UPLIFT'ing
News
Federation of Families for Children's
Mental Health
SPRING 2000
UPLIFT
Celebrates It's 10th Year
UPLIFT
began in 1990 as a small group of
parents of children with emotional,
behavioral or mental challenges gathering
in Cheyenne for mutual support. Since
then, it has grown into a statewide
organization, actively involved in
public education for parents and professionals,
advocacy for children with emotional
problems, as support and referral
system for families and an active
partner in a variety of collaborative
efforts across the state of Wyoming.
In
1990, UPLIFT incorporated as a non-profit
organization and elected its first
board of directors. The board is composed
of both parents and professionals
from a wide cultural base to bring
together the individuals necessary
to implement UPLIFT's mission. During
the first three years of operation,
UPLIFT was run entirely by volunteers.
These dedicated parents provided advocacy,
information and referral services
for other parents and professionals
and were entirely responsible for
day-to-day operation of the office
and the organization. UPLIFT now employs
a full-time Executive Director and
six part-time staff including an Office
Manager, two project staff and three
Outreach Specialists. All seven staff
members have experience in the area
of children's mental health and family
advocacy. Most importantly, they are
all the parents of children who struggle
with emotional disabilities.
UPLIFT
received its initial funding through
the Child and Adolescent Service System
Program (CASSP) administered through
the National Institute of Mental Health.
The focus of this initial project
was to support local communities in
developing systems of care that include
parents as equal partners in the development
of individualized, community based
services for children and families
with mental health and related needs.
UPLIFT
is also the Wyoming Chapter of the
Federation of Families for Children's
Mental Health, a national parent organization
created to preserve the integrity
of families and children with mental
health needs. Through the Federation
of Families, UPLIFT has access to
a national clearinghouse of information
and technical assistance and is able
to be actively involved in federal
legislative action. UPLIFT receives
no financial support from the national
organization.
From
it's inception, UPLIFT has provided
information and referral services
to families throughout the state of
Wyoming. A lending library of books
and tapes is available to the public,
along with pamphlets on a variety
of topics such as parenting difficult
children, the nature of emotional
and behavioral disabilities and the
Special Education system.
Since
1990, UPLIFT has held approximately
thirty conference to educate parents
and professionals alike about children's
disabilities and related issues. Conferences
have been created by a consortium
of agency staff representing education,
mental health, parent groups, child
welfare, health and juvenile justice
and have been well attended and received
by both parents and professionals.
The majority of UPLIFT's educational
conferences qualify participants to
receive CEU credits through the Wyoming
Department of Education and the Department
of Family Services for teachers, child
care providers and foster parents.
Increased collaborative efforts have
enabled UPLIFT to begin to move the
conferences out of Cheyenne and Casper
to reach other regions of our state
with timely information concerning
emotional disorders.
In
1993, UPLIFT, in a collaborative effort
with WYAMI(Wyoming Alliance for the
Mentally Ill) and PIC (Parent Information
Center), applied for a Family Networking
Grant through the national Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). This networking grant was
awarded exclusively to UPLIFT to continue
their outreach efforts with families
around the state.
In
October of 1997, UPLIFT received a
grant from the Wyoming Mental Health
Block Grant through the Division of
Behavioral Health to establish a toll-free
phone service and to enhance their
information and referral services
throughout the state.
UPLIFT
staff and board members are active
on a number of state and local councils
and committees in an effort to participate
in ongoing advocacy for appropriate
children's mental health services
in Wyoming that are child-centered,
family focused and community based.
In
1997, UPLIFT began conducting a state-of-the-art
summer treatment program for children
with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder and their families. This
well-developed program is the Wyoming
Attention Camp Program. In the past
three years, 103 children and their
families have received help through
this highly successful program. Camps
have been held in Cheyenne, Casper
and at the Retreat of the Rockies.
Funding for the camp program has come
from a variety of public and private
donors, with the strongest financial
support repeatedly coming from the
Governor's Planning Council on Developmental
Disabilities. Since this camp program
is costly due to the treatment-based
focus of the program and the families
we serve are unable to pay the full
cost of the program, adequate funding
is an annual challenge.
With
the award of the Center of Mental
Health Services Grant, UPLIFT established
the Wyoming Early Screening Project
for the purpose of adopting the practice
of early screening for children at
risk of developing emotional disorders.
UPLIFT strongly believes that the
sooner identification and interventions
begin for emotional disorders, the
greater the chances for the child
to experience a happy and fulfilling
life. This project is a collaborative
effort between UPLIFT, University
of Wyoming's Wyoming INstitute for
Disabilities, the Georgetown University
Child Development Center, as well
as interested agencies and parents
from Wyoming. As federal funding ended,
other state agencies have joined together
to see this worthwhile project continue.
