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DMHC NEWS 2010

News Archives 2007-2009

Dickinson Appoints New Leadership Positions

Kindergarten Readiness Program Holds "Moving On" Ceremony
Literacy Express Van Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Held

Young Students Benefit from Kindergarten Readiness Program

DMHC Spring Carnival
SAP visits St. Marys Catholic Middle School students

DMHC's Children's Prevention Services completes their first Baby Signs® Class
Dickinson Mental Health Center Awarded $75,000
from Palumbo Charitable Trust

Highmark Mobile Unit Visits DMHC

Elkwood Arts Donates to Good Samaritan Food Bank

 

Elk Regional Health System sponsors local Easter basket gift giving project
Elk County Catholic Students Pay it Forward

Second Graders Learn About Helping Others
DMHC Potter County Behavioral Health Team
Elkwood Arts Employees Present Plaques of Appreciation

Holy Rosary Preschool Field Trip
February is Dental Health Month

Dickinson Unveils New Autism Center
DMHC Looking to Expand Lifesharing Program
Elkwood Arts Earns Perfect Compliance
Sign Language as a Way of Communication
DMHC Offering More Behavioral Health Services to Cameron County and the Surrounding Community

Dr. Melissa Hunter to Lead DMHC Autism Diagnostic Team 


8/3/10

DICKINSON APPOINTS NEW LEADERSHIP POSITIONS


Dickinson Mental Health Center’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jack Goga, is proud to announce the recent appointment of Mr. Jim Prosper and Mr. Dave Webster to the leadership team effective August 2, 2010.

Photo of Jim ProsperJim Prosper accepted the position as the Community Programs Coordinator at DMHC. Jim graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in Health Policy and Administration. He later continued his education by receiving his master’s degree in Rehabilitative Science at Clarion University. Mr. Prosper has over fifteen years of experience in the mental health field. He will be responsible for programs such as Intellectual Disability Services (MR), Family Based, and Case Management.
 

 


Photo of David WebsterDave Webster has accepted the position as Mental Health Clinical Coordinator for DMHC. Dave is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College where he received a bachelor’s degree in both Business Administration and Psychology. He then earned his master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at Slippery Rock University. Dave furthered his education by achieving his Master’s of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Webster has contributed over twenty years of service to the mental health field. Webster will be responsible for the following programs at DMHC: Outpatient Services, Partial Hospitalization, Forensics, and Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

 

Dickinson Mental Health Center is very excited about the new additions to its leadership team. With their collective experience, technical skills, and professionalism; Jim Prosper and Dave Webster will add a great deal to the operations of the agency.


 

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8/3/10

Kindergarten Readiness Program's “Moving On” Ceremony

Photo of Moving On Ceremony                   Photo of Moving On Ceremony

Recently the LIFE/Incredible Years Program with Dickinson Mental Health Center Children’s Prevention Services, in conjunction with Johnsonburg Elementary School, held its annual Kindergarten Readiness “Moving On” Ceremony.  The Kindergarten Readiness Program is offered annually to all incoming Kindergarten students and is designed to prepare children for their entrance to Kindergarten.  The ceremony is a celebration of the children’s hard work over the summer and provides an opportunity to wish them well as they’re off to Kindergarten.  This Kindergarten Readiness Program is made possible by the generous support of the Johnsonburg Area School District, and the dedicated parents of the children who attended the program.   

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7/15/10

DMHC's Children's Prevention Services Parents as Teachers program will be facilitating the Literacy Express Van to Elk County preschools and day-care that serve children ages birth to 5. The goal of the Literacy Express is to promote Kindergarten readiness through promoting reading throughout Elk County to families and children ages birth to 5.  The on-going successful sustainability of this project will come from the investment from the community and other stakeholders committed to promoting literacy.  Currently, this is a collaborative effort with schools, human services and local boards and coalitions.  Recently we received another generous donation from Northern Tier Community Action Corporation to purchase more books.  Additionally, we have an endowment fund established with the Elk County Community Foundation that will accept donations from any interested individual wanting to support this project.Funded by the Department of Public Welfare through Elk County's System of Care/Integrated Children's Service Planning Team.

