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2015 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� � � � � � � � � ������������������

The CSB of

Middle Georgia’s

Perspective �

May brings us both Memorial Day (and the accompanying launch of summer) and National Mental Health Month. It’s important for care-givers such as ourselves to make our OWN mental health a priority. As SUMMER approaches, let’s take a few minutes to be reminded of ways to promote mental and emotional health.

Self-care: It's important to catch our zzz's every night! Our body repairs itself from physical and emotional damage while we sleep; don't skimp! Also make a conscious effort to make good nutrition a priority. Allow yourself the occasional "cheat," but do so in moderation. Establish a regular time to exercise. Just 30 minutes a day can be beneficial in alleviating stress; improving mood; and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar in check. Limit or omit alcohol use and reduce or quit smoking. Unplug: Allow yourself some down time. Slow down. Stop to smell the roses. Ditch the electronics and that ever-present to-do list for a little while. Give your mind and body an opportunity to recharge.

Meditate: For some, this might mean prayer. For others, it could be reading uplifting materials, journaling, listening to music, enjoying nature, or just sitting quietly and reconnecting with your own inner strength. Mingle: Humans weren't created to live in isolation. We are social creatures, made to live in community with others. Take care not to isolate and prioritize time with family and friends...even your furry ones like your beloved pets! Get involved in community groups, church, and volunteer organizations. And though it shouldn't be your primary means of connecting, don't overlook resources like social media. You can usually find someone with whom to interact on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter no matter what time of day or night it is!

Energize: All work and no play make Jack a dull boy! We need to find a balance between work and play; play is an emotional and mental health necessity. Make time for things you enjoy and do them for no other reason than it feels good to do so! Remain in "learning mode." Stay intellectually stimulated by keeping on top of developments in your field of work as well as pursuing hobbies and learning new avocational skills. Participate in meaningful work, whether “on the job" or off the clock. Reasonable Expectations: Be reasonable and forgiving both to others and yourself in your expectations. It's good to set lofty goals for yourself and to pursue excellence, but recognize that we are human and are therefore imperfect. We will fail ourselves and others, and they will fail us. Be gracious and merciful and resolve to "let it go" and start afresh another day.

And YOU are the author! Write a good one. Make it the best one yet…and enjoy the journey! �

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Volume 2 Issue 4 Apri l /May 2015 �

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National Nurses Week was first observed in October 1954, the 100th anniversary of Nightingale's mission to Crimea. In 1982, May 6th was introduced as the date for this observance.

Our nurses and physicians play an integral part in the operation of the CSB of Middle Georgia. And while these weeks are set aside each year to honor these individuals and groups of employees, they deserve our appreciation and recognition throughout the year for the quality of care they provide to the individuals and families that we serve and for their professionalism in carrying out the mission of this agency.

• Nearly 700,000 people work as physicians

and surgeons in the United States. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics)

• Between the years 2008 and 2010, there were 2.8 million registered nurses, including advanced practice RNs, and 690,000 licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, in the United States (Source: US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources Services Administration)

Please join me in showing our appreciation to our physicians and nurses at the CSB of Middle Georgia, in celebrating the important roles they hold at our agency, and in honoring their lifelong commitment to the helping profession as they provide quality care, treatment, and comfort to their patients and to our community. We are fortunate to call these ladies and gentlemen our colleagues and friends.

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In Honor of our Physicians and Nurses

During this calendar year, National Doctors’ Day 2015 was observed on March 30th, 2015 and National Nurses Week was celebrated during the week of May 6 – 12, 2015. Although we are well into the month of June 2015, I wanted to pause a moment to thank our physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners for the awesome job they do each and every day throughout the year for our clients and their families.

The first Doctors’ Day observance was March 30, 1933, in Winder, Georgia, created from an idea by Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond. The actual date of the observance marked the anniversary of the first use of general anesthetic in surgery. On March 30, 1842, in Jefferson, Ga., Dr. Crawford Long used ether to remove a tumor from a patient’s neck. The Barrow County, Georgia Medical Society Auxiliary proclaimed the day “Doctors’ Day,” and was celebrated by mailing cards to physicians and their wives and by placing flowers on the graves of deceased doctors, including Dr. Long’s.

In 1958, The U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating Doctors’ Day on March 30. In 1990, the U.S. Congress approved legislation establishing a National Doctors’ Day culminating with then-President George H.W. Bush signing the resolution. The first official National Doctors’ Day was celebrated on March 30, 1991.

National Nurses Week begins on May 6th and ends on May 12, each year, the birthday of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). Ms. Nightingale is the English nurse who became known as the founder of professional nursing, most especially due to her pioneering work during the Crimean War (1853-1856). Nightingale was lovingly referred to and known as “The Lady with the Lamp, due to her habit of making rounds at night.

