Mount Rogers Community Services Board Serving Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Wythe, Smyth Counties

and the City of Galax, Virginia

MtRogersCSB.com

CREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELINGCREATE A FEELING Creative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing NewsletterCreative Healing Newsletter

Issue Fifty-One: July-August-September 2017

Editors: Candace Coffin Nancy Munsey

Creative Healing Committee Members:

Charlot Berry - Administrative Services Amy Burns - Youth Services Candace Coffin - Administrative Services Chris Felts - CEC Janan Hurst - Smyth Counseling Center Cathy Melton - CEC Nancy Munsey - Administrative Services Kris Payne - Smyth Counseling Center Norma Phillippi - Administrative Services Aaron Sage - Youth Services Tracy Stuart - Turning Point Brandy Thomas—IDC

HOLIDAY BAZAAR

DECEMBER 6TH, 11:00 - 1:00

E.W. CLINE, JR. BUILDING

WYTHEVILLE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ANNUAL AGENCY RECEPTION

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8TH

6:00 - 11:00

WYTHEVILLE MEETING CENTER

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These past three months witnessed several

significant events. There was the groundbreaking of

the new building for the crisis stabilization program

in Smyth County. Mount Rogers Community

Services Board is honored to be naming this facility

the Rhea B. Lawrence Recovery Center. Seen in the

photo here are Mr. Lawrence and MRCSB Executive

Director Lisa Moore.

Special Olympic athletes presented at the July

Board of Directors meeting at which the Secretary of

Health and Human Services, Mr. William Hazel, Jr., was in attendance.

Many of these athletes also participated in the Wythe Industrial

Developmental Center’s (IDC) Annual Celebrating a Partnership softball

and picnic event. Gatorade and Homestead Materials Handling supported this day. Seen in

this photo is the Director of the IDCs , Frank Dowell , with Gatorade employee Jamie Smith

presenting him with a championship belt that will be displayed at the Wythe IDC. Gatorade

also presented all the winners with medals. The many photos of this event reflect the joy of

community integration and inclusion.

The three Mental Health Skill Builder (MHSB) programs hosted

Talent Shows. The winners at these shows will perform at the Recovery

and Resiliency Conference on October 10th. The photo here of the

Wythe-Bland MHSB Glee Club performing The Wizard of Oz does not

do justice to the incredible set and acting. See highlights from the shows

in this issue.

As summer surrenders to autumn, may the lovely fall colors that grace the Blue Ridge Mountains nourish your soul

and be a reminder that change and transition can be a time of beauty.

Creative Healing Committee

Charlot Berry - Administration, retired Sandra Breeding - Lotusea Wellness Catherine Burcham - Youth & Family Candace Coffin - Administrative Services Max Dean - Administration, retired Marty Grizzle - Cornerstone Wendy Gullion - Administrative Services Keren Coffin - Industrial Developmental Ctr. Cathy Melton - Adult Behavioral Health Nancy Munsey - Administration, retired Norma Phillippi - Administration, retired David Sturgill - Youth & Family Services Sandy Troth - MRCSB Board Chair

MRCSB

RECOVERY & RESILIENCY

CONFERENCE

Hope, Empowerment, Education

Entertainment...Exhibits...Music

Presentations...Refreshments

Wytheville Meeting Center

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

1:30 - 4:00

Open to the Public

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CALENDAR

Come wish

Lisa Moore

Happy Retirement

November 28, 2017

3:00 - 6:00

Wytheville Golf Club

“Walking with a friend in the dark is

better than walking alone in the

light.”

~ Helen Keller

Sarah Beamer, Director of Finance and Administrative Services, announced in August that Jeff Repass had accepted the position of General Services Manager.

The General Services Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating many supportive services of the Agency. These include facilities maintenance, capital projects, fleet operations, contracts, and procurement. With Mount Rogers Community Services Board serving five counties and one city, this position has breadth and width and calls for someone with extensive experience. Jeff is certainly qualified to fill these responsibilities.

A resident of Wytheville, Jeff previously worked 25 years at Longwood Elastomers, Inc., in the position of Plant Engineer/Maintenance Manager. His responsibilities included directing maintenance, coordinating major plant projects and contract work, procurement responsibilities, executing equipment repairs, supervising janitorial services, monitoring infrastructure, tracking preventative maintenance programs, maintaining parts inventory, coordinating work with governmental authorities and local utilities, maintaining security systems, and maintaining company vehicles. Jeff surely comes with a lot of experience.

