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Officer Chiquita Thomasson, EMT-P and Dawn Allred, LPC, MAC Meet Carroll County's New Mental Health Crisis Response Team
Summertime "Flu" or Something Else?
Summer Travel on a Budget Bringing Home Baby Preparing for Your Newborn 1
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Meet the Women Behind Carroll County's New Mental Health Crisis Response Team Page 10 Photo by Zachary Dailey
What’s inside... 10 TEAMING UP to Bridge the Gap 38 On a Budget: Traveling
Economically This Summer
Together the Mental Summertime "Flu" or 26 Confronting 42 Health Crisis of Our Time Something Else?
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We have tons of fun summer classes for all ages. Visit us online and check out all the options.
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Summer Camps and Activities Visual Arts Camps June 1–4
July 6–9
June 7–11
July 12–16
• Show Me Charcoals and Pastels • Imagination Factory (Session I) • Clay Camp (Session I) • Retro Pop Art Camp • Clay Camp (Session II)
June 14–18
• Creative Explorations: An Adult Art Camp • Imagination Factory (Session II)
June 21–25
• Kiln Fused Glass Camp • Monster Puppet Camp – Online • Crazy Clay Camp I (Session I) • • • •
Think Big: Drawing Art In the Park – Legends West Art Explorers (Session I) Crazy Clay Camp I (Session II)
July 19–23
• Art In the Park – Knox Park • Art Explorers (Session II)
June 1–4
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• Acrylic Pouring Camp • Mad Science Art Camp
June 28–July 2
• Jewelry Making Camp
Dance Camps June 7–11
June 28–July 2
June 21–25
July 19–23
• Little Creatures Dance Camp
• Mini Dance Intensive
July 6–9
• Chef Junior Pastry Camp
Music Camps June 14–18
June 28–July 2
• Triple Threat! Drumming, Dancing and Theatre Games
• Carroll Symphony Orchestra Music Camp
June 21–25
July 26–30
• We Are Monsters! Youth Choir Camp
July 26–30
• Weaving Camp • Clay Sculpture Camp
• Monstrous Dance Camp
Culinary Camps
• Introduction to Music through Guitar Camp
T h e at r e C a m p s June 7–19
• The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Theatre Camp (Session I or Session II)
June 28–July 10
• Rumpelstiltskin Is My Name (Camp will not meet on July 5)
July 19–July 23
• The Blabbermouth, the Puff Monster & the Wolf Theatre Camp • FX Effects Zombie Apocalypse Camp
• Musical Theatre Camp
For details and registration, visit carrolltonarts.com or call 770.838.1083
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A Semblance of Normalcy It's been a really tough year, hasn't it? With the new vaccine in place, I am hopeful we will all be able to have even more normalcy back in our lives very soon. I am so excited to share that the Ultimate West Georgia Women's Extravaganza – a partnership between West Georgia Woman magazine and West Georgia Technical College – is back on the calendar after postponing it twice last year. The event is set for Saturday, August 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn more about this exciting event on page 16. The first 100 people to preregister will receive a special gift in their event gift bag! Tickets are limited, so hurry and preregister online today to reserve your spot at this epic event for women. It's going to be amazing! In This Issue Our feature this month is the women behind Carroll County's new mobile mental health crisis response team (CCCRT). Although the team has only been operational since February 5, they have seen some really fantastic results. Learn more about the CCCRT on page 10. We have a very special article on mental Photo by Keith May health awareness written by Dr. Fred Richards-Daishi, and assisted by Dr. Anne C. Richards. I always learn something new each time I listen to Fred speak, or read something he has written. Read the article, Confronting Together the Mental Health Crisis of Our Time, on page 26. If you're a new mother, you won't want to miss Sandra Bolan's article on page 36 as she shares how to prepare your home for all things baby. I'm sure many of us skipped traveling out of state or out of the country last year due to COVID-19. Read our tips on how to travel just about anywhere you want without breaking the bank, on page 38. Now that the weather is warmer, we and our pets are heading outside more. The warmer weather also means that insects abound – including ticks. On page 42, learn how to protect yourself and your pets from lyme disease. Thank you for reading West Georgia Woman magazine! Please continue to do business with our community partners included in our publication. Without them, we could not provide you with this beautiful magazine each month. I invite you to become a West Georgia Woman magazine insider. Visit our website at www.westgeorgiawoman.com and sign up today for your free digital issue. Happy Mother's Day!
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Volume 6 • Issue 7 May 2021
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TEAMING UP
to Bridge the Gap
By Angela Dailey Photos by Zachary Dailey
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The Women Behind Carroll County's New Mobile Mental Health Crisis Response Team
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I
magine you have a special-needs family member in your house, and she manages to leave the house on her own one day. Because of her developmental disorders, she tends to get violent when she gets scared or anxious. If you call 911, chances are armed police officers will try to find her, which could cause her to feel terrified and act out, possibly leading to her being arrested. The same applies if someone you know is feeling suicidal. Or, maybe a friend lost her job during the pandemic and can no longer afford the medicine required to keep her schizophrenia under control, which causes her to act erratically in public. Currently, in most jurisdictions, calling 911 for help leads to police coming to your house on high alert to protect the safety of everyone involved, which might escalate the situation. Instead, Carroll County now has a mobile crisis unit with professionals who are highly trained in how to handle mental health crises – the Carroll County Crisis Response Team (CCCRT). Instead of looking at situations solely through a law-enforcement lens, the unit members evaluate the situations from a mental health standpoint. Is the person truly exhibiting disorderly conduct, for example, or does she seem City of Carrollton Mayor Betty Cason disoriented and scared? Is arresting her truly the best way to help her and keep others safe, or does she need access to immediate mental health treatment instead? The innovative and progressive CCCRT program works to prevent mental health emergencies from escalating to the point that law enforcement intervention is required by addressing the situations from a different angle – that of getting the people the care and treatment they need to help them through their mental health or substance abuse issues.
judge. After serving 22 years, she announced her retirement in December 2018, leaving two years left of her four-year term, and subsequently announced her candidacy for mayor of the City of Carrollton. Judge Cason won the mayoral election in November 2019 and became Carrollton's first female mayor. After she retired from the probate court, Carrollton resident and attorney Edie Haney stepped in to fill Judge Cason's shoes. There are many different circumstances in which a probate judge may be required to render a decision. Along with the administrations of wills and estates, the probate court also works with estates that are intestate – or without a will – and issues firearms licenses and marriage licenses. The probate judge must also make very serious determinations regarding individuals and families struggling with mental health issues and possible involuntary evaluations (order to apprehend) and commitments; certain cases where substance or alcohol abuse is a factor; and guardianship issues with both minors and elderly citizens. As a judge, Mayor Cason was a staunch advocate for mental health services in Carroll County, and is a founding member of the Carroll County Mental Health Advocates (CMHA) Program, that was created in 2008. The CMHA is run by Executive Director Jodie Goodman under the umbrella of the Carroll County probate court. CMHA provides resources for individuals and families struggling with mental health issues. Judge Edie Haney shares the same vision for mental health as her predecessor. “I believe we are seeing more emphasis on mental health issues across this country and in Georgia, too," she says. "There are a number of resources available, but many families don’t know what these resources are or how to access them.”
