News of 2005

Events of 2004

Psychology News

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17 November 2005

The Abington Foundation announces a $100,000 grant award.

The Trustees of The Abington Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to the MHS capital campaign for the purchase and renovation of a building. This award brings the total amount of grants and donations for the capital campaign and related projects to $1.35 million.

The Abington Foundation was established in 1983 to support organizations that "promote education, health care, economic independence, and cultural activities, primarily in Cuyahoga County." The Foundation supports the values of David Knight Ford, and Elizabeth Brooks Ford, both born in Cleveland, and who married in 1920. Mr. Ford was a founder of the Lubrizol Corporation, and worked there until two weeks before his death in 1993, at the age of 99 years. Mrs. Ford was the first president of the Cleveland Area League for Nursing, and a Trustee of the Visiting Nurse Association for 50 years.

The work that MHS does to help children whose development is at risk because of traumatic experiences is consistent with the current funding priorities of The Abington Foundation. Research studies have shown that addressing the psychological and social needs of traumatized children makes a significant contribution to the child's later educational and developmental achievements. MHS thanks the Trustees of The Abington Foundation for their generous grant. The Foundation's earlier grant allowed MHS to complete a critically-needed information technology initiative.

4 November 2005

The Saint Luke's Foundation awards a grant of $100,000 to MHS.

The Trustees of the Saint Luke's Foundation of Cleveland, Ohio, awarded a $100,000 grant to MHS for operating support for the year beginning 1 December 2005. The grant will help MHS meet compelling community healthcare and human service needs, strengthen organizational capacity, and build community endowment – consistent with the mission and interests of the Saint Luke’s Foundation.

The Foundation's vision is "to achieve measurable, sustained improvements in health and well-being by targeting the root causes of problems." In its application to the Foundation, MHS noted that its homeless assistance programs address factors leading to persistent homelessness, including skill deficits in domains crucial for independent living, inadequate management of chronic health and behavioral problems, and difficulties in access to health care. MHS also noted its collaboration with government agencies and local heathcare providers to transform services for children in crisis, and children traumatized by community violence. MHS is very grateful to the Trustees and staff members of the Saint Luke's Foundation for their generous award. MHS is particularly thankful to Program Officer LaTida Smith for her prompt and comprehensive responses to questions about grant proposal procedures.

2 November 2005

Woodruff Foundation announces award to MHS, bringing capital campaign total to $1.25 million.

The Trustees of the Woodruff Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to the MHS capital campaign for the purchase and renovation of a building. The Woodruff Foundation was established in 1986 "to enhance, through financial support, the development and delivery of mental health services in Cuyahoga County, Ohio." Among the goals to be achieved by the MHS capital campaign are the creation of separate clinic space to better meet the needs of children, and the creation of space to train MHS staff members in innovative and empirically-based treatment programs. These goals are consistent with the high priority areas identified by the Woodruff Foundation: "encouraging the implementation of innovative prevention and treatment programs," and "strengthening the effectiveness of existing delivery systems." MHS thanks the Trustess and staff members of the Woodruff Foundation for their support of the MHS mission.

25 October 2005

Domestic Violence Center honors the work of MHS' Rosemary Creeden.

Rosemary Creeden, LISW, Manager of the Children Who Witness Violence program, was presented with a "Break the Silence" Award by the Domestic Violence Center of Cleveland, Ohio, at its annual luncheon on 25 October 2005 at Windows on the River. The award honors those who make "exceptional efforts in their work against domestic violence." The following description was printed in the Center's luncheon program.

"Rosemary Creeden has served as the Program Manager for the Children Who Witness Violence Program (CWWV), a project supported by a partnership between Mental Health Services for Homeless Persons and Cuyahoga County, since its inception in 1999. CWWV is a ground-breaking clinical progam which brings services to children in their homes quickly after a violent incident, most often domestic violence. During Ms Creeden's tenure, the project, because of its innovative design and documented success, has won national attention and has been a key participant in the Child Trauma Stress Network. Ms Creeden has co-authored and published articles highlighting various aspects of the project. Prior to her role with CWWV, she served as a Program Manager of the Mobile Crisis Team, a crisis response team for psychiatric emergencies.

She came to Mental Health Services after serving as Director of Genesis House, the Lorain County community battered women's shelter, for over 15 years. Ms Creeden is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and has been recognized by a number of awards, including a National Victim Service Award in 1990. Rosemary's expertise, dedication, compassion and hard work are a benefit - not only to her agency the Greater Cleveland Community - but more importantly, to children who need to heal."

