 |
Home
 C. Problems The Ellis County Task Team On Mental Health & Substance Abuse Is Working On
|
|
 | | |
Ellis County Task Team on Mental Illness & Substance Abuse
3/26/2008 12:21 PM
GREAT NEWS- Check # 11
The purpose of this report is to give those organizations/individuals that were unable to attend the last meeting of the Ellis County Task Team on Mental Health and Substance Abuse an updated report on what we are working on and those issues we have solved and have available for use. We also want to be able to share any of this information with other organizations that work in the mental field to have access to this information if it will be of help to them. Please contact decur@sbcglobal.net
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Please contact me immediately if there are any miss-information on the following PROBLEMS TO SOLVE- so it can be corrected. decur@sbcglobal.net
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Grey background- To be used when problem is solved.
Green printing- To be used when problem is being worked on.
Blue printing- To be used when problem is suggested but not being worked on.
Yellow background-When more information to soon follow.
Larger Print- Great and important developments for Ellis County.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE- EllisCountydoes not have meetings for organizations/individuals that are in the mental health and substance abuse field. Many believe that by getting to know each other and networking we can do a better job of helping each other and those with mental illness and their loved ones.
|
PROBLEM SOLVED- NAMI of Ellis County will host monthly meetings around issues of mental health and substance abuse. Meetings have been held January 30, and February 20.
|
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE- Ellis County does not have a directory of organizations/individuals that can be used by the Ellis County Task Team on Mental Health & Substance Abuse Task Team. This directory can be used for quick reference for contacting other organizations/individuals in the mental health field.
|
PROBLEM SOLVED- Becky Martinez and Sue Polinski of NAMI Ellis County are gathering information for this directory. Richard Comeron with Hickory Trails Hospital will print this directory when it is ready. This directory was passed out at the February 20th meeting and will be updated as changes are made. Becky and Sue two great NAMI members who are making the difference in the lives of others.
|
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE- There is no directory of mental health & substance abuse services that are available in Ellis County that could be handed to those with mental illness or substance abuse or their loved ones. This directory would be handed out to individuals or their loved ones after their initial visit to somewhere like Baylor Hospital or Ennis Regional Hospital. This would give them information where they can turn next for mental health & substance abuse information.
|
PROBLEM BEING WORKED ON-Julie West of Counseling Center of Ellis County has volunteered to put together information on Ellis County providers of mental health & substance abuse. Please e-mail her your information. Julie we are grateful to the two of you. Thanks so much.
|
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE- Make a wallet/purse size card with emergency phone numbers that can be carried by those with mental health/substance abuse and providers for quick access to those in need.
|
PROBLEM BEING WORKED ON- NAMI of Ellis County will get a group of numbers together to present to the task team.
|
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE- Make available to Ellis County Law Enforcement a flow chart that could be used by officers that respond to calls that deal with mental health issues. This chart could be changed by each police department as needed.
|
PROBLEM BEING WORKED ON- Capt. John Spann of the Midlothian Police Department located a flow chart. Sara Lattimore of ADAPT Texas is updating the chart before it is made available. How great it is when we work as a team to solve problems that will help all of us to do a better job. We thank those two team members.
|
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE- Make available to Ellis County Law Enforcement, loved ones, friends, and others information on how to defuse a situation with someone that has mental illness that is stressed out.
|
PROBLEM SUGGESTED-No work being done on this problem at present time.
|
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE- Provide those running for county offices that deal with mental illness (Judges, DA, Sheriff, etc.) the opportunity to learn about resources available by being invited to our meetings.
|
PROBLEM SOLVED- At our January meeting we had in attendance the three candidates running for Sheriff of Ellis County. At our February meeting those running for the office of DA were invited and in attendance was our current DA Joe Grubbs.
|
8. PROBLEM TO SOLVE- One of the Police Officers in attendance said that he thought it would be helpful to be informed of training for law enforcement officers.