Advocates for Mental Health
The Wrong Fit
In 1997, Bowdon, Ga., native Betty Cason was elected to the position of Carroll County probate
"Originally, the State of Georgia, with the Department of Justice, had implemented a mobile
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crisis unit to respond to people undergoing a mental health crisis," Mayor Cason says. "Our mobile crisis unit was based in Gwinnett County. The response times were slow because they were coming from Gwinnett, and many times, they wouldn't even come out here; they would just tell the people who were dealing with the crisis to go to the probate court to get an order to apprehend. Then, our Sheriff's department would have to go out and try to find the person to get them transported. On top of that, most mental health facilities require medical clearance before accepting a patient, and sometimes the deputies would be in the emergency department waiting for a bed to become available. It was just a total nightmare." "That program doesn’t always work effectively or function in our county as it’s designed to function," Judge Haney says. "I have repeated examples and circumstances where individuals are having a mental health crisis and the state is not able to respond in a timely manner."
A Promising Solution Mayor Cason has led discussions with community stakeholders about these challenges in the Carroll County community since CMHA was created in 2008. About two years ago, the mayor and Jodie Goodman met with Executive Director Jade Benefield with Pathways, a state-funded behavioral health care organization that serves children, adolescents and adults with mental health and substance abuse issues. During the meeting, Jade told them about a new program that was being implemented in Coweta County. Coweta Cares was providing a mobile mental health crisis unit for the citizens of Coweta County, and the Pathways CSB (community service board) was a part of that program. "When Jade told us about what was happening in Coweta County, we knew that this is what we needed; this would fill in the gap," says Mayor Cason. "We both looked at each other and realized that this was the answer for our community," says Jodie. Just when the mayor and Jodie began reaching out to community stakeholders about implementing a similar program in Carroll County, COVID-19 hit and put a damper on things. Once it was safe to do so, Coweta County brought their mobile crisis unit to Carrollton to show the mayor and Jodie. "It was a Ford Explorer, with all this equipment in the back and a secure space to be
Carroll County Probate Judge Edie Haney
able to transport people," says Mayor Cason. To have its own mobile crisis unit, the county would need a law enforcement officer (LEO), a certified paramedic and a licensed clinician who had the ability to sign a Form 1013 for transport to a mental health facility for an evaluation. A Form 1013 is the medical equivalent of an order to apprehend that is used by the judicial system. "When I'm required to issue orders to apprehend, it’s important to me to meet personally with everyone involved," Judge Haney shares. "To meet with the families, hear what they have to say and provide them with other resources and services. When people are in crisis, there may be safety concerns and a matter of finding two persons who have observed the behavior within the last 48 hours. I also have to make calls to GCAL (Georgia Crisis and Access Line) and complete the paperwork. It’s a time consuming process. An order to apprehend can cover substance abuse and alcohol as well. That’s an additional service that our crisis team provides that isn’t a part of the state crisis team." The mayor and Jodie pitched the idea of creating a crisis unit for Carroll County to Jade at Pathways, and Meagen Thompson, director of behavioral health at Willowbrooke at Tanner. Willowbrooke at Tanner is a behavioral health organization providing services for children age 4 and up, adolescents, adults and elderly adults who have one or more mental health or
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substance abuse needs. "Members of the CMHA board recognized that we were not meeting the needs of people in the community who were in crisis," says Meagen. "We had the emergency room where they could go, of course, but that isn't always the best course of action or where they need to be in that moment. The question was, 'How can we get them to care, the fastest?' The mobile crisis unit would reroute the person from the emergency department (ED), and get the individual to care faster. If we can connect them to Willowbrooke or connect them to Pathways, then we can begin getting them the care they need. For those individuals who need medical clearance, Officer Thomasson is able to provide that medical clearance in many cases so they can bypass the ED altogether."
Community Support After Jodie and the mayor learned what was required for the unit, they had a community stakeholders meeting to discuss needs. Steve Adams, owner of West Georgia Ambulance, Inc., came forward and donated the vehicle – a 2020 Ford Explorer.
Director of Behavioral Health at Willowbrooke at Tanner Meagen Thompson, LPC.
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Willowbrooke at Tanner agreed to pay for the full-time, licensed clinician's salary for the purposes of the mobile crisis unit. Pathways agreed to hire and supervise the clinician. "At the end of the day, as the community hospital, it is our responsibility to take care of the people in our community," Meagen says. "Particularly, from a Willowbrooke perspective, those who are suffering with mental health and substance use challenges. We are the largest behavioral health provider in the West Georgia area. We should provide the clinicians that our community needs." Carroll County Mental Health Advocates Executive Director Jodie Goodman The Community Foundation of West Georgia donated $13,000, which part of the CMHA board and glad that we are able was used to outfit the vehicle with the essential to have these conversations now. Mayor Cason and equipment. Multiple civic organizations in the many others have worked tirelessly for this cause." community also donated funds for the unit. "Jodie and Mayor Cason have done a great job of The Missing Piece getting all the stakeholders involved," Judge Haney says. "I think that’s why they’re so effective. Jodie The stakeholder group learned that the Carrollton is passionate and driven, and always pushing the Police Department had recently hired an officer envelope. They have all the people there who can who was also a licensed paramedic. The officer/ make things happen." paramedic the CPD had hired was none other than "When I was growing up, you didn't talk about Officer Chiquita Thomasson. mental illness," says Carroll County Commission "There was our answer," says the mayor. "We Chair Michelle Morgan. "I am so honored to be a were very blessed that Chief Joel Richards hired Officer Thomasson, who had worked with the ambulance service for 14 years before becoming a police officer." "When I heard about the position last year, and I learned they were looking for a police officer who was a licensed paramedic, I thought, 'Hmmm, maybe,'" Officer Thomasson says. "As far as I knew, there were only two of us (LEO/Paramedic) who were actively employed in the county. So, I decided to ask about it. I mentioned it to my lieutenant, and he told me who I needed to get in touch with. I got in touch with the person at Coweta Cares, he relayed the information back to Jodie, and then, I just kind of forgot about it." In the meantime, the mayor and Jodie were hard at work hammering out the details. Officer Thomasson considers herself fortunate that she kept her paramedic license all those years when she wasn't using it. To keep her license, she is required to pay for it and take 48 hours of training every two years. "When the time came for me to City of Carrollton Police Officer Chiquita Thomasson, EMT-P re-certify, I would say, 'I'm not going to do this,
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because I'm not using it. I'm a medic if my fellow officers need me to be a medic – if something happens – but I don't need to re-certify,'" she relates. "But each time, I continued to re-certify. Something just told me that I should keep my license. Little did I know that God had a greater plan for me, and this was it! Being a crisis response officer was my purpose. I was supposed to be here!" Mayor Cason and Carroll County Commission Chair Michelle Morgan agreed to split the cost of the LEO between the county and the city. Everyone was in agreement that the crisis unit would save money for both. Before the response team was implemented, when 9-1-1 received a call for a crisis, they would send a fire truck, an ambulance and law enforcement to the scene. Depending on what the crisis was, anywhere from two to eight officers would be dispatched, tying up valuable city and county resources at one location for just one call for service. Now, in some cases, only the mobile crisis unit is dispatched. The mobile crisis unit means
much more to these ladies than saving money and diverting city and county resources elsewhere – they all agree that helping Carroll County citizens in crisis is the most important facet of the program. "The real purpose is taking care of the citizen," says Commissioner Morgan. "Our law enforcement and first responders are very caring and kind people, but it also takes that special skillset to deal with
Carroll County Commission Chair Michelle Morgan
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someone who is battling mental illness. These ladies have the extra skillset. We are really providing a service to our citizens, because we want them to be treated right and we want them to be in the caring hands of these two women."
