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Hope Deferred No More

By Karen L. Manna

Hearts that love, arms that hold Hands that heal, shape, and mold. Visions of who I can be, Thoughts that struggle to break free. Calming storms, turning tide, Feelings ebb nor can hide. Voices clamoring to be heard, Hope again, uttered Word.

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MHSA Recovery Success Stories

Youthful Offender Wraparound (YOW) Program
“Enrique” (not his real name) is a 16- year old Latino male referred to the Youthful Offender Wraparound (YOW) Program by the Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction program. Enrique has a history of substance abuse and behavior problems. Enrique broke into someone’s house, often stayed out at night, and continued to use drugs despite the effects on his physical and psychological problems. He has been in juvenile hall in the last year, truant, and been evicted from homes. His thinking was distorted and he rationalized his behavior and shunned responsibility.

When Enrique first joined the program, he was staying out late until 3 am on a regular basis and was rude and argumentative with his mother. He was frequently truant from school and in danger of being expelled.

He was also actively involved in a tagging crew and drinking on a daily basis. After working with the YOW program on a weekly basis, Enrique has shown significant progress in improving his behavior.

He has an improved relationship with his mother and has voluntarily been home on time for the first time this week. He has also not missed school for an entire week and has improved his overall performance while there.

Enrique reported he has stopped drinking and begun to show a renewed interest in participating in soccer as an alternative to alcohol abuse. Recently he officially left his tagging crew and has been spending his time improving his relationship with his family and girlfriend.

Enrique states: "Anyone that tries to help me or my family out, is always going to have my respect. I think this program has been very good to me and the staff has never judged me or made me feel like they look down on me. Even when I mess up, you guys are not jumping on my back or getting on my case. You just act all chill with me and make me feel alright. I've never had anybody do that for me before and it makes me want to do good."

A Notable Success At Whatever It Takes
“Joe” (not his real name) is a 43-year old African-American male with a serious psychiatric history. Before Joe became part of the Whatever It Takes (WIT) Full Service Partnership (FSP) he was homeless for five years, and was wandering the streets, wearing bizarre clothing. During this time, Joe had numerous arrests due to his behavior problems and lack of insight into his mental health symptoms.

At first Joe was extremely guarded and resistant to mental health treatment. After establishing a relationship with WIT staff, Joe agreed to receive psychiatric treatment and became medication compliant.

Since enrolling with WIT Joe has received assistance with obtaining Social Security Disability benefits. He has also reunified with his family. He established a positive relationship with them, and they are now an important part of his support system.

He has enrolled in Adult Education with assistance from WIT and looks forward to a career as a personal assistant in the future.

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MHSA Steering Committee

The MHSA monthly Steering Committee meeting took place on September 8 at Delhi Community Center. It was well attended with over one hundred participants including committee members and the Public representing various community organizations. Pictured above is Mark Refowitz, Behavioral Health Services Director, providing local/State updates for MHSA. A consensus was reached on several important decisions during the 3-hour long meeting. The next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for October 6 from 1pm to 4pm at the Delhi Community Center.

More information on Steering Committee meetings can be found on the MHSA Office web site http://ochealthinfo.com/mhsa/.

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OCAVMAS Picnic at Mile Square Park

On September 12, 2008 the Orange County Association for Vietnamese Mental Health Awareness and Support (OCAVMAS) held a picnic for consumers and family members. President, George Nguyen, said this was an occasion for everyone to “meet, learn, and have a good time in a relaxing environment”. It was also a time to work on reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. Over 120 people attended and were treated to a program of poetry, music, and tai chi exercises, lottery gifts, and a wonderful lunch, including moon cakes. They also received information and met staff from the Mental Health Services Act office, Outreach and Engagement, Cultural Competency, the Adult Mental Health clinics in Santa Ana and Westminster, the Centralized Assessment Team and Nhan Hoa. The picnic provided an opportunity for consumers and their families to share experiences, discuss what resources have helped them, and as one family member said, “It was a chance to come together, meet other people and not be afraid.”

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Art Exhibit and MHSA Open House

On Wednesday, September 24, 2008 the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Office held an Art Exhibit and Open House. This special occasion honored consumers who participated in the March 2008 Art Fair. The event allowed the public to view the original art and writing of finalists, featured in the MHSA 2009 calendar. Painting, sketching, photography, multi-media pieces, ceramics, and glassware were on display, as well as poems and inspirational thoughts by consumers. Mark Refowitz, Director of Behavioral Health Services, conducted the awards ceremony and recognized the artists for their “museum quality work”. This exhibit provided an opportunity to meet the artists and observe the talent and creative vision of artists who are living with mental illness.

Finalists of the MHSA Office Art Fair posed for a picture at the MHSA Office Art Exhibit and Open House held on September 24, 2008.

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Arts Calendar of Events

Recurring Events
First Thursday
The Artist Eye Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach
(949) 497-5898
www.orangecountyfinearts.com

First Saturday
7pm to 11pm
Art Walk at Artists Village--Avantgarden
(714) 558-8843.
http://www.orangecountyfinearts.com/

First Thursday
Art Walk
(949) 683-6871
www.firstthursdaysartwalk.com

First Sunday and Third Tuesdays of every month
Free Days for Santa Ana residents to the Bowers Museum

September
September 8—November 25
Festival of Arts Exhibition
(949) 464-4268
www.lagunafestivalofarts.org

September 28—November 1
Dawn Arrowsmith 'Path/Collage' Exhibition
(949) 724-6880
www.irvinefinearts.org

September 21, 2008—March 15, 2009
American Quilts: Two Hundred Years of Tradition. Bowers Museum of Cultural Art.
(714) 567-3600
www.bowers.org

October
October 5, 2008—January 7, 2009
8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Daily Belles of Capistrano
(949) 234-1315 or
www.missionsjc.com/events.html

