Transcript Welcome Ambassadors! - Northern Lakes Community Mental Health

Welcome To
Northern Lakes CMH
Provider and manager
of public behavioral
health care services
and supports
What is Northern Lakes CMH?
Our mission is to promote the behavioral health of our
individuals, families and communities through programs
that promote recovery, build resilience, create opportunity
and improve quality of life.
The “Behavioral Health” term in our mission
statement means we specifically help:
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Adults with mental illness
Children with serious
emotional disturbance
Individuals with
intellectual/developmental
disabilities
People with substance use
disorders
A Quick Clarification
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Mental illness and
intellectual/developmental
disabilities are not the same.
Mental illness is a term that refers collectively
to all diagnosable mental disorders.
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Mental disorders are health conditions
that are characterized by alterations in
thinking, mood, or behavior (or some
combination thereof), that are all
mediated by the brain, and associated
with distress and/or impaired
functioning.
Some examples of mental illnesses
include depression, anxiety disorders,
schizophrenia.
Mental illness does not discriminate.
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Mental illness affects 1 in 5
Americans.
These disorders can occur in men,
women and children of any age and in
all races, ethnic and socioeconomic
groups.
They can be the result of family
history, genetics, or other biological,
environmental, social, or behavioral
factors that occur alone or in
combination.
There is no “Quick Fix” for mental illness.
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However, the CMH system has a wide
array of services and supports which
can help promote recovery and build
resilience.
Our NLCMH system is involved in a
transformation effort to become more
recovery-oriented so that recovery is
the expectation for people with mental
illness.
Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
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Intellectual/developmental disabilities
result when the brain does not develop
or work the way that is typically
expected.
Mental impairments make it very
difficult to learn things.
Physical impairments may prevent
people from being able to control their
movements or to speak clearly.
Some developmental disabilities are a
combination of both.
Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
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Appear before a person is 22 years of
age.
Some examples of developmental
disabilities are: learning disorders,
mental retardation, cerebral palsy,
Down’s syndrome.
There is no “cure” for developmental
disability.
However, the CMH system has a wide
array of supports and services to create
opportunity and improve quality of life.
The Big Picture
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Northern Lakes is
one of 46 CMHs
in the State of
Michigan.
The 6 Counties
Northern Lakes
serves are shown
here in red.
The Big Picture
 In addition,
Northern Lakes is a
part of one of the 10
Pre-Paid Inpatient
Health Plans
(PIHPs), also
known as
“Affiliations” in the
State of Michigan.
 Our PIHP is called
the Northern
Michigan Regional
Entity. It includes 5
CMHs and covers
21 counties.
What does CMH do?
We cultivate hope. The hope that someone has when
taking their first small step toward recovering from a
mental illness.
We nurture dreams – the dream of taking steps toward
becoming gainfully employed or living independently.
Simply put, what CMH does is grow human potential.
How does one access services?
When you contact us you can expect prompt answers to your questions
about our services and eligibility requirements.
Priority is given to individuals with the most severe forms of serious
mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and developmental
disability. Three areas affect decisions about your treatment: 1) Clinical
condition, 2) Therapeutic appropriateness, and 3) Medical necessity.
If you do not meet eligibility requirements as outlined in our contracts
with the Michigan Department of Community Health, we will assist you
with referral to other service providers.
What is the access process?
A qualified Mental Health Professional will complete a telephone
screening when you call to request services and, if you qualify, will
arrange a face-to-face interview at a time and location convenient to
you.
Emergencies will be promptly addressed by professional staff from
one of our local office locations.
After your confidential interview, we will review your concerns and
findings with you and help you decide on an appropriate course of
care.
Then what happens?
If you qualify and are interested in ongoing behavioral health services,
we will link you to the programs and/or services best suited to your
needs. In most cases we will arrange your first appointment within 14
days.
We will also answer questions about your benefits and costs for
services. We coordinate care with your doctor and your health plan to
make sure the services you receive are efficient and effective.
What if I don’t qualify for
ongoing services?
Emergency mental health services are always available 24/7 for
everyone who is experiencing a mental health crisis. You do not need
to meet any eligibility requirements to be served in an emergency.
If you do not meet eligibility requirements for ongoing services as
outlined in our contracts with the Michigan Department of Community
Health, we will explain why and we will assist you with referral to other
service providers. For specific questions about eligibility requirements
call our Access staff at 231-922-4850 or 800-49-ALPHA.
Services available to the
general public
• Information and referral
• Crisis intervention and emergency services 24/7 (no eligibility requirements)
• Community education
What is Changing?
Recovery – the expectation for
people with mental illness
Northern Lakes CMH Definition of
Recovery (created by our Recovery Council)
Recovery is a personal journey
of hope, purpose and growth.
It is the process of setting
our own directions in life.
We accept the responsibilities
of meeting challenges, using
our own abilities, strengths
and determination.
Some of our local Recovery initiatives include:
Evidence-Based Practices (examples):
 Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment
 Family Psychoeducation Groups
 Peer Support Specialists
Recovery classes for people we serve:
 Pathways to Recovery classes
 WRAP classes (Wellness, Recovery,
Action Plan)
 MI-PATH Personal Action Toward
Health Chronic Disease SelfManagement
What needs to
change?
Person-First Language
I struggle daily with self-acceptance, trying to
see myself as bright, pretty and kind. Often I
see the opposite – dumb, ugly and mean. The
energy that I spend trying to feel “normal” is
huge, but it is what I want more than anything
in the world – to be mentally and emotionally
stable.
Words are powerful!
Person-First Language is Respectful
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It’s a way of showing the focus is on the
person, not their disability. For example, use
“person with schizophrenia” instead of “a
schizophrenic.”
Person-First Language also emphasizes the
ability, rather than disability. For example, it
is correct to say that a person “uses a
wheelchair,” but not “is wheelchair-bound.”
Person-First Language helps to reduce the
stigma attached to disability.
Questions?