9 September 2005

MHS sends water to Louisiana, and helps evacuees arriving in Cleveland.

On the evening of Friday, 9 September 2005, MHS sent 858 cases of Hope Springs Water to an emergency management site in Alexandria, Louisiana, selected by the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

MHS Trustees, Executive Director Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., and staff members Tamara Cvelbar and Susan Neth quickly raised enough money to purchase the water. G&N Trucking Company has graciously agreed to transport the water from Cleveland, Ohio.

For tens of thousands of people in three states, Hurricane Katrina resulted in life-threatening crises, traumatic experiences, and homelessness. Because these are the types of experiences that affect many MHS clients, the devastation caused by the hurricane deeply affected our clients, Trustees and staff members. The water will be accompanied with cards from many clients, offering sympathy and support.

In a separate effort, the American Red Cross has asked MHS staff members Tammy Cvelbar, Kirsten Hagesfeld, Latonya Murray, Rick Oliver, Eileen Zatta, and Mary Zoller to be ready to provide assessment and counseling services to evacuees who are scheduled to arrive in Cleveland on Saturday, 10 September 2005. Two staff members will register people as they arrive at the airport. Other staff members will conduct assessments to help determine mental health, counseling, and supportive service needs. MHS staff members from the Mobile Crisis Team have participated in disaster training, and are certified by the American Red Cross to provide disaster-relief mental health services.

14 April 2005

MHS programs earn high scores from County Review and Ranking Committee.

The Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services (OHS) sent to agencies the results of the Review and Ranking Committee site visits. Members of this Committee are providers and funders of homeless assistance services, advocates, formerly homeless individuals, and members of the community at large. They are nominated and approved by an OHS advisory board.

In February and March, three-member teams of the Review and Ranking Committee conducted three-hour visits to all programs. They complete a comprehensive evaluation of the program, reviewing adherence to program design, quality of services and oversight, fiscal administration, and other factors. Reviewers rate each factor, using a numeric score. The review team also conducts confidential client interviews. A composite score, reflecting the ratings of all three members, is then computed for each program, and these composite scores are used to determine if programs will be recommended for further funding, and to assign funding priorities.

All MHS programs reviewed earned high scores, as presented in the table below. OHS will determine funding priorities later, and submit these priorities with the Cuyahoga County Continuum of Care application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in June. HUD usually announces funding decisions the following December or January.

14 March 2005

MHS completes major upgrade of its information system.

"We Are LIVE!! The new clinical information system goes live today!" This was the announcement made by Clark Maciag and Duana Kaye, shown at left, as MHS completed a major initiative to upgrade its information system, led by James Nagle, Director of Administration.

Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., Executive Director, created the software applications that MHS uses to collect and organize information for clinical, billing, and management purposes. These simple and flexible applications have given MHS managers ready access to the information they need to operate their programs efficiently, and to help clients achieve important outcomes. As the information-processing demands on this system grew, Dr. Friedman, James Nagle, and Duana Kaye crafted an initiative to provide the system with a more stable platform.

The first steps in this project to upgrade the MHS information system were completed more than a year ago, when the Deaconess Community Foundation made a generous grant to fund the purchase of new computer servers and other equipment. Later, the Abington Foundation also made a generous grant award for this initiative. A new computer operating system and new software applications were installed. Data migration to the new system was completed, and the new applications were tested. With the completion of this initiative, MHS has a more stable, secure, and responsive information system that will help all staff members in the more efficient fulfillment of our mission. MHS is very thankful for the critical contributions made by Deaconess Community Foundation and The Abington Foundation to complete this important initiative.

March 2005

Billboard campaign is part of suicide prevention plan.

The Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board has placed billboards similar to the one shown here throughout the County. The actual billboards display the local telephone number (216-623-6888) of the MHS Mobile Crisis Team. This campaign implements part of the Board's Suicide Prevention Plan. Increased public awareness of suicide and community resources for intervention are also a part of the prevention plan published by the Ohio Department of Mental Health. To open an Adobe PDF of the state's plan, click here. Information about features associated with suicidal conduct can be found in our web essay.

Addendum: In April 2008, a study of these suicide-prevention efforts was published in the journal, Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior. See this summary of the study.

16 February to
15 March 2005

County Review and Ranking Committee conducts MHS site visits.

The Review and Ranking Committee of the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services completed the last of its seven site visits to MHS homeless assistance programs on Wednesday, 15 March 2005. Committee members included representatives of service providers, local funders, city and county offices, homeless advocates, and persons who had been homeless. Ruth Gillett, shown at left, is Manager of the Office of Homeless Services.

