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Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label Medicine Health Mental Illness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medicine Health Mental Illness. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 04, 2017

NPR Fresh Air: Father of 2 Sons with Schizophrenia Talks of His Struggle to Save Them

NPR Fresh Air: Father of 2 Sons with Schizophrenia Talks of His Struggle to Save Them




As the father of two sons with schizophrenia, author Ron Powers is familiar with the pain and frustration of dealing with a chronic, incurable disease of the brain.

[…]

On the effects of deinstitutionalization in the 1960s on people with mental illness

The advent of the so-called "wonder drugs" like Thorazine ... were touted as cures for schizophrenia — they weren't. At best they were cures for symptoms. But on the strength of Thorazine and its great consumer success and promise, President Kennedy, seeking to do the right thing, signed legislation ... in 1963 ... that authorized the emptying out of mental asylums and the transferring of their patients, their inmates, hopefully into community care centers that were going to be built around the country to receive them.

Deinstitutionalization was a catastrophic social experiment, one of the worst we've ever had. It ended up creating the [mentally ill] homeless population that still plagues us today.

The second terrible effect of deinstitutionalization was that many of the people never ended up in the community centers. The government ran out of money. They couldn't build enough to contain this outflow of patients, so they ended up on the streets, and from the streets they ended up in prison. Many of them. Today our prisons are overflowing with the mentally ill. Prisons are our de facto mental hospitals.

[…]


*****

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Independent - Hope Whitmore: As someone who's also autistic, the response to Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's panic attack has horrified me - Comment - Voices - The Independent

As someone who's also autistic, the response to Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's panic attack has horrified me - Comment - Voices - The Independent:

HOPE WHITMORE

Tuesday 23 December 2014

As someone who's also autistic, the response to Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's panic attack has horrified me

It's easy for the media to jump to conclusions rather than looking into the terrifying world of mental health problems

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/as-someone-whos-also-autistic-the-response-to-tara-palmertomkinsons-panic-attack-has-horrified-me-9943152.html

The other day a woman who is on the autistic spectrum, and who has a long history of struggling with addiction, had a panic attack at Heathrow Airport. The reaction one would expect would be sympathy - "How awful to be so ill! To lose control, to be reduced to shaking, shouting, crying with fear."

Instead, the British Press greeted the news with glee, mercilessly ripping into Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. According to the Mail, her "tantrum" occured because she was "denied access to a first class lounge", while The Sun ran the headline "Tara Nicked By 8 Gun Cops."

[...] http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/as-someone-whos-also-autistic-the-response-to-tara-palmertomkinsons-panic-attack-has-horrified-me-9943152.html

"To make it a spectacle to be gawped at is even worse, alienating mentally ill people and making them think they need to hide their problems rather than seeking help. In a year where much has been written about the importance of removing the stigma of mental illness, parts of the media still approach the topic with the sensibility of playground builles.

 More than one in ten people have a disabling anxiety disorder at some point in their life, according to Anxiety UK. Should these people then feel like failures? People who have let down their friends and families? Of course not.

The media’s crowing over Tara Palmer-Tomkinson’s illness is not only deeply cruel to her as an individual, it is also disrespectful to the many people in the UK who suffer from anxiety and panic."

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/as-someone-whos-also-autistic-the-response-to-tara-palmertomkinsons-panic-attack-has-horrified-me-9943152.html

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+++++++++++++++
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Thursday, April 24, 2008

Laura Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need


Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need

04/23/08 By Kevin E. Dayhoff


Recently I had an opportunity to catch-up with one of Carroll County's true whirlwinds, Laura Rhodes.

We first compared notes on the Rock Ball, this week's fund-raiser for Granite House, one of the largest nonprofit mental health care organizations in Carroll County.

Rhodes is currently program development manager at Granite House.

However, for much of our visit we talked about a relatively new initiative, Respite Connection of Carroll County.

First, when I arrived at her closet-sized office, she was doing what she does best -- multi-tasking in a number of different directions, all at break-neck speed.

To make up for the lack of floor space, Ms. Rhodes uses the "stack-it-high" method of organization.

If you're not familiar with Granite House; it was established in 1979 as critical resource in Carroll County's social-welfare safety net to assist folks with mental illness.

Granite House's network of psychiatrists, clinical social workers, nurses and licensed counselors assist members of the community to receive the necessary guidance and support to make a fresh start.

Proceeds from the "Rock Ball" benefit Granite House's Charitable Fund, which was created to help subsidize the cost of mental health care for those who cannot afford it.

"We strongly believe that all people should be able to receive the metal health care they need," Laura said. "Simply put, É mentally healthy people are more productive community members."

Many folks know Rhodes from when she served on the Carroll County Board of Education (2002 to 2005).

Others remember when she was manager of an initiative to improve community health for the Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County.