Welcome to MRCSB and the Finance and Administrative Services team Jeff!

Sarah Beamer, Jeff Repass

JEFF REPASS

GENERAL SERVICES MANAGER

ADULT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Taking a Creative Break…..

Making

Terrariums

Creative Healing offered a Terrarium Making Workshop to the Adult Behavioral Health (ABH) Leadership Team at their July monthly meeting. It was an enjoyable way for the team to end the meeting - getting hands into soil and creating individual terrariums to bring some nature to their offices. Mark Larsen, Director of ABH, has been scheduling creative activities for the team.

Americans spend 80 to 99 percent of their lives indoors - a trend that has led to “nature deficit disorder,” a term used to describe a lifestyle deficit that contributes to poor psychological and physical health. Making terrariums is a way to bring nature indoors and cultivate its health benefits.

As you can see from the photos, the ABH team designed beautiful terrariums. The aim of the workshop was to briefly reconnect to nature in the simplest way possible. Of course, it was also a lot of fun!

The ABH Leadership Team: Mindy Lindamood, Ruth Cox, Michael Cobler, Matthew Woodlee, Susan Austin, Debbie

Burcham-Hodges, Joe Tucker, Cathy Melton, Martha Catron, Susan Young, Pat Frost, April Simms, Mark Larsen, Director.

Groundbreaking of theGroundbreaking of theGroundbreaking of theGroundbreaking of the Rhea B. Lawrence Recovery CenterRhea B. Lawrence Recovery CenterRhea B. Lawrence Recovery CenterRhea B. Lawrence Recovery Center

Groundbreaking of the new Rhea B. Lawrence Recovery Center took place at 416 Main Street, Marion, VA, on July 28th. Mr. Lawrence and his family, Lisa Moore, Executive Director of Mount Rogers Community Services Board (MRCSB), MRCSB Directors Sarah Beamer and Mark Larsen, many dignitaries, MRCSB staff, and community residents attended to honor Rhea and celebrate the new center.

MRCSB is honored to be naming this new facility the Rhea B. Lawrence Recovery Center. Mr. Lawrence is recognized by all for his outstanding career in both the private and public sectors, and for his unwavering commitment to helping others. He has been an exemplary public servant, representing Smyth County on the Board of Directors of MRCSB for over fourteen years, four of which were as Board Chair person. He has advocated passionately for the needs of individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders and developmental disabilities. And, Rhea has worked tirelessly to ensure the availability of quality services to all citizens of Smyth, Wythe, Bland, Grayson and Carroll Counties and the City of Galax.

A state of the art, eight-bed residential crisis stabilization program, the Rhea B. Lawrence Recovery Center is replacing the current Cornerstone facility that has operated in Marion since 2006. The program offers short-term stabilization services for adults with a mission to provide creative, recovery-based services in a warm and inviting, least restrictive environment, that instills education, self-awareness, hope and self-determination as building blocks for change. Services are designed for guests with a primary mental health diagnosis.

Rhea B. LawrenceRhea B. LawrenceRhea B. LawrenceRhea B. Lawrence

Rhea with wife Margie

and son Greg

Rhea Lawrence and

Lisa Moore

GATORADE, HOMESTEAD & MRCSB

CELEBRATING A PARTNERSHIP - CREATING COMMUNITY

On September 22nd, Blue Ridge Gatorade, Homestead Materials Handling (Jefferds Corp.) and MRCSB joined together to host the 6th annual softball game and picnic for those at the Wythe Industrial Developmental Center (IDC) who receive services. Chad Delagrange, Jamie Smith, and Brian Johnson of Gatorade say this community event is the highlight of the year for them. David Meredith, Homestead, said the game was talked about daily and employees were delighted to donate hats. It is a most exciting day for the individuals from Wythe IDC, who rarely get an opportunity to participate in an event like softball..

The day was a huge success due to the contributions and support, both big and small, given by the employees of Gatorade, Homestead and MRCSB. A few highlights of the day follow.