October 18
6 pm
Pins, Pots & Possibilities Artists’ Pin Auction. Fullerton Downtown Plaza
(714) 447-7484

October 18—December 21
Exhibition “2332” Huntington Beach Art Center
(714) 374-1650
www.surfcity-hb.org/Visitors/art_center

October 22
11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Mental Health Arts Committee Discussion
Contact Danielle Hopson (714) 834-5481 or dhopson@ochca.com

Bear Street Gallery Exhibit
Continuing Indefinitely Orange County Fine Arts
(714) 825-0592
www.orangecountyfinearts.com

November
November 6
6 pm to 8 pm
Show your campus ID for free admission to the 2008 California Biennial at Orange County Museum of Art

November 23
12 pm to 4 pm
Family Arts Day: Multicultural Holiday Celebration! At Orange County Museum of Art
(949) 759-1122

November 22 & 23 and 28,29 & 30
December 6 & 7 and 13 & 14
Sawdust Festival Winter Fantasy 2008 in Laguna Beach
(949) 494-3030
www.sawdustartfestival.org .

Art Competitions
The Negative Space Fine Art Photography Show www.c4fap.org/cfe/2008negativespace/negative.asp

Creativity Competition
www.mosaicglobe.com/

Embracing our Differences
www.embracingourdifferences.org/

Women In Photography International 2008 Juried Competition
http://womeninphotography.org/

Visit www.theartlist.com for additional art competitions

Mission San Juan Capistrano – display arts in barracks gallery in the year 2010. www.missionsjc.com/arts.html

Dates/times are subject to change. Please verify date/time before attending any event. Admission fees may apply to some events. This list was compiled by MHSA office using various sources and is provided for informational purposes only. The MHSA office is not responsible for its content and accuracy in any way, and does not promote or endorse any organizations listed in it.

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Test Your Knowledge of Mental Health

Across
1. people who help us medically
3. keep us busy and help us learn new skills
7. like spades and rummy and uno
11. help us move on to a better place
13. an important part in recovery
14. socializing with others
15. helps our providers know how to help us

Down
2. what you do with your mind
4. helps us deal with our problems
5. help us understand our illness
6. lets us know how the medicine is working
8. help us get our meds right
9. a chemical support
10. it helps us improve our selves
12. a relaxing, learning, and thinking activity

Answers to Crossword Puzzle
ACROSS: 1. Doctors 3. Activities 7. Cards 11. Socialworkers 13. Recreation 14. Talking 15. Testing

DOWN: 2. Thinking 4. Counseling 5. Education 6. Bloodwork 8. Psychiatrist 9. Medication 10. Therapy 12. Reading.

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Another Kind of Valor

Executive producer Dan E. Weisburd

Another Kind of Valor is a powerful new DVD/CD integrated learning system using dramatic vignettes on DVDs and a learning CD. Nine compelling docudrama vignettes venture into unfathomable minefields of the mind and explore the behavioral manifestation of Veterans and their families with deep emotional wounds as they battle ‘their invisible enemy within’. The contents of the CD include documents, web links, interviews and resources to empower participants to provide effective services to Veterans and their families. The DVDs and CD are recommended as an interactive learning process for mental health professionals, family advocates, police officers, emergency responders, judges, teachers, doctors, and Veterans helping other Veterans. Through common tragic scenarios, the series serves as a catalyst for spirited discussion and collective examination of the mindaltering experiences of our Veterans and their families. To order your copy, contact California Institute of Mental Health (CiMH) at 1-916-379-5329 jhernandez@cimh.org, www.cimh.org

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Consumed—Confronting Stigma

By Richard Krzyzanowski, Consumer-Employee Advocate

I recently had the honor of being asked to represent the County by joining the Stigma Elimination Task Force, a coalition of organizations and individuals including mental health professionals, consumers, family members and members of the community at large who are interested in challenging the many prevalent stereotypes and misconceptions about mental illness and how it affects lives.

I gladly accepted the opportunity to join in a collaborative effort that has the motto, “Opening Minds About Mental Illness,” partly because it dovetails nicely with my Consumer- Employee Advocate’s job. A large part of my work involves education, which means engaging our coworkers in conversations that explore the issues surrounding the integration of consumers into the mental health workplace. Some of these conversations can be quite challenging, and most are both productive and enjoyable.

These conversations – especially the challenging ones – are necessary to acknowledge and address the forms stigma takes within our profession, which I believe can be stiffer and more pernicious than the stigma to be found in the general public. Some of its taproots lead to assumptions formed before the arrival of consumers and family members in the university classrooms and professional associations, while others run to the actual work experience mental health professionals have had within their clinics or offices.

So, unlike the types of stigma generated by popular culture, our professional stereotypes are not necessarily based in ignorance, but in points of view often built upon quite respectable foundations. And so, as a consumer-employee who wants to challenge misinformation, but in a collaborative manner, I strive to engage my colleagues in an exercise of mutual transformation. I say “mutual,” since I fully appreciate that I am asking people to rethink some fundamental ideas which may actually have served them well, up to a point, and so I need to be sensitive to the fact that I may be asking a lot of them. The other part of this mutuality comes from the fact that I usually learn and grow myself as a result of these exchanges.

 Ultimately, I believe that we could spend a million words trying to make such points, yet nothing will equal the power of example. When people do good work which is recognized by both colleagues and the people we serve, and others can say that, “Oh, by the way, that excellent case manager (or supervisor or psychologist) also happens to be a consumer…,” we will have come a long way.

Richard Krzyzanowski is the Consumer Employee Advocate for HCA’s Behavioral Health Services. He can be reached at 1-714-667-5607 or via e-mail at rkrzyzanowski@ochca.com .

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