• Prioritize self-compassion. Be gentle with yourself. It’s okay not to feel festive all the time. Acknowledge your emotions without judgment and practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend.
• Create a support system. Reach out to friends, family, or support groups. Connection is a powerful antidote to loneliness and can provide comfort during the holiday season.
• Establish realistic expectations. Release the pressure on yourself and set realistic goals. It’s okay if everything doesn’t go as planned. Focus on the moments that bring you joy.
• Volunteer or give back. Consider volunteering your time or giving back to the community. Helping others can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, and it’s a great way to shift the focus from personal challenges to making a positive impact.
• Engage in mindful activities. Practice mindfulness to stay present in the moment. Whether it’s through meditation, deep breathing exercises, or mindful walks, grounding yourself in the present can help alleviate stress and anxiety.
• Celebrate in your own way. Don’t feel pressured to conform to traditional celebrations. Create a holiday experience that resonates with you. Whether it’s a quiet night in, a small gathering, or a solo adventure, do what feels right for you.
• Manage finances mindfully. Finances can be a source of stress during the holidays. Set a budget for gifts and celebrations, and explore creative and cost-effective ways to share the spirit of the season. Remember, the thought behind the gesture is what matters most.
• Take breaks from media. The news and social media can amplify feelings of anxiety during the holidays and too much screen time can be draining. Consider taking breaks from technology to focus on your own well-being.
• 

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“Mental Health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and treatable,” said Brian Babbitt, NCCMH Chief Executive Officer. “While society is getting more comfortable discussing mental health, it can still be hard to know where to start when it comes to taking care of your own well-being.”

“Throughout May, we will host various events and initiatives to raise awareness, encourage self-care, and connect people with resources,” said Babbitt.

NCCMH has planned the following activities during the month of May:

Saturday, May 18, 2024 – 24^th Annual Splash of Color Fun Run & Walk for Mental Health Awareness beginning at the Festival Place Shelter (200 Wachtel) in Petoskey. The Fun Run is a 5K course with colorful checkpoints. There will simultaneously be a Walk for Mental Health Awareness for anyone not running the 5K. The run will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the walk at 10:30 a.m. All proceeds from the event are donated to our Client Special Needs Fund, helping our clients achieve their treatment goals. There will be prizes and giveaways and fun “Splash of Color” paint throws! Cost is $10 per person. Register at www.eventbrite.com or https://tinyurl.com/sczbc7rz. You can also register the morning of the event from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m at the Petoskey Festival Place Shelter.

May 1-31 – Creative Writing and Art Display in Petoskey – At Petoskey District Library (500 E Mitchell), view the finished creative writing pieces that were developed at a Write It! Writer’s Workshop in April for people living with mental health challenges as well as artwork created by people with mental illness.

Mental Health First Aid Free Virtual Trainings for the Community – Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) classes will be offered twice in May: on May 2 and 3, and May 6 and 17, all from 9 AM to 1 PM. The Adult MHFA class will be May 14 and 15 from 11 AM to 3 PM. The public is invited to register using the links below. These events come with a valuable manual and are provided at no cost to the community thanks to a grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Adult MHFA Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/39huxa9f. Youth MHFA Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/4fw5prdd.

#Tools4Resilience Virtual Education Series – During the lunch hour (12-1 PM) every Tuesday and Wednesday in May, NCCMH will team up with Northern Lakes CMH to provide a virtual education program on a variety of mental health/well-being topics. Register for one or all of the talks using this link: https://forms.office.com/r/6fYkHuQMdU. The Tools4Resilience topics are as follows: May 1, Social Media and Mental Health, featuring Community Services Trooper Corey Hebner of the Gaylord Michigan State Police Post; May 7 Protecting Yourself Online with IT experts; May 8, Stories of Hope and Recovery, featuring members of Petoskey Club, New Horizons Clubhouse, Traverse House Clubhouse and Club Cadillac sharing their experiences and advice on living with mental illness and stigma; May 14, There is No Expiration Date on Grief, about dealing with grief; May 15, Somewhere Over The Rainbow: In Search of Health, Humor and Happiness, about building a personalized set of coping tools in handling stress; May 21, Get Wise and Energize Your Eating, about healthy eating choices and new trends in nutrition; May 22, Practical Tools to Help Children and Adolescent with Complex Needs, focusing on bringing healing and caring help to children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress, and/or trauma; May 28, Finding Clarity to Navigate Multicultural Environments and the transformative process of becoming more culturally adept; and May 29, Managing Stress.