From the

Director’s

Chair By Denise S. Forbes

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�������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������� January’s Employee of the Month was Elizabeth Button-Jones, Certified Peer Specialist, who has been working as an Engagement Specialist for the CSB for several months now. Elizabeth works in Building 1 in Dublin. She is an incredible asset as a staff member and advocate for her peers. February’s Employee of the Month was Emily Slaughter, Administrative Assistant in Adult Services and the CARF secretary. She also works closely with the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Dublin-Laurens. Emily works in Building 1 in Dublin. She has to wear many hats and wears them all well! March’s Employee of the Month was Courtney Allen, Clerk in the Developmental Disabilities program. Courtney works for both Dodge and Pulaski, having recently transitioned from being a direct care staff to support staff, and is loved by staff and consumers alike! April’s Employee of the Month was Christy Blue, who is Purchasing Clerk and responsible for centralized purchasing for the CSB and other administrative support functions. Christy works in Building 1 in Dublin. Her co-workers love her positive, helpful attitude even in times of personal adversity.

Approximately 300 of the CSB employees plus their families attended “CSB Fun Day” in May. There were water slides, a bounce house, games and lots of good food and family fun. A lot of work was put into this event, and the Morale and Incentives Committee sends out a great big THANK YOU to all who helped make it happen! ____________________________________

Arm yourself with the facts. This disease has affected at least two of the CSB family just in the past few months. Please support and encourage them, offer practical help where you can, donate to reputable organizations, and take proactive measures not to become another statistic. ____________________________________

Reminder: Recent legislation prohibits smoking within close proximity to entrances of a public building. Please use designated smoking areas only! Smoke breaks should be taken at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.; these times may be altered at times due to appointments, etc. There should only be one smoke break in the morning and one in the afternoon.

CSB Connection

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The administration is excited to make 2 big

announcements:

(1) The CSB will be closed on November 26th

and

27th

in observance of Thanksgiving and December

24th

and 25th

in observance of Christmas Holidays.

Paid time off will not be deducted from your balance

for the additional days.

(2) In an effort to better align our agency with the

competitive market, we are pleased to announce

that our Management Team is increasing our

starting salary to $9.00 an hour. Any employee who

currently falls below this amount will be adjusted

accordingly.

All other employees will receive a 2.5% salary

adjustment with the exception of the contract

employees and work activity/SEP workers.

HCS employees will receive the salary adjustment

on their checks June 22nd. CSB employees’ salary

adjustment will be on their checks June 30th

.

We appreciate all of your hard work and dedication

that each of you have provided for our agency to

ensure that we continue to grow with all the State

standards and core re-design process.

Thanks for your dedication and hard work!

“The road to recovery will not always be easy, but I

will take it one day at a time, focusing on the

moments I've dreamed about for so long.”

~Amanda Lindhout, Canadian humanitarian

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CSB Chatter

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The CSB of Middle Georgia is making the headlines!

We were part of a feature story in the April DBHDD

Impact newsletter due to our participation as a pilot

program with the Georgia Recovery Init iat ive.

Stay tuned to the next edition of Perspective to hear

more about the current GRI projects underway at the

CSB.

Have any old children’s books taking up space in

your home? The Child & Adolescents program

would love to have your donations of gently used

books for the collection they’re building for their

lobbies.

2015 DD Awareness Day

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�Over 400 high school juniors and seniors from Laurens, Twiggs, Monroe, and Treutlen County public schools came to Oconee Fall Line Technical College for the Suicide Prevention Coali t ion of Dublin-Laurens’ Live Out Loud Sources of Strength Youth Rally where they heard a variety of speakers, including Child & Adolescents’ Lindsey Price, and learned about Sources of Strength and received information about college. The T-shirt design contest this year was won by East Laurens. The winning design is pictured below.

In other Sources of Strength news, Shawanda Pittman and Lindsey Price recently took part in a teen conference that covered topics of technology, marketing yourself, resume writing, dressing for success, and mock interviewing. Shawanda and Lindsey handed out goodie bags including information on C&A’s transitional group.

Congratulations to the 2014-2015 Youth Advisory Council for the Suicide �Prevention Coali t ion of Dublin-Laurens:

Asia Duffie : 12th grade - ELHS Lyric Washington: 11th grade - ELHS Kristin Watson: 11th grade - DHS Ayanna Rozier: 11th grade - DHS Braxton Hodge: 11th grade - WLHS Jenna Helton: 11th grade - WLHS

And while we’re talking about driving…

Memorial Day is a time designated to honor those who died in service to their country. It’s a time to remember then with thankful hearts on this and every day.