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6/28/10

Young students benefit from Kindergarten Readiness Program

Photo of Kindergarten Readiness Program

The LIFE/Incredible Years Program, a program with Dickinson Mental Health Center (DMHC) Children’s Prevention Services, offers a Kindergarten Readiness Program to all children enrolling in Kindergarten at Johnsonburg Elementary School. In addition to helping the children prepare for the new challenges of Kindergarten, the program integrates other programming offered by DMHC. Nicole Cashmer, certified Baby Signs® Instructor for DMHC’s Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program, recently facilitated a lesson regarding sign language. She read the children a story and taught them the signs for vocabulary found in the book. Learning a second language is fun and has many developmental benefits. American Sign Language stimulates learning through different senses. Sign language is a blessing for children that are “visual”, “spatial” or “tactile” learners, and learning a second language raises a child’s IQ. DMHC’s Kindergarten Readiness Program is facilitated by Tana Funair and Stephanie Sidelinger.

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5/27/10

Photo from DMHC Spring Carnival 2010

Photo from DMHC Spring CarnivalPhoto from DMHC Spring Carnival

 

 

 

 

 

 

DMHC Spring Carnival

On Thursday, May 20, 2010, Dickinson Mental Health Center (DMHC) hosted a Spring Carnival at the Ridgway Firemen's Building in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The carnival allowed the community to engage in a number of games and activities that were provided by the staff of the numerous programs that DMHC offers. Many of DMHC's staff was available to answer questions and provide information concerning their services. Clifford, the Big Red Dog, made many appearances throughout the day to the delight of all children in attendance. Attendees were eligible to win a flat-screen television as well as taking a chance on other various prizes that included tickets to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Kennywood Amusement Park. Dickinson's employees would like to thank all who attended and made this Mental Health Awareness Month event a great success.

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5/18/10

SAP visits St. Marys Catholic Middle School students
Student Assistance Program celebrates 25th anniversary

Photo of Jill Struble with studentsOn Monday, May 17, 2010, the student body at the St. Marys Catholic Middle School enjoyed a day of BINGO in recognition of the 25th Anniversary of the Student Assistance Program (SAP).  Mrs. Jill Struble, SAP Mental Health Liaison with Dickinson Mental Health Center’s Children’s Prevention Services, provided the students with an overview of the Student Assistance Program, how the program can be accessed and the program’s availability in all middle and high schools in Elk County.  Mrs. Struble also asked the members of the SAP Team at the Catholic Middle School to stand and be recognized by the students; those members present included Ms. Sharon Minnick, Mrs. Marsan O’Leary, Mrs. Kate Nekuza, and Mrs. Tia Meredith.  The other school members of the team include Mrs. Mary Agnes Marshall and Mrs. Karen Wendel.

  If you are interested in learning more about the Student Assistance Program, contact your school’s guidance department or call Dickinson Mental Health Center’s Children’s Prevention Services at 834-2602.

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5/17/10

Image and article

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4/2910

Dickinson Mental Health Center Awarded $75,000
from Palumbo Charitable Trust

John Kowach, Grant Administrator with the Sigismunda & AJ Palumbo Charitable Trust presented $75,000.00 check to DMHC Children’s Prevention Services for the Signs of Suicide (SOS) Prevention Program in Elk and Cameron County.

SOS is an evidence-based program of suicide prevention and depression awareness. Dickinson Mental Health Center’s Student Assistance Program Staff will provide the SOS program to secondary schools in Elk and Cameron County School Districts. One of the most serious health problems facing young people in the United States is Suicide. Signs of Suicide is a relatively new approach to reducing incidence of suicide among adolescents. SOS is a school-based prevention program that incorporates two prominent suicide prevention strategies into a single program.

SOS program components are: 1. Screening for symptoms of depression and suicide, 2. Education about depression and suicide.

The goal of SOS is to teach students the specific action steps needed to respond to signs of suicide by teaching students the action step – A.C.T. Acknowledge the signs of suicide, Care– Respond with Care, Tell a trusted adult

Shelly Meier and Tana Funair, Elk and Cameron County Supervisors report that since program inception, 2,000 children will have received the curriculum.

