INSIGHT Newsletter: Fall 2015

1FALL 2015

INSIGHTIntroducing MHM SolutionsBy Michael S. Pinkert, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

In the last issue of Insight, I introduced you to a new busi-ness venture that we co-founded with Centene called Centurion. In forming this venture we perceived a need in the marketplace for a company that could integrate Medicaid managed care techniques into correctional healthcare programs. The idea has received widespread market acceptance as evidenced by Centurion signing contracts with five statewide systems in 18 months.

About a year ago we decided to bid a statewide healthcare staffing contract in Pennsylvania. This state, along with

many others, was experiencing chronic and widespread vacancies in many of their agencies that employ healthcare professionals. Typically, states use temporary staffing agencies to supply them with healthcare staff for limited periods of time. The nature of these engagements is usually short term resulting in high turnover rates.

This temporary approach to staffing contrasts with MHM’s business model which revolves around hiring full time staff. We typically employ people who are looking for permanent employment - often leading to a career with us. The result is lower turnover and improved continuity of patient care.

We had a subsidiary company called MHM Solutions which many years ago was involved in temporary nurse staffing. (We subsequently closed down that business but kept the corporate shell). We won the Pennsylvania staffing contract and bought the losing vendor’s contracts in Nevada. Both contracts are being managed by MHM’s Vice President of Recruiting, Gina Morris.

During this same time period California’s Department of State Hospitals asked us to take over a number of their Conditional Release Programs (CONREP) and also to provide medical staffing to two of their state psychiatric hospitals. They too were using temporary “registry” staffing companies and experiencing high turnover and chronic vacancy rates, and were intrigued by our full time staffing approach. Around the same time the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities asked us to provide psychiatric staffing to one of their state forensic hospitals.

By including some of our non-correctional contracts, MHM Solutions now has revenues exceeding $50 million. Pretty impressive considering that this business didn’t even exist a year ago!

Executing the new contracts has resulted in an expansion of our management

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroducing MHM Solutions............................................1California Staffing: Continuous Success........................2Continuing to Soar in PA.................................................4MHM Solutions Gains Its “Sea Legs” in the High Desert...............................................................................5Building a Solid Foundation with the Minnesota DOC..6Mississippi Startup..........................................................7Welcome to Levin Jones, Vice President of Operations for Centurion of Mississippi............................................7Centurion of Tennessee Team Participates in TDOC’s 2nd Annual 5K Walk/Run...............................................8OChIP’s ELEVEN: An Update on Centurion’s Onsite Chemotherapy Infusion Program...................................9Down Time at Bridgewater State Hospital...................10Out of the Darkness......................................................11MHM’s Response to Litigation in Massachusetts: Case Closed...................................................................14A New Approach to Orientation for New MPCH Employees......................................................................16MHM Employees Celebrate Service Anniversaries.....18A New Definition of Reading in Prison (RIP)................21Raising the Bar: The Jane Haddad Correctional Mental Health Fund and Collaboration with George Mason University.......................................................................21FHS is Expanding in Connecticut.................................23Adding More Initials in Georgia....................................25Animal Assisted Therapy - Whitworth Women’s Facility............................................................................25Congratulations to Mark Rowles – New Editor for CorHealth!.........................................................................26Back by Popular Demand… for the 5th Year Running...27Standard of Excellence: DeKalb County Jail Clinicians Provide Expert Services...................................................27Maryland Shows Support at the 2015 MCAA Conference!......................................................................28Missions: A Job from the Heart......................................28NH Psychiatrist Nominated for Dartmouth Teaching Award................................................................................32Peirce College Tuition Discount......................................33

A Newsletter for MHM Employees and Associated Healthcare Professionals

FALL 2015

2 INSIGHT

team. In California, Sharon Aungst has joined us as our Regional Vice President for the western states. Sharen has had a long history managing healthcare programs for California agencies, including the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assisting her is Zumela Sweeney for the staffing contracts and Mark Naas for the CONREP contract. In addition, Tony Zehring is responsible for the Nevada staffing contract and Lindy Music for the Pennsylvania staffing contract.

Introducing MHM Solutions: Continued

Continuous SuccessBy Zulema Sweeney, B.S., M.A., Program Manager

In March 2015, MHM Services, Inc. was awarded a new contract in California with the Department of State Hospitals (DSH). The contract’s main objective is to provide staff in various disciplines to two state hospitals: Atascadero State Hospital (DSH-A) and Coalinga State Hospital (DSH-C) for the purposes of enabling the DSH to activate units at both hospitals. MHM is very enthusiastic to start a new contract with DSH and provide long-term qualified staff to meet the needs of the hospitals.

The CA Staffing Team’s various approaches to recruitment are vital to the ongoing achievements of the California Staffing contract. The CA Staffing recruitment team, made up of two lead recruiters, Dawn Sechrest and Mindy Halpern, and two California recruiters, Camille Audet and Mary Van Meter, headed by Gina Morris, VP of Recruitment, lead the way in generating new ideas for our nation-wide recruitment campaigns. The nationwide advertising campaign strategies have proven effective as we currently have a steady stream of very qualified candidates for both hospitals. The CA recruitment team is thorough in their selection of candidates and submits individuals to the hospitals who are invested in working in a forensic environment.

The hospital tour has proven to be the most important aspect of the hiring process. During the tour the candidates are given a summary of the patient population, safety protocols, and job duties. The candidates ask questions and witness the job expectations firsthand. At the end of the tour candidates can make a more informative decision on whether they want to continue with the hiring process. MHM CA Staffing was given a total of forty four positions to fill: thirty one for DSH-A and thirteen for DSH-C. The positions include Registered Nurses, Recreational Therapists, Social Workers, Nurse Practitioner, Psycholo-gists, Primary Care Physicians and Psychiatrists.

Client relations have been critical to the continued success of the CA Staffing contract. Regularly scheduled onsite meetings, weekly telephone conferences, and reporting to DSH and the hospitals demonstrate that MHM is committed to the success of the contract as well as to client changes and needs. The DSH-A and DSH-C staff have been very responsive to MHM’s questions and have helped streamline recruitment procedures.

Communication with MHM employees is central to fostering loyalty and com-mitment to their jobs. Once the candidates have indicated to MHM that they are interested in the position, Maria Medina, Administrative Assistant for MHM, follows up with each candidate on their paperwork to make sure they are on

MHM Solutions has provided us with another expansion opportunity to leverage our recruiting and human resources management into a new and growing market. Please join me in welcoming all the new staff who have recently joined us in this new venture.

MHM SOLUTIONS - CALIFORNIA STAFFING

Zulema Sweeny, B.S., M.A.

3FALL 2015

target with start dates, answers any questions they may have regarding MHM paperwork, and tracks their timesheets. MHM also provides a New Employee Orientation a week after they start DSH-A to explain the benefits of being an MHM employee, MHM policy and procedures, and most importantly the association between MHM and DSH.

The CA Staffing team’s availability to our employees has shown how devoted we are to employee-client relations. Most importantly, the hard work, dedication and determination of the entire CA Staffing Team have been critical to the continuous success of the California Staffing contract.

MHMServices, Inc.Corporate Office

Michael PinkertChairman & CEO

Steve WheelerPresident & COO, MHM Services

CEO, Centurion

John CampbellExecutive VP & CFO

1593 Spring Hill Road, Suite 600Vienna, Virginia 22182

Main: 703-749-4600Toll Free: 800-416-3649

Fax: 703-749-4604Toll Free: 800-356-3378

MHM INSIGHTMHM INSIGHT is published as a source of practi-cal information for MHM employees. Its purpose is to inform and highlight MHM’s staff, events,

and successes.

EditorMelanie de la Rocha,

Human Resources Business [email protected]

DesignerHaroon Gilani,

Graphic [email protected]

California Staffing: Continuous Success: Continued

Clockwise from top: Mary Van Meter, Maria Medina, Camille Audet

4 INSIGHT

talented people while integrating over 60 new contractors that have been added through our recruiting efforts. The relationships we’ve been able to establish have been vital to the retention of these hard workers. The nature of government-contracted work can cause a sense of anxiety, as contractors are always subject to potential budget cuts and office politics. Together we have already endured a gubernatorial election and are currently in the midst of a two-month state budget crisis. The support we’ve been able to provide our contractors during these periods of turmoil has been invaluable and uplifting.

As we head into year two, we anticipate stronger than ever recruiting efforts from our new recruiter Gretchen Eagen and the continued support of Vikkie Schill. We are also in a better position to continue focusing on strategies that enhance our customer service to end users, contractors and resources. After one full year on the contract, our regional team of Lindy Music, Eric Gibson and Janena Ditty has been able to fine-tune the program’s daily operations to maximize the efficiency of our HR, payroll and billing processes. Conquering these operational hurdles has allowed our team to develop great chemistry and provide the resources necessary to foster new business opportunities. As we continue to gain new end users, it is our expectation to serve more and more state agencies in need of outside perspectives to solve their staffing needs. We can’t wait to see where our journey takes us in year two of PA Staffing!

Continuing to Soar in PABy Eric Gibson, PA Regional Office Coordinator

One year ago, MHM Solutions began a new business venture with the transition of the Lot 2 Medical Staffing contract in the state of Pennsylvania. While uncertainty accompanies any new endeavor, MHM looked to overcome new challenges and forge a reputation as being the state’s most trusted and reliable medical provider for licensed medical professionals. As we’ve grown with the Common-wealth over the past year, we’ve come to understand the delicate nuances and limitations to staffing practices in the state government. This understanding has helped us offer outside solutions to hard-to-fill staffing needs that have laid a strong foundation for what hopes to be an enduring partnership with the Commonwealth.

PA Staffing services a wide variety of state departments and agencies from the Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Services to the Department of Military Veterans Affairs. Each end user has specific needs for their own programs and patient populations. Our will-ingness to develop and assist end users with personalized strategies has increased our presence among the Commonwealth as a preferred staffing provider. In recent weeks, we’ve partnered with the Department of Health to limit staffing costs of grant-funded programs that demand highly qualified candidates with extensive public health experience. MHM has also worked extensively with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to restructure staffing models in state hospitals by implementing more psychiatric nurse practitioners under the supervision of psychiatrists. As Pennsylvania continues to cope with a supply shortage of available psychiatrists, nurse practitioners offer a better alternative to both the taxpayer and patient.

While we continue to gain the trust of our end users, it is the trust earned among our dedicated contractors that remains the backbone to our program’s success. Last summer, 117 licensed professionals took a chance on MHM Solutions, and we’ve been grateful for their willingness to join our team. During the past year, we’ve been able to cultivate a family atmosphere with these

MHM SOLUTIONS - PENNSYLVANIA STAFFING

Each end user has specific needs for their own programs and patient populations. Our willingness to develop and assist end users with personalized strategies has increased our presence among the Commonwealth as a preferred staffing provider.