As a follow-up to the project, UPLIFT
recently received funding from the
National Center for Substance Abuse
Prevention to field test a model intervention
that is appropriate for Wyoming's
young population targeted in the Early
Screening Project.
In
1999, UPLIFT also began a collaborative
project with Wyoming's Division of
Behavioral Health, the Western Interstate
Center for Higher Education (WICHE)
and the Wyoming Alliance for the Mentally
Ill (WYAMI) to begin conducting consumer
satisfaction surveys. UPLIFT sees
this as an important step in consumer
monitoring of mental health services
in our state and anticipates expansion
of the project in years to come.
UPLIFT
looks forward to a future of working
together with other concerned agencies
and individuals in Wyoming to ensure
the best possible opportunity for
success for families of children and
adolescents who struggle with emotional,
mental, behavioral and learning disabilities.
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Positive
Behavior Supports:
What does the research say?
Reprinted from Nevada News Summer/Fall
1999
Jimmy,
10, has developmental disabilities
and has sores all over his body because
he scratches himself continually.
Bob, a 14 year old with autism, throws
tantrum when his teacher asks him
to do something. In the past, people
typically tried to "punish"
children like Jimmy and Bob to change
their behaviors. But in 1965, that
began to change after psychologists
studied a 9 year old with schizophrenia
who banged her head repeatedly on
walls and desks. When adults asked
her to quit, she banged even more.
Interestingly, she quit when they
did not pay attention to her. The
psychologists discovered that head
banging was her way of getting attention.
It worked. Most adults don't ignore
children hurting themselves.
After
many studies, behavior modification
researchers began to believe that
severe behavior problems and self-injury
can be communication methods. The
girl's behavior was her way of saying
"pay attention to me". In
1975, three researchers studied Tim,
8, who has schizophrenia. He punched
himself in the face (30 times a minute)
during the teaching sessions and screamed
when anyone stopped him. When the
a teacher focused on someone else,
Tim quit punching. "Don't ask
me to do this" turned out to
be his message. Researchers in the
1980's discovered that individuals
also use behavior problems to express
requests, such as desire for food
or a certain activity.
Linking
behavior with communicating now seems
obvious. Why was this not identified
earlier? According to Dr. Ted Carr,
a noted researcher in the field of
behavior support, three reasons stand
out. One is that people had the idea
that behavior was "inside"
the child and not related to the environment.
Another reason is children with disabilities
were often in institutions where few
people tried to understand what they
dismissed as bizarre behavior. Challenging
behavior is also often complex. A
child may have many ways of "saying"
something such as; scratching, hitting,
running out of a room or other behaviors.
Then again, the behavior may depend
on the situation. A child may use
behavior to get attention and then
ten minutes later, use that same behavior
to escape doing a task. Since then,
over 2,000 research studies have been
conducted on behavior problems of
children with disabilities.
In
his study of literature published
from 1985-1996, Positive Behavioral
Support as and Approach for Dealing
with Problem Behavior in People with
Developmental Disabilities: A Research
Synthesis, Carr concluded that positive
behavioral support (PBS) is not a
fad and has evolved past its intervention
focus to a concentration on the person's
total environment. To date, there
have been synthesis reviews focused
on PBS per se wrote Carr, because
this approach did not gain momentum
until the middle to late 1980's, after
which there was an explosive growth
in the number of research studies,
conceptual papers and intervention
manuals. In a study funded by the
U.S. Department of Education and in
collaboration with the Beach Center,
Carr analyzed 109 research studies
for demographics; assessment practices
(formal, informal and functional);
intervention strategies and results.
The recent goal of positive behavioral
support is reduction, not necessarily
elimination of challenging behavior.
Studies show that, in individuals
who previously demonstrated high frequency
challenging behaviors, approximately
51% will, after positive behavioral
support, display the behavior only
ten times--a 90% reduction. The challenging
behavior stopped completely in 26%
of the studies. The percentages of
success regarding behavior type showed
positive behavioral support the most
effective for self-injury, aggression
and tantrums; the least effective
in property destruction. Almost half
of those doing the intervention were
parents, teachers and other researchers.
Most articles did not reflect interest
in comprehensive lifestyle support
(only 2.6% did so), and the vast majority
of studies lasted less than 12 months,
which did not meet the audience need
for practicality and did not discuss
support for the people responsible
for caring for others.
For
further information, use the National
Rehabilitation Information Center's
REHABDATA, which has summaries of
over 50,000 disabilities and rehabilitation
publications. Search words that may
prove useful, include "functional
analysis", "positive behavior
support", "problem behavior"
and "challenging behavior".
Conferences, another good information
source, offer up-to-date information
from national experts, such as those
at the National Behavioral Management
Conference.