Respond. Resolve. Refer. "The goal of the mobile crisis unit is to respond and to resolve a mental health crisis on-scene," Jodie explains. "If we can't do that, then we are referring to minimize the crisis and get it resolved off-scene. In doing that, we are trying to get the best and quickest pathway to treatment for the client and minimize cost and resources for our community. We also provide follow-up care, which is really unique to our model." The CCCRT is composed of Officer Chiquita Thomasson, EMT-P (affectionately nicknamed "Chiq"), and a licensed clinician, Dawn Allred, LPC, MAC. Before the Carroll County unit went live, Coweta County allowed Officer Thomasson to ride with them so she could learn how they responded to crisis calls. Dawn actually worked as a parttime counselor during the Coweta Cares start-up phase. She is so passionate about mental health that she came out of retirement (she retired from community mental health Nov. 1, 2020, after working 30 years with the state – 26 of those years with Pathways) to lend a hand and help the Carroll County unit get started. "It's a passion," she says. "I want to help the people that no one else wants to help." Dawn works as an independent contractor for the crisis team, until they can find a permanent, licensed clinician. "Because I'm a community mental health counselor, I'm used to the chaos, the crises and working with the really severe cases," says Dawn. "I've never sat in private practice, I've never worked in a ritzy behavorial health facility. It's always been
hard-core, in the trenches, work. This job isn't for everyone. This is immediate response, and not crisis after the fact. It's unique." Dawn has been involved in discussions since 2008, and is very familiar with the needs of the community. "Dawn has been a great asset," says Mayor Cason. "We’re so fortunate to have Officer Thomasson and that Dawn is partnering with us to roll it out," Judge Haney says. "We are really looking for that one person to be the permanent licensed clinician. In the meantime, we are so lucky that Dawn worked with Coweta and worked in this area her whole career. She is so knowledgeable. And just the blessing of having Officer Thomasson be the LEO and paramedic was a Godsend. They are so passionate about their work with the crisis team."
A Better Way Officer Thomasson explains that without the CCCRT, options are limited for LEOs. "When you respond to a 9-1-1 call, where someone is suffering from mental illness and is in crisis, from a law enforcement perspective, you either have to arrest them for the disorderly conduct, the criminal trespass or the loitering calls – because you don't feel comfortable leaving them there – or you have an ambulance take them to the ER," she says. "And they don't need Dawn Allred, LPC, MAC to be at either place. Law enforcement has a specialized unit for everything else. You've got the crime scene unit; criminal investigations; drugs; juvenile; and school resource officers. Why wouldn't you have a unit for mental illness? With us, we respond, and we take them to where they can get help for the underlying issue, versus just resolving the calls for service. It has made a tremendous difference. When we go on scene, everyone who has responded to the call is so happy to see us. And all of my law enforcement buddies get really excited when they learn I'm the one who has to write the report!"
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A Unique Model
"Historically, the person in crisis would have gone into a crisis What makes stabilization unit, Carroll County's been discharged model unique and no one would is that it has the have heard from LEO who is also a that person until licensed paramedic, they called 9-1-1 and the other coagain," Jodie says. responder, who is The Carroll County Crisis Response Team and Jodie Goodman share an update CMHA, along a licensed clinician, on the unit's progress with City of Carrollton Mayor Betty Cason and Carroll with Carroll County, together on the County Commission Chair Michelle Morgan. was awarded a unit. "We studied SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health some other models across the country, and they Services Administration) federal grant that provided don't have the licensed clinician inside the unit on funding for a diversion program that diverts the call, they call them as needed," Jodie says. individuals from the judicial system into treatment. "The kicker is the follow-up piece. Once the crisis Carroll County was one of nine counties in the is resolved, they have this ongoing list of followcountry to receive this grant. ups they are doing when they aren't responding to "The early diversion program is when law emergency calls." enforcement has a first encounter with an individual, The team follows up with citizens by phone or and instead of taking them to jail or charging them in person. They also utilize a case manager/care with a criminal offense, they divert them to our coordinator who works with them to help those program for treatment or services." says Jodie. citizens find the resources they need based on the "We're able to use some of our funding from the individual's unique situation.
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Carroll County Crisis Response Team (CCCRT) *Reporting period 2/01/2021 – 4/12/2021
grant for the mobile crisis unit. It all just fit together." The grant pays for a case manager and a peer support specialist to help clients who are seen by the CCCRT. The clients are able to get treatment and other services, such as housing, food or shelter. "You name it," Jodie says. "Whatever they need. The support doesn't stop after that initial response." "After we respond and resolve, we say, "What's next? How can we help you so you won't have to call 9-1-1 again," Dawn says. "We make sure we have the warm hand-off, and we do a lot of after-care. I think the other brilliant piece of this particular model is that we have the support of CMHA, because then we have the peer component. It's really helpful when you have access to so many resources and support in your own community."
Positive Early Results The CCCRT began operating February 5, responding to calls for service within the City of Carrollton. So far, with the calls they have been connected to, they have had zero arrests and incarcerations, and zero EMS involvement. "No one has had to get in an ambulance and no one has gone to jail," Dawn says. "If nothing else, that's pretty powerful." Plans are in place for the unit to begin serving all of Carroll County this month. Another positive aspect of the unit is they can transport the individual in crisis immediately for treatment, instead of having to wait on law enforcement to pick up the person, who may be a danger to herself or others. "Our goal is to get our crisis addressed as quickly
and effectively as possible," says Judge Edie Haney. "And along with that, not to tie up LEO resources in the county. Our law enforcement is amazing. They are all crisis intervention trained. They are clearly capable responders. But they need to be out there taking care of other law enforcement issues. Both our city and county law enforcement are so compassoniate. They recognize a mental health crisis firsthand, as I do now, and they just really want to help our citizens get the treatment and resources they need." Although the program is still in its infancy, Carroll County Sheriff Terry Langley has already seen positive results. "It streamlines services for people who have mental health needs, and it also helps with officer safety, because so many times in the past we would go out to the same place on a frequent basis, and we weren’t able to help them get the mental health treatment they needed," he says. "In my opinion, it’s one of the best things that’s happened in the mental health arena for our county. I expect it’s going to expand because the mental health needs Who should you trust with your Auto, Home, Life & Commercial insurance?
