OTA Center for Peer Networking (CPN)

This is a new addition of NASMHPD’s Office of Technical Assistance. Gayle Bluebird, the first person to hold the position of Peer Network Coordinator, comes recognized nationally for her work. She has been involved in peer advocacy work for almost 40 years and has worked with NASMHPD since before 2002. She is a core faculty member of the Center for the Prevention of Violence and Trauma/seclusion and restraint reduction and has worked on multiple onsite and offsite OTA projects in multiple states and programs.

Ms. Bluebird has, most recently, served as the lead for CMHS in developing the video “Leaving the Door Open: Alternatives to Seclusion and Restraint ” that the Office of Technical Assistance uses for seclusion and restraint reduction training events. In addition, Ms. Bluebird often speaks at national conferences, works on National Peer Artist Projects, developed the model known as “Participatory Dialogues” (which promote communication and collaboration between consumers, providers and family members) and developed the concept of “Comfort Rooms.”

NASMHPD's Office of Technical Assistance is pleased to annouce Ms. Bluebird's new landmark technical report entitled "Paving New Ground - Peers Working In In-Patient Settings", which details the development of peer roles in mental health settings. If you would like to order a copy of the accompanying DVD, "Paving New Ground: A Dialogue With Peers and Family Members", please e-mail Tsveti.Berthin@nasmhpd.org. This DVD was made at Mayview State Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a group of recognized peers and a family member who talk about their experiences working in inpatient facilities and/or advocating for the reduction of seclusion and restraint.

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Once a month the OTA Center for Peer Networking (CPN) holds a conference call on variety of topics.

12 17 08 Peer Networking minutes

01 28 09 Peer Networking minutes

03 18 09 Peer Networking minutes

April 15th, 2009 Peer Networking Call: Comfort and Comforting Environments:  This Power Point presentation was developed by Gayle Bluebird and has been presented in many hospital facilities all over the country.  Bluebird explains that Comfort is an approach that should may include our conversations, healing touch and environments in addition to the actual Comfort Room.  Also explained is the difference between sensory rooms and comfort rooms.  Comfort rooms can be developed by peers for peers; thus she calls them Peer Led Comfort Rooms. 

Comfort and Comforting Environments

Christine Elvidge will talk about her work as a Recovery Support Specialist at Andrew McFarland Mental Health Center in Springfield, Illinois, where she has worked for the past five years.  She has worked on the grant to establish a coercion free environment and to implement alternatives to seclusion and restraints in State Operated Hospitals. Part of work as a Recovery Specialist is developing and maintaining comfort rooms in the hospital as well as creating artistic décor throughout the hospitals with poster displays and other artistic designs. Christine will be happy to speak to people who want more information following her presentation. She can be reached by calling her at:  217-786-0041 or sending her an email at Christine.elvidge@illinois.gov.

Below are two of her posters with their inspirations that are examples of many others she has found and displayed at McFarland.

Christine Elvidge value

Christine Elvidge first step

Guidebook:  Comfort Rooms:  A preventative tool used to reduce the use of restraint and seclusion in facilities that serve individuals with mental illness. This 96 page guidebook and excellent resource was published by the New York Office of Mental Health in February, 2009.  Information contained in the guidebook was prepared primarily for child and adolescent facilities but is useful for adult and geriatric units as well.

Guidebook: Comfort Rooms

May 20th, 2009 Peer Networking Call: Presentation by Deni Cohodas, Patient Liaison, and Tony Riccatelli, CEO at Worcester Psychiatric Center, Worcester, MA. They will talk about the importance of their relationship, a peer reporting to an administrator, and about the unique role that Deni plays in the prevention role with patients at high risk and also as de-briefer following a Seclusion/Restraint, which now happens rarely.

De-briefing Materials

Debriefer-Deni'stake

Debriefer descript of duties

Debriefer how helps

Debriefer job description recommended

Ellen Flowers

Peer Support Specialist Patient Debriefing Form Number 3

Tony Richatelli

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Materials

This report (click here to download) was written following a consultation given by Gayle
Bluebird and Holly Dixon in the state of Vermont, May 29 and 30, 2008 to an audience of combined psychiatric survivors and a variety of executives, staff, and members of the Vermont Council of Developmental and Mental Health Services.

Information in this report will be helpful to other states as they develop new roles and positions for peers in inpatient settings. Included in the report are job descriptions, recommended steps to develop new positions and issues regarding boundaries and others. We hope this information is helpful.

For further information contact: Holly Dixon: 207-624-4610 or Gayle Bluebird at 352-505-3195.

Reaching Across with the Arts (Then and Now)

Reaching Across with the Arts is a resource guide and manual that was created with funds from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services  Administration (SAMHSA) in 2000. The purpose of the manual was for mental health consumers to learn how to create self-help arts programs and  activities as well as how to use creativity in their everyday lives. 

Though Reaching Across with the Arts was written nine years ago the information is still relevant today. Many of the programs that were showcased are still alive: Second Step Players in Connecticut, 9Muses Art Center in Broward County, Florida. David Kime still puts out his zine, Transcendent Visions; and in  Illinois the Awakenings Review is still published bi-annually. Some
of the  performers you will read about have become well known, for example, Wambui  Bahati, who has written a book and is in great demand for the skits she writes and performs all over the country. 
 
So, enjoy this guidebook and contact us with your comments, ideas, etc.  You can contact Gayle Bluebird through NASMHPD or Ed Pazicky, the co-editor  of the guidebook at edpazicky@comcast.net

For more  consumer/survivor art go to www.alteredstatesofhearts.com. Altered States of the Arts is a nationwide network of creative people who are current or former recipients of psychiatric services.

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News Updates: Conferences, Special Projects, Newsworthy events, etc.

NARPA conference, September '09, Phoenix, AZ

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Presentations

Developing A Consumer Advisory Council in State Hospital Facilities. PowerPoint presentation by Frances Priester, Deputy Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, State of New York. Click here to see this presentation.