MHA News Now

Suicide Prevention: An Action Plan to Save Lives

In February 2014, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Research Prioritization Task Force  (RPTF) released A Prioritized Research Agenda for Suicide Prevention: An Action Plan to Save Lives, which outlines the research areas that show the most promise in helping to reduce the rates of suicide attempts and deaths in the next 5-10 years.

The Prioritized Research Agenda is organized around six key questions, each of which will be addressed in a series of webinars sponsored by the National Council for Behavioral Health  in collaboration with the Action Alliance and the National Institute of Mental Health.

• January 29 — Why do people become suicidal?
• February 24 — How can we better detect/predict suicide risk?
• April 2 — What interventions prevent suicidal behavior?
• April 29 — What are the most effective services to treat and prevent suicidal behavior?
• May 27 — What suicide interventions outside of health care settings reduce risk?
• June 24 — What research infrastructure do we need to reduce suicidal behavior?

For more information and to register, visit the National Council’s website .

New resource announced to mutually benefit those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and health care professionals

The Developmental Evaluation, Training and Educational Consultative Team (DETECT) of Mississippi recently announced its grand opening and the introduction of a new program designed to improve the health of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) by providing educational opportunities, hands-on training, and patient consultations to health care providers throughout Mississippi.

Located on the campus of Hudspeth Regional Center, DETECT is funded by a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and administered by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid. The innovative DETECT program is managed under the guidance of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.

“As Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires states to place qualified IDD individuals in community settings, i.e. community homes, rather than in institutions, they will depend on local community-based healthcare professionals to provide their medical care just like any other community member,” said Dr. Craig Escudé, DETECT Clinical Director.

Mississippi is taking the necessary steps to manage the orderly transition of IDD individuals to community homes as mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice.

“It is vital for Mississippi physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners and other healthcare providers to be informed and prepared as they work to meet the uniquely different needs of this special group of patients,” said Diana Mikula, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. “While we are moving forward with community integration with the goal of allowing people the opportunity to live and participate in the community where they are valued for their uniqueness and abilities, we also understand the importance of educating other healthcare providers.”

Many health care providers have received little training in caring for specific medical issues that this group faces. Very little support or resources exist to assist with care, especially for adults with IDD.

“Our program is easy to access. There are multiple options for tapping into specific resources,” Escudé said. “DETECT team members are also available to give presentations on specific healthcare issues for those with IDD, a choice that’s already proven to be beneficial to several professional associations.”

DETECT’s program offerings include in-office consultations or via telemedicine (supported through University of Mississippi Medical Center for Telehealth), phone support, referral services, and evaluations at the main clinic at Hudspeth Regional Center or two satellite locations, North Mississippi Regional Center and Ellisville State School. CME programs and web-based (www.detectms.com) resources and discussions are available in addition to training via in-office consultation through DETECT’s traveling consultative team or Telemedicine.

“In light of our service offerings, I want to be clear that DETECT’s role is consultative only and referrals to DETECT  are made through a patient’s primary care provider or community support team,” said Escudé. “The idea is not to create a segregated clinic for those with IDD, but to grow and support the entire healthcare community to meet the medical and dental health needs of all, including those with IDD.”

Reports and recommendations are sent to the referring physician and patients are referred back to their primary provider for routine care.

“We look forward to working with Mississippi’s healthcare community as we move to  increase the availability of capable, competent and compassionate community-based healthcare for IDD patients,” he concluded.

 For more information visit www.detectms.com, call 601-664-2333 or email info@detectms.com. DETECT is located at 100 Hudspeth Center Drive, Whitfield, MS 39193.

CMS Fact Sheet Explores Screening and Intervention Tool for Substance Use

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a fact sheet on Medicaid and Medicare coverage of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) services. SBIRT is an evidence-based model to identify problem drinking and substance use and prevent substance use disorders. The CMS resource is intended to inform providers about Medicaid coverage of SBIRT services, the types of providers that may deliver these services, and billing for them. In particular, the fact sheet explains in Medicaid:

• A licensed provider may recommend the screening and practitioners who meet the provider qualifications established by the state in their State Plan may provide the brief intervention.
• SBIRT is covered under EPSDT for children, but may be provided at the state's option for adults.
• There are various billing codes state Medicaid programs may choose to use for this set of services, which are outlined in the document.