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are great. Our officers encounter people every day who need mental health services, and, although they may not all be in crisis, they still need help." The unit has already had several situations where they were able to take the person in crisis immediately to treatment, instead of the person having to go to jail or to the ER. "In those instances, from the time we received the 9-1-1 call to us walking into the psychiatric facility has taken less than an hour," says Dawn.
How It Works The crisis unit vehicle is unmarked, and although it is a police car, it doesn't look like one, to alleviate any fears someone in crisis may have of the police or of going to jail. It's also not an ambulance, but it has all the paramedic equipment needed. Although Officer Thomasson is a police officer, she does not wear a police uniform. A simple polo shirt and black cargo pants are the uniform of choice for the unit. "People have concerns about going to jail or paying a large ambulance bill, and we tell them, 'You aren't going to jail and you won't have to pay for an ambulance, you're just going with us to get
the help you need,'" Officer Thomasson relates. "They just get in the car with us, and 98 percent of the time, it is really almost that simple," Dawn says. "When you're suffering and really wanting help, no matter how sick or pyschotic you are, usually The crisis unit vehicle is unmarked, the willingness and although it is a police car, it doesn't look like one, to alleviate any fears someone to get help is in crisis may have of the police or of going there." to jail. It's also not an ambulance, but it has "I like this all the paramedic equipment needed. aspect of the job," says Officer Thomasson. "When you're public safety, you can't really pour out the compassion because you have calls holding and you have to hurry and clear the scene so you can move on to the next call. With this program, we are more like the specialists on the call. We can take our time, we can actually assess, we can focus on this one person and we don't have to worry about getting to the next call and the next. With our program, we're getting to the root of the problem. We're not going to just walk away. You actually have time to sit at the kitchen table with the family and learn more about what's going on. And if Dawn says, 'I don't think you're OK to stay – you're a harm to yourself,' then we do the 1013 for the involuntary transport. Then, they have to talk about it. I think that gets the community the help they need."
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Hiring the permanent licensed clinician for the unit has proven difficult, because the job requires a person who is willing to work outside of "normal" work hours, and that person must also be someone who has the desire and personality to work with a segment of the community that struggles. "This is a very specialized position," says Jodie. "There has been a huge delay, and Pathways has not been able to recruit anyone for the position. We are still
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searching for the right person." Currently, Officer Thomasson and Dawn work day shift, 40 hours per week. There are plans for expansion for multiple teams to cover other shifts as well, but they will have to find the right officers and the right licensed clinicians for those positions. "You have people like Officer Thomasson who has that passion for mental health, but it's not for everyone," Jodie says. "It really has to be someone special." They are even exploring options with LEOs who are EMTs, as there are many more of those in the county than there are officers who are paramedics. By utilizing the mobile crisis unit, the members of the CMHA board are hoping they can make a difference by saving tax dollars, reducing the use of local resources in the community – such as calling off first responders early from scenes, reducing the amount of people moving through the judicial system and lowering recidivism rates. "All those things add up," Jodie explains. "It's very taxing on our resources and for our taxpayers. Most important, our neighbors are getting direct access to the treatment they need when they are in crisis. That's what we have to remember." They're especially thankful for the support and involvement of Police Chief Joel Richards and Sheriff Langley. "It’s already paying dividends, and in the future, it’s going to be great," Sheriff Langley says. "I’m just glad to see the community respond. They have said, 'This is our community and we’re going to help the people in our community who need it.' Any one of us, our family or friends, may need this type of help at some point, and I’m just really proud of this program." "This was something that has been in the works for a while," says Chief Richards. "I am so thankful for our mayor who is passionate about this cause and helping people in crisis." In the state of Georgia, there are six co-responder
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units that are similar to the Carroll County unit, and there are two paramedic and counselor units. These teams are working together, sharing their experiences and learning from one another. "The system is woefully broken, and you can't wait for the state to save you," says Dawn. "These communities are coming together, building their own teams and meeting their communities' specific needs. This is purposeful work. We're excited." "We have to take care of our neighbors," Commissioner Morgan agrees. "We're excited to grow," says Jodie. "We're partnering together. Our CSB (Community Service Board) is state funded and Willowbrooke is a private hospital, but we are all working together. There is no shortage of patients. I think we have done well at CMHA to bridge that gap and bring everyone to the same table where there is a very strong working relationship between all these agencies. Where everyone can pick up the phone and they know everyone on a first-name basis. That is the beauty of this project." "We're just really excited and looking forward to setting the bar for other communities," says Meagen. "We are right here. We can take care of the people in our community better than people on the other side of the state can. It's a network. It's a community taking care of their community." WGW To learn more about the Crisis Response Team or Carroll County Mental Health Advocates, call 770.830.2048 or email cmhadvocacy@gmail.com. To donate to the CCCRT or CMHA, visit the website at www.ccmhadvocates.org Mail checks to: Carroll County Mental Health Advocates 306A Bradley St. Carrollton, Ga. 30117
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Confronting Together the Mental Health Crisis of Our Time By Fred Richards (assisted by Anne C. Richards)
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I
n past decades, many mainstream psychologists and mental health workers viewed psychological health as the capacity to conform or adjust to the status quo values and expectations of society. As Anne Richards and I have written recently in the Foreword to A Curious Mind, The Life and Legacy of Sidney Jourard by Marty Jourard: "A new breed of psychologists, however, began to raise questions about this view and fashioned a different image of the person as they focused upon the healthy personality and sought to promote the optimal growth of human beings." Treating persons suffering from mental illness, they took seriously the possibility that mental suffering could be a response to toxic situations and a call to change and grow. While not denying the reality of mental illness, they studied its existence as possibly part of a process of self-transformation or self-realization leading to a person becoming more alive and whole. In Greek mythology, the god Procrustes welcomed travelers on their way to Athens and placed them in a bed designed to accommodate the "average person" (read "normal" here). If travelers didn't fit in his perfect bed as he thought they should, Procrustes would either stretch the shorter travelers or saw the legs off the taller ones. One wonders why other travelers, hearing the screams, didn't turn around and run in another direction. Abraham Maslow, commenting on persons' unsuccessful attempts to adjust to or cope with a violent, dehumanizing, threatening world, described their behavior as "the screams of the tortured at the crushing of their psychological bones." Sarah Nettleton, in The Metapsychology of Christopher Bollas, discusses Bollas' concept of "normotic pathology." Bollas warns that being concerned only about behaving normally can be dangerous for our mental health, because individuals stuck in a life of blind conformity to social demands and expectations fail to develop an interior life. They are dead within, "empty" and seeking to avoid feeling what they are feeling. They may seem to be "ideal team players," or leaders, but they are persons incapable of dialogue who seek a semblance of selfhood by acquiring power and control. They appear to be here, but they have already left. "They are basically," writes psychotherapist Kimberly Korobov, "trading life for death." Their preoccupation with only adjusting to external reality and its demands is an ill-fated attempt to escape the pain, insecurity, and uncertainty that is part of everyday living. It's an escape as well from the task of becoming a real, alive, loving, and aware person. In short, it's crazy-