5FALL 2015

On November 21, 2014 MHM Solutions signed into an agreement with the State of Nevada to provide the full range of health care staffing and recruiting services to serve over twenty State agencies, including multiple divisions and facilities throughout the state. It has been a great adventure for the MHM Team ever since.

The Nevada Staffing team, comprised of Tony Zehring, Program Manager, Mallarry Dierkes, Recruiter, and Donna Walsh, Senior Accountant, initially set out to ensure that MHM had a smooth transition into the contract from the previous vendor. Through the natural course of the transition there were challenges and quick action was taken to successfully meet the needs of our client and field associates alike.

MHM truly values the relationships we are developing with the State of Nevada as a valued partner in providing health care to the various State Agencies. The process of growing our partnership and improving our methods in Nevada continues. Feedback from the State agencies has been positive and thankful for our efforts. We are extremely grateful to all of our field associates for all their hard work in providing the services to support Nevada’s public health programs. MHM Solutions has earned, and will continue to earn, its place as the trusted health care staffing provider for the State of Nevada.

The scope of recruiting and staffing MHM serves to support range from administrative support roles to healthcare and management analysts, as well as specialized, licensed professionals such as Physical Therapists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), and Physicians. As a trend, the lion’s share of the recruiting needs have existed with such State agencies as the Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Nevada Early Intervention Services (NEIS), Nevada Aging and Disability Services (ADSD), and the Bureau of Disability Adjudication (BDA).

While the recruiting needs vary greatly in scope, we have seen a significant need in the separate specialties of patient therapy in-cluding Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, and Physical Therapists for Nevada’s NEIS and ADSD. We’ve also seen a significant need for Physicians and Psychologists to perform adjudication review for the BDA. In fact, the BDA is now exploring how they may physically build additional office space to their existing locations

MHM Solutions Gains Its “Sea Legs” in the High DesertBy Tony Zehring, Program Manager

to accommodate upcoming recruits to be supplied through MHM.

Most recently, we have seen a significant uptick in needs for Li-censed Clinical Social Workers at Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health. Mallarry Dierkes has been a terrific support to the Nevada Program in recruiting candidates for many of the varying needs we have come to receive, and Mary Van Meter has now joined the Nevada recruitment team to provide additional support to meet the needs of the state.

As we continue in our tenure serving the State, MHM will continue to put forth efforts to support and meet our continual goal of supplying services as a premier provider.

It should be noted that the field associates who’ve come aboard with MHM in its service to the State are the real heroes in the whole Program. They have extended patience and flexibility throughout the transition process, and in serving Nevada’s popula-tion. Most important of all, though, they are the people who have consistently and diligently provided their own professionalism toward the health care needs of their fellow person. The field associates of MHM will always have our highest admiration for their dedication and hard work toward such a noble cause.

Throughout this relationship, Donna Walsh deserves praise for the amount of involvement and support she’s provided in advancing MHM in its new relationship with the client and field associates. Donna came aboard with MHM from the State’s previous vendor and has worked tirelessly in her new role as Senior Accountant to help ensure continuity of billing, invoicing, and payroll related functions. In addition to her standard duties in working with the Payroll and Finance teams, Donna has also provided invaluable internal and external customer service by facilitating introductions and directly supporting the MHM leadership team in reaching out to employees, independent contractors, and State agency contacts for the varying outreach initiatives we have had along the way.

We’re gaining our “sea legs” in the high desert and are looking forward to further enhancing our footprint. MHM is very proud of our newly developing relationship with the State of Nevada and are very excited about the adventures that lie ahead!

MHM SOLUTIONS - NEVADA STAFFING

6 INSIGHT

Building a Solid Foundation with the Minnesota DOCBy Renee Lipinski, Vice President of Operations

On May 21st, the Centurion of Minnesota medical and psychiatric team along with program leadership participated in a team building event in partnership with the DOC’s Health Services Administrators, Behavioral Health Directors and leadership team. Prior to the event all participants completed the DiSC survey with the goal of having the results available on the day of the training.

Jen Tyrrell, Senior Director of Talent and Organizational Development for Centurion worked with Joel Linker, Training and Development Instructor for Employee Development for the Minnesota Department of Corrections, and Charley Dively, Director of Training for the Minnesota Department of Corrections to develop a four hour training session. Jen and Charley both facilitated the training and the various team building activities.

The group spent an entire afternoon together. Initially groups were seated by site with the teams they work with on a daily basis. This allowed the groups to share their DiSC results with one another and to learn something about themselves and each other. Later in the training, the groups divided up into their classification as defined by the DiSC assessment. This activity allowed the groups to discuss what they preferred and didn’t prefer for various scenarios in the work setting.

The feedback received was very positive from those who attended the session. Many people found it was very helpful to learn the vari-ous workstyles of those on their teams. As we begin to focus various clinical guidelines for both our medical and psychiatric teams, we felt this would be a great starting point.

Caring for our offenders is really a team effort and we believed we needed to solidify our foundation before moving forward. Our goal is to have another session in 2016 and expand on what was initially introduced. We look forward to getting everyone together again to continue to build on the foundation.

MINNESOTA

Below: MN provider team

7FALL 2015

Clearly our team has been dedicated to the successful transition of this program. We had start up team members from all over the county at the sites with the mission of providing support to our new staff. HR, Recruiting, Clinical Operations, Payroll, IT, and Pharmacy representatives all came to Mississippi to train, support, and meet with our new staff.

We want to extend a big thank you to all the HSA’s, DON’s, AA’s, Medical Directors, Mental Health Directors, and Dental Directors who persevered through our many questions, requests for informa-tion, participation in orientation trainings (even on weekends) and numerous conference calls while continuing to maintain the provision of services at their facilities. They are doing a great job and we are so excited to have them as part of the Centurion team.

As we developed and hired staff for each site, we also were able to bring a strong team into the leadership roles in Mississippi. Our Regional leadership has a combination of individuals promoted from the sites, recruited external to corrections, as well as from other vendors. The mix of these individuals gives us historical perspective, continuity in maintaining compliance, creativity for achieving greater things, continued quality improvement, and maintaining great client relationships.

Based on the initial feedback, Mississippi is off to a great start thanks to the support from our corporate partners and the new employees from Mississippi.

Welcome to Levin Jones, Vice President of Operations for Centurion of MississippiBy Deb Crook, Regional Vice President of Operations

On July 27, Levin Jones RN, BSN, joined our Centurion of Mississippi team as our new Vice President of Operations. Levin is responsible for the continued successful transition of the Mississippi project, managing the contract, and maintaining our strong relationship with our Mississippi client. He brings significant clinical and operational leadership experience, in addition to extensive correctional health management experience in large jails and the prisons within the Mississippi Department of Corrections. He has been responsible for supervision and management in correctional environments for the past 11 years.

Levin began his correctional career within the Mississippi Department of Corrections and is very excited to return home. He will be based out of the Regional Office and will live in Jackson. Levin earned his BSN from the University of Mississippi. He and his wife Toni have two beautiful daughters.

Please join me in welcoming Mr. Jones to Centurion of Mississippi.

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi Startup By Deb Crook, Regional Vice President of Operations

Centurion was awarded the fifth medical contract this spring by the Mississippi Department of Corrections with a start date of July 1, 2015. Our contract with MSDOC is for the provision of Medical and Mental Health services for three state prisons, four private prisons, and fifteen county regional facilities across Mississippi. We are welcoming approximately 360 new employees to Centurion. Our success in this transition is attributed to the many wonderful staff who worked with us to achieve a seamless conversion. Dr. Gloria Perry, MSDOC, Chief Medical Officer commented that she “didn’t lose a single night’s sleep during this transition.”

As we started at the sites, we were warmly greeted by all incumbent and security staff. Mississippi is “The Hospitality State” and we were certainly welcomed by everyone from the first day we arrived. It was said time and time again how excited individuals were to have Centurion in Mississippi. We had great adventures in the start-up including amazing southern food, a stolen car caper, visiting Elvis’ birthplace, journeying the Delta and traveling the famous Natchez Trace.

The project started long before the go-live date of July 1, 2015. This contract began for Centurion, Vicki Love, and the whole Clinical Operations team in May with tours, client meetings, and contract negotiations. Many thanks go out to all of the incredibly talented MHM and Centurion employees who helped during this process.

MISSISSIPPI

Levin Jones, RN, BSN

8 INSIGHT

Centurion of Tennessee Team Participates in TDOC’s 2nd Annual 5K Walk/RunBy Theresa O’John, Regional Office AA & Christi Arndts, UM Lead

A dedicated team from Centurion of Tennessee including Bob Bradford, Vice President of Operations, participated in Tennessee’s Department of Corrections (TDOC) 2nd Annual 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, May 16th to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee.

The Historic Tennessee State Penitentiary, established in 1898, provided the scenic backdrop for this event. Despite drops of rain, the participants pressed on to raise a total of $2,700 for the Middle Tennessee chapter. The TDOC 5K provided participants with a up-close look at the fortress-like structure with patterned architect that has been the setting for movies including The Green Mile and The Last Castle. Nashville’s own, the late Johnny Cash, entertained the prisoners at this historic site in 1968.

A promotional table at the start/finish line provided our Centurion staff a perfect view. Bob Bradford reported, “Our Centurion Team is proud to be associated with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Middle Tennessee and we look forward to making this an annual event.” Despite the weather, Commissioner Derrick D. Schofield, Deputy Commissioner Jason Woodall, Chief Financial Officer Wes Landers, along with several other key TDOC leadership also came out to support BBBS of Middle Tennessee. Commissioner Schofield summed it up best when he said “Nearly one-third of the children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters have one or both parents incarcerated. The mentorship and guidance provided by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN can help to break that cycle, and mean the difference between good choices and success or bad choices and life of incarceration and struggle. That is why the Department of Correction proudly supports this organization.”

TENNESSEE

Below: Left to right - Lee Ann McKnight (Case Manager, TPW) Jeremy Chase, (Health Educator Central Office), Curry Butler (Statewide Case Manager), Anna Thammakane (Scheduler RO), Theresa O’John (AA RO), Sandra Thammakane (Medical Records RO), Derrick D. Schofield (TDOC Commissioner ) Wes Landers (TDOC CFO), Dr. Marina Cad-reche (TDOC Assistant Commissioner of Rehabilitative Services), Doug Halleen (VP of Development Big Brothers Big Sisters)

Above: Bob Bradford, VP Operations with TDOC Commissioner, Derrick D. Schofield.