In addition, the document discusses SBIRT services for dual eligible beneficiaries. It notes that providers should bill SBIRT services to bill Medicare and the claim will be transferred to Medicaid, as appropriate. The CMS fact sheet is available here.

MHA members: Want to stay up-to-date on behavioral health news? Join our MHA Society for Behavioral Health Services. (You can join any of our MHA societies online here.)

Mississippi works to improve crisis services

Over the past several years, Mississippi has diligently worked to improve crisis services in the community for individuals with mental illness. With the increase in emergency room use by people with mental illness occurring across the country, it’s important for Mississippi hospitals to understand what services are available. 

Mississippi currently has nine Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs) throughout the state – Corinth, Laurel, Batesville, Newton, Cleveland, Grenada, Brookhaven, Gulfport, and Tupelo. In 2010, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) transferred the operation of the CSUs to the Community Mental Health Centers. This transition removed the requirement that individuals must be court committed prior to admission to the CSUs.  An individual can now receive services before they decompensate to the point of meeting commitment criteria. 

“It is critical for people to receive treatment before they become so acutely ill that hospitalization is required,” said Ed LeGrand, DMH Executive Director. “Partnering with the community mental health system has encouraged "seamless" services to take place - a service element which has been lacking in our state.”

In addition to the CSUs, DMH has been working with the Department of Public Safety and police departments to establish Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs). A CIT is a community partnership of law enforcement, health care and mental health providers, mental health consumers and their families. The goal is to help individuals with a mental illness access medical treatment rather than place them in the criminal justice system due to illness-related behaviors. 

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department completed their CIT training in 2013 and has utilized that training to help individuals who are facing a mental health crisis.

“Putting a person with a mental illness or a person having a mental health crisis in jail is not helping matters,” said Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department. “There is a lot that can be done to defuse a situation and keep things under control, if an officer knows what to do. The training not only focuses on identifying individuals in a mental health crisis, but strategies to de-escalate situations where before, perhaps, officers would have been quicker to act as opposed to talk.”

In 2010, the Mississippi Legislature created a law that allows properly-trained law enforcement to seek help on behalf of a person they believe to have a mental illness. The trained officers can evaluate a situation to determine whether it is a mental health situation. The training prepares them to better handle what is happening and utilize the services of mental health specialists on a short-term basis rather than placing an individual in jail. The law also amended the 72-hour hold law, allowing treatment professionals more flexibility when holding someone without a court order. 

“Officers that are properly trained and have received a CIT certification can take a person that they believe is a harm to themselves or others and bring them to the Crisis Stabilization Unit for evaluation to make a determination whether they need to be committed through the court system, or whether they can be stabilized and released,” said Calhoun.

“It is our hope that CIT will spread across Mississippi,” said Calhoun. “We have told everybody that will listen, that CIT works.”

If you have questions about the Crisis Stabilization Units, contact Andrew Day, DMH Director of the Division of Crisis Response at 601-359-1288. If you are interested in establishing a CIT in your community, contact Brent Hurley, DMH Division of Crisis Response, at 601-359-1288.

If you or someone you know is in need of services and supports, call the DMH’s 24 hour-a-day, 7 days a week at 1-877-210-8513 or visit www.dmh.ms.gov.    

Mississippi develops Mobile Crisis Response Teams

In an effort to expand crisis services in the community, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) has provided grants to the local Community Mental Health Centers to establish Mobile Crisis Response Teams.  

 

What are Mobile Crisis Response Teams?

Mobile Crisis Response Teams provide community-based crisis services that deliver solution-focused and recovery-oriented behavioral health assessments and stabilization of crisis in the location where the individual is experiencing the crisis.  

Mobile Crisis Response Teams work hand-in-hand with local law enforcement, Chancery Judges and Clerks, and the Crisis Stabilization Units to ensure a seamless process.  

