Archive for » July 23rd, 2012«

23 Jul 2012

YMCA Offering Mental Health ‘First Aid’ Classes

The Somerset Hills YMCA will in late July and this fall again offer its mental health “first aid” training, part of a program for addressing the community’s mental health needs that recently earned the organization recognition from the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.

The first classes will begin on July 31 at the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church in the Liberty Corner section of the township just over the border from Mendham, and will run for four weeks.

The second offering of the 12-hour certification program, costing $75 and offering continuing education credits, will be held during two full days in October at the YMCA’s main facility at 140 Mount Airy Road in Basking Ridge.

For professionals and general public both

“This workshop is appropriate for both professionals  as well as non-professionals,” Susan Visser, coordinator of the YMCA’s Healthy Outcomes Partnership program. “It is really is geared toward people with little or no knowlege of mental illness.”

Visser added the program is at the same time designed to provide information for people who with various segments of the community in a more professional capacity, including teachers, clergy, counselors, law enforcement professionals, business owners and others.

The Mental Health Association in New Jersey recently honored the Somerset Hills YMCA for its programs at the organization’s Evening of Excellence benefit held on June 19. The local YMCA has offered mental health programs on an ongoing basis since the late 2000s.

“Our heartfelt appreciation is extended to our honorees for the Mental Health Association in New Jersey’s 2012 Evening of Excellence. The Somerset Hills YMCA was selected on the basis of its exemplary commitment and accomplishments in improving the lives of those with mental illness,” Carolyn Beauchamp, President and CEO of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey, reportedly said during the evening.

The Somerset Hills YMCA received the Golden Bell Leadership Award for its Healthy Outcomes Partnership (HOP) program, run through a coalition of agencies, organizations and individuals concerned with public, mental health and related issues.

HOP was formed to help people connect with the resources they need to overcome these problems at a time when the community had experienced several tragedies involving mental health crisis, including the death of an eighth grader in a situation involving his mother, later ruled to be suffering from mental illness.

That death led the boy’s father, William Kimzy, to approach the YMCA with a goal of establishing community education on the subject. His efforts led to the creation of HOP, a joint initiative by the YMCA initiative and representatives of about 25 to 30 different agencies, churches and members of the community at large. The volunteers focus on educating the public about mental health, according to the YMCA.

Understanding the importance of mental health, the YMCA began offering Mental Health First Aid training to its leadership, staff, members and the community at large.

The program has emerged as a leader of innovation in linking physical to mental health among the YMCAs in the state, according to information from the Somerset Hills YMCA. It also has shone light on the subject of mental health beacon for the Somerset Hills YMCA’s 20,000 members and the surrounding community, according to information from the YMCA.

The idea behind behind the Mental Health First Aid program is no different than that of traditional first aid, Visser said, “to create an environment where people know how to help someone in emergency situations.”

“But instead of learning how to give CPR or how to treat a broken bone; the 12-hour course teaches ordinary people how to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems and how to provide initial aid before guiding a person toward appropriate professional help,” Visser added.

The YMCA’s certification course consists of an interactive 12-hour course that presents an overview of mental illness including depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders and substance use disorders. Participants will learn risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, build an understanding of their impact, and gain knowledge of common treatments, according to information from the YMCA.

Participants will also learn a 5-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care, according to a news release from the YMCA.

The cost of the training course is $75 and continuing education credits for Human Resource professionals are available.

To register, please contact Susan Visser via email at svisser@somersethillsymca.org to obtain a registration form.

The former must be completed and along with a check for $75 brought to the Welcome Center at the YMCA or mail them to: Sue Visser, Somerset Hills YMCA, 140 Mount Airy Road in Basking Ridge, 07920.

Course schedule options are as follows:

July/ Aug 2012 Course; Tuesdays, July 31, Aug. 7, 14 and 21 from 5:45 to 8:45 p.m. at the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church, 45 Church St. in Liberty Corner. Participants are asked to bring a bagged dinner, although water and desserts will be provided.

October 2012 Course; Tuesdays, Oct. 16 and 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Somerset Hills YMCA, at 140 Mount Airy Road in Basking Ridge. Lunch will be provided.


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23 Jul 2012

Renacci to Return $100K in Questionable Donations

ap jim renacci r ohio mr 120723 wblog Renacci to Return $100K in Questionable Donations

Image credit: Scott Heckel/AP Images

Under pressure from his Democratic rival, Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci says he is  returning approximately $100,000 in campaign contributions that have become the subject of a federal probe.