Above: Curry Butler, Statewide Case Manager with Lee Ann McKnight, Case Manager TPW

Below: Theresa O’John, Regional Office AA, with sisters Sandra Thammakane, Scheduler, Regional Office and Anna Thammakane, AA DSNF

9FALL 2015

In early 2014, Centurion of Tennessee submitted an article on a program that was gaining momentum with the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) and our employees. The program was called the Onsite Chemotherapy Infusion Program (OChIP) and it was a program that was develop to provide infusions at a prison site. Until that time many cancer patients were required to be sent off to hospitals or outpatient cancer treatment clinics.

We are proud to report that we have had over 55 infusions onsite since the start of the program, and we have had up to five concurrent chemo patients enrolled in the program. The program has had some challenges and these challenges have shed light on the importance of a team. Hence the analogy of OChIP’S ELEVEN, based on the popular motion picture and cult classic “Ocean’s 11” made originally in 1960 and redone in 2001 where Danny Ocean, the leader played by Frank Sinatra, brings together an experienced band of military veterans who plan to rob three casinos simultaneously. (We hope this comparison would be amusing being in Corrections.) This group of veterans is played by many of the members of the infamous “Rat Pack.” Eleven members of Danny’s crew come together to pull off a perfect robbery using each of their unique skills.

This well-orchestrated plan is akin to the weekly OChIP process which depends on so many stakeholders to coordinate a complicatedand often “feared” service by traditional medical and nursing providers while ensuring safe and effective onsite chemotherapy infusion services.

Based on a home infusion model, Centurion developed the onsite program with the assistance of a local oncologist and chemo-certified nurse, and established a service that would fit into the rigorous world of corrections. 5-FU is an intravenous injection which typically may be given as a bolus or an infusion. 5-FU distributes into tumors, intestinal mucosa, bone marrow, liver and other tissues throughout the body and inhibits DNA and RNA synthesis thereby inhibiting

growth and ultimately killing cancer cells. Because of its wide distri-bution, 5-FU has been used in the treatment of a number of cancers across the body.

The important components of our OChIP’s ELEVEN:

1. Chemotherapy Infusion Nurse (lead coordinator) was incor-porated into the program in 2015 to coordinate the program and be the accountable party ensuring patients are provided treatment. This nurse is also a source of education for nursing and would facilitate the onsite program.

2. Oncology Specialist (contracted physician) housed at a local hospital-based outpatient oncology department. This physician is the originator of all chemo orders and has to be a solid proponent to ensure cohesion with physicians and other stakeholders.

3. Onsite Physicians are the back-up medical provider and onsite expert.

4. Onsite Nurses provide supportive care to the patients and give information back to the treatment team.

5. Specialty Pharmacy delivers the chemotherapeutic agents and supplies as ordered by the oncology specialist.

6. Offsite Laboratory provides pre/post chemotherapy labs to determine if the patient should continue or discontinue the chemotherapy administration.

7. Onsite Security ensures there is a secure environment to provide the health services and assist in coordinating the patient transport within the prison.

8. Transportation coordinates safe travel of the patient to/ from offsite health service providers.

9. Offsite Security provides hospital/outpatient based security to ensure a safe environment for public and offsite health providers.

10. Community Hospital Partner offers health services beyond the scope of the prison-based clinical services.

11. Regional Management/Central Office Personnel are essential to ensure the proper funding and staffing of the program at a systems level.

Any great innovation requires a team of experts who provide their ingredients to make a masterful recipe. This listing is an example of a successful team that can be applied to other programs as well. All programs should be tailored to the individual needs of the patient population and the Department of Correction.

OChIP’s ELEVEN: An Update on Centurion’s Onsite Chemotherapy Infusion ProgramBy Asher Turner, MD, MBA, MSPH, CCHP, Program Medical Director & Nate Manning, RN, Program Director of Nursing

TENNESSEE

10 INSIGHT

Accomplishments to Date: Performed over 55 onsite chemotherapy infusion, specifically Fluorouracil (5-FU), saving on average two days of inpatient charges per cycle equaling 100+ hospital days saved. This has also enhanced public safety by not transporting or limiting the length of time the inmates are “outside the walls” in the community. Moreover as far as our client’s expenses, we estimate that this program has avoided 2,400 labor hours related to care out-side the prison and has avoided overtime in many cases.

Future Goals: Plan to expand further chemotherapy services to intramuscular injections, intravenous push methods, and utilizing other chemotherapy drugs/agents in addition to 5-FU.

The Centurion of Tennessee Regional Leadership Team managing the day to day operations of the OChIP program includes Jackie

OChIP’s ELEVEN: Continued

Cobb, RN, Certified Chemo Nurse, OChIP Coordinator, Nathan Manning, RN, Statewide Director of Nursing, and Asher A. Turney, MD, MBA, MSPH, CCHP, Statewide Medical Director, and Bob Bradford, Statewide Administrator. Centurion of Tennessee thanks the Tennessee Department of Correction and our community-based partners, Nashville General Hospital and Meharry Medical College, for their dedication to the success of this program. This program has recently been presented at the American Correctional Association in Indianapolis as a workshop with our TDOC partners as an example of “Implementing an Effective Onsite Chemotherapy Infusion Program” on August 15, 2015. For questions, please contact the authors at [email protected] or [email protected] by email or call the regional office at 615-884-3110 and ask for statewide medical director or director of nursing.

On February 9, 2015 the BSH Clubhouse (formerly known as the “Old Art Room”) opened for business and the program has been going strong ever since. In collaboration with all involved parties which include the MPCH Administration, the Rehab Department, the DOC, and the programs already utilizing the room, the vision for the Club-house has finally come to fruition. During the planning stage which started in November, two Activities Therapists met with patients and staff in the Commons, the library, and on the units to determine what kind of resources and activities would benefit the patients during their time here at BSH. The patients and staff that were spoken to were very helpful in shaping what has become the BSH Clubhouse’s evening and weekend activities. During this planning time, the Activities Therapists

MPCH

gathered art supplies, games, puzzles, music, videos, and other items to outfit the Clubhouse for a variety of activities.

As we know, boredom is not conducive to good mental health – for anyone. We all need to feel a sense of purpose and we humans do love to create. Clubhouse attendees can relax and color a Mandala, a poster, or create a personal work of art. Everyone has gifts to share and folks here at BSH are no different. The BSH Clubhouse offers the opportunity for patients to express their gifts and talents in a multitude of ways. Patients are also welcome to participate in an array of board games, cards, or puzzles – all while enjoying a variety of music selected by the participants. There are always options available, and this offers the patients a chance to make their own choices in an environment where it’s not always possible to do so. The Clubhouse has already revealed itself as a space for patients to make connections, socialize, learn and develop positive coping skills, and just relax. The Activities Therapy team is busy working on future programming to include group projects highlighting sports and holiday themes.

It has become clear to BSH staff that the patients value their time in the Clubhouse, as evidenced by the consistently high attendance even with the newly expanded hours on the weekends as well as an incredibly low incidence of behavioral issues. New friendships are forming between patients who meet by chance in the Clubhouse, discover commonalities, and then return later in the week to play a game together. It has also benefited staff to be able to interact with patients outside of clinical groups in a less structured and more laid-back atmosphere. Overall the BSH Clubhouse has been a success from the point of view of each party involved in creating it, and those who sing the highest praises are our patients.

Down Time at Bridgewater State Hospital By Donna Lebow, LICSW, Director of Rehabilitation Services, Heather Post, OTR/L, Counse, Lynore Del Sette, Activity Therapist & Cheryl West, MSW, Mental Health Professional

The BSH Clubhouse offers the opportunity for patients to express their gifts and talents in a multitude of ways (and) has already revealed itself as a space for patients to make connections, socialize, learn and develop positive coping skills, and just relax.

11FALL 2015

Awareness, Prevention, Understanding, Hope…these words describe the core mission of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The AFSP is arguably the leader in the fight against suicide. The AFSP funds research, creates educational programs, advocates for public policy, and supports survivors of suicide loss. Through these many endeavors, this foundation reaches hundreds of thousands of people every year.

The AFSP was established in 1987 by a small group of caring indiAFSP, there was no national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the fight against suicide. With suicide rates continuing to rise, the AFSP identifies and encourages people into treatment who have the highest risk for suicide. They educate the public by disseminat-ing vital information about suicide and its prevention, mobilize advocates who alert officials to policies and legislation that can help to prevent suicide, and reach out to those who have lost someone to suicide to offer support and opportunities to get involved. Beyond these programs, AFSP is the leading private supporter of suicide research. They have funded almost $20 million in scientific investi-gations on the causes and prevention of suicide, and the treatment of those at risk for suicide.

There are several ways to be involved in the AFSP mission. The AFSP hosts Community Walks, Campus Walks, and the Out of the

Darkness Overnight Walk. Each of these events helps to raise both awareness of suicide and funds to support the foundation. The Out of Darkness Overnight Walk is a 16-18 mile overnight journey in which participants walk through the night, from dusk until dawn, in order to bring the issue of suicide out of the darkness and into the light. Boston hosted the 2015 Overnight Walk and a few MHM colleagues were inspired to be involved in this important mission. With just under 2,000 walkers and $3 million raised, Boston’s 2015 overnight walk was the most successful event in AFSP history.

The Out of the Darkness overnight walk requires a $50 fee at time of registration and a commitment to raise $1,000.00 in order to walk. The first order of business then becomes – FUNDRAISE. An important first step is personalizing the story on each walker’s online fundraising page. This story will be seen by many and hopefully allow for a connection translating into a donation for the cause.

Each of us walked for our own personal and professional reasons, but as correctional mental health professionals who work behind the walls, one of the main reasons was the prevalence of suicide among correctional professionals. This was the story we shared. An excerpt from one of our pages read: “Correctional Professionals are society’s ‘Silent Guardians of Public Safety’ and they are rarely recognized or heralded by our society as the true heroes that they are. Correction Officers’ suicide rate is 34.8 per 100,000, more than twice that of the police officers and two-and-a-half times higher than that of the

Out of the Darkness By Jennifer Korn, LICSW Mental Health Director, MCI-Framingham, Morgann McGinty, LICSW Clinical Director, MCI-Framingham & Neal Norcliffe, LICSW Mental Health Director, Old Colony Correctional Center

MPCH

The Out of Darkness Overnight Walk is a 16-18 mile overnight journey in which participants walk through the night, from dusk until dawn, in order to bring the issue of suicide out of the darkness and into the light. Boston hosted the 2015 Overnight Walk and a few MHM colleagues were inspired to be involved in this important mission.

12 INSIGHT

Out of the Darkness: Continued

general population. This is a trend that needs to be brought out of the darkness.” Emailing friends, family and coworkers this personal story, along with a plea to “Please forward this to anyone you know who work in the mental health field and/or who have been personally touched by suicide” proved to be an effective way to spread the message.