Mobile Crisis Response Teams ensure an individual has a follow-up appointment with their preferred provider and monitor the individual until the appointment takes place.

 

Who can be served by a Mobile Crisis Response Team?

Mobile Crisis Response Teams target individuals experiencing a situation where the individual’s behavioral health needs exceed the individual’s resources to effectively handle the circumstances.

 

How can a Mobile Crisis Response Team help?

Without mobile crisis intervention, an individual experiencing a crisis may be inappropriately and unnecessarily placed in a jail, holding facility, hospital, or inpatient treatment program. The goal is to respond in a timely manner to where the individual is experiencing the crisis or meet the individual at a designated location such as the local hospital.

 

Who makes up a Mobile Crisis Response Team?

A Mobile Crisis Response Team is staffed with a Master’s level Mental Health Therapist, Community Support Specialist and Peer Support Specialist.

 

How can I access a Mobile Crisis Response Team?

Individuals, families, law enforcement, clergy, ERs, chancery courts, and anyone concerned about an individual who is experiencing or at risk of a psychological crisis can request assistance from a Mobile Crisis Response Team. The Teams are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout a CMHC catchment area.

 

For more information, contact Andrew Day, DMH Director of the Division of Crisis Response at 601-359-6456 or your local CMHC.

Mental Health Month focuses on overall well-being of Mississippians

Blood pressure, glucose levels, cholesterol, and body mass index are all things we mention when we talk about being healthy. We often forget that mental health is an essential component of overall health and well-being. The fact is our overall well-being is tied to the balance that exists between our emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental health. Good health involves not only caring for our body, but also our minds.

While conditions like depression are common - roughly 1 in 4 Mississippians have a mental health condition - they are extremely treatable. During Mental Health Month in May, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) is spreading the word about how good mental health and good physical health go hand in hand. Mind Your Health - this year’s theme - calls attention to strategies and approaches that help all Mississippians achieve wellness and good mental and overall health.

What is mental health? If you were to ask your office mate, spouse or neighbor, they may respond that it is a “state of mind,” “being content with life” or “feeling good about yourself.” Simply put, mental health is the ability to cope with daily life and the challenges it brings. When a person has “good” mental health, they deal better with what comes their way. By contrast, “poor” mental health—such as feeling overwhelmed by stress —can make even day-to-day life difficult.

Poor mental health can also significantly harm a person’s physical health. For instance, research shows that stress is closely linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity. It also shows that people who feel depressed or chronically stressed may have a greater risk of physical illnesses.

The good news is there are many healthy choices and steps that individuals can adopt to promote and strengthen mental health—and overall health and well-being. A healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions, as well as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic health problems. It can also help people recover from these conditions.

“Most people don’t think twice about seeking treatment for diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure or other health conditions,” said Ed LeGrand, DMH Executive Director. “People should seek treatment for substance abuse and mental health with the same urgency as they would any other health condition. It’s important for us to break down barriers and understand that mental health is an essential part of overall health.”

Using strategies that promote resiliency and strengthen mental health lead to improved general health and a healthier society, greater academic achievement by our children, a more productive economy, and families that stay together.

Staying healthy and focusing on overall wellness is essential to recovery. Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential. Recovery is unique to each individual and can truly only be defined by the individual themselves.

DMH continues to focus on recovery through collaboration with the Think Recovery campaign and the Mississippi Peer Support Specialist Network. The Mississippi Peer Support Specialist Network members are first degree family members and/or people living in recovery with mental illness, substance abuse, and intellectual and developmental disabilities that provide support to others who can benefit from their lived experiences.

“Good mental health includes assisting individuals to obtain opportunities to engage in social activities, make friends, and contribute to society, and that is where Peer Support Specialists do their best work,” said Melody Worsham, President of the Mississippi Peer Support Specialist Network. “Through advocacy and mentoring, we support so many who feel like they don't have a voice. As of today, the Mississippi Peer Support Specialist Network is not even one year old, and we have already seen the benefits of our presence throughout the state.”

