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ND Rural Behavioral Health Network |
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In a video documentary recently produce by Mental Health America of North Dakota (MHAND), Dr. Aaron Garman, medical services director of Coal Country Community Health Center in Beulah, states, "When an individual presents with chest pain, I can get them referred to a cardiologist in Bismarck within one week; when an individual presents with severe symptoms of depression, it takes a month to six weeks for a referral to a mental health provider in Bismarck."
Dr. Garman's words illustrate the dangerous disparity in the delivery of and access to behavioral health services, especially in rural and tribal lands. In January 2011, Governor Dalyrmple proposed a $6.1 million increase in the Department of Human Services budget, related to behavioral health, but legislators woefully underfunded the behavioral health provisions.
'It is definitely a crisis," said Susan Helgeland, executive director of MHAND. "While people are waiting to see the doctor they may fall deeper into depression and, in their hopelessness, contemplate suicide."
In an attempt to alleviate the problem, six collaborative partners launched the North Dakota Rural Behavioral Health Network (ND RBH). The purpose of the network is to identify resources and link together behavioral health providers (public and private), consumers, advocates and family members to increase access and reduce the disparity in the delivery of behavioral health services.
In addition to MHAND, current partners in the network include: Coal Country Community Health Center, Beulah; Elbowoods Memorial Health Center, New Town; ND Area Health Education Center; ND Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health and Sakakawea Medical Center, Hazen. The federally funded project will eventually be expanded throughout the state. Currently a Governance Committee is organized with Susan Helgeland appointed as Project Director. Each of the partners has a representative on the Governance Committee. Other working committees have been created to begin the expansion of the ND RBH and include Outreach/Education, Membership and Sustainability.
Susan Helgeland said, "We are excited about the potential to better serve the behavioral health needs of our ND citizens." |
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Resolana: Voice of the People |
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Mental Health America of North Dakota (MHAND) proudly presents the national premier of its new documentary Resolana: Voice of the People This event is free and open to the public.
Called "powerful" and "a real eye opener" by Kate Gaston, Vice President of Mental Health America's National Affiliate Services in Alexandria, Virginia, this 28-minute documentary identifies barriers to access behavioral health services (mental health and substance use) in rural and tribal communites in North Dakota. MHAND is using Resolana: Voice of the People as an educational tool to promote community dialogue and awareness of these barriers that include: a lack of communication and coordination between behavioral health care providers; transportation issues; significant delays between appointments; and an inadequate number of behavioral health care providers and facilities in rural communities.
The documentary features interviews with mental health consumers and rural behavioral health providers who talk candidly about the difficulty they have in obtaining the services they need.
Resolana: Voice of the People is about real people telling real stories. MHAND's staff will facilitate audience feedback through a question and answer period immediately following the screening of Resolana: Voice of the People.
Resolana: Voice of the People was made possible through the generous support of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation.
If you would like to obtain a copy of this documentary, contact Susan Helgeland at srhelgeland@gmail.com |
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Red River Resilience |
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The Facts of Resilience
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from a natural disaster or any other adversity and adapt well to changes in your life.
These FACTS can help you develop ways to think and behave that help you cope and adapt to challenging situations successfully:
Foster hope
Actwith purpose
Connect with others
Take care of yourself
Search for meaning
Stay Calm
Fear, worry and anxiety are normal responses to abnormal situations. However, it is important to stay calm in the face of danger.
Stay Conne4cted
Staying connected to those who care about you can buffer you from stress. But during a disaster, communication may pose a challenge.
Stay in Control
You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control how you react.
There are brochures available to order:
"The Facts of Resilience"
"Preparing for Coping with Disaster"
Click on "Resource Library" and catagory
"Resource Center"
or
NDSU Extension Service at
www.ag.ndsu.edu/extension
For more information about developing resiliency, click on "links" and go to
www.redriverresilience.com
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