A few years before she and her family moved to Carroll County from Florida in 1986, she earned her bachelor's degree in criminology and psychology from Florida State University and a master's in counseling psychology from the University of West Florida in 1984.

As soon as she made Mount Airy her home, she threw herself into working for children and our community.

"I always felt that you have no right to criticize unless you're willing to be part of the solution," said Laura. "I wanted to be part of the solution."

Speaking of doing her homework and identifying needs in the community, Rhodes was excited to tell me all about Respite Connection -- a new collaboration to help provide respite care for families with children with disabilities and mental health challenges.

In layperson's terms, this is about giving folks who have a family member who needs constant care a break by identifying a network of caregivers and providing them with appropriate training.

The idea is to team up with community leaders and advocacy organizations -- such as Eldersburg's Mona Freedman and her Caring Communities of Carroll County; Sharon Glass and Families of Children with Autism Support Group; Heather Powell of Change Inc.; Lynne Humphries-Russ of the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health; and Karen Koenigsberg of Get Connected Family Resource Center.

Rhodes said the goal of Respite Connection is to increase the number of trained individuals to provide respite to families with children (birth-25) with mental health disabilities or developmental disabilities in Carroll, and to promote awareness of and access to the new centralized list/registry of respite providers.

This list is called the Caring Network Respite Care Registry offered by Caring Communities.

The measure of any community is how we take care of our friends and neighbors in times of need.

Most of us agree that the best social-welfare safety net is provided by nonprofits.

Hats off to Laura Rhodes and the many other folks who roll up their sleeves to make a difference and help sustain Carroll County as a wonderful place to raise a family.

If you'd like more information about contributing to Granite House's Charitable Fund or learning more about Respite Connection, or any of the services provided by Granite House, call 410-876-3007, Ext. 140, or visit http://www.granitehouse.org/.

By the way, Granite House's annual Rock Ball is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at 7 p.m., at St. John's Portico in Westminster.

The event features dinner, music, a silent auction, art exhibit and more. Tickets are $100. Call Laura at the number above to see if any seats are still available.


Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at: kevindayhoff AT gmail.com.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

20080421 An interview with Laura Rhodes about Respite Care in Carroll County

An interview with Laura Rhodes about Respite Care in Carroll County

Photo credit: An interview with Laura Rhodes, the Program Development Manager at Granite House. April 4, 2008 Photomontage by Kevin Dayhoff

Monday, April 21, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

Westminster, Maryland - This Wednesday’s Westminster Eagle column (Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com) will be focused on “Respite Care,” a new initiative in Carroll County that has been brought about, in part, by Laura Rhodes.

What follows here are some outtakes from the column – along with some necessary context in order for the outtakes to make some sense.

Please find some additional information on the Respite Care initiative that I pulled off the web in the appendix.

Recently I had an opportunity to catch-up with one of Carroll County’s true whirlwinds, Laura Rhodes.

And no, in spite of the fact that she is has worked for many years in various capacities as a mental health counselor, I was not there to see her for professional counseling.

It was a social call. Ms. Rhodes and I have worked together on many initiatives over the years - too numerous to mention.

As an aside, please add Ms. Rhodes to your list of Carroll County community leaders who are heavy metal aficionados. If you are keeping track at home, that list includes such folks as Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding and former Westminster Volunteer Fire Department President Chris Cull.

We first compared notes on the “Rock Ball,” an upcoming fundraiser for Granite House, one of the largest nonprofit mental healthcare organizations in Carroll County. Ms. Rhodes is currently the Program Development Manager at Granite House.

However, for much of our visit we talked about a relatively new initiative, “Respite Connection of Carroll County.” More on that in a minute…

When I arrived at her closet-sized office, she was doing what she does best – multi-tasking in a number of different directions – all at break-neck speed. To make up for the lack of floor space, Ms. Rhodes uses the stack-it-high method of organization.

If you are not familiar with Granite House; it was established in 1979 as critical resource in Carroll County’s social-welfare safety net to assist folks with mental illness.

Granite House’s network of psychiatrists, clinical social workers, nurses, and licensed counselors assist members of the community to receive the necessary guidance and support to make a fresh start.

In an era in Carroll County when so many folks move here and start complaining before they know any of the history or traditions of our community, Ms. Rhodes took the course that has been a critical component of all successful community leaders; she did her homework. She built bridges by investing years of hard work getting to know the community and our leadership.

In a published interview from a number of year’s ago, it was noted that her “efforts and determination to know the issues earned her a reputation for being well-prepared to make decisions.”

To which Ms. Rhodes remarked, “I always felt that you have no right to criticize unless you're willing to be part of the solution. I wanted to be part of the solution.”