Once registered for the walk, the AFSP offers an online toolkit that encourages the utilization of social media and provides many other fundraising options. In the past we have used a 50/50 raffle as well as generously donated fundraising events to secure funding. Sitting in front of a computer screen, sending an email, posting a story online, it can be easy to forget how you are impacting other humans and how very human the issue of suicide is. We were unprepared for the responses and deeply saddened by how many peoples’ lives are touched by suicide.

One of the more symbolic and sobering parts of this journey is the luminary bags. These are turned in at the beginning of the walk and are lit to light the way out of the darkness when the walk is complete. Walkers are encouraged to put their personal stories of struggle or remembrances on these bags. In efforts to engage potential donors, our stories and pleas for donations ended with the following message: “If you would like me to walk for a loved one, please send me their name and I will add it to the luminary bag in their honor.”

The day of the walk itself, hundreds of walkers crowded Boston City Hall Plaza for the “Out of the Darkness” opening ceremonies at 6pm on Saturday, June 27, 2015. On the main stage, individuals told personal stories or shared the challenges of friends or family members.Walking teams gathered in small groups, wearing matching t-shirts honoring loved ones. Emotions ranged from joy to sadness, as people celebrated life and hope while simultaneously grieving losses.

13FALL 2015

pass, the rain would stop, and the sun would rise again. We pushed through our temporary pain and exhaustion, and completed the journey. Again, groups of tired walkers gathered together at City Hall Plaza to honor loved ones and to celebrate the accomplishment of completing the walk and of raising funds for the cause of suicide prevention.

Friends and colleagues have expressed interest in creating a Massa-chusetts walking team for next year’s east coast walk, scheduled for New York City on June 3 – 4, 2016. Planning has started, and anyone interested in joining the MPCH team should contact Jennifer Korn, Morgann McGinty, or Neal Norcliffe ([email protected], [email protected], [email protected]).

The daunting route wound through multiple Boston neighborhoods. Participants exited City Hall Plaza and journeyed past the State House, Cheers, and Boston University before circling Fenway Park and heading through Chinatown. The participants then crossed the canal into South Boston, and on to Castle Island where volunteers were served post-midnight dinners of sandwiches, apples, and water. The final segment directed walkers through the North End before finishing at the starting point, City Hall Plaza.

The extended distance of 17 miles, the overnight hours, and the soaking rainstorm created a physical toll that added to the emotional baggage carried by all. Supportive conversation was interspersed with quiet periods of reflection, as walkers continued to push through the miles.

This is when the meaning of the overnight walk really had an impact. Out of the Darkness. We realized that the miles would

Above: (Left to right) Torey (not MHM), Erin (not MHM), Morgann McGinty, Neal Norcliffe, Jennifer Korn, Sylvia (not MHM)

14 INSIGHT

On April 12, 2015, the terms of a three-year settlement agreement between the Massachusetts Department of Correction (MA-DOC) and the Disability Law Center expired. This is an amazing achievement for the DOC, but would not have been possible without the tireless, and often heroic, efforts by our MHM/MPCH mental health teams. This article provides a brief overview of the litigation and highlights the work done by our MHM/MPCH team.

In March 2007, the Disability Law Center (DLC) filed suit against the MA-DOC regarding inmates with Serious Mental Illness being housed in long-term segregation. The DLC alleged cruel and unusual punishment of these inmates under the 8th and 14th Amendments. MHM was awarded the mental health contract and began providing services on July 1, 2007. At the time of the contract award, the

Massachusetts correctional system lacked a definition of Serious Mental Illness (SMI) as well as a way of classifying inmates with mental health issues. In addition, there were limited options for those mentally ill inmates who had received long-term segregation sanctions, many of whom had been in 23 hour-per day segregation for years with little to no programming opportunities. Behavioral outcomes were less than ideal, and the Department’s long-term segregation unit was unstable, disruptive, and highly volatile.

MHM immediately began working with the DOC to address these issues, and implemented a definition of SMI, developed a mental health classification system for all inmates in MA, created two Secure Treatment Units as alternatives to long-term segregation for SMI inmates, a maximum-security Residential Treatment Unit for chronically mentally ill inmates, as well as an Intensive Treatment Unit at MCI-Framingham, Massachusetts’ sole female facility. In addition, MHM staff have conducted comprehensive assessments of all inmates prior to placement in long-term segregation. As a result of these many achievements, the Department settled the litigation

in April 2012. The terms of the settlement agreement included three years of DLC oversight. In April 2015 the settlement expired without further legal action.

The Secure Treatment Units played a central role in settling the litigation. Both programs are designated as an alternative to segregation for SMI inmates who have incurred a long-term segregation sanction in the Department’s Disciplinary Unit, and are composed of multidisciplinary treatment teams (including mental health, medical and correctional professionals). Both units are incentive-based programs and operate using a phase system, in which the inmate has the opportunity to earn more privileges as he progresses through each phase based on behavioral stability. Mean-ingful daytime activity is stressed and each inmate is offered at least

25 hours of out-of-cell time each week. Collaboration among mental health, custody, medical, and administration is necessary for these units to operate smoothly and result in positive outcomes.

The Secure Treatment Program (STP) is a 19 bed unit at Souza- Baranowski Correctional Center, a maximum security prison. The STP is designated to treat inmates diagnosed with major mental illness and Borderline Personality Disorder. Most inmates in the STP are prescribed psychotropic medication. This program stresses the need for creating and maintaining positive relationships between staff and inmates, with a focus on gaining insight into one’s mental illness through supportive therapy.

The Behavioral Management Unit (BMU) is a 10 bed unit designated for antisocial/psychopathic inmates who are highly assaultive, often self-injurious, and extremely difficult to manage from both a correctional and mental health perspective. Behavior management and understanding the negative consequences of antisocial behavior are the focus of the BMU program. The BMU has clearly defined incentives and consequences, and also operates on a phase system.

MPCHMHM’s Response to Litigation in Massachusetts: Case Closedby: Dana Neitlich, MPCH Program Executive Director

In March 2007, the Disability Law Center (DLC) filed suit against the MA-DOC regarding inmates with Serious Mental Illness being housed in long-term segregation. The DLC alleged cruel and unusual punishment of these inmates under the 8th and 14th Amendments.

15FALL 2015

Strict adherence to rules and consistency of staff are necessary for positive behavioral outcomes.

As the litigation was heating up, Dr. Joel Andrade took over the leadership role as Program Manager and Director of Clinical Programs to tackle these issues head-on. He guided the clinical process from its most contentious time in 2010 through the initial Settlement Agreement in 2012 to the final resolution of the case in 2015. The current phase systems, incentive systems, and admission criteria in the BMU and STP are based on a design published in a book he published in 2009 (see “Psychopathy: Assessment, Treatment, and Risk Management” in the Handbook of Violence Risk Assessment and Treatment). Throughout this time he also created and implemented CQI initiatives designed to measure the effectiveness of the STUs and highlight areas that required improvement. Data is routinely collected and analyzed at pre-determined intervals. The outcomes from these units have become a national model and have been presented at numerous conferences including ACA, NCCHC, National Academic and Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health, and the New York State Correctional Medical and Behavioral Healthcare Conference. The outcomes have also been published in the ACA publication Corrections Today (Andrade, Wilson, Franko, Deitsch, & Barboza, 2014).

It is important to recognize the significant improvements we have seen with inmates who engaged in programming in a Secure Treat-ment Unit, not only from a mental health perspective within MHM, but also from a cost-savings and safety perspective within the DOC.

The Massachusetts team is especially proud of these outcomes considering the challenging inmate population, and the continued success after being discharged from a STU. In addition, the DLC settlement is an enormous accomplishment for the Department and MHM. Several Departments of Correction have sought consultation from the Massachusetts DOC, Dr. Andrade and the MHM clinical leadership team as they face similar litigation in their states.

The Massachusetts team is especially proud of the integral role our clinical staff have in improving the lives of inmates requiring this level of care. The extraordinary dedication and commitment it takes to work with this population cannot be over-emphasized. I had the

MHM’s Response to Litigation in Massachusetts: Case Closed: Continued

privilege of joining the MHM Massachusetts team as the Assistant Director of Clinical Programs in February 2011 during the height of the settlement process. I focused on staff supervision and training as the fundamental building blocks for the establishing the success of our strong mental health programs. Our training programs emphasize the significance of trauma and its direct relationship to the most violent and treatment resistant behaviors. Our skilled mental health experts are our most vital asset and we invested in this valuable resource by providing them with essential guidance through consistent supervision and training.

We are also proud of the important role MHM played in resolving the DLC litigation, the results of the settlement, the creation of Secure Treatment Units, and the collaborative efforts to produce quality, positive outcome measures in the STUs. Thank you to the treatment teams at the STP and BMU for your continued hard work and dedication. Innumerable MHM staff have played a key role in providing treatment, collecting data, and improving the lives of inmates requiring this high level of care. I name a few here at the risk of leaving some out: William Micucci, LICSW; DJ Hager, LMHC; Leah Kelly, Psy.D; Emily Franko, LICSW; Jennifer Deitsch, MS; Deb Reyes, LICSW; Johanna Shaw, M.D.; Stacey Sparks, MA; Anna Sawczuk, MA; John Beland, LICSW; Jamie Gove; Mariel Montanez; Colin Knox, LMHC; Deb Vogt, LICSW; Kathleen Evers,, LICSW, Tuong Van Nguyen, M.D; Joseph Kelly, LMHC; Karen Pirog, LCSW; Jamie Chapman, LICSW; Jessica Roy, LICSW.

Additional thanks to the many DOC officials who have played an integral role in the establishment of these units. The number of DOC staff involved in this effort is too many to name, but a special thanks to the Office of the Commissioner, DOC Health Services Division, and the site DOC and mental health adminis-trations at SBCC and MCI-CJ.

The DLC settlement is an enormous accomplishment for the Department and MHM. Several Departments of Correction have sought consultation from the Massachusetts DOC, Dr. Andrade and the MHM clinical leadership team as they face similar litigation in their states.

16 INSIGHT

A New Approach to Orientation for New MPCH EmployeesBy Donna Jurdak, RNC, Regional Administrator

It has always been a challenge to orient new correctional medical and mental health staff as well as ancillary staff appropriately exposing them to everyday occurrences at their perspective sites. We hope that during the orientation phase, when they are learning, they are exposed to a multitude of different scenarios and issues that can arise but in some instances they’re not. For example, do we know that they are comfortable with code 99 procedures, do we know they know what to do for a suspected rape patient or a hunger strike patient? These are just a few examples of possible scenarios that may or may not occur during the new employee’s on-site training.

I had spent hours thinking of how we could better prepare the new correctional nurse, social worker, or clerk and ensure they are comfortable in their new roles. In September 2014 we initiated a new MPCH orientation program to do just that.