|
PROBLEM SOLVED- We will send out any training that we find out about to our task team members. The first training that we sent out was for law enforcement and their wives and for Command Staff and Policy Makers 4TCLEOSE hours. That training is to be held February 28 and 29, 2008. This training will address mental health needs of police officers and their spouses, the after-effects of critical incidents, suicide-by-cop and post-traumatic stress. 8TCLEOSE hours. Captain John Spann of the Midlothian Police Department attended a mental health training event in Dallas and had praise for the training received. We will continue to send out information for mental health training for our law enforcement officers.
|
- PROBLEM TO SOLVE (02-20-08)-Waldo Decuir asked about this problem. When a person with mental illness is paroled from prison he/she only receives ten days of medication. It is also thought that when a person is released from the Ellis County Jail they do not get any medication for their mental illness. Because of the work load of Adapt and other agencies it may a long period of time for an appointment to get medication so this is one of the factors that causes a revolving door for those with mental illness to cycle in and out of jail.
|
PROBLEM SUGGESTED-No work being done on this problem at present time.
|
10. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (02-20-08)- It would be of a great help to those with mental illness if when a person is arrested Adapt of Texas (Waxahachie office) could be notified so they could work with the jail staff on the medication needs of the arrested person.
|
PROBLEM SUGGESTED-No work being done on this problem at present time.
|
11. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (02-20-08)- When there is a mental health crisis with an individual and the Mental Health Crisis Response Team (out of Dallas) is called to evaluate the individuals that respond take a long time because of the distance.
|
PROBLEM SOLVED- It has just been announced at our February 20, meeting that funds have been made available to solve this problem by locating a response team in Ellis County that will respond to calls in Ellis and Navarro County and other areas. This response team would respond to calls from individuals, hospitals, law enforcement departments, etc
Emergency Response Team-(Attention Law Enforcement, Emergency Rooms, schools, Individuals and their families) The community crisis team is expanding the mobile crisis operations. Beginning April 1, 2008 there will be a team available to further serve the needs of Ellis County. The team will be based in Waxahachie. The team frequently responds to requests from emergency rooms, law enforcement, schools and individuals and their families. Some of the services provided are: assessment by mental health professionals; referrals for services within the community; obtaining beds at psychiatric hospital; and facilitating transportation of the individual to hospitals.
The Ellis team will be available for Ellis County during peak hours, typically 2:00pm-10:30pm, seven days per week. The Dallas based team will continue to serve the seven NorthStar counties, including Ellis. To access a team call 1-866-260-8000. Teams are available 24hrs/day 7days a week. A special thanks goes out to Beth Epps, Shara Lattimore, and Mackie Owens for your hard work on this one. WOW what a great help
|
12. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (02-20-08)- There was discussion about the lack of mental health & substance abuse support groups in Ellis County. If you know of any support group meetings please e-mail Waldo with the information. For current support groups go to www.namielliscounty.org It is hoped that NAMI of Ellis County will be able to start some additional support groups in the fall/winter of 2008. Possible support groups needed are (as needed these groups can be broken down into Bi-Polar, Depression, OCD, Schizophrenia, Panic Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome, etc.)
- Support groups for adults with mental illness.
- Support groups for loved ones of those that have mental illness.
- Support groups for teens with mental illness.
- Support groups for parents of teens that have mental illness.
- Support groups for children and parents that have mental illness.
- Support groups for dual diagnosis of mental retardiation & mental illness.
- Support groups for military that have Post-Traumatic Stress and their
families.
- Support groups for Postpartum Depression and their loved ones.
