AMHC News

Center for Integrated Neuro Rehab (CINR), a program of Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC), is pleased to announce that it now offers services in Houlton as well as Caribou.

“Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are more common than many people think,” explained Pamela Searles, OTR/L,CBIS, Neuro-Rehabilitation Services Manager. “In Maine alone, on average every week, there are nearly 200 TBI-related hospital emergency department visits. At CINR, we work with individuals to assist them with gaining more skills in the areas of physical function, language/cognition, social/emotional wellbeing, and more independence with life skills. We want people to know that there is hope and help in overcoming the challenges associated with traumatic brain injury.”

Until recently, all CINR services have been offered at its facility located at 159 Bennett Drive in Caribou. Recognizing the transportation challenges for clients living in southern Aroostook, treatment is now offered at AMHC’s Houlton Outpatient Office at 11 Mill Street on Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Brain injuries are most commonly sustained through falls, as well as strokes, and motor vehicle accidents. Since 2007, CINR has supported hundreds of individuals and their loved ones. They address intellectual, emotional, and social functioning deficits to increase a brain injury survivor’s maximum recovery. Services may include psychological services, group therapy, family support groups, physical, occupational, and speech therapy as well as community reintegration.

Fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, CINR is currently accepting client referrals. Please contact them at 207-498-3820 for more information and/or to learn more about eligibility requirements.

Celebrating more than 55 years, AMHC is a nonprofit organization supporting nearly 6,000 clients annually. The agency has 26 service sites and 325 employees located across Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties providing mental health, substance use, crisis, sexual assault services, and brain injury services (Aroostook County). For more information, connect with AMHC at www.amhc.org.

Community health clinics across the United States report a 43% drop in the number of client visits during the quarantine. However, Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC) has ramped up the use of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic and increased the number of client visits by 20%.

In a recent article, the chief psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente stated that over 90% of mental health visits in the U.S. are now happening virtually, which is a change for many practices.

However, AMHC was already an early adopter of telehealth and they were able to quickly expand their existing practice. While continuing to offer in-clinic appointments, telepsychiatry offers mental health services directly to the client through HIPAA-compliant video conferencing or telephone calls.

AMHC recognized the potential of telepsychiatry to solve mental health challenges years ago and found it ideally suited to serve the people of Aroostook, Hancock, and Washington counties in Northern and Downeast Maine. Telepsychiatry helps solve a critical shortage of psychiatric providers, especially in rural areas. Half of the counties in the U.S. do not have even one psychiatrist and it is estimated that 111 million people live in a mental health shortage area. Using technology, a provider can see clients anywhere there is a viable internet connection.

AMHC partners with Iris Telehealth, a telepsychiatry group, to provide psychiatrists. This has allowed AMHC to provide medication management services for adults and children. “It’s been an honor to work alongside AMHC over the past 3 years,” said Dr. Tarik Shaheen, CEO at Iris Telehealth. “Their deep commitment to patient care and the ability to adapt quickly during COVID-19 sets a wonderful example for other community health organizations in the northeast and the rest of the U.S.”

Recent events have encouraged many clients who previously came to AMHC in-person to use telehealth services. The clinics provide psychiatric evaluations, teletherapy—individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy—client education, and medication management, directly to the client who remains at home.

“AMHC appreciates its partnership with Iris Telehealth to provide psychiatrists for our clients who require medication management services,” said Ellen Bemis, AMHC CEO. “It can be a challenge to recruit psychiatrists to rural areas such as ours. By offering the service remotely we help ensure our community members receive the support they need. Iris Telehealth has been an important part of our ability to adapt quickly to the changes that occurred with the pandemic.”

Many clients, particularly the elderly and those at high-risk, appreciate the convenience of seeing their provider from the comfort of home. Providers report there are fewer cancellations now that travel is not required.

In a recent survey, 45% of respondents said events related to the coronavirus have affected their mental health. In response to the need for increased services, AMHC added 80 new Zoom accounts to boost their virtual service capacity and provide same-day access when needed.

A report from Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, suggests that stress from COVID-19 may cause increased ‘diseases of despair’, including suicides and addiction. AMHC believes these issues are treatable and telepsychiatry can connect people with the care they need.

To connect with AMHC, please call their Access Center at 1-800-244-6431 or visit them on the web at https://www.amhc.org or https://www.facebook.com/AMHC1964/.

About AMHC

Celebrating more than 55 years, AMHC is a nonprofit organization supporting nearly 6,000 clients annually. The agency has 26 service sites and 325 employees located across Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties providing mental health, substance use, crisis, sexual assault services, and brain injury services (Aroostook County). For more information, connect with AMHC at www.amhc.org.

