during the conversation. Here are the numbers:

  • MHA in Niagara County Peer Information Line: 716-433-5432 (8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday)
  • MHA of Genesee & Orleans Counties WarmLine: 585-813-0072 (5 – 8:30 p.m. daily, including weekends)
  • Crisis TextLine: text MHA to 741-741 (24/7)
  • GCASA Peer Recovery Advocates: 585-815-1800 (24/7)
  • Genesee/Orleans Care and Crisis HelpLine: 585-283-5200 (24/7)

Congressman Collins pushes National Suicide Hotline Designation Act

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) is pushing the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (H.R. 4194), bipartisan legislation which designates “9-8-8” as the universal telephone number for the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system.

This system currently operates through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Veterans' Crisis Line. Congressman Collins is an original cosponsor of the legislation in the House.

“When experiencing an emergency, everyone knows to dial 9-1-1, but now those dealing with a mental health crisis will have an easy to remember number that will provide them with the help they need,” Congressman Collins said.

“This legislation is crucial in saving the lives of Americans all over the United States and end the stigma surrounding mental health.”

This legislation authorizes states to collect a fee limited to supporting local crisis centers that are affiliated within the national network area that funds the suicide hotline services similar to that of existing emergency services.

Also this legislation will set a deadline of one year for the FCC to complete the nationwide upgrade to ensure all lines have access to 9-8-8.

Free seminar on healing through mindfulness strategies offered at ILGR on Aug. 13

By Billie Owens

Press release:

While "mindfulness" as an avenue to better health, is a concept that's been spreading, so have the misunderstandings about how you can benefit from it.

Batavia’s premier consumer-run human service and advocacy agency for people with disabilities, Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), will provide much needed perspective with a seminar that's FREE to the public, "Healing through Mindfulness: Incorporating Mindful Strategies into Practice."

With the support of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services Inc. (NYAPRS) and Recovery WOW -- a program of GCASA, the event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, at the ILGR office, 319 W. Main St., Batavia.

The presenter is Robert Statham, CESP, training and technical asistance facilitator for the Western & Central New York Region of NYAPRS.

While mindfulness has gained widespread attention and popularity for its extensive health benefits, there continues to be much confusion around what it really means and how to “do it!”

This workshop will address what mindfulness really is, what the current research has to say about its ability to help people recover from a diverse range of physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, and its potential for achieving overall wellness.

It's of particular interest to social workers and licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), as they can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for this training.

For more information or to register, please contact: Donna Becker at (585) 815-8501, ext. 411, or dbecker@wnyil.org

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services Inc. (NYAPRS) is a statewide coalition of people who use and/or provide recovery-oriented, community-based mental health services, dedicated to improving services and social conditions for people with psychiatric disabilities or diagnoses, and those with trauma-related conditions by promoting their recovery, rehabilitation and rights so that all people can participate freely in the opportunities of society.

Recovery WOW (WithOut Walls) is a program of GCASA that offers a variety of safe, sober opportunities and activities for individuals in recovery and their families to enjoy.

Independent Living can help: May is Mental Health Awareness Month

By Billie Owens

Press release:

A number of organizations that promote good mental health, such as Mental Health America (MHA), the National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), have set aside May as Mental Health Awareness Month.  

The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) has singled out a principal threat to good mental health as STRESS, defined as "our body’s response to pressures from a situation or life event" or, "the degree to which you feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of pressures that are unmanageable

The causes of stress can vary widely, depending on an individual's sensitivities and life experiences, and some stress can even be beneficial, as when hormones, such as adrenalin, briefly cause a "fight or flight" response, so one can react quickly to dangerous situations.

However, when the stress is not short-lived, and persists over time or occurs repeatedly, leading to a nearly continuous state of "fight or flight," this can take a serous toll on one's body and mental health.

The potential avenues to stress-reduction are many, including: identifying the cause(s); making lifestyle changes; developing supportive relationships; adopting a healthy diet; engaging in mild physical exercise; moderating smoking and drinking; getting restful sleep; taking time for oneself; trying mindfulness meditation, and so forth.

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is making its modest contribution by holding a Stress-Relieving Coloring Contest. A full-size version of the illustrated "Anchor of Hope" coloring page is available at their offices, 319 W. Main St. in Batavia.

Color the page and we will hang it in our lobby for the month. Enter your page in our Mental Health Month contest for a chance to win a gift basket full of items sure to relieve stress.  