Free Community Movies – At 1 PM both on Tuesday, May 21, at the Brutus Friendship Center (6436 E Brutus Rd, Brutus), and on Tuesday, May 28, at the Petoskey Friendship Center (1322 Anderson Rd, Petoskey), there will be a free viewing of the movie, Skid Row Marathon. This is an ambitious, inspiring, and thought-provoking documentary in which Craig Mitchell, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, leads the long-distance runners’ club out of the Midnight Mission on Skid Row. They raise spirits and give a sense of purpose to people who are homeless, addicted, or coming out of the prison system. At both locations there will also be a short presentation on mental health and aging after the movie.

Free Family-Friendly Community Events – Staff from each of NCCMH’s six community-based clinics are planning a series of fun and informative events and activities to support various aspects of our mental health and well-being. The special events are:

• Wednesday, May 15, 1-4:30 PM, May Day – A Recipe for Mental Health in Cheboygan: Outside the North Country Cheboygan office (825 S Huron, Ste 4) North Country wellness “chefs” will engage visitors to complete a “plate” of fun, interactive activities to support resiliency and wellness. Fill your plate and be entered into a drawing for door prizes. Also, a “Hall of Fame” featuring T-shirts decorated by people who receive mental health services will be displayed. Refreshments will be provided.
• Tuesday, May 21, 1-4 PM, Grow Through What You Go Through in Petoskey: At the Bear River Shelter Park (399 Quaintance Ave), join us in painting a terra-cotta pot and planting a flower or seed to watch it grow! Learn self-care activities and boost mental health practices while reconnecting with nature.
• Wednesday, May 22, 1-3 PM Back To Roots in Bellaire: At the Richardi Park Pavilion in Bellaire (402 N Bridge St), we will be planting plants for participants to take home and painting flowers on canvas. A yoga instructor will lead stretches on the beach. Refreshments will be provided.
• Thursday, May 23, 1-4 PM Mental Health and Finding Balance in a Digital World: At the Charlevoix Public Library in Charlevoix (220 W Clinton St), visit a variety of booths, each with an activity and information about wellness and balance, with or without digital supports. Door prizes, giveaways, and refreshments will be provided.
• Thursday, May 23, 1-4 PM Mental Health on Main in Gaylord: At the Pavilion on Court (downtown Gaylord), participate in activities directed toward learning how modern life affects mental health, building your coping toolbox, and advocating to improve mental health for yourself, your friends and family, and your community. Join in a downtown stroll, outdoor games, chair massages, and more!
• Wednesday, May 29, 3-6 PM Community Appreciation Event in Kalkaska: At the North Country Kalkaska Office (on the campus of Kalkaska Memorial Health Center at 515 South Birch), join us for a meal and dessert and take part in three learning opportunities: Encourage others in the community with rock painting. Discover how to navigate your and your children’s mental health while being online. Learn about mindfulness and meditation while using the walking labyrinth.

21-Day Stigma Challenge – The Northwest Community Health Innovation Region (NW-CHIR)’s Behavioral Health Initiative is launching a 21-Day Stigma Challenge on May 1. This challenge is designed to educate residents and stakeholders from every sector about the negative effects of stigma against mental illness and substance use disorders, how to recognize it, and provide tools to fight it. Each day will include a curated set of short videos and/or articles/toolkits to read and recommended actions to take to fight stigma. Each “Take Action” Activity that participants complete will count as one entry into the 21-Day Stigma Challenge Completion Drawing. At the end of the challenge, five people will be randomly selected from the pool to win $100 gift cards. Anyone may participate by signing up at this link (https://tinyurl.com/bdfwhzpv).

