Victory Center Receives

Program of Excellence

   NASHVILLE - Frontier Health's Victory Center received a Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations' Program of Excellence Award for 2007. The Program of Excellence award is given to acknowledge excellence, quality and the creative and groundbreaking ways behavioral health services are provided.
    Founded in 1989, Frontier Health's Victory Center provides job readiness, work skills training, job placement, and ongoing employment support to consumers in eight counties in Northeast Tennessee.

   This past March, the Recovery Education Center opened as part of the Victory Center service array to make available the latest methods in the recovery process. The program serves adults who are diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illnesses and/or alcohol and/or drug dependencies.
    Victory Center is a positive recovery environment based on strengths and abilities that empower the individual to begin their journey of recovery and to improve their quality of life. The program works with the individual's entire continuum of care. Victory Center staff teach classes on WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) as a basic tool for recovery.
    Victory Center employs the latest recovery methods within a comprehensive approach to helping consumers fully integrate into society. "I have an amazing, creative staff," says Mary Fultineer, Division Director.
"We all fully believe in recovery and we are here to encourage and challenge students who often lack hope that they can lead the life they are capable of leading."
TAMHO is a statewide trade association representing Community Mental Health Centers and other non-profit corporations that provide behavioral health services. TAMHO member organizations have been the virtual cornerstone of the community-based behavioral health system throughout the state since the 1950s and today serves as the primary provider network for the TennCare Partners Program.
Frontier Health is the region's premier provider of behavioral health, mental health, substance abuse, developmental disabilities, and vocational rehabilitation services.

Victory Center Launches

'Recovery' Center

   Recovery from mental illness and/or addiction means more than just getting and keeping a job. People who are in recovery need education and support services that assist the "whole person" so they can fully integrate into society.

   Frontier Health, with a tradition of addressing the needs of individuals in the recovery process, is expanding and intensifying services to utilize the latest psychiatric rehabilitation methods.
Frontier Health, a regional leader in services for people who are in recovery, continuously re-evaluates practices to ensure consumers receive quality care. The innovative "wellness model" is a non-traditional treatment method that is evolving into a "Recovery Center," the only one east of Knoxville.
"Recovery is not a new concept but we've added new components to address the 'whole person.'" said Mary Fultineer. "We've refined the traditional recovery model and are taking a comprehensive approach to helping consumers fully integrate into society."
Wellness education, vocational training, and support services assist an individual to improve the quality of life and recover from the effects of psychiatric symptoms and addiction. "It's about creating opportunities and environments that help people truly achieve their full potential," Fultineer said. "Being able to take some control over your symptoms and develop the confidence to set goals, plan ahead, and develop the skills you need to be a part of the community is key to rehabilitation; for many consumers it's the start of the recovery process."
Many people who have experienced a mental illness have expressed feelings of loneliness, isolation, loss of meaningful relationships, and disconnection from the community. "If someone's days are empty and friendless, it can be overwhelming. Victory Center is a positive recovery environment where people can go daily and feel welcome and are valued," she said.
The Recovery Center will continue to provide employment services along with a more in-depth education component to help consumers manage their own mental health, live independently, get involved in the community, and develop life skills such as budgeting, securing and managing a household, and developing problem-solving, decision-making, and interpersonal skills.
The Victory Center Recovery Center works with outpatient services, case management, supported housing, peer support centers, employment services, and psychiatric hospitals to help an individual maximize their potential and make the most of their recovery process. The center offers:
• WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) as part of a statewide initiative to include recovery concepts of hope, personal responsibility, education, support and advocacy
• Job Readiness
• Emotional Health and psycho-education
• Customer Service Lab
• Computer Classes
• Managing Money
• How to Successfully Live on Your Own
• Life Skills
• Leisure Activities
• Pre-vocational Training is provided through participation in work labs (Clerical Lab, Customer Service Lab and Cooking Lab)

    The classes are in four- to six-week sessions and change according to an individual's needs and suggestions from program members. Classes that will be offered in the future include Self-Esteem/Confidence Building, Anger Management, Stress Management, and Time Management Skills.
    Recovery is not a step-by-step process, she said. "Recovery cannot take place in a vacuum. The individualized process involves growth and setbacks, learning from experience, and periods of rapid growth and little change. It's important to provide a non-judgmental setting for people to move toward recovery."