The contributions, whose legality has recently been questioned by Renacci’s competitor, Rep. Betty Sutton, are connected to Ben Suarez, the president of  the Ohio-based Suarez Corp.  Suarez is suspected of having reimbursed his employees for contributions made to Renacci’s campaign to get around individual donation ceilings.

While the donations in question were made to Renacci’s campaign, Renacci has not been accused of any breach of conduct. He announced the decision to return the funds in an open letter Friday released Friday.

Ohio Treasurer and U.S. Senate hopeful Josh Mandel’s finances are also being investigated, as his campaign also received a number of donations from individuals with connections to Suarez.

Sutton, a Democratic incumbent, is facing Renacci in this year’s election due to redistricting in Ohio. Sutton had pressured Renacci to come clean about the donations before his decision to return the funds.

In his letter, which was distributed as a news release on Friday, Renacci accused Sutton of “gutter politics” and brought up Sutton’s own conduct when she found herself in a similar situation in 2008. In that case, Sutton accepted approximately $7,000 in campaign donations from Rep. Charles Rangel, D, N.Y.

Sutton initially kept the funds while the House Ethics Committee carried out an investigation, and then later donated them to charity when it was found that misconduct had occurred.

Renacci’s letter also accused Sutton of having “opted to avoid any meaningful dialogue over the issues plaguing our country — and instead plan to wage a desperate campaign of distractions and distortions to hide from your voting record.”

Sutton issued a statement today taking credit for Renacci’s decision to return the funds.

“Every day, Ohioans work hard and play by the rules, and they expect their representatives in Washington to do the same,” she said. “While some of Renacci’s largest contributions are under FBI investigation, Jim Renacci has lied and he has hid the truth about what he knew about these suspect donations, and why he refused to return them. He owes the voters of this district an explanation, and I look forward to hearing all of the facts because voters deserve to know the truth about these shady campaign practices.”

James Slepian, Renacci’s chief of staff and currently the campaign’s part-time spokesman, indicated that Renacci decided to return the disputed funds in order to run a campaign focused on “serious issues.”

“Our initial position on this was that the proper course was wait until the inquiry had concluded and find out if any wrongdoing had occurred,” Slepian said of the Renacci campaign’s decision to return the funds in advance of the federal probe’s findings. “We came to the conclusion that the only hope we have of having a campaign and a race in the 16th district was to take away Betty Sutton’s last and final excuse to not talk about her record.”

Slepian also said that returning the $100,000 will not have a negative impact on Renacci’s reelection campaign.

“Fortunately we have substantially outraised Betty Sutton to date,” he said. “In the last quarter we raised over half a million dollars, she raised $290,000, so I think the consistent strength that we’ve had in our fundraising operation has put us in a position where we can run a successful campaign.”

Slepian indicated that Renacci’s campaign had no knowledge of the timeline of the federal probe, as merely the donors and not the campaign itself are under investigation.

Get more pure politics at ABC News.com/Politics and a lighter take on the news at OTUSNews.com


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23 Jul 2012

Charities To Benefit From Big 10 Sanctions On Penn State

Photo: Steve Eng (Flickr)

The Joe Paterno statue was taken down from outside the Penn State stadium after the coach was found to have covered up the scandal involving Jerry Sandusky.

The Big 10 has announced its own sanctions against Penn State University.

Chair of the Big 10 Council of Presidents, Sally Mason, says the school will be ineligible for conference postseason play over the next four years.

“It will therefore be ineligible to receive its share of Big 10 Conference bowl revenues over those same four years,” she says. “That money, which we estimate to be approximately $13 million, will be donated to established charitable organizations in Big 10 communities and states that are dedicated to the protection of children.”

Big 10 Chair Jim Delany says the conference agrees with the NCAA that the Penn State scandal is worthy of the punishment.

“It‘s as damaging as any set of actions or activities that I‘ve been involved with in my 33 years as a commissioner,” he says. “I accept that as fact, but I also believe that there is an opportunity, a hope, for redemption, improvement and resilience.”

Delany says the conference will look at the NCAA freedom of transfer declaration for Penn St. football players, as it pertains to other Big 10 schools.

“Our first inclination is to allow those students to have the most amount of freedom and flexibility if they choose to transfer,” he says. “And so I think on first blush our orientation would be to support as much freedom as possible for those students.”

Delany says the conference does not have plans to re-align divisions in the wake of the sanctions. The school now faces a total of $73 million in fines, the Penn State football program revenue for 2010 was $70.2 million.


