October 2019 At the Heart of Wellness

Message fromMaria

Maria Coutant Skinner, ExecutiveDirector

Dear friends; There’s a LOT of talkabout mental healthswarming all around usthese days. In our culture,the term mental health hasbecome a very largebucket into which quite afew things are thrown. Aswe consider and discussmental health/mentalillness and wellness...language and nuancedunderstanding about eachis so important. There is ashortcut too often taken inconversations related toviolence that getsattributed to mental

Have you heard the news? McCall Center for Behavioral Health has been selected as thebeneficiary of the Big Y World Class Market Community BagProgram!

Each time the $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at theBig Y at 504 Winsted Road, Torrington CT during the month ofNovember we will receive a $1 donation.

Identify. Understand.Respond.

illness. This is adangerous and falseassumption. It also feedsstigma, makes othersafraid of someone with adiagnosis and creates abarrier to care forsomeone who may besuffering. The truth is that one in fiveAmericans is living with amental health condition. Inrecent years, there havebeen alarming increases inthe rates of depression,anxiety, suicide, andaddiction. That’s the badnews. The good news isthat we’re talking aboutmental wellness and howto achieve it. We’re talkingabout how important andeffective treatment is. We’re working to reducethat stigma by usingrespectful language todiscuss a person livingwith a mental healthdiagnosis. And we’reworking to train as manypeople as possible inMental Health First Aid. Here's what I hope youtake away from thismonth’s message. Eachone of us….withoutexception, can dosomething to help. Caringfor others; that is,recognizing a distressedperson, a person in need,a lonely or an angry oreven a potentially violentperson is not the exclusivedomain of mental healthprofessionals. Showing upfor others; having coffeewith your neighbor who isworried about their kid,stopping by to visit your

If someone you knew was showing signs of mental health and orsubstance use challenges, would you know where to turn? One infive Americans has a mental illness or substance use disorder, yetmany are reluctant to seek help or simply don’t know where to turnfor care. It is so important to understand the warning signs and riskfactors associated with mental health and substance usechallenges, as often those closest to the person experiencingthese symptoms are the first to recognize the signs. In 2005 The Mental Health First Aid Act was passed and providedtwenty million dollars in federal funding for the Mental Health FirstAid training program. Under this funding, participants are trainedin:

· Recognizing the symptoms of common mental illnesses andsubstance use disorders.· De-escalating crisis situations safely.· Initiating timely referral to mental health and substance useresources available in the community. Studies have shown that Mental Health First Aid successfullyincreases help provided to others and guidance to professionalhelp and improves communication with health professionals abouttreatment. The course “introduces participants to risk factors andwarning signs of mental health concerns builds an understandingof their impact and provides an overview of common treatments.Through role-playing and simulations, it demonstrates how toassess a mental health crisis; select interventions; provide initialhelp; and connect people to professional, peer and social supportsas well as self-help resources.” (National Council on BehavioralHealth, 2019). Mental Health First Aid provides participants withthe skills and confidence they need to provide early detection andintervention by teaching the signs and symptoms of specificillnesses like anxiety, depression, eating disorders and addictions.The Mental Health First Aid program provides participants withconcrete tools and answers to key questions like “What can I do?”and “Where can someone find help?” by providing them with information about local mental health resources, nationalorganizations, support groups and online tools for mental healthand addiction treatment and support.

aunt in the hospital, callingyour good friend from highschool, inquiring how yourco-worker is doing aftersuffering a loss – this iswhat it means to build lifesustaining connections. When we feel seen andheard, a critical part of ourselves is cared for.Loneliness anddisconnection are literallykilling us. The remedy isthe opposite. I have thegreat fortune of witnessingthis every single day. It’sthe very best therapy,intervention and medicinewe ‘prescribe’. Ittransforms us. We canabsolutely change the tide– together. My very best to youalways,Maria

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Your donation will directlysupport our prevention,

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness orsubstance use disorder and you do not know where to turn to callour office at 860-496-2100 to be connected with someone whocan provide you with help and support. You can also visit ourwebsite at www.McCallCenterCT.org to learn more about theprograms we offer and other local resources.

McCall's HeartThe McCall Center for Behavioral Health is fortunate to have aremarkable group of staff members who are dedicated to ourclients, our community and our agency. Beginning this pastJanuary, and continuing throughout the year, we will be featuring astaff member. We know how amazing our staff is and we think it isimportant for you, our readers, to get to know a little bit about themas well. For McCall staff this is not just a job, they love this agency,believe in its mission, have hope for their clients (even when thoseclients feel lost and hopeless) and know that their work is criticallyimportant to turn the tide of the ravages of addiction toward thejourney of health. Our staff are the HEART of McCall and thismonth we are featuring Ted Ruiz.

recovery and communityprograms and help us provide clients with thesupport they need-regardless of their ability topay. Click here to donatetoday!

Hometown: Torrington

Position: Receptionist

Quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, peoplewill forget what you did, but people will never forget how you madethem feel.” – Dr. Maya Angelou

Something I love: I’m inspired by the individuals that work here.Everyone is almost single track minded in their dedication to thecommunity. To work around a group of highly motivated andcompassionate individuals, it’s such a treat.