Front Row: Adrienne Williams, SOS/SAP Staff; Shelly Meier, SAP/SOS Elk County Supervisor; Jennifer Dippold, DMHC Children’s Prevention Services Director; Tana Funair, SAP/SOS Cameron County Supervisor; Jill Struble, SOS/SAP Staff. Back Row: Kathy Kroeger, Cameron/Elk Mental Health/Mental Retardation; Billie Jo Weyant, Elk County Family Resource Network Chairperson; Patty Schwer, Principal Cameron County High School; Jack Goga, DMHC Chief Executive Officer; John Kowach, Sigismunda & AJ Palumbo Charitable Trust Grant Administrator/Vice-Chair; Mary Agnes Marshall, St. Marys Catholic Elementary & Middle School System Supervising Principle; Walter Fitch, Johnsonburg Area School District Superintendent; Anne Kearney, St. Marys Area School District Superintendent

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4/15/10

Highmark Mobile Unit Visits DMHC

On April 14th from 1 pm until 4 pm we were visited by the Highmark Mobile Unit. Marc Truszkowski, who is a Highmark Direct Field Manager, and Rena Carr, a Group Retail Marketer, were on hand to assist employees who have Highmark BC/BS Insurance plans work through technical issues; finding passwords, and identification numbers and working on their wellness surveys. Lisa Holden, our Health Promotion Consultant was also on hand to offer information about Highmark, their Lifestyle Returns Program and wellness and prevention programs, and support to employees making steps to improve their overall health and well-being.

Highmark now offer e-mail communication to avoid and limit the need for paper communication and promote eco-friendly communications. These services are available at any time if you were unable to make it to the Unit today. Computer support phone numbers are readily available on the Highmark Website and are available at a wide variety of times and days.

This Unit travels all over the country providing wellness awareness and wellness programs to employees of a wide variety of agencies and their employees. The small unit we were able to secure offers a couple of flat screen T.V.s that educate about Highmark’s services and several lap top computers to work on Personal Lifestyle Returns Programs. Both Rena and Mark assisted in technical support and answered questions about Highmark's Wellness and Prevention services. Philip, the Highmark Mobile Unit Truck driver, assembled this unit for our us and related enjoys our area and the local scenery.

Rena will be at our JUNE 9th DMHC Health Fair which will be held at the Court House Annex Gymnasium. She will again be providing technical support for employees wanting assistance or information as they complete steps 1 and 2 of their Lifestyle Returns Program or who are having technical difficulties coding and entering data on their Highmark web sites.

Both Mark and Rena complimented our Wellness Program, relating we are very active and offer a wide variety of annual wellness programs and initiatives for all programs. They are aware of our challenges in having programs so far apart from one another and offered their own ideas and suggestions for our Wellness Committee, which will be shared at the next Wellness Committee Meeting.

A special thanks goes out to all who were able to take time to visit the Unit and to our administration who support the Wellness efforts at DMHC, and our Highmark Support Staff who came out to see us!

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4/15/10

 

Elkwood Arts donates to Good Samaritan Food Bank

 

Elkwood Arts held a bake sale during the recent chainsaw carving event.  All proceeds from the bake sale were donated to the Good Samaritan Food Bank.  Pictured are the employees from Elkwood Arts presenting a check to John Smith for the Good Samaritan Food Bank.  Front row l-r: Liz Daghir, Richard Gardner, John Smith, Mary Lou Dallasen.  Back row l-r: Tessa McCoole, Jim Martin, Tim Johnson and Jeff Knight.  Elkwood Arts, a vocational workshop/program of Dickinson Mental Health Center, is licensed by the PA Dept. Public Welfare’s Office of Developmental Programs.  Learn more at www.elkwoodarts.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4/7/10

 

Elk Regional Health System sponsors local Easter basket

gift giving project


Photo of Easter BasketsElk Regional provided Dickinson's Children's Prevention Services Wellness staff and Dickinson's Parents as Teachers (PAT) staff baskets to give to families receiving services. Families who received these baskets were overwhelmed by the generosity of Elk Regional.