Another FREE stress-relieving activity, "Keep Calm and Bingo On," will take place at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 30, at the ILGR Batavia office. Token prizes will go to those who indeed get to shout – calmly – BINGO!

ILGR in Batavia has moved into a news space; it's at 319 W. Main St. Batavia.

For more information, call Donna Becker at (585) 815-8501, ext. 411.

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Free training offered to become Peer Recovery Coach

By Billie Owens
From the GOW Opioid Task Force:
 
The GOW (Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming) Opioid Task Force is excited to announce the opportunity to become a Peer Recovery Coach.
 
This training has been grant funded by the Health Resources and Service Administration and therefore is FREE.
 
Trainees should have a high school diploma or equivalent and lived experience is preferred -- in recovery, affected family member, experience working in the SUD/Recovery field.
 
Training is six-weeks in length (46 hours total) and you must commit to completing the program. Space is limited!
 
Training will take place at the Lake Plains Community Care Network at 575 E. Main St. in Batavia. Please check out the website and flier for more information here.
 
As part of the Community Based Recovery Support Training Project, training is offered to a select group of committed community members seeking to achieve NYS Peer Recovery Professional Certification.
 
This enables them to serve families and individuals affected by Substance Abuse Disorder with evidence-based recovery supports, skills and strategies.
 
The workshop facilitators are Lori Drescher (CARC, RCP) and Keith Greer (LCSW, PCC, PRC), who are professional coaches, recovery advocates and facilitators with a combined 55 years of experience.
 
If you have specific questions please contact Charlotte Crawford at ccrawford@lakeplains.org or by phone 585-345-6110.

Coffee Talk

By Allison Lang

Addiction can have a devastating impact on the families of those struggling with a substance use disorder.  The good news is that there are many wonderful family resources available to help them and other loved ones cope, heal and carry on.  If you have a family member who is struggling with addiction, depression or mental illness, and would like to connect with other families and loved ones, please join us for a relaxed time of support, encouragement and coffee!  There is no cost to attend this event.

 

Event Date and Time
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Dispute over how new mental health coalition gets paid has delayed nonprofit startup

By Howard B. Owens

An effort led by Genesee County Mental Health Director Ellery Reaves to create a first-of-a-kind a nonprofit mental health care coalition among five counties has hit a bureaucratic roadblock.

It's caused a six-month delay in the project though Reaves believes it will soon be resolved, he told members of the Human Services Committee at a meeting Monday.

"The hang-up is really a bizarre thing," Reaves said. "New York State, in its wisdom, in order to draw the maximum amount of dollars for this project, passed it through a managed care company. Well, they passed it through a managed care company as a premium. If it’s an insurance company, you have to pay out premiums based on services. It can’t be paid as a project."

And this, Reaves said, is a project.

If the federal government were later to question reimbursements, the question is: Who will pay back the federal government if required?

At first, there was an effort to make the counties responsible for any such return of funds.

"Our attorney basically said, 'That’s not going to happen,'" Reaves said. "'Once we’ve received the money in good faith for the project and we’ve met our deliverables, you’re not getting anything because we’ve met our deliverables.'"

Reaves said in a sense the project is in a state of limbo. There are still operational tasks to be completed to get the new company up and running.

None of this, he says, has affected patient care.

"We think the state is going to agree with the managed care companies and indemnify them from any future potential loss, so we hope it’s going to resolve itself soon," Reaves said.

Previously: County Mental Health Services planning to enter coalition with five other counties to form new nonprofit

Local effort begins to create police officer 'Crisis Intervention Teams' to deal with mental health issues

By Howard B. Owens

Local leaders in law enforcement, fire services, mental health and other crisis intervention professionals met at the Fire Training Center on Friday to help map out what services and resources the county has available to people with mental health issues.

The goal is to find ways to get people in the midst of a mental health crisis help before it becomes a law enforcement issue, and when a mental health issue does involve police officers, those officers have the training and resources to deal with it effectively.

Don Kamin, director of the Institute for Police, Mental Health & Community Collaboration in Rochester, along with Martin Giuliano, led the discussion.

Kamin's program is four years old and was created and funded by the State Senate. Both Monroe County and Erie County already have such programs in place, and it's now Genesee County's turn for organizing the program and providing training. 

In a couple of months, Kamin and his team and his team will return to start training a group of officers in local law enforcement who will be part of a Crisis Intervention Team. They will undergo 40 hours of training, on top of the 15 they've already received in their law enforcement academy, in dealing with subjects suffering from mental health issues.

