CURRENTS SUMMER 2022
988 - An Easier Way to Access Support This Is My Brave Spotlight: Life On Life’s Terms Celebrating All Forms of Recovery
A PUBLICATION OF RIVERBEND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH, INC.
CURRENTS IN THIS ISSUE...
01 An Eventful, Hopeful Summer A letter from Lisa Madden
04 This Is My Brave Spotlight: Life On Life’s Terms, by: Sammie Hackett
02 988 – Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Number An easier way to access support
06 Recovery Month Celebrating all forms of recovery
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The Katie Bentley Lilac Project Beautifying Mill House and beyond
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Kids Mental Health Tips for dealing with back-toschool stress and anxiety
AN EVENTFUL, HOPEFUL SUMMER
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A letter from Lisa Madden Greetings, Here at Riverbend, there’s so much to look forward to and be excited about as I write this letter! It’s a challenge to decide what to mention first. We are so proud to be involved in the launch of Critical Time Intervention (CTI), a no-cost, comprehensive transition program which connects people who are being discharged from inpatient psychiatric care to support systems and service providers in their own home towns and neighborhoods. CTI coaches will provide one-on-one assistance with individuals to assist them in determining their goals, finding living arrangements, seeking employment, and helping adjust comfortably to the care of their community support systems. This nine-month program gradually allows clients moving through the continuum of care to develop a sense of stability, safety, and independence, and promises a dramatic reduction in readmission to inpatient settings. Almost simultaneously, there is enormous excitement over New Hampshire’s long-anticipated transition to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline coming to fruition. No longer will people experiencing such a crisis have to dial a difficultto-remember ten digit number to find help. Now, 988 will more efficiently connect callers to a trained expert who can quickly evaluate to dispatch a mobile crisis unit or perhaps initiate with the caller a follow-up plan which could include next-day appointments with behavioral health specialists in their area. 988 will redirect mental health crisis care away from 911, emergency rooms, and law enforcement first responders, and a text/chat-based service is planned for the future. September is National Recovery Month, an annual observance which began in 1989, and celebrates the achievements of those in recovery from substance use and accomplishments in mental health. It not only increases awareness, but also promotes new evidence-based treatments and recovery practices, celebrates the amazing dedication of service providers and the recovery community, and addresses the understanding of mental health and the need to eliminate stigma everywhere.
Lisa Madden, CEO, Riverbend Community Mental Health
And as this eventful summer winds down and our families prepare for the school year, we as parents completely understand that returning to school can be stressful for our kids. Remember to talk to them early and often about their hopes and concerns for that first day back, and beyond the shopping for school items, talk to them about creating a constructive space to base their new tools and set up a comfortable study area. Suggest they read their favorite book as summer wanes, or read it with them! Just talking to your kids about school may be the best tool to prepare them for that stress of childhood. I’ll close by wishing you a pleasant end to summer as we enjoy one of the most exciting and hopeful seasons we’ve seen in recent memory. Until the fall edition of Currents and our 16th Annual Champions for Mental Health Awards, stay positive and please look after one another. Best,
Lisa K. Madden CEO - Riverbend Community Mental Health
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988 – SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE NUMBER An easier way to access support
Beginning in 2005, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline telephone number (1-800-273-8255) has been a resource for over twenty million individuals seeking support when in mental health distress or contemplating suicide. On July 16th, accessing the Lifeline became simplified when the number transitioned to an easier to remember, three digit telephone number: 988. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “988 offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they
are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.” Individuals who call 988 will first hear a greeting message as they are routed to a local Lifeline network based on the caller’s area code. If the local crisis center is unable to take the call, the caller will be automatically routed to a national backup crisis center. Most people who currently call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline just need someone to talk to, but in some instances, in-person support is needed. For Riverbend, this in-person support is their Mobile Crisis Program – a team of clinicians and peer support specialists who are trained to assist
