May is Mental Health Month

May is National Mental Health Month and as brain research has progressed, we have learned how vital mental health is to overall health.  According to the American Psychological Association, stress is linked to the six leading causes of death – heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, car accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide.  In addition, 75 percent of doctor visits concern stress-related ailments.  The economic toll of mental disorders is tremendous; the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health reported that in 1998 the economic burden of anxiety disorders in the workplace was $63.1 billion and the total cost of depressive disorders was in the workplace was $51.5 billion.
	The statistics are alarming, but a wonderful concept has been injected into the mix – recovery.  Once thought to be a permanent affliction with hope only for maintenance, mental illness is now seen largely as a temporary condition with the possibility for total recovery.  Though therapy and psychiatric medication  play a large role in mental health recovery, so, too, have hope, faith, family support, nutrition, exercise, friendships, and employment.
To commemorate National Mental Health Month, the Washington County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (MHAR) Board is providing two major recovery opportunities. Network of Care.  Goal 6 of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in the Achieving the Promise:  Transforming Mental Health Care in America report states:  “Technology is used to access mental health care and information.  Consumers should have the choice and capability to obtain, store and share their personal health information.”  This report specifically cited the Network of Care for Behavioral Health web site as a model program for achieving this goal.  Through Ohio’s Transformation State Incentive Grant, the Ohio Department of Mental Health has made this web site a reality for Washington County and other counties across the state.  While 60 percent of the public uses the Internet as its primary source of health information, until now web technology has been scarce and fragmented for public systems serving people with mental illness.  The Network of Care web site offers a comprehensive services directory, an up-to-date library of information, instantaneous advocacy tools, links to other behavioral health sites, health coverage information, a confidential “My Folder” section for consumers and families to store and share their own personal information and daily news updates on pertinent issues.  The web site also offers two important recovery documents, the Advance Directive for Mental Health Treatment and the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP).       The MHAR Board is pleased to announce its launch of Washington County’s Network of Care for Behavioral Health web site.  This event will be at the Harvey Graham Auditorium at Washington State Community College on May 24th from noon to 4:00 p.m.  The public is invited to learn about using this valuable resource and to practice using its unique features on provided computers.  Refreshments will be served. Light up the World:  Recovery Summit 7.  Since 2000, the Washington County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Board and Washington County consumers of mental health services have joined with their counterparts in Noble, Coshocton, Guernsey, Perry, Morgan, Muskingum, Belmont, Harrison, Monroe and Jefferson Counties to convene a Recovery Summit.  The event is free to consumers and their family members and will be at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center in Cambridge on May 17 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Keynote speakers are Karen Vadino, a nationally recognized motivational speaker and humorist, and Judy Wortham Wood, Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of  Mental Health and chairperson of the Transformation State Incentive Grant initiative. The summit will end with a dinner and dance.  Transportation between Marietta and the summit will be provided.  For more information, please call me at the MHAR Board office at 374-6990.      The work of the Washington County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Board to create a system of mental health care that fosters hope and recovery is ongoing. To learn more about the recovery-oriented educational and peer support programs offered in our county, call the MHAR Board (374-6990) or House of Hope (374-0420).