Pictured in photo (L-R): Nicole Cashmer, PAT Educator; Tricia Brendel, Wellness Nurse; Lianne Schneider, PAT Program Supervisor; Adair Rohr, Wellness Nurse; Deanna Meyer, Pat Educator; and Deb Love, PAT Educator.

 

 

 

 

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4/7/10

 

Elk County Catholic Students "Pay it Forward"

 

DMHC Photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jena Struble and Lexie Meholic presenting Lianne Schnedier, Parents as Teachers program Supervisor with homemade pillows
and take home packets

Students from Elk County Catholic’s sophomore Theology class recently participated in the “Pay it Forward” project.  These students provided Dickinson’s Parents as Teachers with Easter baskets, take home packets, homemade pillows and blankets which will be distributed to families who participate in the Parents as Teachers Program.

DMHC Photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abby Meyer presenting Easter baskets to Lianne Schneider, Parents as Teachers program Supervisor

   

 

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3/22/10

Second graders learn about helping others                                            

Photo of Woodland Elementary second graders.During their recent Incredible Years lessons at Woodland Elementary, second-grade students have been learning about being friendly.  The most recent lesson consisted of discussing what it means to help another person.  Children talked about what it means to be helpful; students cited specific helping behaviors and noted how they can help others at home and school.  To conclude the lesson, children wrote on cut-out construction paper hands specific ways they could help someone at home or at school.   Some of the helping behaviors included helping a fellow student at school with their school work and helping at home with pets or chores.  Pictured is Mrs. Slusarick’s second-grade class holding a banner comprised of the entire second grade’s helping hands. 

The Incredible Years Curriculum is being offered to students in grades K-2 by Dickinson Mental Health Center Children’s Prevention Services.  This curriculum has been extensively evaluated and has been shown to promote positive social interactions between students, to increase cooperation with teachers, and to reduce verbal and physical aggression in the classroom.  Dina Dinosaur’s Social Skills and Problem-Solving curriculum lessons take place once a month in the students’ classrooms.  Tana Funair, with DMHC’s Children’s Prevention Services, facilitates Dinosaur School in conjunction with the LIFE Program.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding these programs or your child feel free to contact Tana at the Woodland Elementary School at 486-4000. 

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DMHC Potter County Behavioral Health Team

 

Photo of DMHC Potter County Behavioral Health TeamCOUDERSPORT - Dickinson Mental Health Center’s satellite office, located in the Gunzberger location at 1 North Main Street in Coudersport, highlights their Behavioral Health Team psychiatrist Jon Grigg, M.D., Joe Sherry, LCSW, Deb Hamilton, MS Ed, and Jennifer Morrison, LCSW. (Deb Hamilton was unavailable for the press release)

Dr. Jon Grigg is a Board Certified psychiatrist. He currently services Dickinson’s Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization programs. He has served the citizens of Potter, Tioga, and surrounding counties since 1989. He has also been a consulting psychiatrist for The Rehabilitation Center in Olean, N.Y. since February 1990.

Dr. Grigg is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he attained the rank of Commander serving in both active duty and the Navy Reserves. In the 1980s Dr. Grigg served as medical director of the Naval Alcohol Rehabilitation Center and as head of the Department of Psychiatry at Sewells Point Branch Medical Clinic, both in Norfolk, Va.

Dr. Grigg received his Medical Degree from the University of Virginia in 1981. He is a 1977 magna cum laude graduate of Washington & Lee University. He was selected for Phi Beta Kappa, was Class Salutatorian and was a Robert E. Lee Research Scholar.

Joe Sherry obtained his Licensed Clinical Social Worker ( LCSW) Degree in 2009 has been working with DMHC since April 2008; he is is currently a Therapist at DMHC’s Outpatient Clinic. Joe started at Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems in December 1999 taking on various positions throughout the years such as Therapeutic Staff Support, Mobile Therapist and Therapist. Joe was also part of Charles Cole Memorial Hospital where he provided care to individuals as a Family Based Case Manager.

