For Immediate Release

 

“Seacoast Mental Health Center to host 12^th Erik Cogswell Memorial Conference”

 Portsmouth, NH—September 13, 2011—Registration is now open for Seacoast Mental Health (SMHC) Center’s 12^th Erik Cogswell Memorial Conference. 

Scheduled for November 4^th at the Community Campus inPortsmouth, this year’s conference is titled “A Walk Through the Peaks and Valleys” and will focus on the various challenges and successes generally associated with mental illness. 

Retired physician Dr. Jane Mountain is this year’s keynote speaker. In addition to authoring two books, she is the founding director of the and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) Metro Denver and on the Honorary Board of Mental HealthAmericaofColorado.

 

Bringing together consumers, family members, community members, and professionals, this conference is the only one of its kind in northernNew England. 

Other scheduled speakers include Concord’s Dr. Alex de Nesnera, SMHC’s Dr. John Miller, Megrette Fletcher, co-founder and director of The Center for Mindful Eating, and others.

 

Tickets are $25 for consumers/family members/non-professionals and $75 for professionals with 4 Continuing Education Credits (CEU’s). Lunch is included.

Nominations are still being accepted for the annual Erik Cogswell Memorial Award, which recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to help improve the lives of people with Bipolar Disorder and other mental illnesses. 

To learn more about the conference, the Erik Cogswell Memorial Award, or to purchase a ticket and register online, please visit www.smhc-nh.org.

-the end-

For Immediate Release

“Seacoast Mental Health Center accepting Nominations for Cogswell Award”

Portsmouth, NH—August 25, 2011—Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC) is now accepting nominations for the 2011 Erik Cogswell Memorial Award.

Presented annually at the Erik Cogswell Memorial Conference, the purpose behind the award is to recognize an individual for their outstanding contributions to help improve the lives of people with Bipolar Disorder and other mental illnesses. Specifically, the award is given to recipients who “provide hope, education and/or support for those living with mental illness as well as those who care for them and the community at large.” 

Scheduled to take place on Friday, November 4^th at the Community Campus inPortsmouth, this year’s conference theme is “A Walk through the Peaks and Valleys,” which will focus on the highs and lows generally associated with mental illness. Nationally renowned Dr. Jane Mountain will be this year’s keynote speaker. 

For more information about the award or 12th Erik Cogswell Memorial Conference, or to complete a nomination form, please visit www.smhc-nh.org. 

-the end-

For Immediate release

Endowment for Health Awards Planning Grant to 5 Mental Health Centers

With funding from the Endowment for Health, five of New Hampshire’s ten community mental health centers are on their way to implementing an electronic medical record (EMR) system. 

SeacoastMentalHealthCenter, Greater Nashua Mental Health Center, Genesis Behavioral Health, Monadnock Family Services and Northern Human Services received a planning grant to support some of the costs associated with an EMR.  The EMR is a critical step in improving the quality of care for patients and contributing to the financial sustainability of a safety net system.  The five centers have worked collaboratively over the past year to purchase a shared EMR and have contracted with Lavender & Wyatt Systems, Inc. ofLittle Rock,Arkansasto implement the project.  The acquisition of the EMR for the five centers is expected to impact behavioral healthcare for over 20,000 children, families, adults and older adults statewide.

“We are so grateful for the Endowment for Health’s support,” said Jay Couture, Executive Director of Seacoast Mental Health Center, “The EMR will allow us to better serve our patients, improve quality of care and communicate more effectively with other providers.  These efficiencies are expected to lead to time and cost savings down the road.”

The support the five centers received from the Endowment for Health comes at a critical time. “Federal regulations require all healthcare organizations to implement an EMR by 2015, yet community mental health was not able to access the stimulus funds made available,” stated Maggie Pritchard, Executive Director of Genesis Behavioral Health, “Without grant funding, we all face significant fiscal challenges in implementing an EMR at our respective centers.”