Tina Stroupe from Wythe IDC sang the National Anthem and amazed everyone with her beautiful voice and ability to sing such a difficult song. Using a sling shot, Jamie Smith sailed water balloons over the game fence surprising players. Paul Jones, MRCSB, was the sports commentator highlighting players and game action. MRCSB staffers Kathy Cressel, Erin Viars, and Cindy Bise led everyone in dance during the 7th inning intermission while Gatorade folks were cooking the hot dogs and hamburgers. Along with softball play, there were corn hole games, face painting, a picnic lunch and ice cream provided by Bill Kirk. The Ruritan Club made funnel cakes, Gatorade employee Amy DeWilde made and donated baseball cupcakes, and Blue Ridge Gatorade contributed all the snacks, water and Gatorade drinks.

Jamie Smith began a new tradition this year. At the end of the game, he presented the players with a Championship Belt. The belt will hang on the wall at the Wythe IDC above the team photo and be presented each year. Additionally, Gatorade presented the Wythe IDC folks with medals, which they proudly wore.

The photos on these pages are a small sampling of the excitement, enthusiasm and joy that is truly palpable throughout the day. This annual event enhances quality of life for all those in attendance and fosters the spirit of community inclusion and integration that touches everyone’s heart.

JUDY FIEBIG RETIRES 34 YEAR CAREER AT MRCSB

Judy Fiebig began her career with MRCSB in 1983. She has been a peer and coworker to many in several different capacities and provided counseling to many individuals in the community.

On her last day, June 30th, the Wythe Bland Counseling Center hosted a Retirement Party for Judy. Her colleagues highlighted that her thirty-four years career was certainly evidence of the kind of commitment and loyalty Judy had to individuals and the Agency. These are values hoped for in every professional that is hired.

Judy’s dedication and commitment to those she served has been an inspiration to staff, who wished her happiness as she journeys into retirement.

Passionate about traveling, Judy started her retirement days with a trip to Iceland.

Secretary Hazel and his wife enjoy hearing

the athletes talk about their medals.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

ATTENDS JULY BOARD MEETING

Special Olympics Athletes Present

William Hazel, Jr., Virginia Secretary of Health

and Human Services, and his wife, were in

southwest Virginia for mee�ngs and were invited to a�end the July MRCSB Board mee�ng. Special

Olympics athletes were on the agenda for their annual presenta�on.

As you can see from the photos here, the Board

and Secretary Hazel and his wife were inspired

when the Special Olympics athletes spoke proudly about their medals.

The athletes compete regionally and several

make it to the State compe��on. More individuals were able to a�end this year due to a

generous contribu�on of $5000 from Waste

Industries.

Secretary Hazel, Lisa Moore, MRCSB Execu#ve Director, and Board members

watch a video presenta#on from the recent Special Olympics event. Special Olympics athletes speak proudly about their medals.

CREATIVE PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSIONS, IDEAS, SOLUTIONS

Creative Healing Committee members had lively discussions during their July and September meetings. With topics like Emergency Services, Day Support Staff meetings, and Compliance and Quality Assurance, one might wonder where creativity can be applied.

Susan Austin, Director of Emergency Services (ES), wondered what her presentation had to do with the committee, but soon experienced a lively conversation with the members. Susan supervises twenty-five highly trained ES counselors who provide services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to the counties of Bland, Wythe, Smyth, Carroll, Grayson and the city of Galax. She highlighted two areas of the service that can be troubling. One is the stigma that may be experienced in emergency rooms, especially after a suicide attempt, and the other is the lack of education to families about what to expect when they call 911. Although legislative changes are critical to providing more support to this service, discussions at the meeting focused on what could be done locally. Possible solutions included more education to the public through various media outlets as well as getting the MRCSB Create A Feeling newsletter to local county officials. Also considered were corporate contributions to bring programs like Crisis Intervention Team training to law enforcement officers and/or programs such as Adult Mental Health First Aid to citizens.

Keren Coffin, Program Manager at the Wythe Industrial Development Center (IDC) and a Committee member, talked about the importance of Day Support Staff having monthly opportunities to come together for staff meetings. Being able to bring an entire staff together allows for them to better work as a team and to ensure continuity of services. She informed the committee that the IDC had no way of covering Day Support Services to allow for such meetings. A creative solution was discovered - Committee members would assist. With this assistance, Wythe IDC Day Support staff have now been able to schedule monthly staff meetings. (See photos here of Day Support individuals having fun while the staff are having a team meeting. )

Laura Davis, Director of Compliance and Quality Assurance, talked about the creativity that MRCSB has afforded her throughout her 23 year career. She explained that operations for MRCSB (what we do and how we do it) is guided by multiple state and federal laws, as well as by our Performance Contract with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). Laura serves as a consultant to staff confidentiality policies and procedures. This can be a complicated process for staff since there are many requirements regarding sharing treatment information. Through innovative and creative processes, Laura makes understanding and applying confidentiality rules doable. Quarterly she offers some fun and competition to staff by personally purchasing gift cards and offering them as prizes for those who answer questions she sends out. During the agency’s orientation, Laura teaches new employees how to find answers to multiple questions about confidentiality in the Agency’s Confidentiality procedure, with the goal of making it more useful and interesting for staff.