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23 Jul 2012

Affordable Care Act will expand mental health coverage, but budget cuts a worry

Mentally ill people will have a much easier time accessing care two years from now, thanks to the new federal health care law. But advocates worry that current budget cuts may create a shortage of the very mental health services the newly insured will want to use. In 2008, 67,560 uninsured people in Pennsylvania did not get mental health care because they could not afford the services, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. That number should drop dramatically by 2014, when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all American citizens to have health coverage that will include mental health services.

That is great news both for the health of those patients and for the public pocketbook, advocates say. “To not treat mental illness can really cost you,” said Joseph Rogers, chief advocacy officer at the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania. He said mentally ill people end up in emergency rooms, homeless centers, and prisons when they cannot access treatment.

But there have been cuts to mental health services in recent state budgets. The 2012-13 Pennsylvania budget had a 10 percent cut to seven programs. “The current administration is undermining the work people have been building for over 40 years,” said Alyssa Goodin, associate director of the Philadelphia Alliance, a society of mental health providers. She worries that budget cuts will reduce staff and programs at clinics that will soon be inundated with newly eligible patients.

Already it can be difficult to get mental help when patients need it. Children have to wait an average of 37 days to start treatment, according to a survey of mental health agencies in Philadelphia compiled by Public Citizens for Children and Youth, an advocacy organization.

Under the ACA, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny people coverage for preexisting conditions, or place lifetime limits on the amount of care they’ll pay for — both serious current financial constraints for patients trying to manage lifelong mental health disorders.

The federal government gave states leeway about what mental health coverage will look like, and advocates are now lobbying to make sure insurance plans cover the full range of mental health services.

 

— Allyn Gaestel


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23 Jul 2012

Affordable Care Act will expand mental health coverage, but budget cuts a worry

Mentally ill people will have a much easier time accessing care two years from now, thanks to the new federal health care law. But advocates worry that current budget cuts may create a shortage of the very mental health services the newly insured will want to use. In 2008, 67,560 uninsured people in Pennsylvania did not get mental health care because they could not afford the services, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. That number should drop dramatically by 2014, when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all American citizens to have health coverage that will include mental health services.

That is great news both for the health of those patients and for the public pocketbook, advocates say. “To not treat mental illness can really cost you,” said Joseph Rogers, chief advocacy officer at the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania. He said mentally ill people end up in emergency rooms, homeless centers, and prisons when they cannot access treatment.

But there have been cuts to mental health services in recent state budgets. The 2012-13 Pennsylvania budget had a 10 percent cut to seven programs. “The current administration is undermining the work people have been building for over 40 years,” said Alyssa Goodin, associate director of the Philadelphia Alliance, a society of mental health providers. She worries that budget cuts will reduce staff and programs at clinics that will soon be inundated with newly eligible patients.

Already it can be difficult to get mental help when patients need it. Children have to wait an average of 37 days to start treatment, according to a survey of mental health agencies in Philadelphia compiled by Public Citizens for Children and Youth, an advocacy organization.

Under the ACA, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny people coverage for preexisting conditions, or place lifetime limits on the amount of care they’ll pay for — both serious current financial constraints for patients trying to manage lifelong mental health disorders.

The federal government gave states leeway about what mental health coverage will look like, and advocates are now lobbying to make sure insurance plans cover the full range of mental health services.

 

— Allyn Gaestel


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23 Jul 2012

Pfizer Led US Corporate Donations Last Year

Corporate donors kept a tighter hold
on cash in 2011 even while increasing their total gifts of money
and products to $17.1 billion, according to the Chronicle of
Philanthropy’s annual report.

Donations by 166 U.S. companies surveyed by the Chronicle
gained 15 percent from 2010, according to data released
simultaneously today by the newspaper and Bloomberg Rankings.
The cash portion grew more slowly, rising 4.4 percent in 2011
after a 13 percent jump a year earlier, as companies showed more
caution amid waning consumer confidence and a debt crisis in
Europe, Chronicle editor Stacy Palmer said in an interview.

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) (PFE), the world’s largest drugmaker, was corporate
America’s largest donor for a third straight year, granting $3.1
billion in gifts in 2011. The New York-based company’s total was
little changed in 2011 and cash donations dropped 18.5 percent
as grant partnerships ended.

“Every company is stepping back and making sure that its
philanthropy is as efficient and effective as it can be,”
Caroline Roan, president of the drugmaker’s Pfizer Foundation,
said in a telephone interview. “We are not looking to make huge
new investments, but are assessing opportunities as they come
and making sure that people have access to the health care they
need.”