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The series features webinars every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout May from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Mental health professionals from both organizations will share practical tips and techniques, insights into specific mental health issues, and strategies for promoting self-care. After each presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions with the speakers.

Register for one or all of the #Tools4Resilience talks at this link: https://forms.office.com/r/6fYkHuQMdU

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The workshop will be held in honor of “May is Mental Health Month” to provide an avenue for personal expression and showcase the voices of people living with mental illness.

Participants will take a close look at examples of writing in diverse genres, and generate their own micro-essays, short stories, and poems, from exercises designed to use a variety of personal experience as a springboard to diverse kinds of literary creative expression.

Priority will be given to anyone 18 or older with a history of mental illness living in North Country’s six-county service area.

At the author’s discretion, finished pieces will be displayed at the Petoskey District Library for the month of May and may also be included in a chapbook.

The class will be facilitated by David Hornibrook, the author of Night Manual (Wayne State University Press, 2019), and winner of the Moveen Prize in Poetry. His work has also been recipient of a Pushcart Prize and has been featured in The Windsor Review, Juked, Third Coast, PANK and elsewhere. He holds an MFA from the Helen Zell Writer’s Program and is the Community Services Coordinator at NCCMH.

Hornibrook said, “Everyone is creative, but not everyone has had the opportunity to develop and utilize their creative abilities and many are not even aware of their own creativity. This workshop is designed to be fun but also to explore the inherent power of language and every human voice. I look forward to the discussion and sharing of ideas and am thankful for the partnership with the library for graciously offering not only a space for us to gather, but also to display our finished pieces and center the voices of people living with mental illness

Jodi Haven of the Petoskey Area Library said, “Our partnership with North Country Community Mental Health aims to illuminate the diverse voices within our community, providing a platform for personal stories and fostering understanding and connection.”

Space is limited. To register, call 231-439-1241 or register using THIS LINK by April 22.

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The post North Country Community Mental Health 2022 Annual Report first appeared on North Country Community Mental Health.

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A correction has been requested to reflect the accurate organizational leadership as of November 2022 as follows: Brian Babbitt, Chief Executive Officer, Amy Christie, Chief Clinical Officer; Kim Rappleyea, Chief Operating Officer; Joseph Balberde, Chief Information Officer; Ann Friend, Director of Finance.

Accreditation Report CARF 22

The post 2022 CARF Report first appeared on North Country Community Mental Health.

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North Country Community Mental Health is promoting Mental Health Awareness Month with activities each week in May.  “Look Around, Look Within” is this year’s theme for North Country’s Mental Health Awareness Month activities to recognize the effects of our natural and built-in environment on our mental health and to learn ways to protect and strengthen our well-being.

“From your neighbourhood to your genetics, many factors come into play when it comes to your mental health. We encourage everyone to consider how the world around you affects your mental health,” said Amy Christie, Chief Clinical Officer at North Country Community Mental Health. “Your surroundings can impact if, how, and when your needs are met, which in turn affects your mental health.”

“This Mental Health Month, we are offering an array of activities with the aim to increase the community conversation about the connections between our physical and mental health and environment, how to build our resilience, and how to access help when needed,” Christie said. “You can take steps to change your space and protect your mental health.”