Jennifer Morrison, obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Relations from the University of Pittsburgh in 1983. Her graduate study was at Case Western Reserve University where she obtained her Master of Science Degree in Social Administration in 2001. Jennifer became a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) in 2001 and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) 2005. Jennifer joined Dickinson Mental Health as an outpatient therapist January of this year. Prior to that she was employed as a Care Manager with Community Care Behavioral Health Managed Care Organization. Her clinical experience includes employment as an outpatient therapist at Port Psychological Services, Director of Family Based Mental Health with Charles Cole and Psychiatric Social Worker for Bradford Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Jon Richard Grigg, Joe Sherry, LCSW and Jennifer Morrison, LCSW, have weekly office hours Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8am-5pm, Thursday 8am-6pm and Friday 8am-4pm at the Gunzberger location.

 

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3/4/10

Elkwood Arts Employees Present Plaques of Appreciation

Photo of Elkwood Arts employees presenting plaques to Kane Hardwoods PersonnelElkwood Arts, a program of Dickinson Mental Health Center, is committed to providing jobs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  They produce quality handmade products out of various hardwoods.   As part of a non-profit parent organization, Elkwood Arts relies heavily upon the generosity of local businesses, community leaders and individuals.  The Kane Hardwood Division of the Collins Companies located in Kane PA has been a consistent supporter of Elkwood Arts.  The company has donated lumber to Elkwood Arts throughout the last several years.  The consumers who work at Elkwood Arts traveled to Kane to present plaques to Connie Grenz, General Manager and Randy Byers, Sales Manager to thank them for the continued support. Elkwood Arts is located at 324 Allenhurst Ave. in Ridgway, PA.  For more information on Elkwood Arts call (814)776-2174 or visit their website at www.elkwoodarts.com.  Elkwood Arts is funded in part by Cameron/Elk MH/MR Program.

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2/25/10

HOLY ROSARY PRESCHOOL FIELD TRIP

JOHNSONBURG – Holy Rosary Preschool visited the DMHC Parents as Teacher’s Children’s Center for a field trip. The PAT Children’s Center is a facility under Dickinson Mental Health Center’s Children’s Prevention Services that is open to the general public for children ages birth to five, where children have a unique opportunity to engage in a quality learning environment.

The Children’s Center is a learning environment for young children and their families. Parent-Child Groups, Parent Groups along with an opportunity to play and socialize are some of the services offered.  Parenting and educational resources are available to be used at the center or borrowed for use at home.  The learning environment, designed in conjunction with Community Playthings, offers an outstanding array of hands-on learning activities.  The Parents as Teachers staff is available to assist families and provide suggestions for fun developmentally appropriate acitivities.

If you are a parent struggling to find the right toys for your children, stop in at the Children’s Center at the Community Education Council on 4 Erie Avenue in St. Marys. The Center’s hours are: Tuesday and Thursday 10am-7pm and Wednesday and Friday 9am-2pm.  Lynn Floravit, the Children’s Center facilitator also offers playgroups every Friday starting at 10:00am.

DMHC Parents as Teachers reminds parents that children learn through play. Children not only love to play they need to play. It looks fun, and it should be.  It is important to realize that although your child’s play may seem loud, messy and even nonproductive, they are learning about themselves and their world.

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2/24/10

February is Dental Health Month

Elk County –Alyssa Schlimm, Dental Hygienist with Dr. Joseph Hawkins Dental Office, visited the DMHC Parents as Teacher Children’s Center educating children about the importance of dental health. This educational presentation was offered during the Parents as Teachers weekly 10:30am Friday playgroup. The children learned how important it is to brush and floss their teeth along with maintaining a healthy diet. Alyssa promoted guidelines as per American Dental Association (www.ada.org)

The American Dental Association recommends that a child be seen by a dentist as soon as his or her first tooth erupts, but at least no later than the first birthday.  A dental visit at an early age is a “well baby checkup” for the teeth.