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623 DIXIE STREET – CARROLLTON, GA making to be "perfectly normal." Gene Ruyle, Episcopalian priest and psychotherapist, challenges us to live large and declare: We "will not join the hoards and herds of the half-alive." We will seek out and join those who refuse "to finish with life before life finishes with them." Similarly, radical psychiatrist R.D. Laing, writes in The Politics of Experience, that many of us are too often raised to shut down rather than expand our capacity to live a fuller, mentally healthy life. Instead, we would do well to heed the words of Jungian psychologist James Hollis in Creating a Life: "As individuals, we are, each of us, meant to be different. A proper course of therapy doesn't make us better adjusted; it makes us more eccentric, a unique individual who serves a larger project than that of the ego or collective norm." Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Janet Cox, writing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, warns that long after we have gone beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to experience a global mental health epidemic. Mental health/medical professionals believe that each of us, to some degree, is traumatized as a result of the pandemic and the prevalence of other catastrophic events. In Dr. Cox's words: "Most, if not all Americans, have been grappling with changes to their mental health over
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others. Nouwen reminds us that we heal ourselves and others from our wounds. Our woundedness, our vulnerability, our brokenness calls us to practice healing ourselves as we seek to help others to heal themselves. Compassion, "to suffer with" is not something we possess and give to others. As Wayne Muller has put it, our compassion is shared "through a mutual recognition of our common suffering." Bryan Stevenson, in Just Mercy, conveys powerfully what I'm attempting to say: "We are all broken by something ... our brokenness is ... the source of our common humanity, the basis of our shared search for comfort, meaning, and healing. Our shared vulnerability and imperfections nurture and sustain our capacity for compassion ... We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. Or we can deny our brokenness and forswear compassion, and, as a result, deny our own humanity ... I began thinking about what would happen if we all just acknowledged our brokenness, if we owned up to our weaknesses, our deficits, our biases, our fears ... Maybe we would look harder for solutions to caring for the disabled, the abused, the neglected, and the traumatized." I have briefly shared in earlier issues of West
Georgia Woman my history of woundedness, its impact on my life, and how it led me to become a psychotherapist: Twenty years of self-medicating with alcohol to avoid feeling and facing childhood trauma and years of seeking success and then sabotaging the success achieved; years of wanting to live passionately and, I realized years later, also wanting "to die" to escape the challenge of facing reality and making the best of it; years of searching for love and choosing relationships destined to fail, and, when finally finding someone able to love me more than I loved myself, being confused and afraid. Elvin Semrod, therapist and teacher, describes individual psychotherapy as "an encounter between a big mess and a bigger mess" and told his students that the client is not necessarily the bigger mess! I myself have said on a few occasions, when told by a client who believed he or she was a hopeless disaster and beyond repair: "Well, I don't know whether or not this will comfort or reassure you, but it's likely I've been a bigger mess than you believe yourself to be." M.D. Sussman, in A Curious Calling, Uncommon Motivations for Practicing Psychotherapy, reports that studies show there are significant rates of emotional suffering among psychotherapists and concludes: "The presence of significant emotional conflict in individuals choosing to become psychotherapists raises the ironic possibility this may be a necessary prerequisite for succeeding in the field." The research he presents also suggests that the psychological suffering experienced by mental health therapists can, when accessed and processed, contribute to the desire to enter the profession and enhance one's capacity to help others. As Alice Miller, author of The Drama of the Gifted Child, notes, most psychotherapists have likely experienced as a child some injury or disturbance to the developing self and considers it doubtful that anyone without a painful developmental history would choose to spend life sitting for years with troubled souls who bring so much pain and suffering. When entering into dialogue with persons who seek me out for therapy, I am most helpful when I experience my clients as fellow sufferers rather than a list of symptoms lifted from some diagnostic manual. The persons I meet in therapy and out in
the world are my spiritual teachers; they mirror back to me parts of myself that I may recognize or may not know at all. I agree with Maurice Friedman, that by genuinely dialoguing with what is real for persons suffering mental disorders, we can enrich, expand and deepen our relationship to reality and to unknown dimensions of our own humanity. In the spirit of my mentor Sidney Jourard, my focus in therapy is not dwelling on the roots of "pathology" in those who seek relief. I join with them to intuit and imagine how we might, together, find and explore the wounded, injured selves that to some degree dwell in all of us. Together we seek to befriend, heal and change the inner and outer obstacles presently in the way of our both becoming more mentally healthy and more real and whole. In these challenging, threatening, but still promising times, each of us, including therapists, finds it difficult and perhaps even impossible at times to be right here in life as it is. We all fall somewhere along a continuum, with severe mental illness at one end and the fully-functioning, healthy personality at the other. It is imperative we support organizations and programs confronting the mental health crisis of our time. It is also important that each of us not look to professionals alone to address the crisis but find the will to give to ourselves and others – and all living things – the loving kindness and compassion needed to continue healing our brokenness and achieve a greater measure of health, wholeness, and well-being. WGW
Our woundedness, "our vulnerability, our
brokenness calls us to practice healing ourselves as we seek to help others to heal themselves.
"
Fred Richards-Daishi is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Life Coach in Carrollton, Ga., and past recipient of the George P. Podein Counselor of the Year Award from the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia. Fred will be honored this coming October 2021 by the Carroll County Mental Health Advocates for his contributions to mental health, both locally and statewide. Anne C. Richards is Professor Emeritus (Psychology) at the University of West Georgia; a registered neutral mediator; and author, co-author, and/or editor of books and articles on psychology and education.
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Daily Fare With
e s o R f e h C
Photos by Zachary Dailey
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Chef Rose Isaacs is a native of Carroll County and lives in Carrollton with her husband Shawn and their son, Sebastian. She graduated from West Georgia Technical College in 2013 with a degree in Culinary Arts. After graduation, she began her career as a chef at the Carrollton Kroger Marketplace where she works in the bistro.
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Treat mom like the royalty she is and set up a lovely afternoon tea for her to enjoy for Mother’s Day.
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Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea Tray Ingredients
Strawberries and whipped cream Hot tea of choice with cream, sugar or lemon
Cucumber sandwich ingredients 4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill 6 slices white bread, crusts removed 1 English cucumber
Scone ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation For the cucumber sandwiches: Combine cream cheese, lemon zest and dill in a small bowl.
Spread mixture on one side of each bread slice. Using a vegetable peeler, peel cucumbers into ribbons. Divide between three bread slices, then top with remaining slices. Cut each sandwich into three fingers.
For the scones: Preheat oven to 400º F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter, fork or your hands until the butter is pea sized. In a separate bowl, mix heavy cream, egg and vanilla extract until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Scoop mixture onto lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Flatten the ball into a circle about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 equal triangles and place onto prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with a small amount of heavy whipping cream and coarse sugar if desired. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Allow to cool completely. Serve with strawberry preserves and crème fraîche, clotted cream, or cream cheese. Makes 9 finger sandwiches and 8 scones.