 North Country CMH has planned the following activities during the month of May:

23^rd Annual Splash of Color Fun Run & Walk for Mental Health Awareness

Saturday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. at the Festival Pavilion behind the Fire Station in downtown Petoskey. This fun event celebrates mental health and increases awareness of mental health issues during Mental Health Awareness Month. Participants may pre-register at www.eventbrite.com. The cost is $25 per person which includes the Run/Walk, T-shirt, swag bag, paint packet, and a chance to win door prizes. People may participate for free if they do not want a T-shirt and may receive a swag bag, with advance registration. Group rates are available for groups of 5 or more. Race day registration and packet pick up will be available at Festival Park (Behind City Hall), in Petoskey, beginning at 9:00 a.m. the day of the event.  The COLOR RUN begins at 10:00 a.m. The colourful 5K course starts at Festival Pavilion behind the Fire Station and goes through the Bear River Recreation Area. This is a fun run, where you will experience colour splatter stations along the route to get your colour on. The WALK begins with a big splash of colour at 10:30 a.m. The course will begin at the Festival Pavilion Shelter, cross the Bear River at the Bayfront, follow Lake Street to M-31, and through Memorial Park towards Wachtel Avenue, returning to Festival Pavilion Shelter. Proceeds benefit the NCCMH Client Special Needs Fund. Questions? Call Nancy at 231-429-1228. This is a spectacular event!

Register at tinyurl.com/298b5d2p.

RSVP on Facebook at fb.me/e/27sisNAY3

Donate directly to the Client Special Needs Fund at tinyurl.com/yy4rnzsn

PhotoVoice Inclusion and Statewide Traveling Art Show

 May 1-31 – Charlevoix Public Library, 220 W Clinton

May 1-8 – Antrim County Building, 203 E Cayuga St

May 9-14 – Petoskey District Library, 500 E Mitchell St

May 15-21 – Cheboygan Area Public Library, 100 S Bailey St

May 22-31 – Otsego County Library, 700 S Otsego Ave, Gaylord

Libraries and public offices are partnering with North Country CMH to present the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan’s “Creative Minds Changing Minds” exhibit featuring 15 winning pieces selected from consumer art contests across Michigan and feature a painting from Petoskey resident Will Sanderson and East Jordan resident Tamara Wilson. Additionally, the exhibit will include images created by NCCMH clients who attended a PhotoVoice class at New Horizons Clubhouse in Rapid City and Petoskey Club in Petoskey. PhotoVoice is a process used to highlight people whose voices and perspectives may often go unheard and overlooked and is comprised of photos and words used to highlight the experience of the person with mental illness. Their exhibit is entitled, “I Am Right Here: See Me for Who I Am, Not What I Have.” A Youth PhotoVoice exhibit, “Through Our Eyes,” created by students across the region through the Northwest Community Health Innovation Region, is also included in some of the displays.

According to Deb Freed, NCCMH event organizer and PhotoVoice instructor, the exhibit has two goals. One is to help de-stigmatize mental illness, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders by showcasing the talents of people who use community mental health services. Secondly, the exhibit aims to highlight the recovery potential of the arts. “Art helps change attitudes while enriching people’s lives. For hundreds of years, great artists, musicians, and writers with mental health issues have created beautiful masterpieces to share with the world. We are pleased to present this show of Michigan and local artists who have used art to further their recovery and build life skills. The local PhotoVoice artists aim to give hope to those whose recovery journeys will come after theirs and encourage people struggling with their mental health to reach out for help.” They selected ‘I Am Right Here’ as the theme of the show and want people to know that they are much more than their diagnosis.”

Free Virtual Mental Health First Aid Training for the Community

 During May, the Youth Mental Health First Aid class is May 4 and 5, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The adult class is on May 11 and 12 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The public is invited to register using the links below. The courses are split into two half days and offered virtually to increase the number of people who may be able to receive this training and increase the capacity of our community to respond appropriately to people we know who may be experiencing a mental health issue.

Adult MHFA – tinyurl.com/yf8sjk3s

Youth MHFA – tinyurl.com/2p8thff4

Mental Health First Aid is a ground-breaking, evidence-based training program for community members interested in learning to recognize and diffuse mental health crises. Participants learn how to help an individual until professional treatment is obtained or the crisis resolves. The youth-specific Mental Health First Aid class is especially valuable for educators, school administrators, school counsellors, members of faith communities, homeless shelter staff and volunteers, health care workers, police and other first responders, social workers, policymakers and family members of people with mental health challenges. NCCMH will offer Mental Health First Aid training quarterly. If you work at an organization in NCCMH’s six counties and are interested in organizing a special Mental Health First Aid Training for your staff, please inquire by emailing us at NCCMHTraining@norcocmh.org.