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Couple, Coalition Working

to End Suicide in Region

Groups in Southwest Virginia

Working to Make a Difference

   The world of someone contemplating death by suicide seems like an abyss, a bottomless and immeasurable space or void, says Bill Russell, whose 36-year-old son died by suicide in January 2001. But it doesn't have to be that way.
    Depression likely contributed to Bill Russell III's death by suicide, but his family believes that if they would have had the right information, they might have prevented it. "In retrospect, we believe he was depressed even in high school," Bill Russell said. "But we didn't know how to recognize the signs. Depression is treatable and most people who are depressed don't realize it. They think they are normal."
    After the Russells realized they could let go of the guilt, they decided to help educate others to prevent future deaths by suicide. "If we had only been aware of the signs and symptoms of depression and realized how many suicides are caused by it, we might have been able to convince our son to seek treatment."
    Depression is a disease that has devastating effects on individuals, families and communities, said Eleanor S. Cantrell, M.D., District Director of the Lenowisco Health District. "The suicide rate shows that depression affects more people in far Southwest Virginia than in other regions of the state."
    Suicide is never the answer, said Sandy O'Dell, Senior Vice President of Virginia Services for Frontier Health. "Most people who choose suicide desperately want to live, that's why they often signal their distress and intent. They are just unable to see an alternative."
    After their son's death, Bill and Phyllis Russell needed help. They began attending the closest Survivors' of Suicide Support Group in Johnson City, Tenn. The couple missed only one meeting in five years. In April of 2005, along with Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church and the Rev. Betty Marshall, they began the Lee County Survivors' of Suicide Support Group.

   In late 2005, while on the way home from a Suicide Prevention Conference in Roanoke, Va., they decided to form a regional coalition after learning that Southwest Virginia's suicide rate is double the state's and nearly double the nationwide rate.

   "We were really alarmed," Bill Russell said. "So on our way home, Phyllis began writing our plans to build a coalition and involve other Southwest Virginia counties."
   Working from the napkin Phyllis used to take notes, the Russells involved the Lenowisco Health District, the Virginia Director of Suicide Prevention, Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, Frontier Health, and Planning District One Behavioral Health Services.

   Determined to educate everyone about depression and suicide, Bill and Phyllis Russell founded the Lenowisco Suicide Prevention Network. Since that time, the group has made presentations to nearly 300 people in multiple groups in Lee, Wise, and Scott counties.

   "After a presentation, we've had people thank us for giving them permission to openly talk about a suicide that occurred in their family 15 to 20 years ago," Bill Russell said. "It's even more difficult to overcome the pain of suicide when you're afraid to discuss it."
   Other contacts were made to local school systems, medical offices, social services' agencies, law enforcement agencies, judicial groups, faith-based organizations, and higher education. "Our thrust is education," Bill Russell said. "We encourage everyone to become trained in the ASIST program that emphasizes suicide first aid, helping a person at risk stay safe, and how to seek further help. It's critical that we learn how to intervene and prevent suicide."
   Cantrell says the region has to pull together to make a difference. "Like other health conditions, the solution is not with professionals in far-off places. The people of Southwest Virginia must start in our own homes, schools, churches, and communities."
   The federal government designated Southwest Virginia as having a shortage of mental health providers. Couple that with the high suicide rate and it becomes even more critical that the community work together to solve the problem.

  "Everyone should be educated about the signs and symptoms of severe depression, and we need to enhance the knowledge of primary care providers related to screening, treatment and referral for depression of patients in their practices," Cantrell said.
   The ASIST program is taught by Frontier Health's Virginia Crisis Services, Frontier Health's Tennessee Crisis Services, and by The Crisis Center. During the training, you will learn to recognize opportunities for help; how to reach out and offer support; estimate the risk of suicide; apply a model for suicide intervention; and link people with community resources. 

   Evaluations have shown the workshop increases caregivers' knowledge and confidence to respond to a person at risk of suicide, says Pam Varner, coordinator of Virginia Crisis Services with Frontier Health.

   After founding the Southwest Virginia regional suicide prevention network, Bill and his wife, Phyllis, began working to expand the suicide survivor's support group and county coalitions into all three counties. The Wise County Suicide Prevention Coalition chair is the Rev. Jean Layell.
   Bill and Phyllis Russell are also working to become an affiliate for The Jason Foundation, a national organization dedicated to fostering awareness and prevention of teen-age suicide. The Jason Foundation provides community service programs for youth, parents, teachers, churches, service providers, and youth organizations. The Frontier Health Tennessee Crisis Services is affiliated with The Jason Foundation.
   O'Dell concluded, "Even though suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death nationwide, second among college-age adults, and third and fourth consecutively for 15- to 24-year-olds, and 10- to 14-year-olds, suicide can be prevented. We need to educate the community, provide early intervention, and treatment for mental and substance abuse disorders. We can stop this alarming trend and help save dozens of lives in Southwest Virginia."
    For information about the Lenowisco Suicide Prevention Network, call the Bill and Phyllis Russell at (276) 346-1641. For information about the ASIST Program or to seek help, call (276) 523-8300. For crisis assistance, call 1-800-Suicide, Frontier Health at 1-888-443-1804, The Crisis 276-466-2312.

Suicide facts:
• More than 30,000 people die by suicide nationwide each year.
• 775,000 Americans attempt at death by suicide each year.
• For every two homicides in Virginia, there are 3 deaths by suicide.
• Between 1998 and 2003, there were 681 hospitalizations related to attempts to die by suicide in the Lenowisco Health District.; during that same period, 106 deaths were classified as self-inflicted.
• In 1996 more teens died by suicide than the combined deaths from cancer, heard disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease.
• Four out of five youths who attempt to die by suicide give clear warnings.
• Twice as many die by suicide than HIV/AIDS.
• Older Americans comprise only 13% of the population, but represent 19% of all suicides.