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Coconut Lime Margarita
Ingredients
"
3 ounces coconut milk
3 ounces white tequila
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"
1-1/2 ounces triple sec
8 ounces coconut water
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice Lime wedge for garnish
Shaved coconut for rim of glass (optional) Corn syrup for rimming glass (optional)
Preparation
In a shaker, combine coconut milk, tequila, triple sec, coconut water and lime juice. Shake until combined. Rim cocktail glass with corn syrup, then shaved coconut. Fill glass with ice. Pour cocktail mixture into glass and garnish with a lime wedge To make as a mocktail, increase coconut milk to 8 ounces and omit tequila and triple sec. Makes 2 cocktails. WGW
Womentality
Inspiring quotes by extraordinary women “Being emotionally honest can save your life. Reaching out may be hard but as soon as I did it, I was immediately covered in love.” – Lizzo Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lizzo_at_the_2019_American_Music_Awards.png Cosmopolitan UK, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
“The humanity we all share is more important than the mental illness we may not. With proper treatment, someone who is mentally ill can lead a full and rich life.” – Elyn R. Saks
“The mentally ill f righten and embarrass us. And so we marginalize the peo ple who most need our acceptance. What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, more unashamed conversation.” – Glenn Close
“Depression doesn't take away your talents – it just makes them harder to find. But I always find it. I learned that my sadness never destroyed what was great about me. You just have to go back to that greatness, find that one little light that’s left. I’m lucky I found a glimmer stored away” – Lady Gaga
“Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
– Brené Brown
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Bringing Home Baby
Preparing for Your Newborn By Sandra Bolan
Y
ou’re having a baby! Congratulations! Doctor appointments, coming up with a birthing plan, picking a name and all the baby showers over the next nine months are going to make time fly by. There are a few projects you’ll need to tackle early on to make room for all things baby.
The Nursery If possible, clear out the room that is closest to the master bedroom. Do this in the very early months of pregnancy, while you still have the energy. A new parent can go crazy furnishing the nursery, but the reality is that you only need a few pieces – a cradle/crib/bassinet, dresser, diaper changing table, toy bin and a laundry hamper. When deciding where to put the furniture, the changing table is typically located near the baby’s sleeping area. Keep toys in a designated bin far away from the sleeping area, as they can become choking hazards when the child becomes more mobile and curious. You may want to place a bassinet in your bedroom as well for those middle-of-the-night feedings or diaper changes. Your baby isn’t going to be confined to just the
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nursery or your bedroom. You’ll also have to prepare other rooms in the house. The living room should have a playpen or a baby bouncer. Your fancy adult furniture may have sharp edges or may have to be professionally cleaned if there are spills. Consider buying washable slipcovers for your seating and corner guards for your tables. Clear off a couple of kitchen counters so you can make room for baby bottles and feeding supplies. Clean out a large kitchen drawer. You’re going to need it for breast pump parts, pacifiers and eventually, baby bowls, spoons and sippy cups. A stroller, the diaper bag and all other travel needs will have to be stored in a closet, preferably in the foyer of your home. Purge that closet to make room for these items before your baby arrives.
Baby-proof Your Home Get down on all fours, while you still can, and crawl around. It’s important to see life from the vantage point of a baby, especially when it comes to things that could cause them harm. Cover all electrical outlets – tiny fingers like to go into tiny holes. Install baby gates at the top and bottom of all staircases.
Anchor your tall furniture to the wall. Crawling quickly becomes climbing. While watching a baby ninja in action is adorable, having a dresser or television fall on them is nothing a parent wants to experience. Fresh air is great, and you’re going to need it thanks to all those stinky diapers. Install window guards to prevent your child from pushing open the screen and falling out. Remove all chemicals from below-the-counter cabinets and relocate them to the upper cabinets. Install child-proof locks on all toilets, bathroom and kitchen cabinets and drawers. If you have firearms in the home, lock up the ammunition and firearms separately.
Our Warriors are headed for success!
Clean When you are close to your due date, hire a professional to deep-clean your house from top to bottom. Get into every crevice, along the baseboards as well as behind and under all of the furniture. Connect with us! You'll have to clean up a lot after the baby arrives. www.oakmountain.us Oak Mountain Academy Vomit has quite the trajectory. Load up on microfiber 770.834.6651 oak_mountain_academy cleaning cloths you can wash over and over again. Try to avoid chemical cleaning products. Instead, opt up to a year after birth, according to the Mayo Clinic. for natural cleaners – they’re much safer for baby. Symptoms of postpartum depression are: Your fridge also needs to undergo a deep clean, primarily to get rid of all those half-filled jars of who• Severe mood swings, depression, feeling knows-what buried in the back. You will have to hopeless, excessive crying or withdrawing from make room for breastmilk or formula. family and friends To help keep the house somewhat clean, adopt • Difficulty bonding with your baby a no outdoor shoe policy. Everyone who comes • Eating more than usual or loss of appetite through the front door must take off their shoes. • Insomnia or sleeping too much No one wants the gunk we step on outside brought • Loss of energy and overwhelming fatigue indoors; it’s just gross. This is especially important • Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you when your baby becomes mobile. used to enjoy • Intense anger and irritability or restlessness Plan Ahead • Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, inadequacy or fear of not being a good mother Those initial days and weeks of having your new • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions baby at home can be overwhelming. • Panic attacks or extreme anxiety Make several meals, or ask friends and family to • Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby help contribute. Freeze them, so all you have to do • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide is heat them up. This is not the time to skip meals because you don’t have time to cook. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your primary care physician immediately. Postpartum depression can be treated with the right medication. After Baby Comes Home You can plan for just about everything and anything but, until you’re in the middle of it, you Some new mothers may experience postpartum won’t know what you don’t know. Don't worry if you depression after the birth. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth, don't do everything perfectly. All your baby needs is you and your love. WGW but may begin earlier, during pregnancy, or later –
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Traveling Economically This Summer By Sandra Bolan ver the past year, many of us have longed to be anywhere but where we were. Now, virtually all travel restrictions have been lifted, so all you have to do is pick a place and go. But there’s still one problem – you’re on a budget and it’s pretty tight. Believe it or not, you don’t have to be rich to travel the world. You just have to pick your splurges wisely.
O
Budget Friendly Travel • Rewards. Most of us have credit cards linked to some sort of reward, whether it be hotel points, flights, other travel rebates or even cash back. Save up those rewards and use
them on someplace you otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to go. If you have a cashback card, put that monthly rebate in a special bank account dedicated to vacations. • Food. Flights and accommodations are often thought of as the most expensive part of a trip. The reality is that you spend most of your budget on food. If staying in a hotel, take advantage of the free breakfast. While you’re at the breakfast bar, grab an extra piece of fruit for a mid-day snack. Some hotels offer pre-bagged to-go breakfasts with fruit, granola bars, juice or water. Grab one on your way out for the day and have it for lunch or as snacks throughout the day. If you have to eat out, eat lunch, as it’s usually cheaper than dinner. If you want a cocktail or two, hit up happy hour, usually between 4 and 6 p.m. No matter what your accommodations are, you’ll have access to some sort of cooking appliance, whether it’s a hot-plate, campsite grill, hotel microwave or full kitchen. Cook your own meals as much as you can. • Flights. If your only option for getting to your destination is by plane, there are a number of apps that can help you find cheap flights. If you can, be flexible on your travel dates.
