Irene’s Story

By Gracie President, SUS Day Habilitation Supervisor

SUS’ Day Habilitation Programs are dedicated to offering growth-enhancing opportunities that promote academic, personal, social, recreational and cultural development in a structured, safe and supervised environment. The staff actively engage the participants and meet their behavioral needs and special interests. Family members are provided the support necessary to help them better understand their child’s disability. Irene’s story is a perfect example of the dedication and patience that results in growth and progress, not only for the consumer, but for their family as well.

Irene has been part of our Lydig Day Habilitation program in the Bronx for several years. Since her admission to the program, Irene has struggled with the relationship she has with her family.

On many occasions Irene’s behavior appeared to be related to her wanting to see and communicate more with her mother.   She would cry for hours and display aggressive behaviors towards staff when they attempted to comfort her.

Gracie, Supervisor at SUS’ Lydig Day Habilitation, and other staff couldn’t understand the basis of the strained relationship. Despite being invited to all program events, her mother’s visits were infrequent and sporadic.

Gracie and the Lydig staff worked together to facilitate communication between the two. They started by calling Irene’s mother, and inviting her to open houses, BBQs, Parent Groups, anything, but she never came. However, those phone calls began to open a door.  Soon Gracie would call just to report on how well Irene was doing, which her mother was happy to hear. These phone calls presented Irene the opportunity to speak to her mom while at program.

Gracie, Irene and her mom, seemed to have a nice rhythm of calling each other, keeping the conversations light and social. During these conversations Irene expressed to her mother that she wanted to get her ears pierced, which the Lydig staff made possible. This was a large step towards Irene’s independence, and it was around this time that the staff started noticing that Irene was more relaxed, less aggressive, and was speaking up more for herself. Irene was different.

After about a year and half, Irene’s family came to Lydig. Irene proudly showed off her program and introduced her family to the staff. Her mother and step-father took her shopping in the area, and she couldn’t have been happier.

Irene’s quality of life is so much better because Gracie and her staff took a real interest in helping her reestablish the relationship with her family. I think pictures are worth a million words, but this one is worth so much more.

Thank you to Irene and her family for allowing us to share their story, and thank you to Gracie and her staff for their patience and support. SUS is very proud to have such dedicated staff serving our individuals.

SUS Trainings and the Strategic Plan: Q & A with Luis Lopez

Steve Harrington, President of Board of Directors, ACTA, Luis Lopez, SUS and Cheri Sixbey, Executive Director of ACTA, at the ACTA Conference in Huntington Beach, CA.

The SUS Strategic Planning Department was created to address the changes in the human services field that will affect SUS, both now and in the future. Luis Lopez, Director of Best Practices and Recovery Based Initiatives at SUS, sat down to discuss his involvement in this important organizational effort.

Q: How has your job with SUS changed over the years?

A: I received the title of Director Best Practices & Recovery Based Initiatives in September of 2009 and, at the time, was a member of the Quality Assurance department. The change to the Strategic Planning Department came in February of 2011. Prior to joining the quality assurance department I was a team leader for the ACT Team for 3 years. In 2006 I was transferred to QA in the capacity of QA Specialist/Trainer. During that time the Mental Health Division was committed to training every single staff member in motivational interviewing. That became one of my first responsibilities. Also, during that time Donna connected me to the Wellness Self-Management Pilot Program being launched in New York City, as well as work that was being done at Dartmouth University on the topic of Co-occurring Disorders. It was my job to take these tools back to SUS and share them with the staff, making sure that they were trained on evidence based practices.

Q: How did the evolution of your training workshops affect SUS externally?

A: We were one of a very few agencies who were not only talking about recovery but were implementing the science to support recovery based services. Other agencies began to look at us to see what we were doing and how it was working. We talked about our implementation and understanding of co-occuring disorders and Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) in the residential setting. We began to get a reputation, not only with outside agencies, but with OMH. Every time OMH would do a presentation on Wellness they would call SUS, asking us to share and present on what we were doing. SUS was beginning to be recognized as a leader, and at this point training became about 90% of my job.

Q: Do you feel SUS is moving in the direction of being a training resource to other organizations?