It is a four day orientation program conducted once a month Tuesday through Friday to avoid having to cancel for the Monday holidays. We coordinate this training every month not to coincide with other

important trainings that may be scheduled. In Massachusetts, every new MPCH employee must attend a week long Department of Corrections orientation before they can work/train at their perspective sites.

We have been providing a one day MPCH HR orientation to talk about benefits, cover the essential requirements of entrance pro-cedures, review the dress code and what you can and cannot bring into a correctional facility as well as conducting a CPR certification class in the afternoon on the same day. This one day orientation is conducted the Monday following the DOC new employee orientation and prior to the new employee reporting to their site for on the job training.

In September 2014, we added the additional four day MPCH orientation/training but decided that the new employee should come after they have been exposed to their work sites and have a better understanding of their daily routines. Keep in mind, most sites operate differently, some may be intake sites accepting new

MPCH

17FALL 2015

inmates directly from the courts, some may be maximum security, some have infirmaries or ADL units offering a higher level of medical care and others are minimum and pre-release centers. Every correctional site in Massachusetts is unique and has a different mission. With that being said, we developed a four day orientation and asked that new employees attend the month after they begin working at the site. An employee who is hired and goes through the Department of Correction orientation in January comes to the four day MPCH orientation in February. While this is man-datory for all new staff, we make exceptions for our per diem staff, who may have full time jobs outside of corrections and we allow them to come to the four day orientation over several months. The regional office in Westboro tracks the training of all new employees to ensure they attend all four days.

Each of the four days we have a printed formulated agenda we follow, with speakers from the regional office as well as speakers from the individual sites that cover areas in their expertise. The entire program is presented with a power point presentation and a folder is given to each attendee with copies of some of the pertinent forms being discussed in detail.

We offer a wide variety of topics from, the intake process of the newly committed inmate, to maintaining the inmate’s medical, mental health and dental needs while incarcerated, to his or her discharge to the community from our system.

We encourage class participation and ask that they share their experiences at their sites. Sometimes the manager benefits from knowing how their new employee is being trained and it helps the manager make necessary changes at the site level.

During the four days we complete the post test in the MPCH new employee workbook that are appropriately related to the day’s class content. At the end of each day we have a question and answer session and spend time giving specific examples of specific events so they can see how we manage different situations.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like a copy of our four day MPCH orientation program and content.

A New Approach to Orientation for New MPCH Employees: Continued

Pictured below: Donna Jurdak, Kirsten Rickis, Lora Washington, Kaitlyn Lucier, Michelle Blackmore, Jacqueline Brooks, Victoria Montgomery, Macrina Yah-Buendia, Kate Murray, Andrea Mitchell, Ryann Clark, Leanne Feleciano, Patricia French-McShea, Irene Nakalembe, Brenna Gorgone, Carol Francis,Amanda Morgan, Janine Reardon, Eugenia Trammell-Goldsby, Erin Hall, Deborah Goldfarb, Regina Amorello, Carly Jacobson, Shawnna Smith, Edith Semelfort, Tiffany Hamel, Tereza DaCosta, Collette Dupont

18 INSIGHT

MHM Employees Celebrate Service Anniversaries

We proudly recognize the following employees for their dedicated service to our clients and our company.

Alabama

Glodys St. Phard, MD 5 Apr

Nicole Henderson, MHP 5 Apr

Ninette Woods, MHP 5 Apr

Sara Scott, LPN 5 Jun

Cynthia Frederick, CRNP 5 Oct

Candi Porter, MHP 5 Nov

Connecticut

McKenzie Bepko 5 Aug

Rodolfo Santiago 5 Aug

Corporate

Chuck Whitney 10 May

Jane Haddad, PsyD 10 Aug

Elisa H. Yokoyama 5 Jul

Vincent Brown 5 Jul

DeKalb

Rhonda B. Haile, LPC 10 Apr

Dorothy J. Stapleton, LPN 5 Sept

Georgia

Corretta S. Brown Spencer, DDC 15 May

Jerrye A. Foreman, CNS 15 Jul

Guy Shivers 15 Aug

Marysia L. Taylor, DDS 15 Sept

Marissa R. Jones, LPC 15 Dec

Paul E. Beecham, MD 15 Dec

Adan J. Alvarez, LPC 10 May

Margaret F. Nichols, PhD 10 May

Scott E. Balogh, MD 10 Jun

Shirl Loyal 10 Jun

Thomas L. Weaver, PsyD 10 Jun

Ivanda M. Spivey, LPC 10 Jul

Kelly L. Hern 10 Jul

Lolita M. Rhone, PhD 10 Jul

Mattie G. Bush, LPC 10 Aug

Stanley C. Gay, DMD 10 Aug

Terri R. Collins, LPC 10 Aug

Janice R. Mitchell, LPC 10 Sept

Amber D. Stone, LPC 5 Apr

James Riley, DMD 5 May

LaMarra McDonald 5 Jun

Cathy Thornton 5 Aug

Darius Entesary, LPC 5 Aug

Ihori Kameyama, LPC 5 Sept

Wyanet Robinson, DDS 5 Sept

Clara Dorsainvil-Simon 5 Oct

AnniversaryYears

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19FALL 2015

Georgia (Continued)

Deborah J. Amerson 5 Oct

Winton W. Barrow 5 Oct

Brian S. Slutzky, PsyD 5 Nov

Felipe Suplicy, MD 5 Nov

Keisha D. Clark 5 Nov

Valerie A. Humphrey 5 Nov

Chau Hoang, DMD 5 Dec

Maryland

Alan Rohrer, MD 10 Jul

Aminata Taylor, RN 10 Jul

Barbara A. Moten, LPN 10 Jul

Chong Hong, MD 10 Jul

Comfort I. Ohameje, RN 10 Jul

Esther N. George, RN 10 Jul

Esther O. Olagbaju, RN 10 Jul

James Sankey 10 Jul

Josephine O. Dickens, LPN 10 Jul

Laura B. Williams, RN 10 Jul

Margaret H. Farley 10 Jul

Sunday A. Kalejaiye, LPN 10 Jul

Tarsia T. Muller 10 Jul

Eda Griffiths-Bascome, APRN 10 Aug

Reinaldo Crawford, CRNP 10 Aug

Mukaila O. Giwa, RN 10 Sept

Shirley F. Morehead, LSW 10 Oct

Maryland (Continued)

Shomari Davidson, LSW 10 Oct

Wung K. Geh, RN 5 Jun

Claudia A. Howard, MD 5 Sept

Marketta Cole-Petty 5 Sept

Patricia L. Leisey 5 Dec

Massachusetts

Beth Anne Lundberg, MHP 5 May

Carla Lourenco, PhD 5 May

Karen Sotiropoulos, MHP 5 May

Kayla Flynn 5 May

Stephanie Timpe, MHP 5 May

Dylan Gabriel 5 Jun

Keelin A. Garvey, MD 5 Jul

Lara Guzman-Hosta, PhD 5 Aug

Tammy K. Fiorentino 5 Aug

Joseph W. Kelly, LMHC 5 Sept

Arthur S. Tenenbaum, MD 5 Oct

Angela Razza, LSW 5 Nov

Daniel McKenna, LPN 5 Dec



AnniversaryYears

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20 INSIGHT

Michigan

Daniel H. Tetirick, MD 10 Jul

David J. Forsythe, MD 10 Sept

Norman T. Knippen 5 Apr

Thomas W. Behrmann, MD 5 Apr

Robert T. McQueeney, MD 5 May

Robert Drake Jr., MD 5 Jun

Valorie Hammond, NP 5 Jun

Vicente C. Pacheco, MD 5 Jul

Susan Clark, NP 5 Sept

Jane M. Morris, NP 5 Sept

Ahmadul Hasan, MD 5 Nov

Edward L. Rodriguez, MD 5 Nov

Melanie Clark, MD 5 Nov

Diana Marble, NP 5 Dec

Ernst C. Gauderer, MD 5 Dec

New Hampshire

Edward W. Dransite, DMD 5 Jun

Dennis Becotte, PhD 5 Sept

Pennsylvania

Cydney Smith, LPN 10 Jun

Helen Turner, RN 10 Jun

Shella A. Khatri, MD 10 Aug

Quentin Dolphin, MD 10 Nov



Pennsylvania (Continued)

Karen A. Kaskie, CRNP 5 Apr

William T. Bransfield 5 Apr

Brian Shiptoski, CRNP 5 May

Kenneth W. Hylbert Jr, MD 5 Jun

Molly Kelly 5 Aug

Jin Ha Yun, MD 5 Sept

Philadelphia

Michael J. Rocks, LSW 10 Apr

David Abbott, RN 10 Jun

Linda E. Hanahan, LPN 10 Jun

Maria Rodriguez 10 Aug

Eileen E. Brumbaugh, LSW 10 Oct

Joseph P. Kustra, RN 10 Oct

Robin E. Ahern 10 Oct

Marlene Murray, LSW 10 Nov

Magalie Douge, LCSW 5 Jun

Richard Saul, MD 5 Jun

Jacqueline Gammon 5 Oct

Olumide O. Oluwabusi, MD 5 Oct

AnniversaryYears

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AnniversaryMonth

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21FALL 2015

Holman Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison located in southeast Alabama, houses a large segregation population of 200 inmates. Many of the inmates are long term segregation placements due to a close custody designation. MHM staff is often asked by inmates, “Can you send me something to read?”

Over the years Mental Health has provided various literature, including the MHM group Taking A Chance on Change, with much participation and great success. However, we wanted to do some-thing more. Something that would hopefully give the inmates a sense of “getting a choice,” so they might feel more empowered. For many years the segregation inmates were only allowed self-help and religious reading materials. The current warden has approved the use of paperback books in a segregation reading program. MHM met collaboratively with the ADOC in order to devise a program that will best serve the segregation population and remain feasible from a security standpoint.

The mental health staff identified two critical areas of need for this group; activities to occupy their time in a constructive manner, and the opportunity to earn certificates. Based on these needs, we have created the program Reading in Prison (RIP). Participants are required to meet some very basic criteria to participate. They must have a 30 day clear record, they cannot be currently housed in disci-plinary segregation, they must write a paragraph review of the book read (Mental Health provides the pen and paper), and they must

A New Definition of Reading in Prison (RIP)By Lesleigh Dodd M.S., MHM Site Administrator, Holman Correctional Facility, ADOC

return one book, in useable condition, in exchange for another one.

Participants receive a certificate for the first five books read and an-other certificate for every five read thereafter. When an inmate has read 20 books they recieve a dictionary. Certificates will be provided to the individual as well as placed in their institutional file.

The Holman MHM team was extremely fortunate to receive a dona-tion of several thousand paperback books from a local flea market to jumpstart this program. We sorted the books for appropriate reading (no salacious or violent material), located a storage site in the administrative building, and will launch RIP on September 15, 2015.