Some companies did manage to increase their cash
contributions. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) (WMT), the world’s largest
retailer, led the list of cash donors with $342.4 million, a 7.2
percent increase, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s
data. Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) (SBUX) almost tripled its cash giving to $30.5
million last year, the Seattle-based coffee-shop operator said.

Demand Increases

Demand for aid from nonprofits has increased at a faster
pace than philanthropic giving by companies, Palmer said.

“Because of the small growth, many nonprofits aren’t
getting the money they need to do their jobs,” Palmer said.
“They are having to look to other sources like individuals
since they can no longer depend as heavily on these large
companies.”

The companies in the Standard Poor’s 500 Stock Index hold
about $1.45 trillion in cash on their books, up from about $1.36
trillion a year earlier, according to their latest quarterly
filings compiled by Bloomberg.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Kelly Blessing in New York at
kblessing@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Kevin Miller at
kmiller@bloomberg.net


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23 Jul 2012

Digital Net Agency Launches Clicks-for-a-Cause: Search Marketing Aid for …


DALLAS, Pa., July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Digital Net Agency, Inc. (DNA), a new, performance-based search agency, announced today it is offering a comprehensive pro-bono program, Clicks-for-a-Cause, that leverages the agency’s deep expertise in search marketing. DNA’s Clicks-for-a-Cause helps charities and non-profits rise to the top of search engines, driving traffic to increase fundraising, membership, volunteers and awareness.

“The current economic environment presents significant challenges to the fundraising efforts of today’s non-profits and charities, and tight budgets allow little room for marketing,” said Digital Net Agency CEO Aaron Baker. “Search marketing is one of the most cost-efficient, effective and critical forms of marketing and DNA’s total-performance search marketing expertise can help non-profits rapidly turn up their online traffic. Giving back, especially today when so many are in need, is very important to DNA which is why we have developed this unique program.”

Clicks-for-a-Cause is open to any non-profit organization and the company adopts 4-8 organizations a year for the program, depending on the complexity of the organizations’ needs. DNA works with each non-profit to determine what is most crucial for its sustainability and, more importantly, growth, i.e. more volunteers, more donations, etc., and then focuses on jumpstarting a search engine marketing and/or search engine optimization program around that specific goal.

DNA, which has offices in Pennsylvania and New York City, launched last month to upend traditional agency models, with a focus on maximizing agency accountability and minimizing client risk, all while fueling massive client growth. The agency was founded and is staffed by a team of veterans from Top 10 Search agencies, who have helped hundreds of advertisers – from start-ups to Fortune 500 brands – manage the most complex search programs in the world, while propelling them to the top of the search engines. Dedicated to putting talent, research, technology and proven strategies at the forefront of its business, DNA offers unique revenue and equity-based models to its clients.

Organizations interested in applying for DNA’s Clicks-for-a-Cause program should contact: info@digitalnetagency.com or 866.DNA.1275.

About DNA

Digital Net Agency, Inc. (DNA) is a leading performance-based search agency with a concentration on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). DNA also offers social media and affiliate marketing to their clients with the same innovative approach and expertise. Founded by a team of veteran search experts and technologists from Top 10 agencies, DNA is dedicated to partnering with clients to fuel growth while delivering maximum accountability through its performance-based models. DNA is based in Dallas, PA, with offices in New York City.

Media ContactAngela Jacobson, mWEBB Communications, Inc., 714-454-8776, angela@mwebbcom.com

SOURCE Digital Net Agency, Inc.

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved


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23 Jul 2012

Regional community-based mental health programme launched

Regional community-based mental health programme launched
By Vimita Mohandas |
Posted: 23 July 2012 1142 hrs

 

 


 
 
 



SINGAPORE: Dementia patients living in the northern part of Singapore can now look forward to holistic care with the launch of the country’s first mental health network.

The two-year pilot programme, called Temasek Cares-iCommunity@North, will bring together different services and community partners to better serve the needs of elderly with mental illness.

By 2030, the number of elderly aged 60 and above with dementia is expected to hit about 80,000. This is about two and a half times more than the current 28,000.

Thus, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is working with its partners over the next five years to implement a series of community-based mental health services.

Its first mental health network has two specialised teams providing seniors and their caregivers with quick access to social, community and healthcare services within their neighbourhood.

The Community Resource, Engagement and Support Team (CREST) aims to raise the awareness of dementia among residents while the Community Intervention Team (COMIT) will focus on counselling therapy for dementia patients and caregivers.

It also involves care-coordination, where counsellors monitor patients and make appropriate referrals for family doctors, social services or hospital follow-ups.