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Happy Mother's Day From Our Family To Yours 38
This can unlock last-minute deals and, quite often, destinations you might not otherwise be able to afford. Packing light when flying is an absolute must. Especially when flying with a budget airline, which often charges extra for everything and anything. Bring tops and bottoms that mix-and-match well and plan to do laundry at least once while traveling. • Road trips. Road trips are by far the cheapest way to get away with the entire family. AirBnBs, along with vacation rental properties are very economical as they enable you to split the cost among a large number of people. They also allow you to cook all your meals in a full kitchen and do laundry on-site. Camping is perhaps the cheapest way to vacation. A campsite typically costs $10 to $30 per night, and your daily activities are right outside your tent – hiking, swimming and other amenities the park has to offer. An annual National Park pass costs $80 and it gets you into all 59 national parks. • Sightseeing. Skip the rental car and Ubers. Instead, pack your walking shoes and use public transportation. Many transit systems offer all-you-can-ride passes. Big cities typically have city tourism cards that get you admission into a number of the most popular tourist attractions, for less than when you purchase tickets separately. These cards also usually provide hop on/off bus transit. There are almost always free events taking place throughout the summer. Make sure to research what’s happening while you’re there so you can take advantage of free concerts, plays and festivals. • Miscellaneous expenses. We can spend a lot of money on a bunch of little things. Create a budget before you go and stick to it. If you must eat in a restaurant because it’s part of your trip’s bucket list, check prices online before you go and budget for it. If you have a car, avoid expensive parking fees as much as possible by leaving it at your hotel. Bring your own refillable water bottle. Buying water in plastic bottles, numerous times a day, can be costly, and all that plastic is bad for the environment. With a bit of creativity and planning, you can travel just about anywhere you want on a budget. And you just might have money left over for your next adventure. WGW
Dailey Life Photography Zachary Dailey, Photographer for West Georgia Woman Magazine
Call us today for your photography needs!
404.444.9072
daileylifephotography@gmail.com @DaileyLifePhoto
@DaileyLifePhotography
www.daileylifephoto.wordpress.com 39
Local Happenings
Due to our country's current health situation, please call or email the organizations included in our local events section to inquire about in-person meetings.
West Georgia Mental Health Professionals Wellness Meetup Group
This group meets the last Saturday of every month in Douglasville or Austell. For more information, contact Cheryl at theheartmatters@gmail.com or 678.754.5840. Learn more at www.heartmatterswellness.com.
Hope For The Journey This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the board room at the Tracy Stallings Community Center at 118 South White St. in Carrollton. These events are free to breast cancer survivors or those currently battling breast cancer. Learn more at www.hopeforthejourneywestga.org, email execdirector@hopeforthejourneywestga.org or call 770.214.1491.
Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program Rare Pearls mission is to enrich and empower the lives of young girls and women. This group meets the third Saturday of each month at Heritage Baptist Church in Douglasville,
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from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. This program is open to all girls ages 7 to 17. For more information, call 770.947.8210, email rarepearls2015@gmail.com or visit the website at www.rarepearlsmentoringandleadership.org.
Nursing From The Heart Breastfeeding Support Group This group meets the third Monday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 500 Old Bremen Road in Carrollton. These events are free to pregnant women and moms looking for breastfeeding support. Free weight checks for your baby will be available. Come and share your breastfeeding journey with us. Please check our website for meeting and event updates at www.nursingfromtheheart.com.
Gertrude's House Breast Cancer Support Group This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Lithia Springs Family Chiropractic at 1758 Lee Rd. in Lithia Springs. This group is open to all survivors, caregivers, supporters, friends, family and those fighting breast cancer. Visit their Facebook page @GertrudesHouse or email them at GertrudesHouse@yahoo.com.
Domestic Abuse Support Group There is Hope is a support group for women survivors who have dealt with, or are currently dealing with, domestic violence. This is a private Facebook group where women survivors come together and share their personal stories of experience, strength and hope. For more information, please contact hopefulone807@ gmail.com.
Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Groups Has your life been impacted by the loss of a friend or loved one to suicide? You are not alone. These groups offer peer support for anyone who has been affected by suicide loss. There is no cost to attend. Group meetings in Carrollton are the third Tuesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. at 306A Bradley Street. For more information, contact Ivey Rollins at iveyrollins@gmail.com or call 470.729.0909. Group meetings in Douglasville are the second Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 6167 Priestley Mill Rd., Room 226. For more information, contact Terri Johnson at chose2live@aol.com or 770.765.2181. Group meetings in Newnan are the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Crossroads Church, 2564 Hwy 154. For more information, contact Lynn Bradley at 770.301.4890 or email nbll.bradley170@gmail.com, or contact Nancy Bradley at 770.251.6216.
rising costs associated with obtaining a college degree. Stone plans to use her earnings at the Georgia Institute of Technology where she will fulfill her childhood ambition of industrial engineering. “As early as middle school, I knew I wanted to be an engineer,” said Stone. “My love of problem-solving, math and science, coupled with career days and job interest assessments, confirmed my future career. I discovered that I have a mindset like an industrial engineer and enjoy tasks similar to those faced in that field. “While attending Georgia Tech, I plan on co-oping to gain practical, field work experience,” continued Stone. “During my time in college, I plan on obtaining a concentration within my field, so I am specialized and competitive in the job market. After I graduate, I hope to go back and get my master's in industrial engineering or perhaps an MBA.” The scholarship is named in honor of Walter Harrison, a pioneer in the rural electricity movement and a leader at the local, state and national levels. Since 1987, more than $236,000 has been awarded to 247 students through the Walter Harrison Scholarship fund – a sheer representation of co-ops’ investments in their communities and the turnaround in its young members. “Writing the essay for this scholarship allowed me to reflect upon how amazing it is to live in a small, closeknit town,” said Stone. “Each generation influences the generation after them, so it is our responsibility, as young adults, to positively impact our communities. Being named a Walter Harrison Scholarship winner will help me go to college and return to the West Georgia area to reinvest in the community that has given me so much.” Carroll EMC is a Member-owned cooperative providing electricity to approximately 50,000 homes and businesses. The co-op serves Members in Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk, Floyd and Troup counties. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For more information visit the cooperative’s website at carrollemc.com or follow Carroll EMC on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn. Carroll EMC: Community Built. Community Builder.