We enlisted the assistance of the facility Chaplain to maintain records for cataloging books and recording participation numbers. The Chaplain selected two men from his honors program to keep track of the number of books read by each participant, and mental health will issue the corresponding certificates. The inmate response to the opportunity to participate has been extremely positive.

Our quarterly CQI project will consist of determining if the number of disciplinary actions in segregation decreases after implementation of this program. We believe that a decrease will be noted and if RIP proves successful, we intend to expand this program to our death row population. Holman mental health will keep you posted on our progress and while you wait; READ A BOOK!

Raising the Bar: The Jane Haddad Correctional Mental Health Fund and Collaboration with George Mason UniversityBy John Wilson, Ph.D., CCHP-MH, Vice President of Clinical Development

Dr. Haddad – or “just Jane” to all who know and work with her – needs no introduction. She is the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and leader of MHM’s and Centurion’s efforts to raise the standards of care for incarcerated individuals. In August, Jane celebrated 10 years with MHM championing quality care and ensuring that we provide the best possible services in each of our contracts. For many of us, she represents what is best about our companies: dedication to doing what is right, accompanied by genius-level pragmatism and genuine humility.

This is a rare combination, and Jane’s legacy both inside and outside

MHM/Centurion corporate world continues to grow. Those of us who work closely with her have long ago given up trying to keep pace with Jane, and there is no way to do justice to her continuing contributions in this article. Her work touches everyone in the company and has influenced the delivery of mental health and medical care in correctional systems from coast to coast.

What few readers may know is that Jane’s influence extends not just to 3,500 company employees and more than 280,000 inmates, but also to graduate students interested in correctional mental health services. In early 2013, MHM Services, Inc. established The Jane

ALABAMA

CLINICAL OPERATIONS

22 INSIGHT

Raising the Bar: The Jane Haddad Correctional Mental Health Fund and Collaboration with George Mason University: Continued

Haddad Fund for Correctional Mental Health Services in honor of Dr. Haddad’s contributions to the field of mental health services and her extraordinary service to incarcerated mentally ill individuals. The Fund was established with Dr. Haddad’s alma mater, George Mason University (GMU). Jane had earned her PsyD at GMU with one goal in mind: to ensure she could pursue the goal of raising the bar in correctional mental health care.

While Jane has more than succeeded at that goal, The Jane Haddad Fund for Correctional Mental Health Services has provided a new means for the correctional mental health field to grow. Each year, the fund supports GMU graduate students interested in pursuing a career in correctional mental health.

Graduate students working with Dr. June Tangney at GMU have received awards from the fund to travel to and present at professional conferences, attend specialized training, and pursue research related to correctional mental health services. Since 2013, multiple GMU students have benefitted from the fund. Here are some of the student projects The Jane Haddad Fund for Correctional Mental Health Services has supported:

• In May 2013, Johanna Folk held a symposium along with GMU faculty and a post-doctoral student at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Psychological Science in Washington DC. Work focused on the psychological strengths of incarcerated individuals and their implications for reducing recidivism, and the protective role of emotion coping for children of incarcerated mothers.

• In June 2013, Kathryn Rich presented work on the relationship between psychopathy and behavioral measures of functioning at the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy Conference in Washington DC.

• In November 2013, Johanna Folk, Kelly Moore, and GMU faculty held a symposium and presented a research poster at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Criminology in Atlanta, GA. Their work focused on identifying and addressing psychological risk factors that can be changed for jail detainees, including perspective-taking, perceived stigma, mindfulness, shame, and the feasibility of providing a 16-session structured “impact of crime” workshop to inmates.

• In March 2014, Shilpa Krishnan and GMU faculty presented a study on psychopathy and institutional misconduct – including misconduct that went undetected – at the American Psychology- Law Society Conference in New Orleans LA.

• In May 2015, Emily Boren and Jordan Daylor presented studies on treatment fidelity of a restorative-justice based intervention, as well as strategies for effective treatment in high turnover jail environments at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Psychological Science in New York, NY.

• In June 2015, Emily Boren, Jordan Daylor, and Johanna Folk presented several studies in a symposium exploring the process of change with inmates, with a focus on mental health, criminogenic cognitions, character strengths, and community connectedness. The symposium was presented at the Third North American Correctional and Criminal Justice Psychology Conference in Ottawa, Canada.

Below: (left) Jordan Daylor presenting at the Association for Psychological Science in NYC (right) Johanna Folk and Dave Disabato

23FALL 2015

• In June 2015, Jordan Daylor attended the Legislative Engage-ment Day with the Society for Psychological Studies of Social Issues, meeting with congressional representatives to discuss how psychology research can inform criminal justice policy.

In addition to these impressive projects, the Clinical Operations department has been collaborating closely with GMU graduate students Johanna Folk, Jordan Daylor, and David Disabato to develop papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals. One paper is currently under review and the other is nearing submission-readiness; both papers focus on measuring criminal thinking styles and inter-ventions to reduce them. Johanna, Jordan and David work in Dr. Tangney’s Human Emotions Research Lab at GMU. During the fall 2015 semester, Emily Boren and Jenn Loya, who are also graduate students in in the Human Emotions Research Lab, will join the collaboration and help push forward research on suicide prevention in corrections.

These students are future correctional mental health clinicians and researchers who have recognized the essential role of correctional mental health services and are dedicated to raising the bar. They will make a difference, just as all of us providing daily mental health services in the institutions are making a difference. The Jane Haddad Fund for Correctional Mental Health Services and MHM’s collab-oration with GMU are yet another way MHM is set apart from our competitors. And none of this would have been possible without Jane’s leadership and the support of MHM’s prescient executives. Hurray for Jane, and hurray for the graduate students following in her footsteps!

FHS is Expanding in ConnecticutBy Debra Scarlett, CADC, Regional Director

The contracts for Connecticut’s adult Alternative in the Community (AIC) programs went out to re-bid in January 2015. This mandate is a Connecticut State Statute that requires all State contracts undergo a competitive bid response every five years. Since the initial contract award in 2010, FHS has operated locations in Stamford and Milford, CT. In November 2013, we were contacted by the Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division (JBCSSD) to assess our interest in assuming the contract for service provision for the Norwalk AIC from a struggling provider. We were able to swiftly respond to the needs of JBCSSD and began providing services within the first business week at the Norwalk Office of Adult Probation until we secured our permanent site location in January 2014.

Although new to Connecticut’s AIC provider network, FHS has consistently implemented services in a manner which supports a seamless transition between providers with an ongoing commitment to excellence. Our programs have been recognized for achieving and often exceeding the State’s mandated benchmarks for service outcomes. Notable accomplishments include the Stamford AIC being recognized as the statewide leader in Program Completions in 2014 at 68%, with our Norwalk office ranked second at 64%. Our Milford site was ranked sixth at 49% within the State’s network of 19 locations.

CONNECTICUT

Below: Jane Haddad, PsyD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations

Top (left-right): MItchell Biroscek, Michelle DiCocco, Eudys Vergara-Yates, Jared Young, Mary ellen EstradaFront row: Deb Scarlett, Charlie Mac Donald

24 INSIGHT

FHS’s ability to deliver quality services has been recognized by the JBCSSD with the re-awarding of contracts to our three current sites. Additionally, JBCSSD has recognized FHS’s service excellence by expanding the contract award to include the provision of AIC services in New Haven, CT, which is the largest consumer site in the State. FHS became the only provider awarded new business for the next contract period. Enthusiastic and excited preparations are underway to transition New Haven AIC to FHS effective October 1, 2015.

Our continued growth and experience in Connecticut has created staffing opportunities for existing Connecticut staff to be repositioned into new roles. Our Supervising Program Director in Milford, Charlie MacDonald, will lead our New Haven site startup and oversee all operations. Michelle DiCocco, formerly the Supervising Intervention Specialist of our Derby Satellite office has been announced as the new Program Director of the Milford AIC

FHS is Expanding in Connecticut: Continued

with Case Manager, Mitchell Biroscak, being promoted to the role of Supervising Case Manager in Derby. In Norwalk, long time Intervention Specialist, Eudys Vergara-Yates has been named the new Program Director. She will be supervised by Maryellen Estrada who has been promoted to Supervising Program Director. Mary-ellen will be overseeing the operations of both the Stamford and Norwalk AIC programs. To provide Maryellen support in her new role, Jared Young has been promoted to Supervising Case Manager in our Stamford AIC office.

We are extremely proud and gratified at FHS’s hard earned successes in Connecticut in such a short period of time. We are very pleased to offer our staff ongoing professional advancement opportunities from within our existing programs. We hope that if you encounter any one of the individuals mentioned above, you will take the opportunity to extend congratulations for their accomplishments.

1. Go to www.mhmconnect.com2. Log in information:

Username: Last name followed by the last 4 digits of your SSN - ex:Smith8901 Password: Your date of birth, 8 digits, no spaces, no dashes - ex: 12311986 for December 31, 1986

3. Browse or change your information at your convenience

25FALL 2015

In March 2015, MHM officially became the sole provider for all physician staffing needs to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) at West Central Georgia Regional Hospital (WCGRH). We are contracted to provide psychiatrists, physicians, mid-level providers, as well as to work with the hospital on a myriad of opportunities including pharmacy management, training, and community transition services.

West Central Georgia Regional Hospital (WCGRH), located in Columbus, Georgia,

Adding More Initials in GeorgiaBy Jeff Wells, MBA, Regional Vice President of Operations

provides inpatient services to consumers from the following 31 counties: Butts, Carroll, Chattahoochee, Clay, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dooly, Fayette, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Lamar, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Muscogee, Peach, Pike, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Upson and Webster. WCGRH can serve 116 Secure (Forensic) and 58 Adult Mental Health (Civil) patients for a total of 174 beds at any point in time. In fiscal year 2008, the hospital served a total of 961 clients. The hospital employs approximately 470 staff.

It is our hope and desire that our proven success will lead to opportunities through-out the State of Georgia partnering with the remaining hospitals. Our team, led by Teffany Dowdy, has worked hard to secure a great relationship with the client base both in Columbus and their central office in Atlanta.

Since March, MHM employs 11 providers at WCGRH. We are certainly on the path of success.

A little over a year ago, with the support of Warden Brooks L. Benton, a new animal assisted therapy (AAT) program was launched at Whitworth Women’s Facility. The goal of the program was to increase inmate participation and involvement in mental health programs and sessions, overcome resistance, increase rapport and investment, and provide comfort while addressing challenging and distressing issues such as past trauma and abuse.

Formal definition of animal-assisted therapy:

“AAT is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets spe-cific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is directed and/or delivered by a health/human service professional with specialized expertise, and within the scope of practice of his/her profession.