Implementation of the EMR at the community mental health centers will allow for the smooth exchange of essential health information between mental health and primary care providers.  “We know that individuals living with serious mental illness are at greater risk for co-morbid health disorders, as well as early mortality, dying, on average, 25 years sooner than those in the general population.  The EMR system will allow for better integrated mental and physical health care for our patients, leading to greater longevity and improved quality of life,” according to Dr. Hisham Hafez, Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer of Greater Nashua Mental Health Center.  “The Endowment for Health’s grant will have a long-reaching positive impact upon the lives of many Granite Staters.”

The Endowment for Health was established in 1999. Since 2001, the Endowment has awarded more than 800 grants totaling more than $33 million to support a wide range of health-related programs and projects in New Hampshire. For more information about proposal guidelines and funding priorities for the 2011 program year, visit www.endowmentforhealth.org.

The five community mental health centers involved in this project are part of the NH Community Behavioral Health Association, an organization comprised of the ten community mental health centers throughout New Hampshire.  These centers serve individuals in our state who are living with—and recovering from—mental illness and emotional disorders.  This network of mental health centers provide ongoing and emergency behavioral health services to over 52,200 New Hampshire residents annually, a number that includes over 13,500 children.

For Immediate Release

“Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC) receives $750 from Rotary Club of Portsmouth”

Portsmouth,NH, August 1, 2011—SeacoastMentalHealthCenterrecently received $750 in support of its Assessment and Crisis Team (ACT) program. 

Providing emergency phone and face-to-face assessment and crisis intervention to people of all ages in active crisis situations, 24 hours/7 days a week, ACT took more than 2,500 crisis calls and saw more than 1,300 people in the past fiscal year.

According to SMHC Executive Director Jay Couture, the awarded money will help subsidize ACT services rendered to underinsured and uninsured walk-in patients.

“We are thankful the Rotary Club of Portsmouth recognizes the importance of our work through this core program at the Agency,” she said. “This award ensures we can continue to offer people the highest level of mental health care when they need it the most.”

Founded in 1963, SMHC provides comprehensive psychiatry, counseling, case management and psychological services to residents in the eastern half ofRockingham County,New Hampshire.

To learn more about ACT or SMHC’s other services, visit www.smhc-nh.org or www.facebook.com/smhcnh.

-the end-

For Immediate Release

“NH Governor John Lynch visits Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC)”

Portsmouth, NH, 4/26/11—On Wednesday, April 20th, NH Governor John Lynch met with clinical and administrative staff at Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC) to discuss the agency’s community mental health services and how they would be affected by proposed budget cuts.

According to Nike Speltz, SMHC board president, the meeting provided staff with the unique opportunity to discuss the complex nature of community mental health services and the critical need for continued funding.

“While SMHC addresses immediate needs, a significant portion of those we work with require ongoing support and medication and their care could involve therapists, psychiatrists, supported employment specialists, and case managers,” said Speltz. “The term, community mental health services, means we’re in schools, health care centers, and in the home.

Noting Governor Lynch requested to meet with staff to learn more about their work and concerns, Speltz expressed gratitude for his time.

“The staff and board very much appreciate Governor Lynch’s support for the Community Mental Health system statewide and his demonstration of interest in the community mental health services we offer through SMHC to nearly 5,000 individuals and families each year,” she said.

If proposed cuts to the current budget were passed, SMHC Executive Director Jay Couture said services would be reduced or eliminated for nearly 1,700 current SMHC clients, 1200 adults and 500 children.

“This is very serious, because there are no other organizations like SMHC serving the 24 towns of eastern Rockingham County,” Couture said. “Our goal it to help individuals live independently as contributing members of our community. The proposed budget cuts jeopardize the well-being of everyone in the state.”

Jodie Lubarsky, director of SMHC’s Children, Adolescent and Family Services department, estimates that without access to SMHC services, many current SMHC clients would eventually require hospitalization at some point.

“Many of the people we see require ongoing support, but with effective treatment they can lead rich, fulfilling lives,” she said. “If we were to deny them service, their condition would only worsen and the likelihood for recovery would be severely diminished.”