May is Mental Health Month was started 64 years ago by Mental Health America to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of mental wellness for everyone.

For more information about Mental Health Month, visit www.dmh.ms.gov.

Violence, Trauma and Healing Workshop set for May 31

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health, in partnership with Weems Community Mental Health Center, NFusion X, East Mississippi State Hospital and the Bradley Sanders Adolescent Complex Center, will present Violence, Trauma and Healing: The Impact on Children and Families. The workshop will be held on May 31 at Prince of Peace Christian Fellowship in Meridian from 9 a.m. until noon. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m.

The prevalence of trauma and its impact on the lives of families and communities is well documented. The relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and physical health, emotional health and social outcomes in adult life is at the core of the landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study.

This workshop will offer trauma informed approaches to promote healing from trauma at the individual, family, and community level. Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be able to: 1) Describe Trauma Informed Care and identify principles/behaviors of those with traumatic histories; 2) Discuss the impact of trauma on a community; 3) Discuss strategies to begin the healing process.

There is no fee for the workshop. Immediately following the workshop will be a presentation, Faith, Trauma and Healing. This presentation is targeted for leaders in the faith-based community only.

For more information, contact Paige Johnson at pjohnson@weemsmh.com or call (601) 482-4467.

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day 2014

Join SAMHSA, 1,100 communities, and 136 national collaborating organizations in celebration of the 2014 National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: Inspiring Resilience, Creating Hope. Learn more here.

7th Annual Mississippi School for Addiction Professionals Set for April 1-4

In an effort to help educate Mississippi’s addiction, treatment, and prevention professionals, about alcohol and drug abuse and prevention the 7th Annual Mississippi School for Addiction Professionals, hosted by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Services, will be held April 1-4 at the Hattiesburg Convention Center. “We provide a learning experience where professionals or nonprofessionals can come together to learn from innovative individuals who are leaders in the field of substance abuse treatment and prevention,” said Dr. Jerri Avery, DMH Director of the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Services. “The MS School is an excellent way to educate people on the best practices available to produce the best outcomes for those we serve.”

The MS School for Addiction Professionals will offer exciting plenary sessions, special events and a variety of courses in prevention, intervention and treatment, all of which are designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of each participant. The MS School offers many courses that address contemporary topics to help professionals remain abreast as to the latest trends in their areas. The MS School is open to treatment professionals, service providers, educators, parents, nurses, social workers, school counselors, law enforcement, faith based organizations, concerned citizens and others.

Keynote presenters include: Dr. Chip Dodd, When Does Therapy Become Therapeutic?; Dr. David Mee-Lee, Understanding DSM-5; David Mineta, Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy; Dr. Earl Suttle, Enjoying Excellence – Becoming the Best You Can Be; Jamie Huysman, Run Towards the Roar; and Kelly Wilson, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT).

Substance abuse disorders don’t just affect the individual, but their family, friends and the community. Thousands of Mississippians are in recovery from alcohol and drug abuse. They are neighbors, friends and family members leading healthy and productive lives in our communities. More than 23 million people, aged 12 or older, needed treatment for a substance use disorder in the United States in 2007, and in Mississippi alone, 183,000 people and their families are affected by this disease. Each year, the alcohol and drug residential treatment centers in Mississippi certified by DMH’s Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Services, provide residential treatment to more than 6,000 Mississippians suffering from substance abuse and dependence problems.

For more information about The Mississippi School for Addiction Professionals, contact 601-359-1288 or visit www.themsschool.ms.gov.

SAMHSA Reports Provide Data on Mississippi's Top Behavioral Health Issues

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has released a series of reports examining substance abuse and mental illness in America’s communities.

These Behavioral Health Barometer reports provide a snapshot of behavioral health nationwide and in each state. The reports present a set of substance use and mental health indicators based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. The reports examine areas such as substance abuse and mental health treatment, in both adults and youths, and benchmarks state data against national rates.

This is the first release of the reports, and SAMHSA officials said they plan to issue future installments to reveal trends. Mississippi's report is available here.