"Number one, we want to train them on how to recognize mental illness and other disorders and then how to de-escalate that," Kamin said. "Also, just as important, give them more knowledge of the local system."

There are a number of mental resources available in Genesee County that could assist officers in the field but knowledge about those resources isn't evenly distributed through local law enforcement. One of the program's goals is to map out all of those resources and provide officers with the information.

"It's a good opportunity for us to take a step back and see what other communities are doing so that when we bring the report back to the Genesee County we can say 'hey, over here in Monroe County, over in Westchester, or over in Albany County, they're looking at these practices. Have you considered moving in that direction?' " Giuliano said. "We can try to integrate the best practices throughout New York State and get them spread to all the different communities."

New York's program is part of a national trend toward providing police officers with additional mental issue crisis intervention training -- this year the state's law enforcement academies will require 20 hours of training -- and creating crisis intervention teams.

"The goal here is to divert people from the criminal justice system when at all possible and get them the support they need," Kamin said. "This isn't a get out of jail free card. If folks, regardless of the level of mental illness, commit a serious crime they're going to be arrested; they're going to 14 West Street, but many times they don't need to be sent there and we want to intervene."

Free class on basics of memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer's disease offered Wednesday, RSVP

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. It is a progressive and fatal brain disease that is the most common form of dementia.

“The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease” is a free class presented by the Alzheimer’s Association Western New York Chapter for anyone who would like to know more about the disease and related dementias.

The program will be offered at The Manor House (427 E. Main St.) in Batavia at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Attendees will learn:  

  • Symptoms and effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia
  • How Alzheimer’s affects the brain
  • Causes and risk factors
  • How to find out if it’s Alzheimer’s disease 
  • The benefits of early detection
  • Treatment
  • Resources in your community, including the Alzheimer’s Association WNY Chapter  

There is no cost to attend this public presentation, but registration is encouraged by calling 1.800.272.3900.

GOW Opioid Task Force goals beginning to take shape

By Julia Ferrini

How do rural counties with limited resources combat an issue as multifaceted as heroin and opiate addiction?

Quite simply, they collaborate to find common-sense practices to beat the dragon.

In January, officials, doctors, healthcare providers, and community members from three counties -- Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming -- formed the GOW Opioid Task Force.

Its goal is to not only raise awareness of the growing epidemic but to also find and compile: a list of resources available to addicts and their families; data on the number of overdoses, deaths, and uses of naloxone within each county; and identifying roadblocks to treatment.

During the July meeting, a roadmap of sorts was laid out for the Task Force.

From the time an individual is born, they are, to some degree, rated on performing tasks independently. Doctors gauge a child’s progress: Sits independently. Walks independently. Teachers grade a student’s performance: Works independently. It’s a skill desirable to some employers: Must be able to work independently.

It is a mantra instilled in a person's mind from a very young age: Be an individual. Don’t follow the crowd. Learn to be independent. Yet, there are times, when being independent becomes counterproductive to the needs of a community.

Although each of the GOW counties are afflicted with the same problem – the increase in overdoses and deaths due to heroin and opiates – independently, there are gaps in services and help for both addicts and their families. However, collectively, the Task Force can help fill those gaps.

In an effort to find where each county is lacking and how to get funding for the resources it needs, the Task Force determined three areas to address: community education and action, data compilation and access to care.

Community education and action

Three goals were created to better educate the public:

    • Educate students, parents and community about the dangers of heroin and opioid use – Narcan training and education, sharps and medicine disposal sites, and develop materials for distribution;

    • Identify resources and local partnerships to help prevent use – pharmacies, law enforcement, recovery services, and mental health service; and

    • Develop recommendations for future goals and action steps to prevent use – encourage attendance and participation in Task Force meetings, recovery coaching, peer speakers, and more.

Data

Part of the requirements for applying for State funding is to have the data and statistics to back up the need. However, compiling those numbers becomes a collaborative effort between multiple agencies. Additionally, the task is further hindered by the fact that the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s (ME) Office handles cases from its own and the GOW counties. Subsequently, toxicology reports are often not received back for six months or more.

According to a recent report, the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office has performed 1,020 autopsies in 2016. In 2015 it was closer to 900. In 2008 approximately 975 were performed and in 2005 860. The years 2012 and 2013 both showed approximately 880.

The goals of this group are to develop a tool to track data, identify the data each county already has, and perform a gap analysis to identify missing data and create a plan to overcome any barrier.