 Begin brushing your child’s teeth with a little water as soon as the first tooth appears.  If you are considering using toothpaste before the child is two years of age, ask your dentist or physician first. Supervise tooth brushing to make sure children older than two years of age use only a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste and avoid swallowing it. Children should be taught to spit out remaining toothpaste and rinse with water after brushing.   Most children will be able to brush on their own by the age of six or seven years.  Parents should be using floss or an interdental cleaner on their children’s teeth as soon as any two teeth touch.  Cleaning between the teeth is important because it removes plaque where a toothbrush cannot reach.  Brush your child’s teeth twice a day unless your dentist recommends otherwise.

Help your children maintain a lifelong healthy smile by providing them with a well-balanced diet, limiting snacks, ensuring that they brush twice a day and floss once per day, and scheduling regular dental checkups for them.

 Referenced JADA, Vol. 133, February 2002

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2/19/10


Dickinson Unveils New Autism Center

Article by Brent Addleman
The Ridgway Record
Photo of Ribbon Cutting
Dickinson Mental Health Center unveiled its newest jewel – Possibilities – yesterday afternoon with an emotion-rich ribbon-cutting ceremony.


Linda White, Dickinson's Autism director, gave a heartfelt speech during the ceremony, highlighting the services the organization will be able to provide for children in the region with autism.


"We are a program that is going to support the needs of families with children with autism in our rural communities," White said. "What we want to offer is a comprehensive diagnosis, we want to offer a coordination of services and we want to provide treatment services to families."


White then read an emotional statement from Frank Klein describing the barriers an autistic child's brain faces in development and how licensed professionals should work to overcome those developmental barriers.


White discussed how Dickinson's program blazes a local path to the treatment of autism.


"This program is going to offer something to this area they have never had before – a place to have a diagnosis done, a coordination of services that has just been unheard of in the past," White said. "This is a very, very exciting program.


"It has been a really big project, and it is not over. We have many things to accomplish yet."


White spoke of the efforts of John Yates and current Dickinson CEO Jack Goga put into getting the program off the ground.


"I say thank you to John Yates," White said. "He is the one that passed on to us, as an agency, his vision for a program that would meet the needs of individuals learning with autism. That is where it started. Then, the ball went to Jack Goga. He cut that path. His weekend job was to develop a service model that would meet the needs of children with autism. He has put in a lot of hours doing that."


For Goga, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was the fruition of a dream.


"This is a celebration," Goga said. "As Linda pointed out, this project has been a long time in the making. I think when you look around the room today you can really sense the anticipation, the pride, the hard work and the inspiration of the dream that went into making this a reality."


The development of Possibilities was not an easy task, according to Goga.


"We certainly had our formidable challenges along the way to get to this point today," Goga said. "There was a lot of effort invested with getting the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse on board with this given our rural location and the resources that we had to begin such an undertaking. Most recently, a successfully completed review by the Bureau of Autism, itself, which we just learned recently has sanctioned the program here as a bona fide autism center for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We've come through all those litmus tests and we have come out the other side, I think, very well-prepared to take on this challenge."
 

Possibilities brings the diagnostics and treatments of autism to a local level.


"One of the things we all know, living in the community we are living in here, and being a provider in northwestern Pennsylvania, is that access to services are very difficult for many people," Goga said. "It is not because they don't want to be involved in care. It is a matter of the fact they simply can't find the vehicle by which to actually get to locations for services that are desperately needed."
In the past, parents have had to travel great distances to have their child diagnosed and treated. Now, parents won't have to travel quite as far, according to Goga.


"We believe this is the start of something very, very special here," Goga said. "I think we have assembled a group of individuals who I think are spectacular individuals and they come well-equipped in terms of their professional skill set. I think they are going to rival any services that they would have received at Geisinger of UPMC location.


"This very valuable and needed service is community-based and is here and we're going to make the most of that opportunity to fulfill the rest of the dream and the possibilities."


Dickinson received a grant from Milestone Behavioral Health to cover the costs of the sensory integration equipment, according to Goga.


Victoria Livingston of Milestone Behavioral Health read Goga's presentation on the Internet and immediately wanted to help.
"I read his proposal on the Internet, and be careful what you write because sometimes it does come true," Livingston said. "I read his proposal and I was interested in making that happen.