Founded in 1963, SMHC provides comprehensive psychiatry, counseling, case management and psychological services to residents in the eastern half of Rockingham County, New Hampshire.

To learn more, visit www.smhc-nh.org.

-the end-

For Immediate Release

“Seacoast Mental Health Center asking for support for Rally for New Hampshire”

Portsmouth, NH, March 23, 2011—Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC) is asking for people to join them in next week’s “Rally for New Hampshire” at the State House in Concord on Thursday, March 31st at 12p.m.

According to SMHC Executive Director, the purpose behind the rally is to make state legislators aware the proposed budget cuts “do not reflect the best interests of New Hampshire’s citizens.”

“If the proposed cuts are implemented, nearly 8,000 children and adults who currently receive necessary care for their severe mental illness or serious emotional disorder will no longer be able to access the care they need,” said Couture.

Dozens of agencies from across the state have agreed to take part in next week’s rally and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of individuals are also expected to attend.

For more information, or to send a letter to your town’s State Representative, email statehouserally@smhc-nh.org.

-the end-

For Immediate Release

“Alzheimer’s effects are felt by many on the Seacoast”

Despite the fact Alzheimer’s affects more than 5 millions Americans and is the nation’s 7th leading cause of death, experts note several misconceptions about the disease still exist.

According to Susan Antkowiak, manager of the NH Office of the Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Chapter, the biggest myth about the disease is that it is a normal part of the aging process.

“Brains do age and we will become more forgetful, but Alzheimer’s disease is not just a memory problem,” she said. “It is the complete cognitive deterioration of the brain—memory loss, language problems, problems organizing and planning, and mood changes.”

Lucille Karatzas, director of Seacoast Mental Health (SMHC) Center’s Elder Services Department, agrees and said effects from the disease have physiological causes.

“With Alzheimer’s, brain cells are being choked and parts of the brain are no longer able to do what they’ve been doing,” said Karatzas, who also serves as director of the statewide Referral Education Assistance & Prevention Program (REAP), which provides elders and their caregivers with free preventative home and community-based counseling and education services.

“In some cases, actual parts of the brain either shrink or disappear entirely,” she added. “It’s not a matter of trying to jog someone’s memory about something. In all likelihood, that information is no longer there.”

In order to determine if your loved one does have Alzheimer’s, Karatzas stressed the importance of obtaining a proper diagnosis, as there exists several other types of related dementia.

Antkowiak agrees and said your loved one should not only connect with his/her Primary Care Physician, but also undergo neurological and psychiatric assessments.

“It gives us the most information we can possibly gain so we can know the best way to treat the disease,” said Antkowiak.

Upon ruling out other dementias and conditions whose symptoms mimic those of Alzheimer’s, such as vascular dementia, Depression, or Thyroid disorders, Antkowiak said early interventions can play a key role in managing its symptoms.

“The earlier the intervention the more successful we can be in enabling the person to have more independent control over their life,” she said. “You don’t want to miss that opportunity.”

Karatzas cited the importance of structured activities to help keep brain cells functioning.

“At some point, for the sake of the elder and the caregivers, Adult Day Programs can be most helpful in helping those with Alzheimer’s live the best quality of life possible,” she said. “They can help people maintain the skills they have and use parts of the brain they can still access—it’s weight training for the brain.”

According to Lisa Ganem, president of Home Instead Senior Care in Portsmouth, effective one-on-one care can also help persons diagnosed with the disease remain in their home through the end of their lives.

“Our longest client to date was with us 8 years until they passed and they had all the service needed for their care—palliative, hospice,” said Ganem. “Most of our clients pass away in their own home with our care in place.”

For 88 year-old Exeter resident Theodore Bailey, such one-on-one care has enabled his wife Gunda, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 1998, to remain at Langdon Place of Exeter, a senior retirement community, to this day.

“Home Instead Senior Care visits with Gunda for about two hours each day, five days a week,” said Bailey. “They come in and help Gunda get going in the morning.”

Bailey noted it is not just the care and treatment they receive that makes such a difference.

