ALL IN!
DBHDS Monthly Update from Commissioner Ferguson
SEPTEMBER 2015

WELCOME

September is a month for recognizing several behavioral health and wellness efforts statewide and nationwide. Older Virginians Mental Health Month, National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, and National Suicide Prevention Month all fall in September. DBHDS is complementing these public awareness opportunities as well as leading efforts on other big initiatives such as the 5thAnnual Minority Mental Health Awareness Media Contest, Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) Conference, and an effort to prevent alcohol related car crashes by young adults. This month’s ALL IN! highlights these latest developments as well as upcoming behavioral health and developmental services events and accomplishments.
UPDATES and INFORMATION

September 2015 Marks National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
This month marksNational Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, which is devoted to increasing public awareness of how substance abuse and other behavioral health services can help those struggling with addiction live a life full of possibilities. This year’s theme is Join the Voices for Recovery: Visible, Vocal, Valuable!, which highlights the value of peer support in the recovery process. One of DBHDS’s Office of Substance Abuse Services efforts includes medication assisted treatment, which assists individuals struggling with addiction.President ObamaandGovernor McAuliffehave also issued proclamations to recognize Recovery Month and acknowledge all individuals who are going through the recovery process as well as their loved ones.

September 2015 is Older Virginians Mental Health Month
According to Virginia’s Department of Aging, the number of older Virginians is on the rise. Right now, there are 1.5 million Virginians who are 60+, and this number will grow to two million by 2030. This population growth directly coincides with the increasing need for geriatric mental health services. As we celebrate Older Virginians’ Mental Health Month throughout this month, DBHDS thanks the CSBs, advocates, legislators, and other key stakeholders for their support and assistance that enables older adults to maintaintheir quality of life in their communities.

NAACP Chapter in Alexandria Helps Local Suicide Prevention Efforts via a DBHDS Grant
In October 2014, DBHDS awarded all Health Planning Regions suicide prevention grants to fund their regional plans. In Region 2, the City of Alexandria’s Department of Community & Human Services, Center for Children & Families, provided a mini-grant to support the local NAACP’sMental Health Matters Campaign. This campaign is designed to “de-stigmatize mental health within the African American and communities of color.” The campaign will give youth the tools to recognize mental illness and learn how to give immediate assistance.

DBHDS Launches Webpage for Compensation for Victims of Sterilization
DBHDS recently launched awebpagethat provides more information and resources on compensation for victims of the eugenics sterilization program. The Virginia Compensation for Victims of Eugenics Sterilization Program provides monetary compensation for people who were involuntarily sterilized according to the Virginia Eugenical Sterilization Act. Individuals can file a claim if they meet specific eligibility requirements. Learn more on how DBHDS is assisting sterilization victims.

DBHDS Conducts Supports Intensity Scale® (SIS®) Respondent Trainings
DBHDS’s Division of Developmental Services staff conducted a total of ten Supports Intensity Scale® (SIS®) Respondent Training sessions across the state (Radford, Harrisonburg, Woodbridge, Henrico and Virginia Beach) in August and early September. This training is part of an effort to ensure individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and providers of DD waiver services, who have not previously participated in the SIS® assessment, are familiar with the Supports Intensity Scale® and interview process, as it will be an essential part of determining individuals’ service packages and supports budgets in the redesigned waivers. Thus far 157 people received the training. A series of eight additional sessions are scheduled to occur in the month of October in Abingdon, Lynchburg, Fairfax and Purcellville.

Virginia’s Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant Continues Efforts Statewide
DBHDS is working on Virginia’s Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG) Project, which is designed toprevent alcohol related car crashes by 18-24 year olds. This initiative is intensifying its efforts by broadening communication strategies. The SPF SIG will have: radio PSAs, billboards, bus boards, and educational materials; a social media campaign,Choose Your Vibe VA; instructional resources for use by Virginia’s health and physical education teachers; andthe RVABuzzKill - Serve Under 21 and the Party’s Over campaign - jointly launched by campus law enforcement at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), University of Richmond, Virginia Union University, J.Sergeant Reynolds Community College, and the Richmond City Police Department, to develop and implement a unified strategy against underage drinking to college students in the Richmond region.