   More people die from suicide than the Combined Total Deaths in armed conflicts around the world, and in many places, about the same or more than those dying from traffic accidents. In any year, 6 percent of the population has serious thoughts of suicide.
    Most people considering death by suicide signal their distress and their intent. Training can help us see and respond to their invitations to help. It can provide the confidence to ask about suicide if we are concerned about someone's safety. It can provide us with the tools to help prevent the immediate risk of suicide.

Therapeutic Foster Care

More than 550,000 Need Help Annually

   Imagine being taken from your home, not knowing when or if you'll ever return. Clutching a small overnight bag, you leave most of your belongings, your bed and your family behind.
     Nationwide more than 550,000 children and youth face this situation every year. "While trying to overcome what led them to a new home, a child must learn to trust, love and laugh again," said Sherry Feathers, division director of Frontier Health's Tennessee Children's Continuum Services.
     The average age of children in foster care is 10 and more than 130,000 of them are unable to return to their birth families - they're waiting to be adopted.

    TRACES therapeutic foster care was created in 1992 based on the needs for foster care in the region by three centers: Volunteer Behavioral Health in Chattanooga, Helen Ross McNabb Center in Knoxville and Frontier Health in Northeast Tennessee. VALUES was created in Virginia's Planning District One area to respond to their growing need.
     TRACES provides prospective foster parents 45 hours of extensive initial training and once a family is approved, continuing training is providing, including semimonthly meetings with other trained parents for support and socialization.

     VALUES also provides extensive training for prospective parents and continuing training including special workshops scheduled throughout the year.
     You can help. Become a foster parent of a child, youth or sibling group. Take time to honor a foster parent: express appreciation for their efforts, donate to a local foster care agency or help raise awareness within the community.

     Be a volunteer child court advocate through CASA; mentor a youth and/or hire or help a young person in foster care find a job.
     For more information on becoming foster or adoptive parents, or to offer your support, call (423) 224-1048 in Tennessee and (276) 431-4370 in Virginia.

Preventing Suicide

Frontier Health Teams with Jason Foundation, TSPN, AAS

   In Carter, Green, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties in 2000 and 2001, there were 1,668 attempted suicides. In 2002 in Tennessee there were 778 reported suicides.

   In Virginia in 2003 there were 3,309 attempted suicides and 797 reported suicides. Suicide rates for Southwest Virginia are twice as high as statewide.

   Frontier Health's suicide prevention efforts led to work with the Jason Foundation, the Ammerican Association of Suicidology, the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network and the Virginia Department of Health's Suicide Prevention.

   Nationwide every 117 minutes someone under age 25 commits suicide. In 2000 more than 3 million youth 12 to 17 years old seriously considered suicide and more than 1 million attempted suicide — that's more than 19,000 attempts each week, or two attempts per minute.

  Call 1-800-Suicide and be routed from the AAS national number to our local network. TSPN can be found at www.tspn.org.

   For teen suicide prevention, call the Jason Foundation Community Assistance Resource Line, 800-711-7701. They can help answer questions about behavior that could be signs of suicidal ideation or other mental health conditions. Referrals are made when necessary.

       Suicide Prevention Community    
            Assistance Resource Line

                       800-711-7701

    To help prevent youth suicide, Frontier Health affiliated with The Jason Foundation to bring community service programs that help prevent youth suicide by increasing awareness and education. The programs are for youth, parents, teachers, churches and youth organizations.

   "This affiliation will facilitate outreach programs in the prevention and awareness of youth suicide in eight counties of East Tennessee currently serviced by Frontier Health," says Michele Ray, vice president and CFO of The Jason Foundation, a national organization dedicated to fostering awareness and prevention of teen-age suicide. "The Jason Foundation will train Frontier Health personnel to implement Jason Foundation programs for adults and youth."

   Education is provided by Frontier Health including in-service for educators, parent seminars and the school-based curriculum "A Promise for Tomorrow." The plan includes a campaign to increase community awareness of the tragedy of suicide through brochures, public service announcements and media opportunities.

   The Jason Foundation Community Assistance Resource Line, 800-711-7701, is a resource information line for students, parents, teachers and other community members. The resource calls are handled by a mental health triage who make referrals as necessary.

Some suicide facts:
• Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in 15-24 year olds, and 4th between 10 and 14 year olds.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college-aged youth.
• In 1996 more teens dies of suicide than the combined deaths from cancer, heard disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease.
• Four out of five youths who attempt suicide give clear warnings.
• Twice as many die from suicide than HIV/AIDS.

    More people die from suicide than the combined total of deaths in armed conflicts around the world, and in many places, about the same or more than those dying from traffic accidents. In any year, 6 percent of the population has serious thoughts of suicide.

   Most people considering suicide signal their distress and their intent. Training can help us see and respond to their invitations to help. It can provide the confidence to ask about suicide if we are concerned about someone's safety. It can provide us with the tools to help prevent the immediate risk of suicide.