“One of the things we like best to do with Home Instead is just shoot the breeze,” he said. “The companionship aspect is something we both enjoy very much.”

According to Antkowiak, many caregivers in Bailey’s position resist such assistance and “tend to go it alone,” which creates an often unmanageable burden of emotional stress.

Citing statistics that show more than 10.9 million family and other unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias provided an estimated 12.5 billion hours of care in the past year, Antkowiak said numerous community supports exist for caregivers.

“We have wonderful educational resources through the Alzheimer’s Association and a helpline,” said Antkowiak, who noted the importance of allowing friends and family to help. “ServiceLink Resource Centers are another great resource and can help caregivers understand what supports exist in the community.”

At SMHC, Karatzas said they are able to help caregivers deal with their emotions through the REAP program.

“It’s a huge loss when your loved one is changing before your eyes,” she said. “Caregivers need a safe place to discuss what’s happening to them and their family.”

According to Ganem, helping families and caregivers better understand the progress of the disease is one of her company’s most important directives.

“Our company will take the time to help the family understand the challenges and how to best approach care to give the best quality of life to their loved one,” she said. “We will also educate the family on how to handle their own direct interactions with their loved one, teaching those techniques that can turn a negative into a positive.”

To learn more about Alzheimer’s, visit www.alz.org/manh. To learn about REAP, call (603) 431-6703. To learn about Home Instead Senior Care, visit www.homeinstead.com/scnh or call (603) 433-5959.

-the end-

For Immediate Release

“Bethany Church helps SMHC”

With temperatures hovering near zero outside, residents of Fairweather Lodge (FWL), a residential group home operated by Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC), recently awoke to discover things were not much warmer inside.

“It turned out our boiler was cracked,” said Dan Young, SMHC facilities manager. “There was nothing we could do but replace it.” 

Noting the timeframe on locating and installing a new unit was nearly one week, FWL staff member Sue Neal said she and residents were both concerned about where they would stay—a dire situation that was quickly addressed by Bethany Church in Greenland.

“We have a mission house with two apartments and it was empty at the time, so we were thrilled to be able to help them in their need,” said Julie Huwe, event coordinator and part of the facilities team at Bethany Church.

According to Neal, what made Bethany Church’s assistance so “exceptional” was the fact it was dealing with a crisis of its own.

“They had broken pipes in their church and still managed to make room for us and fulfill our needs,” said Neal, who is also a congregate of the church. “I think it was really outstanding how a church that is in the neighborhood could step up and really help their own neighbors.”

Acknowledging the unique circumstances both the church and FWL faced at the time, Huwe said she is happy everything went as well as it did.

“We were thrilled to help them in their need—and for us, it was nice to have someone in the mission house,” she said. “It worked out for both of us.”

-the end-

“Portsmouth Gas Light Co. to host Community Fundraiser Week for Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC)”

Portsmouth, NH—September 9, 2010—Beginning Sunday, September 19th through Thursday, September 23rd, the Portsmouth Gas Light Co. will host a Community Fundraiser Week to benefit Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC).

Noting Co-owner of the Portsmouth Gas Light Co. Paul Sorli is also a SMHC board member, Jay Couture, SMHC executive director, said his willingness to support the agency in other ways is “evidence of his strong support of our mission.”

“Paul has always worked very diligently as a board member to get involved in as many facets of our agency as possible,” said Couture. “This Community Fundraiser Week is yet another example of his commitment and we greatly appreciate it.”

Sorli said he is happy to help.

“I believe in SMHC and what they are doing to promote recovery,” he said. “I look forward to helping get the word out about what they do and why it’s important.”

For every guest who brings in a coupon during Portsmouth Gas Light Co.’s Community Fundraiser Week, 10% of the table’s proceeds will be donated to SMHC. Coupons are available at www.portsmouthgaslight.com or www.smhc-nh.org.

Founded in 1963, SMHC provides comprehensive psychiatry, counseling, case management and psychological services to all residents located within the eastern half of Rockingham County.

-the end-