AAT is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning [cognitive functioning refers to thinking and intellectual skills]. AAT is provided in a variety of settings and may be group or individual in nature. This process is documented and evaluated.” (From Standards of Practice for Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy) Progress is measured1.

Our Therapy Canine:

Eowyn, our therapy canine, joined the staff of Whitworth Women’s Facility in May of 2014. Eowyn is an English Cream Golden Retriever bred by Joanne Cava of Tanglewood Goldens and was specially selected

Animal Assisted Therapy - Whitworth Women’s FacilityBy Marie Williams, PhD, Psychologist

GEORGIA

GEORGIA

for temperament characteristics most likely to lead to success as a therapy canine. Puppy temperament testing of potential therapy canines includes formal tests such as the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test2. After selecting the best candidate animal, the training began.

Training was initially a twenty-four hour per day process that focused on socialization and exposure to all types of environments and stimuli. Eowyn attended puppy day care and play classes and was taken almost every place her handler went and was deliberately exposed to every type of noise and environment possible with a focus on supporting and encouraging her natural adaptability to noise and stress. Eowyn attended two puppy obedience classes and completed her AKC STAR puppy certification on June 5, 2014.

The AKC STAR puppy certification encompasses both a responsible owner pledge and the development of key puppy behaviors, social-ization, and basic obedience . In an attempt to provide additional opportunities for socialization and interaction, Eowyn competed in a dog show in the Junior Puppy category on July 19 and 20 of 2014 and earned her National Junior Puppy and International Junior Puppy titles. Eowyn then competed in Clemson Kennel Club’s AKC dog show on January 3 and 4, 2015 and was awarded first place in two classes and second place in two classes. Several staff members from Whitworth Women’s Facility came to the competition to cheer her on.

Eowyn attended two additional obedience classes and a series of private

26 INSIGHT

teams that successfully become certified. Another popular choice for therapy dog certification is Pet Partners6.

Since beginning her work at Whitworth Women’s Facility, Eowyn has attended hundreds of individual sessions and has been a key therapeutic factor in the ongoing trauma groups offered at the facility. She has been called on to respond to crisis calls and has participated in sessions in ISO/SEG and has been successful in diffusing situations with agitated inmates. She even delivers tissues! Eowyn also works in a private practice office and engages in recreational and community events and benefits throughout the week.

She can be found at the soccer field and dog park and recently was a walker in a local MS Walk benefit. In the future, she will likely partic-ipate in dock diving, scent, agility, conformation, read with rover, and hospital-nursing home hospice visits.

Resources/Weblinks:

1 http://www.petpartners.org/Page.aspx?pid=320

2 http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php

3 http://www.akc.org/dog-owners/training/akc-star-puppy/test-items-pledge/

4 http://www.akc.org/dog-owners/training/canine-good-citizen/cgc-test-items-and-pledge/

5 http://www.akc.org/dog-owners/training/akc-community-canine/test-items/

6 http://www.tdi-dog.org/images/TestingBrochure.pdf

Animal Assisted Therapy - Whitworth Women’s Facility: Continued

Congratulations to Mark Rowles – New Editor for CorHealth!Congrats to J. Mark Rowles, MD, MPH (Medical Director with our MHM Georgia DOC contract) for becoming the new editor for CorHealth, the newsletter of the American

GEORGIA

Far Left: Eowyn Left: (bottom left) Carole Seegert, PhD, Senior Clinical Director; (top right) Inez Tann, RN, CCHP, Regional Director; (bottom right) Marie Williams PhD., Clinical Director Whitworth women’s facility

J. Mark Rowles, MD, MPH

sessions with an additional trainer and completed her AKC CGC certification on February 26, 2015. “The CGC Program teaches good manners to dogs and responsible dog ownership to their owners. The 10-step Canine Good Citizen test is a non-competitive test for all dogs, including purebreds and mixed breeds. The CGC award is a prerequisite for many therapy dog groups.4” The training continues beyond the AKC CGC title.

In an effort to provide a stimulating and less formal activity, Eowyn recently completed a “scent class” the focus of which was to teach her to hunt and find scents using her natural ability to smell. The AKC has recently released a new CGCA title and current evaluators for this title are limited5.

There are a number of therapy dog certification organizations available. Therapy Dogs International is a widely recognized therapy dog orga-nization that offers certification and insurance with membership to

Correctional Health Services Association (ACHSA)! His goal is to make this a forum for correctional healthcare professionals to share ideas and concerns about their experiences across the U.S. with their fellow colleagues. Contact him at [email protected] to submit arti-cle ideas! The next issue will come out in October – check it out at http://www.achsa.org”

27FALL 2015

Every year for the past five years, participants have looked forward to the annual Ethics and Suicidal Behavior Training conducted by Sharen Barboza, MHM’s VP of Clinical Operations. She was met with a full house.

This year, Dr. Barboza presented training materials related to not only Ethics and Suicidal Behaviors, but also provided information on diagnostic changes that will occur within the DSM-5.

As usual, utilizing a mixture of her intellect and particular brand of humor, Sharen spoke quite eloquently on the chosen topics of the day. Opening with a 90 minute review of the upcoming changes represented in the DSM-5, the audience was supplied a large amount of information in such a manner that participants did not feel as if they had been hit over the heads with a copy of the 948 page DSM-5.

After a small break, the training moved on to the area of Suicidal Behavior, in which Dr. Barboza presented materials associated with the ongoing MHM Suicide Tracking program. Since 2009 all MHM contracts have routinely gathered information regarding any com-pleted suicides and serious suicide attempts. This has been done in an effort to improve the quality of services MHM provides and to educate staff on the warning signs of possible suicidal behavior.

After the lunch break, Sharen moved on to the topic of counter-transference and the ethical implications it can involve, especially with regard to suicide risk. This included a brief hands-on exercise where the audience had to choose what type of offender they would want to have to interact with, this being based on several descriptors for each offender.

Wrapping it up, based on the nature of the questions and comments Dr. Barboza successfully fielded, the audience all seemed to thoroughly enjoy the training. Many have already asked when Dr. Barboza will be coming back.

Back by Popular Demand… for the 5th Year Running By Bankston Dozier, PhD, CCHP, Special Projects Manager

Standard of Excellence: DeKalb County Jail Clinicians Provide Expert ServicesBy William Brickhouse, PhD, Program Manager & Laurice Haney, LCSW, Assistant Program Manager

The Mental Health Program at DeKalb Jail has been a part of the MHM family of contracts since 2001. During this timeframe the program has undergone numerous changes in requests from the client and overall changes in the inmate population that we serve. One of the most important aspects of our program, referenced by Steve Wheeler some years ago, relates to the “Contract of One.”

The basic concept of the “Contract of One” is that each individual employee matters and contributes to the overall objective. Clients and the contracts that they bid have a history related to the purpose and objective identified in the contract language. Each employee has some responsibility to acquaint themselves with the contract purpose and objective and have understanding for their role and contribution.

Managers direct to provide information and support for items needed by employees who enable them to accomplish the stated objective. Each employee contributes information, professional services, and factual perceptions toward the common objective.

With this backdrop the following description of DeKalb Jail Mental Health staff is offered to show how the quality of our staff is directly related to our ability to meet standards of excellence.

• We have 7 licensed professionals: 4 Licensed Clinical Social Workers, 2 Licensed Master Social Workers, and 1 Licensed Professional Counselor

One of the most important aspects of the Mental Health Program at DeKalb Jail has been the “Contract of One.” The basic concept of the “Contract of One” is that each individual employee matters and contributes to the overall objective.

GEORGIAGEORGIA

Sharen Barboza, PhD, CCHP-MH

28 INSIGHT

Maryland Shows Support at the 2015 MCAA Conference! By Carolyn Mburu, MS, Program Manager

• We have one LMSW who is eligible to take the LCSW exam, and a second LMSW who will soon be eligible to take the LCSW exam

• We have three social workers who have achieved Certified Cor-rectional Health Professional with NCCHC, one of whom has completed the advanced certification of CCHP-Mental Health

• One of our social workers is an auditor for ACA

• We have 131 years of post-masters collective experience

• In 2014, the clinicians made 9574 inmate contacts, averaging 798 per month

• In January and February 2015, the clinicians made 1735 inmate contacts, which is a 12% increase over the same period in 2014

• In 2014 we started offering group sessions on a monthly basis (with the assistance of nursing)

• We have increased the number of chronically mentally ill in-mates involved in discharge planning with the goal of reducing recidivism

• We have one social worker who works closely with Diversion Treatment Court with the aim of helping people remain stable in the community

This is only a small reflection of the amount of expertise, dedication, and care given by our social workers and counselor.

Standard of Excellence: DeKalb County Jail Clinicians Provide Expert Services: Continued

I am honored to be asked to write about my experience working as a missionary in Haiti. My desire to do mission work has a long history going back to the 1990’s. I was fortunate enough to be in the right places at the right times in my life and to have a great family support. I was hired by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe to be the only public health nurse covering from Mt. Pleasant to Saginaw Bay, North to near Cadillac. The position grew far more than I ever anticipated, as did my love for indigent people. This position was where I began to see that to really care for a person’s health; I had to accept their spiritual, physical, cultural, and mental health as one person.

Sometime in the late 1990’s I remember watching a TV infomercial about the Mercy Ships, how they were meeting the needs of the people around the world, and how many of those being served were

MARYLAND

MICHIGAN

living in areas without clean medical, water, housing, and other basic needs. I knew I was being pulled to serve God and do missionary work. Family needs, as well as getting my Masters in Nursing, put a delay in this pursuit, but I knew some day this would happen.

In 2000, after years of prayer, I was hired to work at Riverside Correctional Facility as a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. At the time, Riverside had both general population and RTP inmates. I thought, “Be careful what you ask for because God listens.” “He dropped me on my head in a prison and when the big guy speaks you listen.” Since that time I have functioned as a Nurse Practitioner and moved into mental health when I was hired by MHM in 2010.

Three years ago I was asked to join other members of the Edmore United Methodist Church to travel to a remote village in Haiti to

Missions: A Job from the HeartBy Diana Marble, MSN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, Nurse Practitioner

Sgt. Kevin Muller (DOC), Carolyn Mburu, and Darrin Mitchell

29FALL 2015

This past spring, MHM Maryland was among the list of 40 exhibitors present at the 2015 Maryland Correctional Administrators Association (MCAA) conference in Ocean City, MD. As a way to show and offer our support to the Association, MHM was a gold sponsorship exhibitor at this year’s event. The conference theme titled “40 years of Heritage: Our Legacy- The Stepping Stone to the Future,” marked 40 years since MCAA was founded with the goal of advancing the professionalism and interests of corrections throughout the State of Maryland. Over 400 people gathered this year to enjoy the cama-raderie in recognizing the outstanding correctional professionals in the state and to participate in advanced training workshops.

