April 06, 2017

April Meeting Minutes

• Introductions
• Announcements
• Karl Shallowhorn, Director of Community Advocacy and Certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer
   o According to the National Council on Behavioral Health, 1 million people have been trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) since 2008
   o The training focuses on helping individuals with mental health concerns who may or may not be in crisis at the time
   o There are specialized trainings in Mental Health First Aid for youth, Veterans, higher education, law enforcement, older adults
   o The MHFA 5 step action plan
     Assess for risk of suicide or harm
     Listen nonjudgmentally
     Give reassurance and information
     Encourage appropriate professional help
     Encourage self-help and other support strategies
   o MHFA is an evidence-based early intervention project
   o The training material is for anyone, regardless of training or background
   o MHFA is important for all professionals, especially those who interact first with clients, like receptionists
   o The training is 8 hours in total and can be done all in one day or 2 shorter days
     $100 per person or $80 a person for 20 or more people
     Minimum of 10 people and maximum of 30 for a training
     Each person gets a certificate of completion and it is renewable every 3 years
   o They have 11 instructors and they have trained over 1,500 people since 2014
   o Bring this information back to your agencies and we can even talk about having a training for members of the CEA
   o Contact Karl at karlmhacompeer@gmail.com or at 883-3331
• Sarah Stimm, Director of Senior Services, at COMPEER
   o Compeer matches volunteers with older adults, “friends”, who have a diagnosed mental illness for companionship to help the person maintain good mental health
     The older adult does not have to currently be seeking treatment but they have to be stable
   o A goal of the program is to support older adults so that they may age in place
   o Requirements of volunteers
     Application
     4 references
     In-person interview
     Background check
     Police check
     Finger printing
     3 hour training
     Match appointment with potential friend
   o Expectations of the volunteers
     Meet with the friend at least one time per week for 1-2 hours
     Commit to the position for at least one year
     Complete monthly report to track how the person is doing
   o The program currently has about 100 older adults and about 90 volunteers
   o It is estimated that about 75% of the volunteers have somehow had a personal experience with mental illness
   o There are about 50 people on the waiting list so they really need volunteers!!!
     Contact Sarah at 883-3331 if you are interested in volunteering
   o There is a monthly newsletter for the older adults and volunteers that lists all of the activities going on
   o Aspire has started an “Errand Program” where their young men go to Kenton Presbyterian Village and run errands for the older residents
   o If you make a referral to the program, you will be notified of the match
• Gavin Kasper on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day/Month
   o Katie Earl is the Chair of the committee
   o Would like to do training in the senior centers again, but focus on large crowds and committed sites
     Sheriff’s Dept. will train again as well as some others who offered
   o Possible press conference again
• Announcement from Bruce Fulcher
   o The next Hoarding Coalition meeting will be on April 19th from 12:30 – 2 at 20 Rich Street
• Announcement from Julia Szprygada
   o The Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Symposium is April 21, 2017from 8-4 at the Millennium Hotel
• Announcement from Miguel Santos
   o National Grid is going to start cracking down on people who have huge back bills for utilities. Since they do not shut off utilities for people who are blind, elderly, or disabled there have been many cases of people who are taking advantage of that and have back bills of thousands of dollars because they just aren’t paying
   o National Grid is going to start going after these people to try to make them pay. They are willing to do payments plans with some of the folks, depending on their histories with the company

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