Montgomery, Ala. – Since 2005, the Alabama Department of Mental Health has hosted the Capitol Showcase, a consumer art show at the Alabama’s State Capitol. People from around the state with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders have their abilities showcased throughout the of May, in observance of Mental Health Month.
However, due to limitations of the virus COVID-19, this year the showcase will be online only. Unfortunately, the need for physical distancing to ensure we all stay healthy and safe, has caused the department to cancel the in-person show. Our priority is the health of the artists and attendees of the exhibition.
“We are proud to present the 15th Capitol Showcase and to offer the artistic contributions of over 120 citizens of our state. We regret deeply that we cannot meet in person to thank the artists and help show everyone the power of treatment and recovery.” said Commissioner Lynn Beshear.
An online gallery can be visited at https://mh.alabama.gov/capitol-showcase-art-exhibition-2020/ which showcases the unique artwork and personal story of each artist. Artwork will be posted daily on ADMH social media accounts. The artists will be recognized with individual posts, demonstrating their expression of mental health and their life experiences.
Art can offer a sense of accomplishment, meaning, and engagement when it is hard to express or put into words what a person is struggling with. Creating visual forms of art can help to decrease anxiety and stress and offers a refuge from intense feelings and emotions. Many of our artists have remarked on the care and support they received from local mental health centers and how their art was encouraged and celebrated through their therapy and recovery.
To learn more about the Capitol Showcase and the Alabama Department of Mental Health, please call the Office of Public Information at 334-242-3417 or email peggy.olson@mh.alabama.gov.
Montgomery, Ala. – National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® links students with scientists and other experts to counteract the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the internet, social media, TV, movies, music, or from friends. The Alabama Department of Mental Health, Office of Prevention supports the mission of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week and related community prevention efforts.
“The Alabama Department of Mental Health, Office of Prevention, is excited to promote and participate in the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week. The annual health observance week connects teens with resources about drugs and alcohol. Multiple virtual activities will be available during this time for students, parents, caregivers and teachers,” said Beverly Johnson, Director of the Office of Prevention.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® is an opportunity for teens to SHATTER THE MYTHS® about drugs and drug use. Teens, scientists and other experts come together to discuss how drugs affect the brain, body, and behaviors, in community and school events all over America.
Johnson continued, “We want to utilize this opportunity to actively engage our youth and provide the necessary education and awareness about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
Join the Alabama Department of Mental Health by learning more through resources, created to educate and engage teenagers and their families. Visit https://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/public-education-projects/national-drug-alcohol-facts-weekr for videos, lesson plans and more.
For more information on National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® visit teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-facts-week, email us at drugfacts@nida.nih.gov, or call 301-443-1124.
COVID-19 Guidance for Community Providers of Services for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
Read here: DDD-COVID-19-rel1
OPIOID ROUND TABLE
North Alabama Partners Host an In-Depth Discussion on the Epidemic
Anniston, Ala. – A round table discussion on the opioid epidemic and the issues that surround it will be presented by the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention and partners, including the Alabama Department of Mental Health on March 3, 2020. The event is designed to engage the community and offer a safe space for questions and answers about this important topic.
The event will begin with four subject matter experts sharing their expertise and experiences, then inviting the audience to ask questions. Speakers include:
- Jay Town, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama
- Brian McVeigh, District Attorney, Calhoun County
- Pam Butler, Office of Peer Programs, Alabama Department of Mental Health
- Dr. Almena Free, M.D., CCRP
The panel will discuss key topics that perpetuate the opioid epidemic in Alabama, what we can learn from shared experiences, what we can change, and how we can move forward together.
A presentation by Derek Osborn, Prevention Specialist, on the latest opioid trends will follow the panel.
“This event shows that prevention, treatment and counseling aren’t operating in silos. We are all working together to reduce all of the harm that is coming from the opioid epidemic,” said Seram Selase, Director, Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention.
What: Opioid Round Table
Where: 1400 Noble Street, Anniston, Alabama, 36201
When: March 3, 2020 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Event Hosts: Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention, R.O.S.S., Alabama Department of Mental Health, Self-Recovery Program for Substance Use Disorder, Bradford Health Services, MedMark, Collegiate Recovery Community at Jacksonville State University, Highland Health Systems
Media are welcome to attend the event. This is a free event. CEUs are available. Contact the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention for more information at 256-831-4436.
Employment Opportunities for Registered Nurses at the Alabama Department of Mental Health
Tuscaloosa, Ala.– The Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) is now hiring dedicated registered nurses, to work in the three state facilities in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Registered nurses desiring a career that makes a difference in the lives of individuals in our state are invited to apply.
ADMH values the expertise and experience of registered nurses in the challenging field of mental health care. All nurses who begin employment at the Registered Nurse I classification have the opportunity for a 10% to 15% salary increase with the first 18 months of employment.
Employment with ADMH and the State of Alabama offers:
- meaningful and rewarding work
- competitive salary
- exceptional benefit package that includes comprehensive health and dental insurance options at economical rates
- defined retirement plan in which your benefits are not diminished by changes in the financial market
ADMH strives to be on the forefront of the mental healthcare industry, guided by our mission to Serve, Empower, and offer Support to individuals with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders.
Please view all available career opportunities at the Alabama Department of Mental Health at http://apps.mh.alabama.gov/ADHR/ExemptJobs/default.aspx?JobCategory=nursing.