At these meetings, Committee members expanded their width and breadth of Agency work, enjoyed brainstorming for ideas and solutions, and admired the passion that the presenters had for the work they do.

Susan Aus�n

Laura Davis

IDC folks

having

fun with

music

while

Keren

Coffin

facilitates

a team

mee�ng

with staff.

MORE SOFTBALL EVENT PHOTOS

WINNERS OF THE TALENT SHOWS

WILL PERFORM AT THE

RECOVER Y AND RESILIENCY CONFERENECE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10TH

1:30-4:00

WYTHEVILLE MEETING CENTER

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FREE

1st Josh 2nd Dorcas 3rd Patricia

Wythe-Bland MHSB Talent Show Performers

Wythe-Bland MHSB Glee Club Performed

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Mental Health Skill Builders TALENT SHOWS

Mount Rogers Community Services Board’s Mental Health Skill Builders (MHSB) programs provide a combination of intensive 1:1 training and support services to adults with serious mental illness and also to adults with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. These specialized services are provided to individuals in their own home and community settings and are designed to promote stability and independence while also avoiding psychiatric hospitalization.

Talent shows have proven to increase self-esteem, confidence, and social skills. They are also a way to erase the stigma of mental health issues. Performers discover abilities and talents that foster personal growth. And, of course, everyone has a lot of fun planning, practicing and offering support to one another. Kudos to all the MHSB staff who are the wind beneath the wings of the talent shows.

MRCSB is hosting a Recovery and Resiliency Conference at the Wytheville Meeting Center on October 10th. There will be live music, talent show performances, recovery stories, refreshments, vendors/community resources, and much more. The conference is from 1:30-4:00, free, and open to the public.

Fernwood MHSB Talent Show Performers

Rick Whitsenhunt, Program Coordinator of the Fernwood MHSB program, introduces performers

and thanks MHSB staff members Carol LaRue and Shannon Swain for coordina/ng the show.

Fernwood Winners: Phillip, Danita, and Preston

Jennifer 1st Cur�s 2nd Ken 2nd Nikki 2nd Group Performers 3rd

The Smyth County MHSB program held their Talent Show September 26th. The judges had a difficult decision to

make about 2nd place. Thus there are three 2nd place winners.

Smyth County MHSB Talent Show

Mount Rogers Community Services Board

Proudly Presents…

Recovery and Resiliency Day!

Free /Open to the Public / Please Register!!!

• When: October 10th

2017

• Where: Wytheville Meeting Center

• Time: 1:30PM to 4:00PM

• Who: Open to the public

• RSVP: for planning purposes, please register if you can: 276.223.3273

LIVE MUSIC, TALENT SHOW PERFORMENCES, RERESHMENTS, VENDORS/COMMUNITY RESOURCES,

RECOVERY STORIES, & MUCH MUCH MORE!!!

The Event: This event is being hosted to allow community members and individuals to come together for an afternoon of Hope, Empowerment, Education, and of course some Fun!

Individuals from Mount Rogers Community Services programs have been selected to share their

talents. We will hear personal recovery stories from individuals who live with mental illness, and

there will be a great opportunity to meet multiple community partners and find out about various

resources available in our local communities.

This is by no means all that will take place during this afternoon, but to find out the rest … WE HOPE

TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!

RSVP To: April Simms @ 276.223.3273

Or

Matt Moorer @ matthew.moorer@mrcsb.state.va.us

Recovery&Resiliency Committee: Mental Health Skill Builders Program Coordinators: Rick

Whisenhunt, Brenda Boone, Kathy Roberts; Youth&Family Day Support Coordinator: Matthew Moorer; Adult Behavioral Health Leadership representatives: April Simms, Mindy

Lindamood, Debbie Burcham-Hodges; Director of Specialty Services: Candace Coffin, Chair