Access to care

Again, a barrier addicts and family members face is access to care in relative proximity to where they live.

Officials say when an addict is ready to get the help they need to begin the recovery process, there is an immediacy to their need.

One of the goals of this group is to map out the access to care in the Western Region Naturally Occurring Care Network (NOCN).

The NOCNs include the Finger Lakes, Monroe, Southeastern, Southern, and Western regions of New York State.

In addition to finding a place to receive care, the group also identified eight groups of potential entry points for families and individuals in crisis. They include hospital emergency rooms, crisis hot line, primary care physicians, law enforcement, community-based organizations, healthcare homes, community-based groups, and schools and colleges.

Nationwide, every 17 minutes someone dies from an opioid overdose. About two years ago, there were 100 deaths in Erie County. In 2015, it more than doubled. In 2016, that number could reach over 500. That’s about 10 per week. February alone recorded 23 overdose deaths in just one week.

In Wyoming County, between 2010 and 2014 the number of opioid-related emergency department admissions increased 47.6 percent – 42 and 62. The number of opioid-related inpatient hospital admissions rose from 61 to 91 respectively – a 49.2-percent increase. 

According to a recent article in The Batavian, there were five deaths in Genesee County that the Monroe County Medical Examiner attributed to the overuse of opiate-related drugs in 2013.

In 2016, 17 deaths with toxicology completed were attributed to drug mixtures that included opiates, with four toxicology reports for last year still pending.

To date in 2017, there are seven deaths where toxicology is still pending.

Of the 17 known OD-related deaths in 2016, only five were attributed to heroin mixed with other drugs, whether prescription drugs and/or over-the-counter medications. (Note: the ME for 2016 was Erie County.)

There were nine deaths caused by a combination of prescription opiates mixed with other drugs.

There was one death caused by "acute and chronic substance abuse."

Of the 18 overdose deaths in 2015, 14 involved prescription opiates used in combination with other drugs and two were caused by heroin used in combination with other drugs.

In 2014, there were 12 drug-induced deaths. Nine of the 12 involved prescription opiates combined with other drugs. Heroin, used singularly or in combination with other drugs, contributed to three deaths. 

Between 2010 and 2014 those who were admitted for treatment for any opioid in Western New York was 7,679 in 2010. By 2014, the number of people seeking treatment rose by almost a third – 10,154 – a 32-percent increase.

Across the state, those in treatment for heroin use was 55,900 in 2010; in 2014, the number was 77,647. Deaths across the state due to heroin overdose increased 163 percent (215 in 2008, and 637 in 2013) and opioid overdoses increased 30 percent (763 to 952).

While nearby counties like Erie and Monroe have access to more mental health services and rehabilitation centers due to their populations, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties struggle to find those same services closer to home for their residents.

The next meeting date and time for GOW Opioid Task Force to be determined.

For more information, Kristine Voos at Kristine.Voos@co.genesee.ny.us

County Mental Health Services planning to enter coalition with five other counties to form new nonprofit

By Howard B. Owens

Genesee County is joining with five other counties that have service-providing mental health departments to create a new nonprofit that should help improve services and lower costs, Mental Health Director Ellery Reaves told members of the County Legislature yesterday.

The new 501(c)(3) will be called Integrity Partners for Behavioral Health.

It's being formed both because regional mental health leaders see the need and because the state is pushing for more consolidation and more shared services. The state has made available $60 million for such consolidations in mental health services and Integrity Partners is the first of its kind in the state.

"So while other parts of the state are sort of scrambling to get themselves together, we’re literally going to submit our application with all of our providers, affiliate providers, and network providers, and it’s going to cover literally a six-county group so far," Reaves said.

Genesee County's Mental Health Services has a staff of more than 65 people, including doctors, therapists, counselors, and care managers. The service provides care to patients who either come to it through the Genesee County Jail, schools, other agencies, or just walk through the front door. The cost of care is either covered by private insurance or programs such as Medicaid or Medicare.

The goal of Integrity Partners will be to reduce costs through greater efficiency and improve care outcomes by sharing resources and knowledge.

"This model we’re moving to is more of a value-based, performance-based model," Reaves said. "We’re all going to get together and decide on what the matrix is going to be for what’s quality care. Then we as providers are going to try and meet those matrixes and get paid based on the efficacy in keeping folks out of hospital beds and providing service immediately, same-day access."