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Stakeholder Meetings Offered Around the State
Montgomery, Ala. – No one is immune from the impact of untreated behavioral health needs. Each year, 20-25% of the population meets the criteria for a mental health diagnosis. Behavioral health crisis services have emerged as one of the most effective tools within the larger system of care to improve the lives of people struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, behavioral health is the second most significant health concern for the people of Alabama. There is a genuine human toll experienced within our state.
To ensure Alabama moves in the right direction for future crisis services, the Alabama Department of Mental Health has begun the process of establishing a Behavioral Health Crisis Care Continuum, with a legislative budget request. ADMH is proud to receive the support of Governor Ivey and legislative leaders for the creation of the first crisis diversion centers in Alabama.
Beginning today, Regional Crisis System Assessment Meetings will be held in eight locations around the state. ADMH invites all citizens interested in mental health services to the meetings to offer their vital input and information.
To learn more, please visit https://mh.alabama.gov/admh-regional-crisis-system-assessment-meetings/, or contact the Office of Public Information, 334-242-3417, publicinformation.dmh@mh.alabama.gov.
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Alabama Stakeholder Meetings Flyer
Join us for a meeting on a priority initiative to develop an effective mental health crisis continuum of care in Alabama. We will be hosting eight regional assessment meetings in two phases. Click the flyer to learn more!
Montgomery, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama Department of Mental Health launch a statewide campaign, Stop Judging. Start Healing., aimed at assisting friends, family, physicians, mental health care clinicians, substance abuse prevention and treatment providers and all people in Alabama to change the way we speak about individuals with mental health illness, substance and opioid use disorders, HIV and Hepatitis C.
The language we use can be hurtful and harming to the people we care about. Using words that help and support others is important. Decreasing stigma surrounding mental health illnesses, substance and opioid use disorders and HIV and Hepatitis C is vital to ensuring accurate information is shared with those we love and care for.
“People with these conditions often fear that others are blaming or judging them,” State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. “These conditions are manageable, and so it is important for everyone to understand that irrational fear creates barriers to people seeking and receiving care. Compassion helps break these barriers. Everyone deserves dignity, compassion and support.”
The campaign encourages the public to have open conversations to break the cycle of stigma by sharing kindness and understanding. Changing the way, we talk changes people, and the words providers and families use are powerful.
“The stigma that surrounds mental illness and substance use disorder is the number one barrier to treatment and recovery. We must learn how to speak in positive terms, support our friends and family, and offer appropriate resources to people who need our help,” said Commissioner Lynn Beshear, Alabama Department of Mental Health.
“Partnering with the Alabama Department of Public Health is the right, next step in the movement to educate practitioners, providers and the people of Alabama, in decreasing the stigma surrounding diseases that affect the mind and body. Support for total health is necessary for the well-being of an individual,” Commissioner Beshear continued.
The statewide campaign consists of television, social media and radio advertisements, with a targeted delivery of information to medical professionals to increase awareness of the importance of the use of people first language.
Watch the videos and share on social media using #stopjudgingstarthealing. See how you can help change the conversation at www.stopjudging.org.
Montgomery Ala.– For the sixteenth year in a row, members of the Heart of Dixie Harley Owners Group-Pelham Chapter (HOG) gear up to brighten the holidays for teens and children committed to the Alabama Department of Mental Health’s (ADMH) Psychiatric Adolescent Unit at the East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) in Opelika. This annual event combines the excitement of gifts and fellowship with the thrill of a motorcycle ride.
For the past fifteen years, the members of the HOG Chapter have donated both gifts and their time so the children in the hospital may experience a wonderful holiday season. Due to the severity of their mental illness, these adolescents will spend the holidays in the hospital. The unit at EAMC serves adolescents committed to the Alabama Department of Mental Health and has the capacity to serve up to 10 adolescents.
Initially, the Chapter would ride their motorcycles to the ADMH Unit during the month of December and enjoy an afternoon of food and fellowship. However, for the past two years, the ride had to be rescheduled due to weather conditions. Despite this delay, the HOG Chapter has remained dedicated to these kids and ensured the gifts were delivered in time for the children to open on Christmas Day. Then in the Spring, the riders made the trip again on their motorcycles to the DMH Unit to share their time with the children.
This year, the Harley Chapter continues to collect gifts for the children on the ADMH Unit to be provided to the kids on Christmas Day. The actual ride will be scheduled for Spring 2020 so that the kids can enjoy the parade of motorcycles coming to visit them and spend the afternoon with the riders.
The dedicated group of Harley riders have consistently taken time to help ensure the youth have a special Christmas. The generosity of both tangible gifts and the intangible gift of their time, along with the joy and excitement it brings to the children, truly exemplifies the spirit of the season.
History of the Tim Dollard Memorial Ride:
Sixteen years ago, Tim Dollard of JBS Mental Health Authority was able to get the Heart of Dixie Harley Owners Group-Pelham Chapter to sponsor the kids at the Bryce Adolescent Unit. Each year the Harley group has scheduled a “Harley Christmas Ride” to deliver the donated presents ensuring the adolescents on the unit had gifts on Christmas Day.
The group continued the ride as the unit transitioned from Bryce onto the UAB campus in Birmingham in 2010 and then from UAB to EAMC in Opelika in April 2016, the Harley group has also been allowed to participate in a reception with the adolescents and has expressed how much joy it brings them to spend time with the kids. For the first thirteen consecutive years, the Harley group’s “Harley Ride” and reception occurred in December, prior to Christmas.