About Iris Telehealth

Iris Telehealth’s mission is to help patients, providers, and healthcare organizations achieve their goals through clinically sound and financially sustainable psychiatry programs. With our clinical grounding and emphasis on human relationships, we identify best-fit providers for each unique organization and ensure a long-term commitment to meeting our partner’s needs, allowing them to provide the highest quality care to their patients and community. For more information, please visit iristelehealth.com.

In the midst of a public health and social crisis, AMHC reaffirms our respect for mankind. Nearly 250 years after “all men are created equal” was first penned in the Declaration of Independence, we are still working to create a society that embraces those words. During these difficult days, AMHC joins others across the country and around the world to acknowledge those who are oppressed, discriminated against, treated unjustly, treated inhumanely, abused psychologically and/or physically, and worse. We do not tolerate racism. We share in the responsibility to end discrimination and the negative effects of stigma in all forms.

AMHC’s core values include integrity and respect. We believe in treating everyone consistently by the same set of sound, moral, and ethical principles and hold in high regard every individual’s rights, responsibilities, and abilities.  We believe that having compassion for all and seeking to fully understand one another is an important step in improving the well-being of our society, and to inspire the hope and healing we desperately need right now.

AMHC Peer Centers in Aroostook County have announced their reopening dates:

• Roads to Recovery (R2R) in Caribou and Aroostook Recovery Center of Hope (ARCH) in Houlton will reopen their doors on Monday, June 15, 2020;
• DownEast Recovery Support Centers in Calais and Machias will also reopen on Monday, June 15, 2020;
• Valley Peer Center in Madawaska and Harvest Inn in Caribou will reopen to the public on Monday, June 22, 2020.

“Our teams are very excited to welcome back members of the community,” shared  Christine Brown, AMHC Program Director of Community Integration. “As mental health and substance use peer support specialists they have done a great job doing virtual outreach to their communities but are looking forward to engaging face to face once again.”

Each center will follow these general guidelines, but please be sure to check with each center for any variances:

• Visitors will be limited;
• Staff and visitors must adhere to physical distancing of six feet;
• Staff and visitors will be asked to wear a mask if they are unable to maintain six feet of physical distancing;
• Other precautions will be attended to, such as hand sanitizers and screening questions prior to coming to the centers;
• Please do not go to the centers if you are not feeling physically well.

Roads to Recovery, Aroostook Recovery Center of Hope, and DownEast Recovery Support Centers provide individuals a place to come and receive support for their substance use recovery journey, connect people to resources, and also serve as a venue for a variety of recovery meetings.

Valley Peer Center and Harvest Inn Peer Center offer persons with mental health challenges the experience of giving and receiving peer supports in moving towards self-discovery. Peer-to-peer supports to empower individuals to address personal priorities and to grow their sense of self and purpose.

For more information, please contact the peer centers:

• • Valley Peer Center (Madawaska) – 207-728-4806
  • Harvest Inn Peer Center (Caribou) – 207-492-1386
  • Roads to Recovery (Caribou) – 207-493-1278
  • Aroostook Recovery Center of Hope (Houlton) – 207-254-2213
  • DownEast Recovery Support Center (Calais) – 207- 952-9279
  • DownEast Recovery Support Center (Machias) – 207-259-6238

Residents learn about growth in recovery through gardening

Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC) is proud to highlight the 45^th anniversary of its Residential Treatment Facility (RTF), commonly referred to as “The Farm.”

“We are very proud to reach this milestone anniversary,” said Rebecca Fournier, RTF Site Coordinator. “RTF is special for many reasons including our tightly woven group of staff members. We work very hard to make our clients feel comfortable, safe, and hopeful. We want them to know they are not alone in their recovery journey.”

During this anniversary year, residents will be involved in a gardening project. “The idea is that residents will have a chance to be invested in a task that correlates to growth in recovery,” explains Fournier. “For example, our current residents are planting seeds and providing what the seeds need to grow. The care they provide helps them understand that they also need support such as personal care and surrounding themselves with others who provide light in their world. By being intentional, they will see themselves grow.”

Depending on when they arrive, each resident will have a different experience during the growing season. Some residents will plant the seeds outside and then need to weed the garden on a regular basis. In recovery, it is important to pull or “weed” out all the negative messages, characteristics, and behaviors that can take over one’s mind. Other residents will harvest the plants and reap the benefits of all the work. Not all residents will see the fruits of their labor. Similarly, in recovery, we may interact with a person and never know how much of an impact we have had on their life.

Opened in 1975, RTF is the only 28-day substance use treatment facility in the State of Maine that serves both men and women ages 18 and older. RTF is ADA accessible and serves up to 150 individuals per year. During its history, RTF has supported thousands of individuals in their recovery journey.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC) is pleased to participate in a series of community conversations with Healthy You, a program of Cary Medical Center in Caribou, Maine. A wide variety of mental health topics will be addressed including segments focused on children, teens, seniors, pet therapy, suicide prevention, and individuals in recovery from substance use.