Speaking of doing her homework and identifying current needs in the community and then, Ms. Rhodes was excited to tell me all about a new collaboration to help provide respite care families with children with disabilities and mental health challenges.

In layperson’s terms, this is about giving families, who have a family member who needs constant care, a break - by identifying a network of caregivers and providing them with appropriate training.

The idea is to team-up with other community leaders and mental health advocacy organizations such as Mona Freedman with “Caring Communities of Carroll County,” Sharon Glass - “Families of Children with Autism Support Group,” Heather Powell - CHANGE and Lynne Humphries-Russ - Maryland Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health, and Karen Koenigsberg – “Get Connected Family Resource Center.”

In an era in Carroll County when so many folks move here and start complaining before they know any of the history or traditions of our community, Ms. Rhodes took the course that has been a critical component of all successful community leaders; she did her homework. She built bridges by investing years of hard work getting to know the community and our leadership.

According to information provided by Ms. Rhodes: “The goal of Respite Connection is to increase the number of trained individuals to provide respite to families with children (birth-25) with mental health disabilities and/or developmental disabilities in Carroll County and to promote their awareness of and access to the new centralized list/registry of respite providers -- The Caring Network Respite Care Registry offered by Caring Communities.

The measure of any community is how we take care of our friends and neighbors in their time of need.

Hats off to Laura Rhodes and the many other folks who routinely roll up their sleeves to make a difference and help sustain Carroll County as a wonderful place to raise a family.

If you’d like more information about contributing to Granite House’s Charitable Fund – or on “Respite Connection,” or any of the services provided by Granite House, call 410-876-3007, ext. 140, or visit www.granitehouse.org.

*****

Appendix

New Respite Care Training Program In Carroll County

Getting Connected Family Resource Center

http://www.granitehouse.org/services/

Retrieved April 21, 2008

The Get Connected Family Resource Center is a referral center for families with children who have developmental disabilities, mental health issues, substance abuse issues, interpersonal violence experiences or other concerns. The Center is also sponsoring a Respite Care Provider training, click here for more information. This is a free program for any Carroll County family and is funded through the Carroll County Local Management Board. For more information on accessing services, go to www.getconnectedcc.org

NEW RESPITE CARE TRAINING PROGRAM IN CARROLL COUNTY

http://www.caringcommunities.org/respiteconnection.html

Retrieved April 21, 2008

Respite Connection of Carroll County Offers Respite Care Training

Information: respiteconnection@caringcommunities.org or 410-549-5707

The Carroll County Local Management Board (LMB) determined that respite care for children with disabilities and mental health challenges is apriority area.

Several county organizations and agencies developed a collaborative approach -- Respite Connection of Carroll County – to address the respite dilemma for families to have more providers, trainers and a linkage to the community.

The goal of Respite Connection is to increase the number of trained individuals to provide respite to families with children (birth-25) with mental health disabilities and/or developmental disabilities in Carroll County and to promote their awareness of and access to the new centralized list/registry of respite providers -- The Caring Network Respite Care Registry offered by Caring Communities.

Two eighteen-hour Respite Caregiver, and two Train the Trainer, training sessions will be offered in Carroll County in May and June 2008 at no cost to individuals. The sessions will consist of respite care training in developmental disabilities, mental health issues, cultural competence, and "restraint-free" de-escalation techniques. In addition, 100 Carroll County families will be registered on the Caring Network Respite Care Registry at no fee on a first-come, first-serve basis, thus increasing their access to respite providers.

Carroll County's Respite Connection is comprised of the agencies and
individuals listed here.

Granite House, Lead Agency for Respite Connection: Laura Rhodes, Program Development Manager

Caring Communities: Mona Freedman RN, Executive Director

FOCAS (Families of Children with Autism Support Group): Sharon Glass, Founder

Maryland Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health: Lynne Humphries-Russ, Administrator

CHANGE, Inc.: Heather Powell, Director of Support Services

Get Connected Family Resource Center: Karen Koenigsberg, Family Navigator

Vicki Duerr, a family member of a young adult with a disability

FAQ'S COMING SOON! PLEASE CHECK BACK: http://www.caringcommunities.org/respiteconnection.html

Provided by The Carroll County Respite Connection.

Funding provided by the Carroll County Local Management Board

*****

Medicine and Health

Medicine and Health Mental Illness

_____

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

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E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

Accept differences, Be kind, Count your blessings, Dream, Express thanks, Forgive, Give freely, Harm no one, Imagine more, Jettison anger, Keep confidences, Love truly, Master something, Nurture hope, Open your mind, Pack lightly, Quell rumors, Reciprocate, Seek wisdom, Touch hearts, Understand, Value truth, Win graciously, Xeriscape, Yearn for peace, Zealously support a worthy cause. (Author; Renee Stewart)

20080421 An interview with Laura Rhodes about Respite Care in Carroll County