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individuals experiencing a mental health related crisis. For six years, Riverbend’s Mobile Crisis Team responded to calls made to their own crisis hotline number, which switched in January of 2022 to the statewide NH Rapid Response call or text number, 1-833-7106477, operated by Beacon Health Operations. While retaining this number, NH Rapid Response is also the 24-hour answering base for 988 in the Granite State, even if the caller has an out-of-state area code. If a New Hampshire caller dials the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and requires additional local assistance, 988 will dispatch the nearest Community Mental health Center’s Mobile Crisis Program. Typically, Mobile Crisis Teams consist of a Master’s level Clinician and Peer Support Specialist trained to assist, evaluate, and refer the individual experiencing a behavioral health or substance use crisis to short and long-term resources. Not only do the teams offer brief, solution- focused stabilization services to alleviate the crisis, they also aid in long-term solutions to prevent recurrence of crises, connect families to the resources they need, and are trained in processing Involuntary Emergency Admissions petitions, working closely with local police departments to ensure safe outcomes for community members in need. Heather Gaylord, Director of
Emergency Services at Riverbend, anticipates an increase in volume to be one of the bigger obstacles to overcome regarding 988. However, she remains optimistic about the many positive changes this number will provide for individuals in New Hampshire and across the United States. “I think easy accessibility is a huge positive,” Gaylord noted. “We went from a model that had 10 mental health centers, 3 of which had mobile crisis programs, to 10 centers with a mobile crisis team. We’ve already seen the impact of that because we can reach people now who we couldn’t reach before, and it’s less of a concern - when someone lives in an isolated geographic area - that they’re not going to get service.” “The other barrier that 988 will help address is general accessibility,” Gaylord continued, “even if it’s just a phone call -because it’s complicated when you’re stressed out to remember a 10-digit number or be on the internet searching for it. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has been a huge help in that, and a good resource for people because it’s well-advertised but it’s not always local or attached to services that will help people on the backend from a longevity standpoint. It’s a lot easier to dial 3 digits, so I’m hoping it will just help people to feel more connected. This has been a long time coming that
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there’s a seamless way to connect, this is going to be a really good opportunity to serve people better.” Per the SAMHSA website, “It’s important to understand that 988 will connect people to more than just a ‘suicide’ line, it will be a service for anyone who is suicidal or experiencing a mental health- and/or substance use related crisis. It’s important we don’t call this only a ‘suicide’ lifeline, but instead refer to it as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.” If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988. It’s important to note that if you want or need a local response – every time – that continuing to call the NH Rapid Response number (1-833-710-6477) will ensure this.
988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE
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LIFE ON LIFE’S TERMS By: Sammie Hackett Hi, my name is Sammie I come from a family of addiction, This life is real, NOT fiction. 31 years old with 3 autoimmune diseases, No longer living life trying to appease. Growing up was rough no doubt about that, That’s why I always walked around with a hoodie and a hat. All the drugs, all the beers, I’ve dealt with addiction for so many years. Always hiding and running away, Now that’s not how I have to live today. When I first came in the program, it was with my mom for support, Hearing of a new way of life, didn’t make sense, I had to abort. Not knowing what recovery was about, I kept coming, started to listen, and figure it out. On 4-20-20 I crashed my car and almost died, That was my reality check coming alive. 3 days later after coming to, My mom begged me to go to rehab, it was the right thing to do. So, I admitted myself into detox the very next day, 9 days later, I went to a rehab Franklin NH where I was to stay. I have lost so many to this disease, Now they’re part of the oxygen that bursts from the trees. Those that have fallen are never forgotten, They are a reminder for me to stay sober and how I have lost them. Guardian angels above guiding me through,
This journey called life; I now know what to do. Thanks to recovery I see clearer than before, When one door closes, there’s another open door. Now that I have recovery I have so many things, Blessings, upon blessings, upon blessings. Only the best things in life come free, Now I give it away to thee. Without recovery I’d have nothing to give, I also wouldn’t know how to live. Today I love with all my heart, People love and trust me back, that’s a start. There used to come a time when I couldn’t love or be loved at all, There also came a time in my life, I thought I would fall. Always remembering those I have lost, Relapse always comes at an ultimate cost. My brother crashed his car due to a DUI, Only he and another came out alive. Reasons like this are why recovery is so important to me, My life is no longer a misery. No longer living life deliriously, I take my recovery seriously. There’s nothing I love more than seeing a newcomer come in, They remind me where I’ve come from and where I’ve been. The newcomer and old timer are the most important in the room, Constantly listening, never assume. All the willingness and gratitude within myself, Now full of innate health. Thanks to recovery I have my life back, I will continue this journey with a playlist and a backpack.