"It is about the children. My nephew, Nikko, struggles with this particular disability. What I tell him every day, even superheroes need help sometimes. We do it for the children. We are more than grateful to help support these programs. This is why we go to work."
 

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2/8/10
 

 

DMHC Looking to Expand Lifesharing Service

 

Lifesharing is when an individual with intellectual disabilities lives with an unrelated person(s) or family. It means living and sharing life’s experiences together, creating a caring household environment. It is both a close personal relationship and a place to live. Individuals in Lifesharing have a wide array of needs ranging from daily, hands-on support to having a lot of independence and minimal supervision. The ultimate goal is to provide a supportive, secure, and loving home.

 

Each person receiving lifesharing services is given many opportunities to participate in community activities, make choices in their daily lives, develop and maintain personal relationships and having the opportunity to grow.  Each individual is encouraged to be independent as possible.  Supervision plans and program goal plans are tailored to the capabilities of each person, are put in place to assist an individual with improving their skills, and, are always carried out with safety in mind.  Qualified professionals help the Lifesharer and family adjust and to meet personal objectives. An individual’s total well-being is uppermost in all lifesharing homes.

 

The process of entering lifesharing can take up to 6 months and begins with an application and a home study.  Potential providers need to talk with their family. Adding a Lifesharer means change. Any issues need to be identified and talked through before a match can be considered. Time and exploration is important. Both parties need to be sure of the arrangement. Lifesharers and individuals are carefully matched through the “Getting to Know You” period which involves a series of visits that increase in length and duration.

 

Lifesharing providers must meet state licensing requirements, not have a criminal history or child abuse, obtain a physical, and complete 24 hours of training, related to mental retardation, before an individual can move into their home. In some cases, licensing requirements may be waived if the individual needs less then 30 hours of supervision per week. Regular monitoring of the service is done by Dickinson Mental Health Center and the Supports Coordinators. 

 

Lifesharing is a commitment in time and energy. Sometimes it can be too much for the provider or a life event takes over. In these cases, Substitute Care is available. Substitute care is provided by any number of individuals who meet certain requirements outlined in the regulations. They can provide care in the family’s home or in their own home. The arrangement is usually between the Provider and the Substitute Care Provider.Lifesharing providers are independent contractors. They receive a stipend which helps cover the costs of caring for an individual as well as procuring substitute care. It is not meant to be a family’s only source of income. Most providers have a primary source of income. Lifesharing is considered to be a form of “adult foster care” hence the stipend is considered tax-free. The stipend may be considered a form of income for other government related benefits. Individuals typically receive social security benefits and pay room and board. Room and Board is paid to Dickinson Mental Health Center.

 

Any person interested in becoming a lifesharing provider needs to be sure of their decision before they begin the process.  They also need to be willing to make a commitment to an individual, to add a new member to their family, to possess good communication skills, and to have extra room in their home, and, in their heart.

 

At present, Dickinson Mental Health operates 8 Lifesharing homes in the Potter County area.  These homes now serve a total of 10 individuals. Our present goal is to extend this service to Elk, Cameron, and McKean Counties. If you think this program may be right for you, contact Wendy Hann at 814-274-3253 at the North Main Street Group Home in Coudersport or Paul Snyder at 814-772-2005, ext. 450, for more information about the Lifesharing program.

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1/20/10


 

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1/18/10

Sign Language as a Way of Communication

Start signing now! You can sign "milk" to your newborn when it's time to nurse or time for a bottle. Sign "sleep" at nap and bedtimes. Take your baby's hands and help them sign "more" in-between each spoonful. This will help integrate signs into your daily routine. Soon the repetition and reinforcement will occur naturally as your infant grows. Baby sign will also help your infant realize that crying is not the only way of communicating.

Learning a second language is fun and has many developmental benefits. American Sign Language stimulates learning through different senses. Sign language is a blessing for children that are "visual", "spatial" or "tactile learners." Learning a second language raises your child's IQ. One in ten Americans has some degree of hearing loss. Knowing a few signs can give your child the confidence to engage and interact with a deaf child rather than both children feeling awkward and helpless.