As
part of the Wyoming Early Screening
and Intervention Project (now called
Early Start), UPLIFT provides training
in Positive Behavioral Supports. For
more information, call: 1-888-UPLIFT
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Congratulations
to Washakie Mental Health Center
The
NAHRO Excellence Awards, as printed
in HOMEFRONT, by J. Marilyn Henry
Each
year, the National Association of
Housing and Redevelopment Official
review the activities of housing and
community development agencies for
innovative practices that qualify
for the Association's Awards of Excellence.
A
joint effort of the Washakie Mental
Health Services (WMHS) and the Wyoming
Community Development Authority resulted
in affordable housing for the Chronically
Mentally Ill (CMI). In many cases,
CMI persons are unemployed and live
in substandard housing, in homeless
shelters or on the streets. Often,
CMI individuals has families who are
unable to meet their special needs.
With HOME funds, WMHS purchased an
apartment complex that was in poor
condition. WMHS program managers trained
CMI clients to do the majority of
the project's renovation--an affordable
method of rehabilitating the eight-unit
apartment complex and giving the formerly
institutionalized CMI clients the
opportunity to learn much needed job
and life skills.
The
Wyoming Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
provided job-training grants to assist
WMHS. 24 individuals received training
and employment during the 18 month
project.
The
project created eight attractive,
one-bedroom apartments with a common
area and laundry area for the very
low income (less than 50% of median)
CMI clients.
Clients
pay only $272 per month in rent, which
includes utilities. Several CMI clients
have graduated from the training program
and have obtained jobs in the business
community.
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Saving
One Life
by Jeanne Baughman
About
ten years ago, my husband Gary and
I left our idyllic, charmed life to
follow our son, Curt on an adventure
trip planned by a Tour Director called
Schizophrenia. Curt had been chosen
as the tour guide and even though
his fiancée wouldn't agree
to go, employers refused to go along,
another girlfriend turned him down--his
loving family said "sure--we'll
go on this journey with you."
When we boarded the speeding train--destination
unknown--we were seduced by this strange
new Curt, now being coached by Schizophrenia,
into thinking that the ride would
be exciting and new--something different
for him--freedom from working and
from authority figures.
So
we went along with the terms of the
trip--we had to agree to be stigmatized,
to be ignorant, to be fearful and
to be in denial. Amazingly, there
were a lot of people who boarded the
train with us and agreed to the same
terms--they were friends, counselors,
psychiatrists and psychologists. So
even when we began to have misgivings
during the trip because of the reading
material found on the train--such
as Fuller Torrey's "Surviving
Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families"
and many, many other books on mental
illness--we stayed on the train, still
speeding toward our tragic destination.
There
were side trips that Curt took as
the tour guide, always directed by
schizophrenia. These side trips were
to despair, homelessness and jail.
But we remained paralyzed on that
train and waited. Even though he changed
his name, he eventually came back
on with us.We were so glad to see
him that we even renewed our contract
to be ignorant, fearful, in denial
and stigmatized. And we brought on
even more travelers--attorneys, medical
directors and more psychologists--all
who agreed to the same terms.
We
were nearing the end of the trip,
but we didn't know it. We thought
we were having a family reunion of
sorts. And the rest of the travelers
were so happy for us. Curt told us
all how much he loved us. "Now
I have everything, Mom." he said,
hugging me. Suddenly and unexpectedly,
the Tour Director caused Curt to choose
suicide--the ultimate tragic end to
his trip.
Now,
I'd like to tell you a little more
about Curt, the person: a sensitive,
yet dynamic, talented,. bright young
man who graduated from Colorado State
University with a degree in Computer
Science. He had many job offers, but
chose McDonald-Douglas in Southern
California and moved there with his
darling fiancée. Our daughter,
two years younger, also graduated
from CSU in Fine Arts and also acquired
a job in her field. We were the typical
proud parents, congratulating ourselves
for having raised two good kids who
fulfilled all our expectations.
The
mental illness came on so insidiously
with Curt that we didn't recognize
it until a major psychotic break occurred.
Some of the early signs were personality
changes, failed relationships and
leaving a promising career. Other
good relationships followed, though.
He went back to graduate school and
got a pilot's license. But, he dropped
out of graduate school and another
relationship ended. He was able to
get a part-time job at a grocery store
and was still living on his own so
we didn't see him day to day. After
being laid off at the grocery store,
he took a long road trip to visit
friends and relatives and evidently
the first documented psychotic break
began on that trip and ended in Boulder
after a delusional altercation. He
was 29 years old.
He
was hospitalized at Fort Logan Mental
Hospital in Denver on a 72 hour hold
as a danger to himself and others.