Tools4Resilience Virtual Education Series

 Leading mental health agencies Northern Lakes Community Mental Health and North Country Community Mental Health are collaborating to offer a free virtual education series in May focused on the theme #Tools4Resilience.

The series provides valuable insights and practical strategies for promoting mental health and self-care and is open to anyone interested in learning more about mental health issues and techniques for building resilience.

The series features webinars every Thursday and most Tuesdays throughout May from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Mental health professionals from both organizations, as well as the Northern Michigan Regional Entity (NMRE), will share practical tips and techniques, insights into specific mental health issues, and strategies for promoting self-care. After each presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions with the speakers and will receive access to myStrength, a free self-help health and wellness app.

The #Tools4Resilience offerings include:

May 4: Letting go of the heavy backpack: working through difficult situations. Learn how to communicate in a positive way to help others. Learn techniques on how to handle situations where people might become angry, or behaviours escalate.

May 9: Navigating conflict resolution. Skills and tips to practice to positively and constructively communicate with people in your work or personal life.

May 11: A DOSE of life. Increase and balance your happy hormones to become more resilient by taking control and living your life!

May 16: Developing cultural intelligence. Gain an inside view of individual bias to increase understanding and for personal development.

May 18: Strong foundation, bright futures: building a healthy tomorrow.  An overview of the parent-infant relationship and its impact on mental health, well-being, and resiliency.

May 23: Trying to keep yourself safe online. A roundtable discussion on ways to thwart common techniques scammers uses to steal our financial and personal data.

 May 25: Health is our wealth. Choices to holistically integrate your physical and mental health in order to achieve optimal health. Techniques to advocate for yourself with a primary care provider, food as medicine, and more!

Register and receive links for the #Tools4Resilience virtual education series at Event Brite at https://bit.ly/3zCwTKA.

Free showing of the movie Driving Miss Daisy at the Petoskey Friendship Center and presentation on mental health and aging

 Friday, May 19, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at the Petoskey Friendship Center Library (1322 Anderson Rd, Petoskey). This 1989 story starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy depicts Daisy, a 72-year-old retired schoolteacher who is determined to maintain her independence. When she is unable to drive her car following an accident, her son Boolie arranges for her to have a chauffeur named Hoke Colburn. Despite a rocky start, Daisy and Hoke’s relationship builds into a close friendship over the years. This film was a commercial success, receiving four awards at the 62nd Academy Awards.

Community-Based Events

In addition, staff from each NCCMH office are planning special community-based events:

• • Bellaire – Bridge Walk to Wellness – Begins at the trailhead by the Health Department and ends by the Village Police Department. – Join us in a walk of the bridges in Bellaire and receive a gift. Call 231-533-8619 with questions. Wednesday, May 17, 1:00 p.m.

• • Charlevoix – Mental Health Rocks! – NCCMH Charlevoix Office at 6250 M-66N – This is a day of fun family-friendly activities around the theme of our physical surroundings. We will plant community veggies and sensory gardens, paint the Mental Health Community Boulder, experience a mindfulness nature walk, put together sensory boxes, paint rocks with positive messages, and enjoy snacks. Call 231-547-5885 with questions. Thursday, May 18, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• • Gaylord – Otsego County Community Garden – Participants are invited to help clean and beautify our outdoor surroundings including helping the conservation office to clean up the pathways. There will be a station for kids to decorate pots and plant seedlings. At 4:00 p.m., Mr. Jack Chambers will give a presentation on the Four Sacred Medicines (plants) in the garden’s amphitheatre. Mr. Chambers is a Tribal Elder, combat Marine Veteran, and Traditional Healer from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Thursday, May 18 – 3:00-6:00 p.m.