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Numerous staff have been observed driving too fast on the grounds of the CSB. The safety of our staff and consumers is a top priority! Please notify your building safety officer if you see someone using excessive speed!

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Making Magic in Middle Georgia Recovery Symposium

On April the 10th, the CSB hosted a regional recovery symposium as part of our involvement as a pilot pro-ject with the Georgia Recovery Init iat ive. Held at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, the symposium had over 300 in attendance. The agenda included a performance of “Do You Believe in Magic?” by the Patsy Hil l Thomas Memorial Mass Choir, powerful personal testimonies by a number of persons in recovery, lunch, a magic show by Mike Fuller the Magician, a cardboard testimony presentation, and “café conversation” tables to discuss various recovery-related topics. Thanks to the Certified Peer Specialists/CARES staff within the CSB for helping to make this event a huge success! We appreciate you, El izabeth Button-Jones, Penny Ranger, Lisa Clark, and Mat Rainey! TV35 filmed much of the day’s events, so we hope many of you who were unable to attend can see the video when the editing process has been completed.

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�James Guffey with the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network served as Master of Ceremonies.

�The PHTMMC put a smile on everyone’s face, as they always do when they perform!

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�Pictured are Mayor Phil Best Sr. and administrative staff and certified peer specialists from the Com-munity Service Board of Middle Georgia during a recent proclamation signing to declare the month of May as Mental Health Month. Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being. All Americans experience times of difficulty and stress in their lives, and many are now experiencing significant stress due to current economic conditions. Prevention is an effective way to reduce the burden of mental health conditions. There is a strong body of research that supports specific tools all Americans can use to better handle challenges, and protect their health and well-being. Mental health conditions are real and prevalent in our nation. With effective treat-ment, individuals with mental health conditions can recover and lead full, productive lives. Each busi-ness, school, government agency, healthcare provi-der, organization and citizen in Laurens County is called upon to recommit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our citizens can take to protect their mental health, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental health conditions.���

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Mental Health Awareness Day

Mental Health Awareness Day was held on May 29th and observed at a lunch-and-learn about exposing and stopping the stigmas of mental illness. Participants were encouraged to wear green in support of this event.

Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free, 1-hour "Bipolar Disorder in Adults" webinar on Wednesday, June 10 at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT. Designed for adults with bipolar disorder, their family caregivers, and the general public, the webinar covers

• How to recognize bipolar disorder • What are treatment options • How to help a loved one • How to manage bipolar disorder • How to address difficulties, such as refusal

of help •

Expert presenter is Dr. Gary Sachs, Associate Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School; Founding Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Bipolar Clinic and Research Program; and Clinical Vice President at Bracket, LLC. Dr. Sachs served as Principal Investigator of the NIMH Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD). Watch the webinar live to submit questions to Dr. Sachs. Those who complete the online evaluation form after the webinar will receive a free copy of "Bipolar Disorder: Stories of Coping and Courage" brochure. Unable to attend the live broadcast? Register and you will be notified when the recorded version is available. Register at www.familyaware.org/trainings.

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Page 8

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Stay tuned to learn the winners of the Indepen-dence House’s essay contest winners. Consumers were given the opportunity to win a trip to GACSB’s Spring Fl ing at Seapalms Resort on June 14-16 at St. Simons. Contest participants had to write a short essay on this question: “How did the Community Mental Health Center of Middle Georgia or Independence House help you SPREAD YOUR WINGS?”

The NAMI GA Public Policy Committee invites you to participate in NAMI Smarts for Advocacy, Module 1 and 2 training

1. What is Smarts? It’s a hands-on advocacy training class that helps people living with mental illness, friends, and family transform their passion and lived experience into skillful grassroots advocacy.

Smarts consists of 3-two hour modules, which the first two modules are universal and we plan to offer Module 3 in early 2016.

2.Why should I get trained? Participants gain skills in creating a compelling personal story and build confidence in delivering the story and making the state NAMI ASK in 90 seconds.

3.Once I ’m trained, what next? Through guidance from NAMI Georgia’s Public Policy Committee, NAMI SMARTS trained advocates will participate in a statewide collaboration to lobby for improvements for our mentally ill and their families at the local and state levels.

4.Who wil l pay for food and travel? Participating affiliates are to provide a training venue, travel for trainers, and refreshments for the 4.5-hour training session.

5.Who do I contact? Bonnie and Jim Moore, 706-232-4607

Some of the participants in DD traveled to Vidalia for Camp Mt. Blount, a basketball camp.

Another group enjoyed participating in Special Olympics!

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Have a great success story of your own or one of your consumers? Consider submitting it for inclu-sion in a future edition of the newsletter!