He was released by a psychiatrist
who didn't want to "label"
him with mental illness and who allowed
himself to be, as Curt said, "snowed"
by him. After being released, he was
supposed to follow up in the next
few days. He did call the Boulder
Mental Health Center but assured them
he was fine. After that, he sold his
car and most of his possessions and
since he still had money from his
lucrative job, we felt powerless to
stop him. He was fairly lucid at that
time, probably from the medication
he received at Ft. Logan. He kept
in touch with us pretty regularly
at first--he sent us delusional letters
from Hawaii and California and we
had long, rambling, incoherent phone
conversations with him that always
ended with us encouraging him to get
help and with him being angry with
what he perceived as an attempt to
control his life that he changed his
name and refused to communicate with
us for two years. During that time,
he was homeless, in and out of mental
institutions and finally in jail.
He finally did call us from jail in
California and acknowledged that he
needed and wanted help. We all went
immediately to him and were able to
secure his release in what essentially
a jail diversion program which carried
with it the promise of follow-up in
Boulder under the Boulder Mental Health
Center. We were so relieved, hopeful
and encouraged at the prospects of
having him home again and in treatment.
Once in Boulder, however, Curt walked
away from a half-way rehabilitation
center and ended his life on this
planet--just hours after hugging me
and bravely shaking his dad's hand.
The best day of our lives and the
worst day of our lives occurred back
to back.
That
journey ended four years ago. We have
chosen to go on another journey, but
this one is far different. The train
is called love and their terms of
agreement are awareness, conscious
choices, enlightenment, forgiveness
and acceptance. The destination is
a world where mental illness is diagnosed
early and treated effectively with
no stigma attached. It is one where
the conscious choice of someone like
Curt is for life because it has quality.
I support programs like the Chinook
Clubhouse in Boulder for helping to
improve the quality of life of those
with brain disorders. You are all
definitely on the second trip with
us and hopefully, you'll be inviting
everyone you meet to come along.
UPLIFT
provides information on Early Screening
for Mental Health. For more information,
call: 1-888-UPLIFT 3
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Big
Horn County Counseling
P.O. Box 931, Basin, WY 82410 Phone:
(307) 568-2020
COUNSELING:
To assist people with behavioral,
social, emotional and psychiatric
difficulties, including:
- Serious
Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI)
- Serious
Emotional Disorder in Children (SED)
- Personal
Problems
- Marriage/Divorce
- Parenting
- Child
& Adolescent Problems
- Alcohol
Abuse
- Spouse/Child
Abuse
- Anger
Management
EVALUATIONS:
To provide psychological & other
evaluations for a wide range of concerns
such as IQ, personality, developmental
disorders, learning difficulties,
criminal behavior, substance abuse,
vocational placement, etc.
PSYCHIATRIC
CONSULTS:
To provide for psychiatric and medication
evaluation and follow-up.
BIG
HORN COUNSELING:
- Is
authorized to evaluated and arrange
for psychiatric hospitalization;
- Has
a program to assist patients in
adjusting to home life after being
hospitalized for psychiatric treatment;
- Is
authorized to provide treatment
to persons charged with Driving
While Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs;
- Provides
programs to groups of children,
adolescents and adults regarding
alcohol and drug prevention methods;
and
- Arrangements
for medical evaluations and medications
when indicated.
TREATMENT
FOR:
- Disorders
of Adolescents and Children;
- Mental
Illness;
- School
and Learning Difficulties;
- Intelligence
Testing;
- Developmental
Disorders;
- Sexual
Problems;
- Criminal
Behavior;
- Psychosomatic
Health Problems;
- Personality
Disorders;
- Vocational
Aptitudes;
- Suicidal
Tendencies; and
- Drug
and Alcohol Problems
CASE
MANAGEMENT:
To provide monitoring; follow-up;
linkage with other agencies, school
and providers; Advocacy and Crisis
Management.
EMERGENCY
SERVICES:
Available 24 hours a day, including
nights and weekends.
CONFIDENTIALITY:
Information discussed during treatment
is strictly confidential, except where
prohibited by law.
CHARGES:
Fees are based on ability to pay.
Staff members are available to make
presentations and provide consultation
to church groups, community organizations,
school classes, private business and
law enforcement agencies. Topics can
include mental health, alcoholism,
substance abuse, marriage and other
areas of interest to the group.
All
clinicians have Masters or Doctorate
degrees, are experienced and licensed
to practice in the state of Wyoming.
Darwin
Irvine, MA
Executive Director
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Addictions Counselor
Leslie
Hoffman
Candace McMillan
Administrative Assistants
Dr.
Ralph Louis, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr.
Teresa Collins-Jones, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dorothy
Baker, MSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Julie
Oster, MS
Licensed Professional Counselor
Pat
Stevens, BS
Case Manager
Stella
Templeton
Jeanette Haslem
Catherine Leithead
Secretaries
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