• • Kalkaska – Sensory Stroll – Along the Stroll participants will learn how using our senses in our environment can help to calm our mind and body. Information will be provided on coping/calming skills along with an activity to create your own tool kit. This will be a walk around the fairgrounds path, near the Kaliseum, in Kalkaska. Participants will be able to create a sensory tool kit on their walk by stopping at each check station to learn about coping and calming skills related to their senses. Stations will include an activity station for the following: Sight: having various photos/postcards of places and things such as nature, animals, etc. and information on playing games like Eye Spy and how what we see in our environment can help us calm; Sound: Music/sound station where they can create a rain stick and listen to live music performed by Darrell Boger; Touch: where they can explore other tactile textures and play in the dirt and plant a small plant; Smell: where they can create an essential oils roller or scented slime and learn about calming scents; Taste: where refreshments will be available – Sunday, May 21 – 1:00-4:00 p.m.

• • Cheboygan – May Day Mindfulness – at North Central State Trailhead on South Western Ave, across from Faith Baptist Church – with family-friendly activities, including a mindfulness scavenger hunt, writing inspiration letters to yourself, mental health education, and a gardening kit giveaway. There will be fun door prizes, and snacks and drinks available. Come join us and learn how to avoid a May Day Crisis of your own. Saturday, May 27, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

• • Petoskey – Rock Your Mental Health – at Festival Square, 200 Watchel St., Petoskey – Join us for a rock painting event to promote a positive mental health environment. “Pick it, Paint it, Place it (or take it home). Rocks and all painting supplies and snacks will be provided. Wear your painting clothes. – Tuesday, May 30 – 1:00-4:00 p.m.

North Country Community Mental Health provides services to residents of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Kalkaska and Otsego Counties experiencing a serious mental illness, severe emotional problem, or intellectual/developmental disability, including individuals with co-occurring substance use disorder. With a team of highly trained professionals, NCCMH offers a range of crisis intervention, outpatient, and home- and community-based services and supports.

Persons wishing to know more about North Country Community Mental Health are encouraged to visit www.norcocmh.org or to access services call 877-470-7130. For 24/7 crisis intervention call 877-470-4668.

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North Country Community Mental Health (NCCMH) recently recognized four members of its Board of Directors whose terms of service have ended.

Board Chair Ed Ginop presented special resolutions to Paul Liss, Robert Draves, and Christian Marcus at the NCCMH December meeting for fulfilling their roles with distinction and dedication. Katina Banko was not present and received the resolution after the meeting.

Paul Liss served on the NCCMH Board for fourteen years, having been appointed by the Otsego County Board of Commissioners in 2009. He served on the Finance Committee and Executive Committee, and as Chair of the Personnel Committee.

Christian Marcus served on the NCCMH Board for ten years and was appointed by the Antrim County Board of Commissioners in 2013. In addition to serving as Chair of the Finance Committee, he also represented NCCMH on the Northern Michigan Regional Entity Board of Directors for three years.

Robert Draves was appointed to the NCCMH Board in 2019 by the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners and served through December 2022. In addition to serving on the NCCMH Board, Draves also represented NCCMH on the Northern Michigan Regional Entity Substance Use Disorder Oversight Board.

Katina Banko was appointed to the NCCMH Board by the Kalkaska County Board of Commissioners in 2021 and served on the Finance Committee.

NCCMH provides services to residents of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Kalkaska, and Otsego Counties experiencing a serious mental illness, severe emotional problem, or intellectual/developmental disability, including individuals with co-occurring substance use disorder.

There are fourteen board members on the NCCMH Board of Directors who represent the six counties served by NCCMH. They are County Commissioners or appointees of their County Board of Commissions. The County Commissions will be appointing four people to replace the outgoing NCCMH board members.

In addition, there are two vacancies, one in each of Charlevoix and Kalkaska Counties. If you are a resident of Charlevoix or Kalkaska County and are interested in supporting NCCMH programs, services, and clients by serving on the NCCMH Board of Directors as an appointed county representative, please contact your Board of Commissions.