DBHDS Sponsors Fourth Annual Virginia Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) Conference
In support of Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT), DBHDS is a major sponsor of the 4th Annual VACIT Conference which is scheduled forOctober 19-20in Hampton, Virginia. DBHDS, DCJS, and the CIT Coalition coordinate this training event as a means to provide advanced training and as a venue where CIT programs can learn from each other. It is anticipated that 350 law enforcement, behavioral health, consumer, and consumer advocates will attend this year’s conference. DBHDS is also sponsoring a pre-conference institute on October 18thfor peers/ persons with lived experience who are members of CIT programs.Questions about CIT Assessment Sites should be directed to Stephen Craver, CIT Assessment Site Coordinator, and other questions about CIT can be directed to Jana Braswell, Statewide CIT Coordinator.

DBHDS’s OneSource Data Warehouse Wins 2015 Governor's Technology Award
Earlier this week, Governor Terry McAuliffe and Secretary of Technology Karen Jacksonawarded DBHDSwith the 2015 Governor's Technology Award for Innovative Use of Big Data and Analytics for the OneSource project, a data warehouse and governance program. The award was presented at the 2015 Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium (COVITS). By consolidating department data and streamlining and automating reporting, the OneSource project improves the quality of care and treatment for Virginia’s children and adults who have or who are at risk of mental illness, substance-use disorders or developmental disabilities while saving the department significant time and tax payer dollars.

DBHDS Hosted 5th Annual Minority Mental Health Awareness Media Contest
Earlier this month, DBHDS hosted the 5th Annual Minority Mental Health Awareness Media contest. Individuals and organizations were invited to participate in, host, and/or sponsor an activity for youth and/or adults that promote awareness of mental illness prevention, treatment or research in diverse communities and submit entries for winning recognition. This year’s theme was “What does mental wellness mean to you?” Winners are: Chesterfield Mental Health Support Services, Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute Showtime Dynamics Choir, and Nia Campbell, Student, Virginia Commonwealth University.

September 22: Webinar on Strengthening Access to Behavioral Health Services for Service Members, Veterans, and Families
Later this month, three experts on military issues and behavioral health will host a SAMHSAwebinarto discuss the latest developments on military culture training and behavioral health care. This event will also include information on the VA’s newly released“Understanding Military Culture” Community Provider Toolkit. Participants will have an opportunity to collaborate with state interagency behavioral health systems and the VA’s programs and services and discuss three best practice resources, tools, and strategies.

DBHDS Central Office Prepares for Richmond Bike Race
TheRichmond Bike Raceis scheduled for September 19-27, and the event will take place downtown near the DBHDS Central Office. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be severely restricted during this time. Contacting Central Office staff could be difficult as employees are encouraged to volunteer for the event, work from home, or work at an alternate site. If you need to contact someone in Central Office, email is preferred.

September 17, 2015: Recovery Month Partnership Conference
In honor of National Recovery Month, Horizon Behavioral Health will hold aPartnership Conferenceon Thursday, September 17, 2015 from 7:30 to 11:30 am at Eagle Eyrie in Lynchburg, Virginia. The conference will focus on variety of ways solid community partnerships help in the healing and recovery of persons with mental health and addiction disorders. Horizon will also honor and recognize a valuable partner in the community. Legislators and partners from across the state are expected to join Horizon for the event.

September 2015: Health Planning Region III Annual Conference
The 31st Health Planning Region III Annual Conference is scheduled forSeptember 21-24, 2015in Roanoke, Virginia. The theme this year is THE JOURNEY: Fostering Hope, Creating Change--Recovery for All. Offerings include Recovery Oriented Systems of Care, Promoting Academic Success Among Youth Through Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention, Yoga Skills for the Mental Health Professional, Using “The Hero’s Journey” to Reframe the Struggle of Mental Illness, Energy Psychology: A New Paradigm, Substance Abuse in the Second Half of Life, Beyond “Behaviors”: Supporting Competence and Well-Being with the Intellectual Disabilities Population. Learn more or registerhere.

News Stories of Interest

  • American Pharmacists Association --Pharmacists gain recognition for role in naloxone access
  • Connection Newspapers --Fairfax County: Policy Changes Recommended on Mental Health and Crisis Intervention
  • Associated Press --Federal funding to help drug crackdown efforts in Appalachia
  • NBC 4 --Resources for Dealing with Heroin Addiction and Dependence
  • Daily Press --Nationwide heroin crisis hits home in Gloucester and Mathews counties
  • Fairfax County --Fairfax County launches effort to reduce number of people with mental illness in jails
  • The Diane Rehm Show --New Efforts To Help People With Mental Illness Get Treatment Instead Of Jail Time

Let'sBE BOLDVirginia! I'mALL IN!

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Debra Ferguson, Ph.D.
Commissioner
Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services

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