THIS IS MY BRAVE
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Celebrating all forms of recovery
RECOVERY MONTH
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Recovery is celebrated every day at Riverbend’s Choices Addiction Recovery Program, however Nationwide, the month of September is designated as Recovery Month for all to come together and celebrate. From the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) “National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.” Shanna Large-Reusch, Director of the Choices Addiction Recovery Program at Riverbend which houses the Choices Program, The Doorway, and the NH Drug Court Program, recognizes the importance of carving out time to celebrate recovery. “I feel like every day here we acknowledge and make sobriety a big deal, but with this month we get to do out of the box activities and allow people to express themselves in ways that are not just sitting in a group and having conversation,” shared Large-Reusch. Noel Cassen, a Choices Recovery Peer Manager, has been leading the initiative on the Recovery Month activities for the program since 2018. Celebrations
have included visits from the National Harm Reduction Coalition or Liberty the Dog from the Concord Police Department, ice cream socials, tiedying shirts, games, and an attendance raffle to incentivize clients to attend all of their scheduled appointments or groups where three eligible clients are randomly selected from the raffle each week to win gift cards. “We try to provide as many different ways and activities to celebrate our clients,” shared Cassen, “because one thing that might excite one person might not excite someone else, so I like to think we do get a lot of participation in these events and a lot of them give us feedback that they love getting involved.” “Clients can be a little unsure about Recovery Month just because it’s something new,” explained Rebecca Martin, Case Manager for the Doorway. “They’re not used to recovery being a celebrated thing, so they definitely get excited about it. Activities are something new every day. It makes them more engaged, and with staff it raises morale.” Another Recovery Month initiative is what’s called a “Recovery Quilt”, where Clients are provided different colored and shaped pieces of construction paper and are asked to write, or express however they’d like, what recovery means to them.
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“When it’s all put together you can see the wide range and variety in our client’s answers,” offered Martin, “and by being able to visualize what’s important to our clients it’s a great way to see those differences come together and unite.” One of the most exciting Recovery Month activities is the slogan bracelet contest. Choices staff send out a form to all of their clients and ask them to put together a phrase or a quote that means a lot to them. A winner is selected and that winner gets their quote on 400 silicone bracelets for the month, in addition to a gift card and a certificate recognizing their award. Scott Rupp, Manager of the Doorway Program, feels strongly about taking the time to celebrate recovery in all its forms. “I think it’s important to have a national, very public observance for Recovery Month because it allows us to continue to promote and advocate for continued evidencebased treatment and evidence-based recovery practices in our community,” shared Rupp. “Celebrating recovery is important in other ways too, in that individuals can personally celebrate their recovery, and usually what happens during recovery month is we get to highlight the voices and stories of individuals who are in recovery – whatever that means to them.” Choices is a harm reduction program, meaning abstinence is not always the goal and recovery can look different for everybody - and can even change from time to time. “For some it may be abstinence from all substances, for some it may be abstinence from their particular substance of choice, and for some it may just be reduction in use,” explained Rupp. “Recovery allows individuals to celebrate their recovery individually, and also add their voice to the overall community of recovery.” When asked why celebrating recovery is important, the staff at Choices are passionate about reducing stigma, supporting their clients, and emphasizing that recovery is possible. “It’s important to celebrate recovery and recovery month
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in general because even though substance use and mental health are tough things to deal with, when people are making progress they want to be recognized for that,” expressed Cassen. “It’s a lot of hard work that these clients do. Recovery isn’t easy and taking time to recognize this gives our clients so much confidence and hope, and helps them to work through their challenges and behaviors and past history. It gives us so much strength and it’s just powerful.” “Making recovery a public acknowledgment and showing that recovery is possible, and uniting together in recovery honestly helps reduce the stigma,” said Martin. “Raising awareness and recognizing that recovery is real and achievable - even though someone might have a past history - things can change and people always change and substance use is something you can overcome. It doesn’t label who you are, and achieving recovery is something that is worth being recognized because it’s not easy.” Recovery is also something that can be celebrated by the larger community, and not just only in September. “By publicly celebrating recovery we’re able to start removing stigma and making sure we’re normalizing that addiction is a disease and that it’s treatable,” explained Rupp. “In addition, we’re continuing to promote and advocate for the treatment of addiction and normalizing it just like we would treat heart disease, or chronic diabetes – or any other chronic disease process like addiction.” “The way that we celebrate recovery every day is by showing up, and we come here passionately seeking to help others who are looking for help, and even those who may not be looking for help right now, too. That’s another way we celebrate recovery - by recognizing that change is difficult and that recovery is different for every individual unique human being, and by acknowledging that humanistic element of recovery on a minute by minute basis in the relationships we build with our clients,” emphasized Rupp. To learn more about Recovery Month and activities in New Hampshire, visit: https://rm.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/events.