A: We are partially where we’re at today because of the work we’ve done in training. This was clearly illustrated when we received two grants from SAHMSA to develop mobile units, similar to our ACT Teams, which would provide health services to individuals who would typically not be eligible for these services. The idea was to incorporate wellness self-management and IDDT for co-occuring disorders into the treatment, and create a new module that individuals could participate in. This was a very big honor for SUS, and it really put us on a whole new platform; we are now one of the leaders when it comes to recovery. SUS has established very strong roots in this community, now anything that is done when it comes to recovery or peer services the name SUS is there.

Q: What conferences have you presented at recently and on which topics?

A: I have presented on about 10 different topics, but the most popular is the presentation on IDDT. I think that is one of those topics that people are intimated by and want to know more about it. During 2009 and 2010 OMH contracted SUS to train ACT Teams all over the state of New York on the topic of IDDT. We have also received great feedback regarding our presentations on IDDT from the 2010 ACTA presentation. SUS was invited back for 2011 as a sponsored speaker. Columbia University invited us to do a two part webinar series on the topic of engagement, how to engage consumers who may not be ready for services. I’ve also been presenting regularly for the past two years at the Association for Community Living (ACL) conferences. This year I was asked to not only present at the regional conferences, but to be a key note speaker at the conference in New York City in June. This was a huge honor not only for myself, but for SUS as well.

Q: Where do you see training playing a role in the future of SUS?

A: We’re at a very interesting point because agencies are buckling up for the ride. There are things going on that human service providers see as major changes in the way we provide services. That means that training will have to address the changes that are to come. What I like about the training philosophy at SUS is that we have been implementing best practices required by care coordination, health homes, and Medicaid for years now and are more equipped to handle these changes.

I think part of my job and the job of other leaders in the agency, is to keep our commitment to recovery and the culture of the agency and somehow merge these with the new changes. We cannot forget that above all else, our commitment is to the consumer, regardless of all of the changes that are happening. The agency has to have great people to work with the changes, but you also have to have great people to continue the mission, and the mission is the smile, the hope, the handshake, the person-centered service plan, the graduation, or the relationship.

Other Resources:

http://www.omh.state.ny.us/

http://www.samhsa.gov/

http://www.aclnys.org/index.aspx

http://www.actassociation.org/

http://www.youtube.com/user/susincorg?feature=mhee#p/u/36/H8Oo4l22hvE

Inspiring Creativity in Mental Health Programs

A Look at Yesterday, A Vision for Tomorrow

By Marie Sabatino, Program Director, SUS Psychosocial Clubhouse

In the rapidly evolving field of mental health, we are hearing more and more about the benefits of introducing the creative arts to people recovering from mental illness and other co-occurring conditions, such as substance addiction or traumatic experiences. For instance, this past May, the New York State Office of Mental Health launched the webinar, The Healing Power of Art, which emphasized the use of the arts as “a new tool to interpret the expressions of people with mental health problems as a boon rather than pathology.”

Yet despite the recent trends and increased recognition in defense of the arts, I was left to wonder, “What more could we do to promote programs in the creative arts in New York City’s mental health system?” Before I could really begin to attempt to answer this question, I thought that it may help to examine how the relationship between the arts and mental health has evolved over time.

For quite some years now, I’ve had a deep desire to visit the Museum Prinzhorn Collection of artwork at the Psychiatric Hospital, University of Heidelberg, which is just a bit south of Frankfurt, Germany. As a young adult, I had learned about Dr. Prinzhorn’s Collection of 5000 works of art, the majority in pencil or crayons, paintings in oils and watercolors, fabric art, and wood sculptures (pictured)ˡ. These remarkable works were created by nearly 500 psychiatric patients engaged in the arts who were committed in various institutions in Germany, Switzerland and Austria during the earlier part of the twentieth century. This Collection plays a very important role in influencing the eventual emergence of what is known as the “outsider art” arena.

On a bit of a whim, or perhaps a bout of inspiration, I decided to book a trip to Germany to visit the Prinzhorn Museum in Heidelberg this past June. When I arrived alone to this foreign town on a quiet, summer afternoon, I was not exactly sure what to expect. Perhaps, there were even some feelings of apprehension. Would these works of art alarm me, anger me, leave me with a sense of dread, thinking about a time long before this notion of recovery and full integration in society for the severely mentally ill even existed?

But none of this happened. In fact, as soon as I entered the Prinzhorn Museum’s sparkling, glassed-walls and came upon the perfectly-framed entrance², followed by another frame erected in its interior, then another frame, and yet another, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. It was as if the space itself was designed to foster wonder, imagination, exploration and discovery.