“During COVID-19, many of us are challenged by fear and isolation,” explains Ellen Bemis, AMHC CEO. “It is more important than ever to develop coping skills that can help us prioritize our mental health and build resiliency, as well as support others who may be struggling. We are grateful to have this opportunity to partner with Healthy You to raise awareness regarding the many tools and resources that are available to help people during this time.”

“When I planned our monthly Healthy You themes for 2020 back in December of last year, I had no idea how timely Mental Health Awareness Month information – and the choice to help amplify that message – would be once May rolled around,” shared Healthy You Program Director, Bethany Zell, CWHC. “I am thankful for the wealth of resources and information available from our community partners at AMHC and for their eagerness to participate in these discussions. In this time of physical distancing, it is imperative that people remain connected with tools and resources needed to address the mental health impacts we are experiencing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am honored that Healthy You could facilitate getting this information out to our communities through the AMHC Community Chat video series.”

The AMHC Community Chats with Healthy You will continue to roll out through the remainder of Mental Health Awareness Month in May and released videos can be viewed on the Healthy You YouTube channel located at carymedicalcenter.org/healthyyou.

Healthy You, a community health and wellness program of Cary Medical Center, delivers programs and information on a monthly health and wellness theme. Through videos, social media, and interactive, community-based programs, we provide our communities with the tools and resources needed to make positive advancements in all aspects of their lives including their social, physical, emotional, occupational, intellectual, spiritual, and environmental health and wellness. For current event listings or to connect with Healthy You, please visit facebook.com/caryhealthyyou.

Roads to Recovery (R2R) and Aroostook Recovery Center of Hope (ARCH), substance use peer recovery service providers, are hosting several public events in May. Part of Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC), the recovery centers provide individuals a place to come and receive support for their recovery journey, connect people to resources, and also serve as a venue for a variety of recovery meetings.

“COVID-19 has been very difficult for our recovery community,” shared Erik Lamoreau, Substance Use Disorder Peer Recovery Center Manager. “We are grateful for the technology that allows us to stay connected but we are excited to do some public events that will allow us to touch base in person, with proper social distancing, of course.”

The public is invited to stop by and learn more about peer recovery centers and all the services AMHC offers the recovery community. Free Naloxone kits will also be distributed. “We will offer Naloxone training during the event or if individuals prefer, they can learn about properly administering naloxone from the information provided in their kit,” said Lamoreau.  For more information, please contact R2R at 207-493-1278 or ARCH at 207-254-2213.

The events will be held at the following locations and times during the month of May:

• Mondays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., AMHC Fort Kent Outpatient Office, 104 East Main Street
• Mondays, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., AMHC Madawaska Outpatient Office, 88 Fox Street
• Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Old Irving parking lot, 83 Main Street, Van Buren
• Tuesdays, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Riverside Park Pavilion, 49 Limestone Road, Fort Fairfield
• Wednesdays and Fridays, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Center for Integrated Neuro-Rehab, 159 Bennett Drive, Caribou
• Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., AMHC ACSU, 162 Main Street, Presque Isle
• Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., AMHC Presque Isle Outpatient Office, 1 Edgemont Drive
• Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., Aroostook Recovery Center of Hope, 36 North Street, Houlton
• Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Aroostook County Jail parking lot, 15 Broadway, Houlton

R2R and ARCH are pleased to partner with Maine Access Points, a mutual aid organization providing syringe access services, overdose prevention education, and naloxone distribution, peer support, and advocacy throughout rural Maine. For more information please visit https://www.maineaccesspoints.org/.

As a result of new virtual services, same-day access to anyone with opioid use disorder (OUD) who wishes to begin medication assisted treatment (MAT) is now available to anyone across Washington and Hancock counties. In response to the unfolding COVID-19 crisis, the Downeast Treatment Center (DTC) in Ellsworth has begun offering immediate, virtual, rapid access to MAT for all in the Downeast region.

“People in active use are finding it harder to access opioids during this time and some are experiencing opioid withdrawal,” says Clem Deveau, Program Director at Aroostook Mental Health Center. “As a result, individuals struggling with addiction may be more readily drawn to seek recovery support services. We want to be readily available to provide needed support.  When they’re ready, treatment and support must be ready; therefore, we have expanded our virtual capacity to welcome all new individuals to the DTC from anywhere in the two-county region.”

Patients can expect a virtual intake over phone or Zoom, prescriptions called to pharmacies near them; ongoing, remote access to a medical provider, and access to virtual group or individual sessions with a behavioral health provider. Anyone who does not have insurance or who cannot afford their insurance deductibles or copays can apply for financial support from Healthy Acadia’s Treatment Fund.