The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital will play a crucial role to create a seamless care network between community and hospital-based services.

It will work closely with community teams to ensure that patients receive the care they need in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Minister of State for Health, Dr Amy Khor explained: “I think this will help to bridge the gap between acute care, tertiary care services and primary care and that will facilitate helping to look after these patients with mental illness within the community.”

Plans to rope in more care providers are also in the works.

Chief of Community Mental Health Division in the Agency for Integrated Care, Dr Tan Weng Mooi, elaborated: “The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital has also started to engage dementia day centre in Swami to see how we can work with the dementia day centre, build up their comfort level, their support and understanding. And of course we are going to move on to nursing homes around this area like Sri Narayana Swami.”

MOH said it’s looking to roll out a similar concept to residents in the central region next year.

- CNA/fa

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23 Jul 2012

Guest opinion: Excellence prevails at Lee Mental Health – The News

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General Colin Powell said, “Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” Nowhere is this attitude more prevalent than through the good work done by Lee Mental Health Center in Fort Myers as evidenced by its recent three-year reaccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.

Since 1966, CARF has been an independent, nonprofit accreditation agency of health and human services. Through accreditation, CARF assists service providers in improving the quality of their services, demonstrating value, and meeting internationally recognized organizational and program standards.

For more than 43 years, Lee Mental Health has subscribed to an attitude of excellence, and its recent reaccreditation letter from CARF points out the organization’s amazing strengths as it steadfastly serves the mental health and substance abuse needs of our community.

As chairman of the board of directors, it gives me great pride to share with you a few of the highlights from the reaccreditation letter:

» Lee Mental Health Center is a very well-managed organization that is meeting an important community need.
» Direct service and support personnel report that they feel part of a family and have a sense of belonging to something very important.
» Team members are competent and compassionate. They are proactive, innovative and committed to providing access to care.
» Physical facilities are neat and clean.
» The organization has a passion for quality and has committed to continuous quality improvement.
» The organization has well-rounded, knowledgeable and dedicated staff members who provide excellent care to the population served.
» Lee Mental Health is well respected by other community treatment providers for its commitment to partnership and collaboration in serving the region’s healthcare needs.
» The experience and tenure of management and other staff members are a great strength and provide a sense of continuity to the persons served.

I congratulate Lee Mental Health Center for its three-year reaccreditation and the good work it does within our community each and every day. Excellence at Lee Mental Health is clearly not an exception, but rather the prevailing attitude.


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23 Jul 2012

Donation given to Southeast Ohio Food Bank

Hussman Foundation, through a partnership with Feeding America, and the Southeastern Ohio Hunger Fund will each donate $5,000 to Southeastern Ohio Food Bank, a division of Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, as part of a matching program to help generate additional donations to the food bank by Aug. 15.

The Southeastern Ohio Hunger Fund matched the $5,000 challenge grant from The Hussman Foundation.

Southeastern Ohio Hunger Fund founders Jeff and Helen Davidson and co-adviser Rev. David Maze hope to spur additional donations up to and beyond the $10,000 total challenge amount by Aug. 15. Donations may be made online at www.hapcap.org or by mail to Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, P.O. Box 220, Glouster, Ohio 45732. Make checks payable to HAPCAP.

“I like to thank both the Hussman Foundation and Southeastern Ohio Hunger Fund for their generosity,” said Tracy Galway, HAPCAP Food and Nutrition division director. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to have up to $10,000 in match money from any donations received through Aug. 15.”

The Hussman Foundation’s intent is to leverage its support to enhance fundraising efforts in smaller food banks, while making an impact in high-need service areas. Southeastern Ohio Food Bank has been named as one of 10 Feeding America network members selected to receive this funding, based on a combination of food insecurity rate, operating budget and fundraising revenue data.

The mission of the Hussman Foundation is to provide life-changing assistance through medical research, education and direct aid to vulnerable individuals having urgent needs or significant disabilities.

The Davidsons, longtime Dublin, Ohio, residents, are both CPAs who worked in tax and financial management positions for years. They believe that nothing one accomplishes in the business world is as important as giving back to people who haven’t had the same opportunities in life that they had.

In October 2007, Jeff Davidson made a trip to Logan and was moved and humbled by all that he experienced and knew that he could never accept the fact that people in Ohio are struggling to put food on their tables.

Because of those experiences, the Southeastern Ohio Hunger Fund was created. It is administered through the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, P.O. Box 456, 35 Public Square, Nelsonville, Ohio 45764.


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