Student Represents Carroll EMC As Statewide Scholarship Winner Student scholar Emily Stone represents Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative as its first recipient of the statewide Walter Harrison Scholarship since 2013. In March, Stone was selected as Carroll EMC’s semifinalist for the prestigious $1,000 scholarship. She was recently named one of 12 recipients for this year’s award after being judged among 76 other semi-finalists from 41 EMCs across the state of Georgia. Recipients were chosen based on their academic achievements, extracurricular activities and their service to the community. The scholarship can be applied to academic expenses to any accredited two- or four-year university, college or vocational-technical institute in Georgia to help offset the
Pictured from left to right: Carroll EMC CEO Tim Martin, Walter Harrison Scholarship Winner Emily Stone and Community Relations Supervisor Taylor Key. Photo by Carroll EMC.
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Summertime "Flu" or Something Else? Protect Yourself from Lyme Disease By Sandra Bolan
L
yme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. A vector-borne illness is the result of a human being bitten by a mosquito, tick or flea. Initial symptoms are treated with antibiotics, but if left ignored, lyme disease can be dangerous. People contract lyme disease through blacklegged (deer) ticks. These ticks contract the bacteria after feeding on infected deer, birds or mice. The tick needs to be attached to the human for 24 hours to transmit the bacteria that causes lyme disease. The easiest way to prevent tick bites and lyme disease is to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts while outdoors, particularly when hiking or in forested areas. The CDC recommends using an insect repellant with 20 percent DEET. If you don’t like DEET, the CDC says you can use EPA-registered products containing the active ingredient oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD – the synthesized version of OLE. Anytime you go for a walk in wooded or grassy areas, check yourself for ticks. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers – grab the tick near its head or mouth and gently pull. Ensure all of the tick’s body parts are removed from your body.
Protecting Your Dog
Treatment If you’re one of the roughly 30,000 Americans who contract lyme disease annually, it can be treated.
“Carrollton’s Prescription Headquarters”
821 Dixie Street Carrollton, GA 30117
770.832.7076
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Within hours and up to two weeks after being bitten, the area may be distinguished by a bulls-eye rash, but may not be painful or itchy. You may suffer from chills, a sore throat as well as head and muscle aches. Patients treated with antibiotics in this early stage typically have a rapid recovery. If left untreated, patients move into stage two, when they suffer from a general feeling of being unwell. Rashes may appear in other areas of the body, heart rhythm disturbances can occur, as well as neurological conditions such as facial and cranial nerve palsies and meningitis. Without treatment, months or even years later, the person affected can suffer from arthritis, mental fogginess, short-term memory loss and sleep disturbances. Roughly 10 to 20 percent of people who contract lyme disease suffer from post-lyme disease syndrome (PLDS), which effects a person’s mobility and cognitive skills. Treatment is primarily focused on easing the person’s discomfort. Most people eventually recover, but it can take months, or even years. Preventing lyme disease is a simple as applying insect repellent and doing a quick check of your person for any critters that have latched on. WGW
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Lyme disease in dogs is very common. It's important to check your dog regularly for ticks. If you find any, remove them right away with tweezers. Symptoms of a dog with lyme disease include fever, loss of appetite, reduced energy, lameness, discomfort, pain and joint swelling. If these symptoms go ignored, they can progress to kidney failure as well as cause cardiac and neurological issues. Once diagnosed, dogs can be treated for lyme disease with antibiotics. If a dog contracts lyme disease, it can’t be transmitted to another pet, nor can a pet infect a human. To help prevent canine lyme disease, use veterinarian-approved flea and tick prevention medications.
THAT SIREN YOU HEAR? IT'S YOUR CAREER CALLING. In two years or less, you'll be prepared for one of many in-demand careers. West Georgia Technical College offers more than 120 programs, surprisingly affordable tuition, and a 99% career placement rate. This is how you succeed sooner.
SUCCEED SOONER W E S T G AT E C H . E D U
As set forth in its student catalog, West Georgia Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, sex, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, veteran status, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Equity (Title IX) Coordinator, Dean of Students, 770.755.7839, 200 Campus Drive, Newnan, GA 30263. ADA (Section 504) coordinator is V.P. of Administrative Services, 678.664.0533, 401 Adamson Square, Carrollton, GA 30117. 43
Kids Korner
Memorial Day Wind Sock
Materials 1 wire hanger Red, white and blue crepe paper American flag stickers Twine or string Scissors School glue stick or tape (not pictured) Instructions Cut three strips each of red, white and blue crepe paper, about 3 feet in length.
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By Jordan Coffman Photos by Zachary Dailey
Take the wire hanger apart and form a circular shape, twisting the wire together. Take the top of each crepe paper strip (about two inches) and fold over the wire circle. Glue or tape in place. Stick the American flag stickers at the top of each colored strip. Cut three pieces of the twine or string, about 12-inches long. Tie the pieces of string to the wire, distribuiting equally. Tie the three pieces of string together at the top, leaving enough string to tie to a tree branch or shepherd's hook.
Flower Power Mother's Day Card
Materials
Heavy duty white card stock Scissors Red, pink, green, brown and dark and light yellow construction paper School glue stick
Cut a large flower out of the dark yellow construction paper. Cut a flower about half that size from the light yellow construction paper. Cut the flower pistil (center) out of the brown construction paper. Glue the large heart in the center of the card stock. Glue the smaller heart in the center of the larger heart. Glue the leaves next. Next, glue the large flower on top of the leaves. Glue the smaller flower in the center of the large flower. Glue the pistil in the center of the small flower. Fold card in half and decorate as desired. WGW
Instructions Cut a large heart from the red construction paper. Cut a heart about half that size from the pink construction paper. Cut leaves as shown in the photo to the right from the green construction paper.
Because a HOME is much more than a house.
Shala Hainer, Realtor Cell: 770.842.8500 Office: 770.240.2004 shalahainer@gmail.com 45
Happy Mother's Day Word Search
Word Bank
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Devoted Mommy Love Children Supportive Caretaker Kisses Selfless Adoption Son Giving Inspirational Heritage Unconditional Grandmother Hugs Family Woman Motherhood Daughter
Word search created at puzzle-maker.com
Creating Beautiful Smiles for Over 18 Years! Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Complete Facial Esthetics
Dr. Harvey, bottom right, with her staff.
M. Dawn Harvey, DMD, PC 105 Dallas Rd. • Villa Rica 770.459.5778 www.drharveysmiles.com
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PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S.POSTAGE PAID EDDM RETAIL LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER
Better Birth Days
Better Birth Days Keeping moms and babies safe and healthy during pregnancy, delivery and beyond The health of pregnant and new moms is an issue in our community. Pregnancy-related complications including preeclampsia, blood clots and stroke – up to 12 months after delivery – can be life-threatening. The risk is even greater for Black and Hispanic moms. If you are pregnant or delivered within the last year – or you have a friend or family member who has – these symptoms require medical attention right away:
A headache that won’t go away or gets worse over time Fever of 100.4 degrees or higher Trouble breathing Chest pain or rapid heart rate Severe swelling, redness or pain of the leg or arm Changes in vision Dizziness or fainting
Seek care at your closest emergency department. Do not delay. These symptoms will not go away. Keep yourself and your baby safe and healthy.
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Learn more about Better Birth Days at tanner.org/better-birth-days.