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Volume IV, Issue 3May - June, 2003 What it Takes to Be

a Mom or Dad

NYPUMIs Back!

ames Hawkins is excited that NYPUM (National Youth Program Using

Minibikes) is getting startedagain. He says he loved ridingthe minibikes and can't wait toget back into the program. Hismother, Wendy Clucas, ispleased as well. She has had twosons complete 10 weeks in theprogram and says it is awonderful tool for parents.

NYPUM uses riding minibikesas a reward for improvedbehavior. The parents, child andNYPUM instructor set weeklygoals. The child earns the rightto ride the minibike each weekbased on how he/she does inmeeting those goals. James saysone of his goals was to get hishomework done. He admits heworked hard at getting the workdone so that he could spend asmuch time as possible on thebike.

NYPUM is offered in LenaweeCounty by the YMCA incollaboration with LCMHA.

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Dexter's Motors services thebikes and opens its trails fortraining and riding. The kidsgo through a 21 lesson safetyclass, and then trail ridingbegins. A weekly "rapsession" allows the instructorto check in with the kids andhelp them figure out how toreach their goals and earn timeon the bikes.

James is revving his engine.This time he's bringing anotherbrother along. Wendy is happythat the kids are motivated."This is something I couldn'toffer my kids on my own andthey really love it."

For more information aboutNYPUM, contact JackieJohnson (517) 265-8905, or theYMCA (517) 263-2151. ■

Read to your children.

Keep your promises.

Go for walks together.

Let your children help with houshold projects.

Spend time one-on-one with each child.

Tell your children about your own childhood.

Go to the zoo, museums, and ball games as a family.

Set a good example.

Use good manners.

Help your children with their homework.

Show your children lots of warmth and affection.

Set clear, consistent limits.

Consider how your decisions will affect your children.

Listen to your children.

Know your children's friends.

Take your children to work.

Open a savings account for college education.

Resolve conflicts quickly.

Take your children to your place of worship.

Make a kite together.

Fly a kite together.

You get the idea.For more information on parenting and prevention of child abuse and neglect,contact Lenawee Child Advocacy Network (CAN), (517) 264 - 2744.

he LCMHA phone system has recently been changed. The

"265-6976 + ext." direct dialnumbers are no longeroperational. You may stillaccess the main switchboard via(517) 263 - 8905 and/or 1-800-664-5005.

■ Notice of PrivacyPractices:By now each contract agencyshould have received the"Notice of Privacy Practices"poster. Thank you for yourcooperation in seeing that thisdocument is posted in yourwaiting rooms. If by chanceyou did NOT get this poster,please call Customer Servicesas soon as possible, and we willsee that you do! ■

hildren's Services Supports Coordinator, Beth Binegar, is a

conscientious and positivemember of the LenaweeCommunity Mental HealthAuthority staff. Known as akind and attentive worker,Beth will have been withLCMHA for 13 years inAugust, and she still loves herjob!

Beth has served as an AdultCase Manager for persons withMental Illness, a FamilyPreservation Worker, a ChildCase Manager, and now aChild Supports Coordinator.As part of her job she assessesand authorizes services forassigned children, follows upto make sure families andchildren are getting thoseservices, and brings togetherthe people involved with thechild as a team, working tomeet the needs of the child andfamily. Additionally, shecoordinates the respite services

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The Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority GRAPEVINE ■ www.lcmha.org2

Staff Spotlight

Of InterestTo OurProviders

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for SED (severeemotionallydisturbed) children.Unfortunately,recent state budgetcuts have made thispart of her job moredifficult. Despitethis, she worksdiligently to find ways familiesand children can get thesupport they need.

Beth reports that she likesworking with people, includingfamily members, teachers, andother support people in thelives of the children she isassigned. She finds that ateam approach is veryimportant when working forthe good of children. She alsofeels very strongly aboutoffering support to the parentsand other family members ofher consumers.