Included on the conference agenda were a golf tournament and an awards banquet ceremony, hosted in honor of correctional officers and employees who had demonstrated outstanding and dedicated performance to their profession. During the ceremony the prestigious Jack De Witt Award went to Mary Ann Thompson of St Mary’s County Detention Center. This award which is named in honor of Sheriff De Witt is presented annually to one individual who exhibits exemplary dedicated services in the field of corrections. Sheriff De Witt served four consecutive terms as Sheriff of Cecil County and was undoubtedly recognized for his abilities in instilling integrity within his department.

This annual event which brings together state and local agencies to discuss issues that directly affect corrections in the State of Maryland provides a wonderful and rare opportunity for vendors to have exposure and interaction with the participants, especially with those that have the authority to make critical decisions. Also, as vendors we not only get to showcase our products and services, but provide support, seminar opportunities and training resources on best

correctional practices to our clients. Among the main issues discussed at this year’s event were segregation inmates, mental health, PREA and juveniles in adult facilities. Speaking at the awards ceremony banquet, Lt. Daniel B. Lasher, the incoming president of the Association vowed to continue working on a number of initiatives, one of them being mental health and the need for training opportunities for correctional officers.

As part of our continued efforts to support the important and critical work being done by MCAA, MHM Maryland sponsored a golf course hole and put together a team of three players for the one day conference golf tournament event which was held at the River Run Golf Club. The MHM team comprised of Darrin Mitchell, Sgt. Kevin Muller and Carolyn Mburu. While team MHM may not have emerged as the winners of this year’s event, the tournament was able to provide players of all skill levels an outstanding golf experience and the opportunity to network with correctional administrators and officers from all over the state. Participants at the tournament were treated to 18 holes of spectacular golf, lunch, on course refreshments, prizes auction and more. With more than 200 golfers participating, the tournament was a huge success with proceeds going towards the development of correctional resources, training workshops for correctional officers, professional development grants and scholarships for college level students interested in pursuing a career in the field of corrections.

MHM Maryland continues to seize opportunities to partner and collaborate with our correctional clients in promoting and improving best correctional healthcare practices within the State of Maryland.

help orphaned children live better lives. On my first trip I was joined by a friend, mentor, and great nurse, Barb Mulnix, from my Riverside Facility days. We were able to help out in a Clinic in Gebeau, Haiti and found that the clinic was far worse than imagined. The surgical suite had cobwebs floating above the table they were doing eye surgeries on! The supply shelves were near empty, and the lineup for care was out the door and down the street.

Later that week we were scheduled to go to a small village in the mountains to set up a clinic in a church with only one day’s notice that we would be having the clinic. On the day between working in Gebeau and the Mountain our team took a list of needed medi-cations to the local pharmacy and hospital where we were bought enough medication (without prescriptions) to fill the back of a SUV for about $1,500.00 of donated money.

The clinic day came and what a reward! People stood for hours to get seen. The local doctor took care of the pediatric clients, Barb and I took care of the adults, and a dentist set up in the front of the

We found that the clinic in Gebeau, Haiti was far worse than imagined. The surgical suite had cobwebs floating above the table they were doing eye surgeries on! The supply shelves were near empty, and the lineup for care was out the door and down the street.

30 INSIGHT

Missions: A Job from the Heart: Continuedchurch pulling teeth all the while the children and parents thanked us. We knew this was only a Band-Aid on one day of the life and needs of these people.

While in Haiti our teams focus was not on healthcare, but rather an orphanage run by Mrs. Eddy. The orphanage started with one child in need a few years ago to 22 children in her care. In 2014 our team was able to build a new structure with bars on the windows, and a cement brick wall around the buildings to keep the children safe from kidnappers and child trade. It is an improvement from the once thatched roof with no windows or protection. This year we were able to begin to build a kitchen on the land and through the generosity of many, bought needed bunk beds that would allow

children their own beds instead of finding an open space to lie down where ever they could. Despite so much destitution, there are smiles, laughter, warmth, and caring abound.

In preparation for the trip to Haiti or any Mission there is a lot of pre-planning and gathering of funds from anywhere possible. I have been known to plead for medications and supplies at conferences to take with me. For this past trip I even got Val Hammond, MHM NP working at MTU, to help with the soliciting for donations. We pack our bags full with items the children need – toothbrushes, undergar-ments, and combs.

Of course we don’t forget that these are children and try to pack the one allowed bag with things for the children such as bottles of bubbles with wands, toys, stuffed animal, and necessities supplied by caring people. When you are only allowed one carry-on bag for your 10 days of personal needs, you would be surprised how few clothes you can get by with in order to take more things for the children! As a group we had ten Army duffle bags that we fill up to 50 pounds each with items such as tools, clothes, cooking supplies, and medications.

As with many orphanages, the children arrive either because their parents are deceased or because their families cannot care for them due to poverty. Once they reach Esther’s orphanage, Diana said there is the feeling that God is there helping the children.

A fellow missionary, Ann B., has gone with me each of the three years that I have gone to Haiti and has begged me to go with her on

While in Haiti our teams focus was not on healthcare, but rather an orphanage run by Mrs. Eddy. The orphanage started with one child in need a few years ago to 22 children in her care.

31FALL 2015

a medically focused mission trip to Jamaica. This year I have agreed to go, the tickets are bought, and Norm Knippen has approved my time off. Now the real work begins. I am in the process of getting a license to practice in Jamaica, filling out reams of paper work, and hoping that I have had all of the immunizations that I need. I only know one person going. There has not been any organizational meetings yet, because people for this group come from all over the country. This means that I won’t know anyone until we meet in Jamaica which takes me out of my personal comfort zone.

I am now praying for others to help provide additional supplies, medications, and donations. I also ask for prayers for the team’s health and safety, and that we can provide for the people as God intends us to do. I have been to Jamaica on a family vacation and saw the glamour of what they want you to believe is the whole story, but now I will be out with the needy and the unknown doing what I feel is my calling to serve.

* Diana’s trip to Jamaica began on September 11, 2015 for ten days of spirituality, connection, and mostly to be a part of the gift. The team of volunteers worked out of seven locations, of which Diana worked out of five of them. She met with between 35 and 50 people per day for medication and health education. On the last day, she met with 90. They gave out glasses, did labs, blood pressure, handed out over 3,000 condoms, and gave a lot of medication. Diana has been with MHM since 2010 and currently works at SLF ASRP and STF OPT.

A fellow missionary, Ann B., begged me to go with her on a medically focused mission trip to Jamaica. This year I have agreed to go... I have been to Jamaica on a family vacation and saw the glamour of what they want you to believe is the whole story, but now I will be out with the needy and the unknown doing what I feel is my calling to serve.

32 INSIGHT

Dr. Paul Brown, a Psychiatrist with the MHM contract for the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, was recently nominated for the prestigious Psychiatry Clerkship Award for Outstanding Contri-bution to Geisel Student Learning from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. Dr. Brown was nominated for this award by two fourth year psychiatric residents he mentored over the Spring 2015 semester. This was the first time in recent memory that the Secure Psychiatric Unit (SPU) at the New Hampshire State Prison was presented as an educational platform for medical residents.

The SPU houses inmates, patients andindividuals who have been committed

NH Psychiatrist Nominated for Dartmouth Teaching AwardBy Sheena McAroy, APRN

civilly who cannot otherwise be safely and effectively maintained in a less restrictive environment due to chronic or acute mental illness. As a result, this environment provides a unique yet challenging learning environ-ment with an often long-term inpatient population. Dr. Brown has been working with the patients in the SPU here at the New Hampshire contract for the past seven years and is very familiar with the nuances of the patients and the environment. It was our privilege to have him extend this knowledge to the psychiatric residents.

Those of us who work in the SPU immediately saw Dr. Brown’s commitment to the residents and obvious love of teaching. He dedicated considerable time to helping the residents

step outside the academic realm and into the clinical and practical approach to psychiatry that translates to real world skills. Dr. Brown also saw this as a positive experience, stating that “The ability to contribute to medical education at this stage in my life is very rewarding and it energized both my academic interest and approach to cases.” The rest of the clinical team was also invigorated by the residents’ presence and their approach to their clinical practice.

The NHDOC MHM team extends our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Brown on his nomination and on his recent victory in the MHM NH Contracts Summer Team Building Croquet Match.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Below: (from left to right by name, credentials) – Shannon Bader, PhD; Jack Gavin, APRN; Paul Brown, MD; Lois Harriman, APRN; Douglas Laidlaw, APRN; Sheena McAroy, APRN; James Wood, LCMHC

33FALL 2015

In its ongoing efforts to support the education and training of its employees, MHM has entered into a tuition discount program with Peirce College of Philadelphia. MHM employees, their spouses and dependents will be eligible for a 25% tuition discount for all course work.

Started in 1865, Peirce College is a business oriented institution which caters to working individuals as well as having a strong program for those starting their education. The College offers degrees in Business Administration, Paralegal Studies, Healthcare Adminis-tration and Information Technology among others. Located in the heart of Philadelphia, Peirce is conveniently located for our Philadelphia Prison System (PPS) employees and family. It is also

Peirce College Tuition DiscountBy Charles Whitney, MA CCHP, Senior Human Resources Business Partner

available online for all MHM employees and families.

MHM was approached by PPS to participate in this program and we appreciate the opportunity. PPS has been associated with it for about 10 years. We hope and expect that it will be an encourage-ment to employees considering advancing their education.

If you are interested in this benefit please feel free to talk with Chuck Whitney, Senior Human Resources Business Partner, at 215 776 1225 ([email protected]) or contact Steven Bird with Peirce College directly at [email protected] or https://www.peirce.edu/corporate-partners .

PHILADELPHIA

Planning to enroll in a degree program? MHM can help you. We are proud to introduce our new Tuition Reimbursement Program.Eligible employees can receive up to $1,000 in financial assistance towards an approved degreed program at an accredited college or university.

Program Details

All active full-time employees regularly scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week with at least six months of continuous service from the most recent date of hire, are eligible to apply for reimbursement of qualified tuition expenses. The program is effective October 1, 2015.

The full Tuition Reimbursement Policy and forms can be found on the MHM Portal.

34 INSIGHT

MHM Services, Inc.MHM INSIGHT1593 Spring Hill Road, Suite 600Vienna, VA 22182If any information on this mailing label needs to be updated, please correct and fax to 703-245-9026

Adoption Assistance

MHM is here to help you make a change in someone’s life.

MHM now offers financial assistance to families who are going through the adoption process. This benefit applies to eligible employees of MHM Services, Inc.

The policy goes into effect October 1, 2015.

The full Adoption Assitance Policy and forms can be found on the MHM Portal.

INSIGHT Newsletter: Fall 2015

Documents

Transcript of INSIGHT Newsletter: Fall 2015