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THE KATIE BENTLEY LILAC PROJECT Beautifying Mill House and beyond
Society and the founder of the Katie Bentley Lilac Project, a nonprofit entity established in 2009 to honor the memory of John’s daughter. “Katie developed a very rare lung infection,” explains John, “and in three weeks, she was gone.” Catherine Ann Bentley was only four years old. John and his wife Cheryl found comfort in planting flowers at Katie’s grave, and one Memorial Day, they had the realization that one day they would no longer be able to plant fresh flowers at her site. So John decided to investigate hearty flower species that would grow and return each year. “He did what John does when he takes on a project,” says longtime friend and Riverbend employee Tina Broyer. “He put his heart and soul into it, and what better tribute than planting the state flower of New Hampshire. And purple was Katie’s favorite color. I feel like they turned their grief into something beautiful that will last for ages.”
Speaking with a small crew of Riverbend employees in front of Mill House in Boscawen, John Bentley provides professional landscaping advice for his favorite species of plant. “You might want to scrape out some of the existing hard soil here and put down some fresh topsoil and mulch,” he begins, and the Riverbend staff nods. “These lilacs here are direct descendants of the ‘Monge’ hybrid Victor Lemoine developed in France around 1913.” While his degree is in accounting, John is a carpenter by trade, and anyone listening to him speak would believe his background must be in botany, or history, or even plate tectonics… or perhaps all of the above. Standing over several purple lilac specimens, within four sentences he discussed the lineage of these very plants back to the Franco-Prussian War, how Russian botanists are currently developing the most advanced hybrid lilacs in the world, and how the Eurasian Tectonic Plate sliding under the North American Tectonic Plate affects the differences in soil acidity between Vermont and New Hampshire. “Actually, the difference in rock types between New Hampshire and Vermont can be seen at the Ammonoosuc Fault Line, which runs within about three miles of the Connecticut River.” John Bentley is the treasurer of the International Lilac
The Katie Bentley Lilac Project has planted more than five thousand lilacs in New Hampshire since it came into existence. If you’re familiar with the Rivier College campus or the schools of the Merrimack Valley School District, you will most likely have admired the sight and scent of his floral contributions. “They’ll be small plants at first,” John admires the plant he’s holding, “but they’ll grow about a foot each year until they form a really nice hedge.” Mill House is an adult residential services facility located at 30 Tremont Street in Boscawen. The building, constructed in 1850, is accessible for persons with disabilities and contains 19 private apartments for individuals with low income and who require moderate levels of staff support to care for their mental health needs. Mill House provides a safe environment and promotes recovery in the highest level of independent living. The several Lemoinedescendant lilacs will be planted along Tremont Street as part of Riverbend’s ongoing beautification and renovations initiative. Riverbend extends its deepest gratitude to John Bentley and the Katie Bentley Lilac Project (www. katiebentleylilacproject.com) for its commitment to beautifying New Hampshire with its state flower, and for providing such a great example to all of us: with patience, effort, and love, we can all make our communities more beautiful places to live in and thrive.
TIPS FOR DEALING WITH BACK-TO-SCHOOL STRESS AND ANXIETY
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ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS • • •
Listen. Don’t judge. Be positive. Validate their feelings. Make an effort to be extra-present, especially early on. Plan to do something special after their first day.
ESTABLISH A COMFORTABLE HOMEWORK AREA TO HELP KIDS FEEL MORE IN CONTROL • • • •
Cover the basics with your kids. Familiarize them to the drive/route (makes them feel more connected). Ask to see the classroom in advance. Explain how lunch and bathroom breaks are handled.
REMIND YOUR KIDS ABOUT WHAT MAKES GOING TO SCHOOL GREAT •
Friends, teachers, playground, library, gym, and art classes.
ASSURE THEM THEY AREN’T ALONE • •
Other kids and even teachers are nervous too! Arrange playdates to reconnect with friends… even virtually.
PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING •
Address good eating, sleeping, and exercise habits.
KNOW WHEN TO GET HELP If you sense something more serious, such as bullying or an anxiety disorder, talk with your child, your child’s teacher, and the school counselor. If you feel you need additional help, contact Riverbend at (603)-228-0547.
KIDS TRY SUPER COOL MAZE
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SAVE THE DATE For our 16th annual Champions for Mental Health Awards on Tuesday, October 25th from 5:30-7pm at the Bank of NH Stage.
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