Beth's value of family isplayed out at home as well.Her desk holds beautiful

pictures of her daughters,Hannah (9) and Emma (7), aswell as pictures of her husband,John. She enjoys spending timewith her kids, swimming, scrapbooking, and gardening. Herbalanced life has made her awonderful and dependableresource. LCMHA is proud tohave her on our team! ■

ichard Prangley, whose story is told in the compelling book

by John Schneider, titled"Waiting for Home - A TrueStory of Strength andSurvival" will speak Tuesday,May 6, 2003 at 6:00 p.m. Thefirst 50 participants to arrivewill receive anautographedcopy of thebook.LCMHA willhold theirannual community needsassessment. Refreshments willbe provided. For information,call Customer Services at(517) 263 - 8905. ■

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UpcomingEvents

MAY

6

Mental HealthAwareness

he Regional Mental Health Awareness Month Committee will

hold a conference entitledCOMMUNITY MENTALHEALTH - 40 YEARS OFSERVICE on May 16, from9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, with arepeat from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.Guest speaker LeRoy Spaniolwill talk about recovery for co-occurring disorders. DavidLaLumia from the MichiganAssociation of CommunityMental Health Boards willprovide a history ofcommunity mental health. Apanel discussion will follow.The conference takes place atSt. Joseph Educational Centerin Ann Arbor. Call CustomerServices (517) 263 - 8905 forregistration information. ■

TSpeechcraft Graduation

he second class of Speechcraft graduated on April 11, 2003. The

graduates were Judy Ackley,Brenda Barry, Kathy Bennett,Jim Thompson,BettyPatterson, LisaYork, JustinWright, KathyIllenden andCarol Wotring.Each of thegraduatesworked very hard for eightweeks preparing speeches,

T participating in impromptuspeaking, introducing andevaluating each other.Congratulations to all of you!You did a great job and we

will all look forward to hearingyou speak again! ■

3LCMHA ■ 1040 S. Winter Street Suite 1022 Adrian, Michigan 49221

Healthy Kids Day at the Y

ealthy Kids Day at the YMCA on April 5th was a big success.

Safe Kids Coalition checked17 car seat to make sure theywere installed properly.Several seats were correctlyinstalled and didn't need helpfrom the checkers. The rest ofthe parents were instructed on

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checking our email for . . ."NEWS FROM NAMI"From: enews@maillist.nami.orgSent: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 8:56 AMTo: jim@enich.comSubject: States Force Families to Abandon

Thousands of Children

In a report to three leadingmembers of Congress, theGeneral Accounting Office(GAO) has confirmed thatstates and counties forceparents to give up custody oftens of thousands of childrenand adolescents with mentalillnesses (biologically-basedbrain disorders) in order tosecure necessary treatment -even though child welfare andjuvenile justice systems are notprimarily designed to providemental health care.

The report supports thelandmark study "Families onthe Brink: The Impact ofIgnoring Children with SeriousMental Illness", published in1999 by the National Alliancefor the Mentally Ill (NAMI), inwhich 20% of familiessurveyed reported having togive up custody of children tothe state in exchange foradequate treatment.

the proper way toinstall car seatsfor the weight /height of theirchildren. We alsogave away 50 bikehelmets. The Safe

Kids group wants to make sureall children are safe. ■

"Every parent in Americashould be grateful to SenatorCollins and RepresentativesStark and Kennedy forinsisting on this veryimportant, first federal look ata system that forces familiesto be torn apart in order to getthe help they need," saidDarcy Gruttadaro, nationaldirector of NAMI's Child &Adolescent Action Center."Mental illness may strikeany family. No one isimmune. It is not the fault ofeither the parents or the child.No parent should ever have toconfront this kind of choice."