One of the most compelling works of art that I had encountered was created by a woman by the name of Agnes Emma Richter (1844-1918). Despite the fact that Ms. Richter was institutionalized against her will for twenty-five years until her death, it seemed that she was able to find some sense of liberation in the deeply personal piece that she created, referred to as, “Thread on Hospital Linen” (pictured)³. Ms. Richter was able to design and create a jacket made from plain, gray cloth, containing embroidered narratives of her life.  Agnes Emma Richter may have lost a sense of freedom within those hospital walls, but she did not lose her “voice.” The intricate text she left behind ensured that Ms. Richter would not be forgotten. Almost one century later, we can still hold her story near to us, we can learn, we can better understand, we can be inspired. We can do better.

At SUS—as people committed to recovery and to the full participation of meaningful life activities among our members—how can we do better? This is a question that our agency’s leadership is in constant dialogue about, among its staff, members and other stakeholders.

Can we inspire someone with a paintbrush, a spoken word performance, or a song and dance. It may even be a needle and thread, a pair of scissors and contact paper, a metal pot and wooden spoon, a handful of tomato seeds, a bit of water and some sunshine. You can explore our website further for even more ideas! SUS has been known to “think outside the box.”

Whatever thinking outside the box means to each of us, let’s be sure that it involves a sense of wonder and imagination, exploration and discovery—without which, life would just be another day gone by. Or, worse, twenty-five years.

ˡ Karl Genzel’s, “Gebrender Christ,” Wood Sculpture

² Prinzhorn Museum Entrance, Heidelberg, Germany

³ Agnes Emma Richter’s, “Thread on Hospital Linen,” Gray Linen, Brown Fabric, Colored Yarn

Other Resources:

New York State Office of Mental Health

Prinzhorn Museum in Heidelberg

20^th Annual Outsider Art Fair in NYC

Donna Colonna Announced as Member of MRT Reform Work Group

SUS’ CEO, Donna Colonna, was chosen to serve as a member of the New York State Medicaid Redesign Team’s Behavioral Health Reform Work Group. SUS is proud to be a part of this important reform effort and looks forward to working with the other organizations and agencies.

The Work Group is tasked to:

• Consider the integration of substance abuse and mental health services, as well as the integration of these services with physical health care services, through the various payment and delivery models;
• Examine opportunities for the co-location of services and also explore peer and managed addiction treatment services and their potential integration with BHOs; and,
• Provide guidance about health homes and propose other innovations that lead to improved coordination of care between physical and mental health services.

To read more about the work group and who else is involved please visit http://nynp.biz/June2211.html or http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/medicaid/redesign/.

SUS Partners with SwipeGood for Innovative Fundraising Model

How much money did you spend today? Maybe you got a cup of coffee for $3.50, bought lunch for $11.34 and then picked up a new pair of shoes on the way home for $58.60. What if you could round up each of those purchases to the nearest dollar, and donate the spare change to Services for the UnderServed?

Well, our newest partner SwipeGood allows you to do just that: maximize your loose change for a good cause, like providing housing for a veteran in need. And while the resulting $1.56 from today might not sound like much, it actually adds up to over $20 in donations over the course of the month – without any extra work on your part.

But don’t take our word for it – go ahead and take SwipeGood for a test drive. All you have to do is go tohttps://swipegood.com/charity/services-for-the-underserved/ and sign up your credit or debit card. SwipeGood rounds up your purchases to the next dollar, and lets you donate the change to SUS. You can even cap your monthly donations, so that you are in complete control of the amount of money you donate each month.

How good will it feel to go about your everyday shopping knowing that each purchase you make helps to house and service a New Yorker in need? I can tell you it feels great. So what are you waiting for? Learn more, enroll your credit or debit card today and change the world around you, one purchase at a time.

Consumer Artist, Jeffrey “Scissorhands” Taylor

About 30 years ago Jeffery enlisted in the marines and was stationed in Japan. He spent several years in the service, hoping to get ahead and better his life. But upon getting out of the service, the opposite happened.

Jeffery explained to us, “My experience in the marine core was so jarring that I became overcome with anxiety, it was hard to keep a job. I had a lot of problems associated with the shock of what I went through so I began a nomadic lifestyle, turned to drugs and wandered around the country looking for answers. Before the service I used to be an artist, so while living on the streets I tried to create art and sell it for money, but getting art supplies with only pocket change wasn’t easy.