The reviewers of MHS programs this year were Deborah C. Beckwith, Anita Branan, Carol Brandt, Lucca Deccola, Gayle Doucette, Crystal Foster, Ed Gemerclak, Michael Griffin, Toni Johnson, Karen Knittel, Pat Koran, Marcia E. Moll, Keith D. Moody, Sharon Parries, Robert E. Paponetti, Jim Paulsen, Diane T. Pinchot, Jennifer Stoller, Patricia M. Tomcho, and Scott Wells. They conduct comprehensive reviews of programs in the Cuyahoga County Continuum of Care. They will meet in June to make reocmmendations about the continuation of funding, and to rank the importance of programs to the Coninuum. Their recommendations become part of the County's competitive application for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs. Eighteen nonprofit organizations operate 29 programs in the current Continuum of Care.

This year, Review and Ranking committees conducted reviews of the Outreach and Representative Payee program, the SPOT clubhouse program of psychosocial rehabilitation, Safe Havens I, II, and III, and the Young Adult Program, and the Community Women's Shelter. During each of the seven site visits, three committee members conducted a detailed review of program operations, expenditures, and outcomes. They visited each program site, reviewed selected client charts, and spoke with clients about their satisfaction with the program.

After the completion of all program reviews in the community, the Review and Ranking Committee meets to assign priority scores to projects seeking funding. Last year, among 30 programs in the community seeking renewal funding, the MHS Safe Haven I program had the highest priority, with a rank of #1; Outreach and Representative Payee program was #2; the Young Adult Program was #8; Safe Haven III was ranked #11; and the SPOT clubhouse program was #17.

10 February 2005

Staff learn integrated dual disorder treatment.

Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., Executive Director, welcomed staff members from all MHS programs to the launch of Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) training. IDDT is a structured treatment model for people with severe mental disorders and co-occurring substance-use disorders. More than half of all people who participate in MHS homeless assistance services have these co-occurring, or dual disorders.

From the left are...
Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., MHS Executive Director;

Chris Couture, LISW, a new MHS Program Manager devoted to the IDDT project;

Eric Morse, LISW, Director of MHS Community Support and Residential Services; and

Patrick E. Boyle, LISW, CCDC-III-E, Director of Clinical Training for the Ohio Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Coordinating Center of Excellence (SAMI CCOE).

Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment procedures were developed by Robert E. Drake, M.D., Ph.D., and his research team of the New Hampshire-Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center. They also tested the effectiveness of the model in carefully-designed studies. Results of the studies demonstrated that people with co-occurring disorders who worked with treatment teams using the IDDT model improved far more than those who participated in traditional treatment. After four years of treatment, about 60% of people in IDDT treatment were abstinent from drug and alcohol use, compared with about 20% for people who in non-integrated treatment programs. People in IDDT also had fewer mental health symptoms, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits. They had more sustained housing in the community, and better job functioning.

Dr. Friedman welcomed staff members, and spoke of the MHS strategic initiative to make use of IDDT and other treatments of demonstrated effectiveness. Part of this initiative was the MHS application to become a partner agency of United Way Services of Greater Cleveland. MHS was honored to become a United Way agency last year. Funding from United Way helps to pay for staff training in the use of IDDT.

Eric Morse, LISW and Chris Couture, LISW will lead the agency's IDDT initiative. Mr. Morse is the Director of Community Support and Residential Services. In today's event, he explained to staff members why the IDDT model was chosen, how training would take place, and how the treatment model would be implemented. Chris Couture, as the new Program Manager, will manage staff training and IDDT implementation across all MHS homeless assistance programs.

The Ohio Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Coordinating Center of Excellence (Ohio SAMI CCOE) will provide MHS with the training and consultation needed to implement IDDT. Patrick Boyle, LISW, CCDC-III-E, is the Director of Clinical Training for the Ohio SAMI CCOE. In an animated and well-received presentation, he told staff members how IDDT was conceived, developed, and tested, and introduced them to the major components of the treatment model.

The IDDT model recognizes that people with addictive disorders vary in their readiness to change, and offers clients different interventions based on their current stage of readiness. IDDT also emphasizes assertive outreach, which has long been a value of MHS Outreach Programs, and easy access to comprehensive services as a client's needs change, a value that has guided the development of the continuum of MHS Homeless Assistance programs.

For other news and information about MHS, click on the links below.

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It was most recently updated on 16 May 2008.
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