To access the full GAOreport, click the followinglink or cut and paste it intoyour browser: http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-397 ■

ConsumerAffairs■ MEDICAID RECIPIENTSWITH DISABILITIES BENEFITFROM DIRECTING THEIROWN PERSONAL CARESERVICES

edicaid recipients with disabilities who

direct their own supportiveservices were significantlymore satisfied and appearedto get better care than thosereceiving services throughhome care agencies,according to initial findingsof a demonstration projectjointly supported by HHSand the Robert WoodJohnson Foundation. Withself-direction, therecipients' satisfaction andquality of life wereimproved substantially andunmet needs for care werereduced, withoutcompromising health orsafety, the study found.

"This approach gives peoplewith disabilities morefreedom and responsibility,in the same way that all ofus want to be in charge ofour lives and our choices,"said HHS Secretary TommyG. Thompson. "It lets theindividuals themselvesdecide how best to use theMedicaid dollars they arealready entitled to. Thestudy confirms that theseMedicaid recipients makegood choices that maintaintheir health and safety, evenas they improved theirconvenience, satisfactionand quality of life."

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More information on the Cashand Counseling demonstrationprogram is available atwww.umd.edu/aging. TheCenter for Mental HealthServices is a component of theSubstance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration,U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services. ■

he Ticket to Workand Work IncentivesImprovement Act

Advisory Panel is holding ameeting in Washington,D.C. on May 22 - 23. Theyare seeking participants,particularly SSA Ticketbeneficiaries. Expenseswill be paid by the SSAAdvisory Panel. Theobjective is "to recommendstatutory or regulatorychanges related to currentand prospectiveEmployment Networksparticipating in the Ticketto Work program,specifically focusing onincreasing and acceleratingthe recruitment of a nationalarray of qualified, skilledand committed EmploymentNetworks to support theProgram.

Applications may besubmitted to:ATTN: EN SummitTicket to Work PanelSuite 700400 Virginia Ave. SWWashington, D.C. 20024Fax (202) 358-6440email applications arepreferred:TWWIIAPanel@ssa.gov ■

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■ SSA SEEKS PARTICIPANTSTO ATTEND SSA MEETING ONEMPLOYMENT NETWORKS

CitizensGuide toStateGovernement

CommunityMental Healtha u t h o r i t y

l e n a w e e

PRSRT STD

U.S. Postage

PAID

Adrian, MI

Permit No. 127

1040 S. Winter Street

Suite 1022

Adrian, MI 49221

On Living WithSchizophrenia

n Friday, May 9, a very special speaker is coming to Lenawee

County. Dr. Frederick J.Frese, Ph.D., has served forfifteen years as Director ofPsychology at WesternReserve Psychiatric Hospitalin Ohio. Dr. Frese has beendiagnosed with schizophrenia,and for ten years was in andout of mental hospitals.

His story has been featured inthe video "I'm Still Here: TheTruth About Schizophrenia",in the Wall Street Journal, onPBS and many other venues.

O Citizen's Guide to State Government is now available on-line!

This comprehensive documentincludes contact information forall elected officials in Michigan,including photos, as well ascommittee lists and othervaluable information about thelegislative process. It is aMUST HAVE for legislativeaction. Print copies of theCitizen's Guide are availablefrom your local Representativeor Senator. Go towww.michiganschildren.org. ■

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His presentation includesa description of thedevelopment of hismental illness, living with

schizophrenia, and hisrecommendations for familymembers coping with andcaring for persons with seriousmental disorders.

His long and successful careerin treating schizophrenia andrelated mental illnesses and hisown unique perspective as aconsumer of services, equiphim to discuss present trendsand future directions for thefield.

The LCMHA Anti-StigmaCommittee has secured a grantto provide this presentation atno cost to participants.

Registration begins at 11:15a.m. with an Anti-Stigmapresentation at 11:30 a.m.Lunch will be served at 12:00noon. Dr. Frese will speak fromapproximately 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

The event will take place atFirst Church of the Nazarene,50 Industrial Drive, Adrian.(Industrial Drive is south ofKapnick's Insurance, off U.S.223.) Please call CustomerServices (517) 263 - 8905 toregister. ■

If you do not wish to havefuture newsletters mailed toyour home, please notify:

Customer Service1-800-664-5005