“I am thrilled to learn about this development. The expansion of MAT services by the DTC to patients with a substance use disorder is a significant enhancement of the services in Downeast Maine,” noted Gordon Smith, the state’s Director of Opioid Response. “The establishment of low barrier access to MAT is a high priority in the Governor’s Opioid Response Strategic Plan and to be able to advance this program virtually allows patients in these two rural counties an opportunity for treatment without leaving their home. Congratulations to all involved in bringing it to fruition.”

The DTC opened in early 2018 and arose out of the work of the Downeast Treatment Substance Network (DSTN), a partnership of organizations and community members in Downeast, Maine, that has been meeting monthly since the fall of 2014. The DSTN and a parallel group focusing specifically in Washington County, the WC Substance Use Response Collaborative (WC SURC) have been convened by Healthy Acadia, a local nonprofit community health organization that is also responsible for managing multiple federal grants and multidisciplinary teams that support the DTC, recovery coaching services, and many other harm reduction and recovery-related initiatives.

“We are thrilled by this development and honored to be a part of it,” said Penny Guisinger, Recovery Programs Director at Healthy Acadia. “Many medical providers across this region are offering MAT, and the number is growing. Adding virtually-available treatment will make a huge difference for people who are ready to begin MAT but who don’t have access to a site that offers rapid access.”

The DTC provides a full-service MAT program that utilizes buprenorphine, medical management, and behavioral therapy. MAT is a best practice, state-of-the-art response to Opioid Use Disorder. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “…these medications relieve the withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body. MAT programs provide a safe and controlled level of medication to overcome the use of an abused opioid. And research has shown that when provided at the proper dose, medications used in MAT have no adverse effects on a person’s intelligence, mental capability, physical functioning, or employability.”

To learn more, or to begin the process of participating in MAT, call the DTC at (207) 667-6890. To learn more about Healthy Acadia’s recovery programming, including recovery coaching, visit www.healthyacadia.org.

Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. Learn more at www.healthyacadia.org.

As part of the national 2020 “I Ask” Campaign Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC) joins the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) in empowering individuals to put consent into practice.

AMHC is pleased to highlight Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). This year’s theme, “I Ask for Consent” builds on the idea that consent is a normal and necessary part of sex. The goal of the campaign is to empower all of us to put consent into practice.

“We all have a role to play in the prevention of sexual assault,” shared Michelle Ferris, Program Director for Emergency Services in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock counties. “AMHC Sexual Assault Services has provided services to individuals who have been affected by sexual violence since 1984. We not only advocate for victims and offer support to survivors 24/7, we provide prevention education for all ages on sexual violence, sexual harassment, internet safety, and personal body safety.”

AMHC Sexual Assault Services Advocates can be reached by calling the 24-hour Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-871-7741. Text and chat are also available Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Calls, texts, and chats are free and confidential. For more information, visit AMHC Sexual Assault Services at https://www.amhcsas.org/.

Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp (ATLC) is pleased to announce that it has extended its contract with UMFK through 2024. ATLC will hold its 34^th camp from July 26-30, 2020. Focused on leadership development and drug prevention to teens currently in grades 6 – 8 in Aroostook County, ATLC is a program of the Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC).

“UMFK began hosting ATLC’s summer camp in 2018 and we have found it to be a great fit,” shared Amber Stedt, Prevention Coordinator. “The campus provides the right amount of space – access to small and large classrooms and easy access to “the Quad” for all of our team building and outdoor activities. Campers stay in the college’s dormitories and eat meals in the cafeteria. The staff is great and willing to accommodate the many needs associated with a very busy week.”

Scott Voisine, UMFK’s Dean of Community Education states, “Our campus has fully enjoyed welcoming ATLC to UMFK for the past two summers and our new five-year contract will ensure a continued relationship with the program.  Having so many young and energetic youth leaders from all over Aroostook County on our campus for such a stellar program is something everyone on campus looks forward to.  These kids are our future leaders and we appreciate the opportunity to be part of their development.”

The deadline for this year’s camp registration is Thursday, April 9. Information is available in all Aroostook County middle schools with students in grades 6 – 8, or by calling 207-498-6431 or emailing Amber Stedt, Prevention Coordinator (astedt@amhc.org).

Since 1987, ATLC has mentored thousands of pre-teens and teens grades 6-12 in the process of social-emotional learning through a residential five-day summer camp augmented by a series of activities and programming through the school year. Pre-teens who attend as campers have the opportunity to become teen staff members who lead programming efforts. Goals include the prevention of early use of alcohol and other illegal drugs, leadership training to develop teen drug prevention leaders, and developing positive role models. For more information, connect with ATLC at www.atlc-camp.org.