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Critical Incidents, such as natural disasters, accidents or shootings, can have devastating impacts on the people involved as well as the helpers who assist them afterward. Helping people cope with critical incidents and psychological harm was the topic of a special training provided recently by NCCMH to two dozen first responders.

First responders, EMS, fire, law enforcement, and hospital emergency department staff joined NCCMH staff in intensive learning with Susan Elben, MSW, LMSW, an instructor for International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc (ICISF), over three days at the Gaylord/Kirkland University Center.

The class, sometimes referred to as psychological first aid, was designed for people without formal training in mental health, as well as mental health professionals, who desire to increase their knowledge of individual and group crisis intervention techniques in order to be better prepared to help their communities.

Amy Christie, NCCMH Chief Clinical Officer explained why NCCMH sponsored the training, which they offered to community partners at no cost: “We planned this training to increase our community’s preparedness to deal with critical incidents. As we all responded to the Gaylord tornado last fall, when many people were traumatized, we needed ‘all hands-on deck’ to help. On-scene help was needed and peoples’ needs continued long after the event itself. Luckily, in our small communities, people rally together and do what they can. In the aftermath, we may need some psychological first aid too, to help deal with the trauma emotionally. Too, in small communities such as ours, the helpers themselves often also experience trauma because they may know or be related to the people involved. The three-day course prepared participants to understand a wide range of crisis intervention services, including pre- and post-incident crisis education, on-scene support, support for significant others, demobilizations after large scale traumatic incidents, and small group defusings,” Christie explained.

“The training offered positive opportunities for collaboration for future partnerships as well as increased knowledge of mental health issues and concerns within our communities,” Christie added.

Bill Drollinger said, “As Chief of Police for the Bellaire Police Department and Assistant Chief of the Bellaire District Fire Department, I had the opportunity to attend the Crisis Intervention Stress Debriefing Training. This training is designed to assist Front Line Emergency Service Personal to deal with traumatic events. Most Emergency Service Personnel are reluctant to talk about tragic events and research has shown that early debriefing can help with mental health concerns. Crisis Intervention Stress Debriefing is a very important step in Emergency Services to assist in the health and well-being of First Responders.”

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North Country Community Mental Health (NCCMH) received notice that they were awarded another Three-Year Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) after their site visit November 2-4, 2022. This is the sixth three-year accreditation the international accrediting body has awarded to NCCMH.

This accreditation outcome represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the standards established by CARF.

“I am very pleased with the excellent results of the CARF survey and proud of the team of talented professionals delivering quality services to our community,” said Brian Babbitt, NCCMH Chief Executive Officer. “What stood out to me during the exit interview is the recognition by all three seasoned surveyors of the strength of the team, their dedication, the teamwork, the positive attitudes, and the focus on those we serve. North County was credited with being in the top 10% of programs they surveyed and our children’s services were in the top 1%.”

The report noted many areas of strength, including the dedication, compassion, and strong, positive attitude of staff and staff commitment to the people they serve.

Especially noted were NCCMH’s partnerships with the community and local law enforcement, the medical director, the two “excellently organized” Clubhouse programs in Petoskey and Rapid City, the assertive community service (ACT) team, the emergency/crisis intervention team, and children and family services. The outpatient treatment and case management programs in each of the six counties served by NCCMH were noted, which “provide an exceptional depth and scope of clinical services to children, adolescents, and families, including infant mental health services, parent support partner services, and home-based services to support children and families across the lifespan.”

In addition, surveyors found it notable that NCCMH won the prestigious Mental Health America Platinum Bell Seal Award for its commitment to providing a mentally healthy workforce at the platinum (highest) level.

Programs surveyed were Assertive Community Treatment, Case Management/Services Coordination, Community Integration, Crisis Intervention, and Outpatient Treatment.

An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process. It has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable and of the highest quality.

The post NCCMH Receives Full CARF Accreditation first appeared on North Country Community Mental Health.

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