My child can hear. Why should they learn American Sign Language (ASL)? Most children are not developmentally ready to speak until approximately 2 years of age. Babies are developmentally able to communicate with signs much earlier than that. Some studies indicate children as young as 5 to 6 months of age can communicate with limited signs. The inability to communicate can cause frustration and tantrums for both the parent and the child! Sign language is a wonderful tool that allows even very small children to express themselves. Most parents that sign with their babies talk about an unexplainable bond that is felt when their child communicates so early!

Photo of Nicole Cashmer
Nicole Cashmer recently joined Dickinson Mental Health Center's (DMHC) Children's Prevention Services team as Parents as Teachers Educator. Nicole is trained in American Sign Language, which has allowed Children's Services an innovative method to support families interested in learning a second form of communication for their toddler or baby. This is a popular request from families with children with Autism or developmental delays. However, Parents as Teachers is open to the general public and signing can offer an extra learning opportunity to families enrolled in the DMHC Parents as Teachers program. Nicole is currently working at receiving her “Baby Signs” certification, and will be offering a sign language group at the Parents as Teacher’s Children’s Center on Erie Avenue in St. Marys. Visit www.dmhc.org/prevention.htm for more information about Children’s Prevention Services.

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1/11/10

DMHC Offering More Behavioral Health Services to Cameron County and the Surrounding Community

Leah Dippold, LCSWDickinson Mental Health Center, Inc. (DMHC) is pleased to announce that Leah Dippold, LCSW is now accepting referrals for behavioral health and counseling services to residents of Cameron County and the surrounding community.  Through a collaborative partnership with Charles Cole Memorial Hospital and Keystone Rural Health Consortia, Ms. Dippold is accepting new patient referrals at each of these Emporium locations.

Ms. Dippold is a long-time employee of DMHC and has served as its Director of Children’s Programs, as a consultant to its school based programs, a therapist for patients with persistent and chronic mental illness, program developer, and most recently has overseen its regional employee assistance program services.  She holds a Bachelors Degree from the Pennsylvania State University and earned her Masters in Social Work from West Virginia University. She is a licensed clinical social worker and offers Eye Movement Desensitization Re-Processing as one of her primary clinical specialties.  Ms. Dippold now makes her home in St. Marys.

For scheduling behavioral health services at the Emporium Rural Health Center of Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, please contact 814.486.2078.  Ms. Dippold will maintain scheduled office hours on Mondays and Fridays at this location.  To schedule an appointment with Ms. Dippold at her Keystone Rural Health Consortia office location on Tuesdays and Thursdays, contact 814.486.1115 or visit the office at 90 East Second Street, Emporium, PA.

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1/5/10

 

DR. MELISSA HUNTER TO LEAD DMHC AUTISM DIAGNOSTIC TEAM

(RIDGWAY, PA) Dr. Melissa Hunter, PhD will join the staff of Dickinson Mental Health Center to lead   the Autism Diagnostic Team. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, she was most recently employed as a Behavior Therapist/Licensed Psychologist with SunPointe Health in State College, PA where she provided outpatient assessment and therapy services to children and families with a variety of presenting problems, including autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, disruptive behavior problems, sleep and toileting concerns, academic issues, parenting concerns, and others.  She serves as a consultant with the Central Pennsylvania Autism Spectrum Disorders Academy (CPASDA) in Clearfield, PA where she provides teacher training, behavior consultation services, and parent support services.

In 2006, she was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Developmental Disabilities at the Child Study Center at the University of Oklahoma and has served as adjunct facility at the Pennsylvania State University where she taught a course on Developmental Problems in Childhood and Adolescence.

She is a member of the Consumer Advisory Network of the National Autism Center and has served as an article reviewer for their National Standards Project.  Dr. Hunter has authored several professional articles and has presented nationally and internationally.

She holds a professional membership in the Association for Behavior Analysis, National Association of School Psychologists, and the American Psychological Association.

In addition to her position at the Autism Center she will provide outpatient services for children and adolescents at Dickinson Mental Health Center on a part time basis.

 

 

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