- Support groups for seniors with depression.
|
PROBLEM BEING WORKED ON- If you have an interest in being a volunteer facilitator at one of these support groups please let us know. Facilitator training will be necessary. If you can volunteer to train facilitators please let us know. We would like to also locate a facility to have these support groups held. If you can help let us know. We will conduct these support groups at night and start out small and try to grow as needed. If you can help let us know at NAMI. New Support Meeting- Sue Polinski of NAMI Ellis County wants to announce that starting Sunday April 6, 2008, there will the a night time support group meeting on Sundays from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Waxahachie Bible Church, Room 208-209, 621 North Grand Avenue. Call 214-949-0703 (Becky) or 972-617-6194 (Sue) for more information. The support group is for consumers and their families. Sue thanks again and again and we thank the Waxahachie Bible Church. What a great way to minister.
|
13. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (03-20-08)- To help our local media and radio have information on what is happening in the Mental Health field. To get out information that we are working on to the general public.
|
PROBLEM BEING WORKED ON- Neal White the publisher of the Waxahachie Daily Light will be contacting some of you for an article he is writing about the Ellis County Task Team on Mental Illness & Substance Abuse. This article will be for the Magazine “W” that goes out all over Ellis County. This magazine article should help us get the word out about the Emergency Response Team, Problems Solvers of Midlothian, the NAMI web-site that contains information that is helpful to those seeking information on mental health and substance abuse. Neal you have always been such a great help with news on Mental Illness. We can't wait to see the article.
|
14. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (03-20-08)- To have a list of speakers available to speak at service club, organizations in Ellis County so the general public will be more informed about mental illness in Ellis County. This speakers list will be posted on the NAMI web-site.
|
PROBLEM BEING WORKED ON-Teryl Cozby the Disability Program Navigator with the North Central Texas WorkForce has volunteered to make a list of individuals on our Ellis County Task Team on Mental Illness & Substance Abuse that would willing to be speakers. These individuals would be posted on our web-site (www.namielliscounty.org) with their contact information. It is so very important that we educate the public about mental health and these speakers would be available to any organization that needs a speaker for a program. A sample of the information that you need to send Teryl at tcozby@dfwjobs.comis a follows. Let’s get this in as soon as possible so we can get to the next project that will help those with mental illness. Teryl you have helped in so many ways. Thanks once again.
Name Joe Jones
Phone Number 972-000-0000
E-Mail Address speaker@mentalhealthtaskteam.org
Company Work for Bdapt of Ellis County.
Times I can speak I can speak at breakfast & lunch but not at nights
How far I can travel to talk I can speak in all of Ellis County and Corsicana
Topics I can speak about Subjects I can speak about
1. Mental Illness Stigma
2. Dual Diagnosis of Mental Retardation &
Mental Illness
3. Bi-Polar what is it?
4. Importance of taking medication
5. Emergency Response Team
6. What is OCD?
7. Where to find resources on Mental
Illness
8. Your Personal Story
|
15. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (04-16-08)- For the Ellis County Task Team on Mental Health & Substance Abuse to present for the year 2008 the recipients’ of the Mental Health & Substance Abuse Awards. The person in charge of this Award Team would decide:
- Decide awards to be given such as
- Outstanding Police Department of Ellis County in support of Mental Health & Substance Abuse.
- Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer in support of Mental Health & Substance Abuse.
- Outstanding Mental Health Organization in support of Mental Health & Substance Abuse.
- Outstanding Mental Health Individual in support of Mental Health & Substance Abuse.
- OutstandingEllis County School Districtin support of Mental Health & Substance Abuse.
- Etc.
- Awards Detail
- What kinds of awards
- How pay for awards
- How best to present
- When to vote on awards
- NAMI members not eligible for awards
|
PROBLEM SUGGESTED-No work being done on this problem at present time.
|
16. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (04-16-08)- To establish a Ellis County Jail/Prison Team that would work with the Ellis County Sheriffs Department/Texas State Department of Corrections that would work with in a constructive manner with those agencies. The plan would need to show the benefits not only to those that are being released from jail and their families but to the Ellis County Sheriffs Department, Ellis County, the State of Texas, and the community as a whole.
|
PROBLEM BEING WON-ORKED Those that have agreed to serve on the team are
|
17. PROBLEM TO SOLVE (04-16-08)- To come up with a list of officers needed for the 2009 to give leadership to the Ellis County Task Team on Mental Illness & Substance Abuse.
- List of officers completed by September, 08.
- List of officers completed and voted on by October, 2008.
|
|
|
| | |
|
Ellis Co.