The six counties participating -- Genesee, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Livingston, and Orleans -- all have county-run mental health services. The coalition will also include non-government providers within the region.

The partners have retained legal counsel to help set up the tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation, as well as ensure the organization complies with all state laws and the requirements of the state incentives to organize it.

“If we can pull that off then this corporation will literally be on par with some of the larger health entities in the state,” Reaves said.

Lower costs and improved efficiency comes at a time when the county and the region need it, Reaves said.

So far in 2017, mental health services is on pace to serve more clients than in 2016.

Much of the increase is driven by the decreased stigma associated with seeking mental health care, but for children, social media is creating more problems, and opioid use leading to more mental health patients.

Reaves said the opiate crisis locally is "massive." 

"It's beyond what people can comprehend," Reaves said.

He added, "If you look at the stats on drug use, it's going to have a peak and once it peaks then it will start to abate once we can get more services in place. We haven't reached that point yet."

Sculptures by welding students featured in auction benefiting Mental Health Association

By Howard B. Owens

A pet therapy dog, flying doves, a butterfly, a tree with a swing, a meditation bench, a lilac bush and a drum, these are just some of the metal sculptures that were handcrafted by area career and technical education students. More than 100 students from four career and technical education centers located across Western New York have created more than 70 metal sculptures that will be auctioned to benefit The Mental Health Association.

Welding for Wellness is a collaborative project that includes students from 65 school districts, which span 10 counties in Upstate New York. Students in the Metal Trades Programs at Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, Monroe 2- Orleans BOCES, Monroe #1 BOCES, the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GV BOCES) have worked since December to craft this artwork.

In June, these sculptures will be auctioned to benefit The Mental Health Association. The auction will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, June 2, from at Village Gate on the 2nd floor Atrium, 274 N. Goodman St., Rochester.

Auction tickets may be purchased online at Weldingforwellness.com or by contacting the Mental Health Association at (585) 325-3145.

The American Welding Society – Rochester section is a sponsor of this project.

Mental Health Association to hold annual meeting luncheon at Terry Hills May 23, must RSVP by May 16

By Billie Owens

The Mental Health Association of Genesee and Orleans Counties will hold its annual meeting luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, at Terry Hills Restaurant. It is located at 5122 Clinton Street Road in Batavia.

This year's recipient of the Constance E. Miller Award of Excellence will be Mark O'Brien (LCSW-R), director of Orleans County Mental Health and Community Services.

MHA of Genesee and Orleans Counties Executive Director Thomas Christensen, Ph.D. (LMHC), will be the guest speaker.

The MHA Educational Scholarship awards will also be presented.

Cost for the luncheon is $20. To attend, please RSVP by May 16 to the MHA of Genesee and Orleans Counties, 25 Liberty St., Batavia. Phone is 344-2611 or visit online at www.mhago.org

Mental health film 'Hollywood Beauty Salon' about rebuilding lives, finding your own style to be shown at GCC

By Billie Owens

Information provided by Mental Health Association of Genesee & Orleans Counties:

The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Genesee County is hosting a film screening on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College.

The docu-film is "Hollywood Beauty Salon" and it is part of a film series about mental illness called the Reel Mind.

The film portrays life at an intimate beauty parlor inside the NHS Germantown Recovery Community, a nonprofit mental health program iin Philadelphia, where staff and clients alike are in the process of recovery. By gathering together to get their hair done, share stories, and support one another, they find a way to rebuild their lives.

It was work-shopped at the Salon over the course of four years and is also part of the recovery process, and the subjects of the film played an active part in shaping their own narratives and determining their unique individual styles.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the movie starts at 6:30.

There's a suggested donation of $5.

There will be a Q & A session afterward with Rachel "Hollywood" Carr, owner and operator of the Hollywood Beauty Salon in Philadelphia, filmmaker Glenn Holsten, and Rochester Psychiatric Center's Dr. Lawrence Guttmacher, who is co-director of the Reel Mind Film Series. Genesee County Suicide Prevention Coalition Chair Vern Saile will facilitate the discussion.

The screening at GCC is sponsored by: Living Opportunities of DePaul; Indepnedent Living of Genesee County; GCASA; Care + Crisis Helpline -- a program of YWCA of Genesee County; Mental Health Association of Genesee and Orleans Counties.

Genesee Community College is located at 1 College Road in the Town of Batavia.

For questions or more information, please call the Mental Health Association of Genesee & Orleans Counties at (585) 344-2611.

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