Life got harder and harder. I eventually came to NYC with $1.75 in my pocket and 6 paintings. During one low point I checked myself into a shelter in NYC. The shelter turned out to be a hostile environment. It sometimes felt safer just living on the streets. The conditions were also pretty bad. We all slept in an overcrowded room with 300 cots and all had to share 2 bathrooms.

During my stay at the shelter, SUS sought me out and told me about their veterans program. I jumped at the chance to have my own bathroom, clean pillows and a chance to start my life over. I’ve been living with SUS for over 4 years now and have turned my life around. Because I don’t have to worry about sleeping on the streets, I am able to spend time on my one true love, my artwork. In the last 2 years I’ve had a few paintings entered into galleries in NYC and one of my paintings made the cover of a local magazine. Thanks to SUS I’m now saving money and trying to get back on my feet. SUS gave me the hope to turn my life around and I’m forever grateful.”

Jeffrey is a resident at the SUS Knickerbocker home for veterans. He creates his art by cutting out small images using colorful contact paper and layering the pieces on top of each other to create multi-faceted works of art.

Click to donate to the SUS Veterans Fund.

Project PREPARE Peer Training Graduation 2011

Project PREPARE, in its third year, celebrated and honored the 2011 peer training graduating class at the Marcy Hart residence in Brooklyn on June 29th. Donna Colonna, SUS CEO; Marie Sabatino, Program Director of the SUS Psychosocial Clubhouse; Wanda Cruz-Lopez, VP of Mental Health Services at SUS; Luis Lopez, Director of Best Practices and Recovery Initiatives and Stephan Hall, SUS Peer Specialist offered words of congratulation and encouragement to the graduates. Class Valedictorian, Leslie Richardson, shared her thanks and heartfelt words of appreciation for her classmates and the SUS staff. Ed Powell from the New York State Assembly, Assistant Speaker, Rhoda S. Jacobs’ office presented Ms. Richardson with a Citation for her “commitment to providing outreach, advocacy and services to individuals with disabilities.” The program was followed by a luncheon reception for the graduates, their family and friends, and SUS staff, with music provided by DJ Al-Kareem.

The Project PREPARE program offers training to individuals in recovery from mental health conditions who wish to become peer providers of mental health services. Project PREPARE establishes the recovery power of giving back by demonstrating a multiplier-effect upon the lives of others still struggling to manage mental illness and achieve self-fulfillment. The curriculum rests upon a number of evidence-based and best practices including the central elements of Wellness Self-Management, Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment, and Motivational Interviewing. The 16-week curriculum operates January – June, two days per week, seven hours per day Trainees receive over 270 hours of education on topics including but not limited to recovery, counseling, group facilitation, health management, community resource utilization, communication skills, professional boundaries and work readiness. Concurrent with classroom training, trainees must complete an eight-week internship at one of SUS’ housing or rehabilitation programs in order to graduate. Of the 15 graduates from the 2011 class one will be completing an associate’s degree from CUNY’s Kingsboro Community College and is aiming for a bachelor’s degree in Mental Health and Human Services. A second graduate is completing a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology from Walden University. Others will take their Project PREPARE training to the next level and become Certified Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASAC).

Once enrolled in Project PREPARE, trainees are eligible to join SUS’ Brooklyn Psychosocial Clubhouse, a part of SUS’ Recovery Center. Co-locating Project PREPARE in the Recovery Center allows trainees access to SUS’ ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) Program, Clubhouse Programs, Employment Services, and the Wellness Works Mental Health Clinic. Trainees will utilize services offered by the Clubhouse and SUS Employment Services during the program and after graduation. Our graduates secure employment within SUS and outside agencies including: Institute for Community Living, Health and Hospitals Corporation, NYAPRS, and Project Renewal.

Congratulations to the 2011 Project PREPARE graduating class. The staff at SUS wishes you all the best in the future. A special thank you to our supporters and funders who make programs like this possible.

To learn more about Peer Training and Peer Providers please read:

http://www.mhanj.org/pdf/strategies_integratepeers.pdf

http://home2.nyc.gov/html/hhc/html/pressroom/press-release-20100714.shtml

http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Regional-Content/Articles/Peer-Counseling.aspx