A Publication by Bethesda PA Treatment & Healing

www.pathtochange.org

October/November 2007, Volume 1, Issue 3

Board of Directors

Joseph Pugliese

Chairman

Jerilyn Keen

President

Timothy Gage

Director

Fred Martin

Director

Mary Tiffin

Director  

Chris Bingaman

Director  

Stacey Kifolo

Secretary

Gene McCarty

Treasurer

Advisory Committee

Jerilyn Keen

Scott Constantini

Stephen Gaito

Robert Vanderwall

Jennifer Napp

Don Coleman

William Rossnock

Joseph Talarico

Dr. Elizabth Ciaravino

Thomas Bell

Captain William Weber

Larry Weidman

John Gigunto

Matthew Yonkin

Consultants

Dr. Vikas Passi

D&A Medical Director

Dr. Frederick Maue

Mental Health Director 

Dr. Matthew Emery

Psychological Consultant

Dr. Hugh Smith & Associates

Psychological Consultants

More for Less

When we made the decision at Bethesda PA Treatment & Healing to obtain our Mental Health license and Medical Assistance approval, we had a good feeling that the hard work and painstaking efforts that it was going to take would be worth it in the long run. Today we can state with confidence that we were right about our decision and the results are proving to be better than we ever expected for everyone involved.

After months of planning and preparation, we are beginning to realize the positive impact that our decision is having for our clients, their families and our referral sources. Achieving this additional licensure has enabled us to provide quality treatment to a broader spectrum of clients than ever before. It has also enabled us to pass the costs to treat these youth on to Medical Assistance for payment. This has resulted in a significant decrease in the costs paid for by the counties whom contract with us. Treatment costs for youth prescribed into the Intensive Adolescent Day Treatment Program are no longer charged to the county. With constantly shrinking budgets this change means that counties can refer to us many more youth in need of services and at the same time decrease their out of pocket expenses significantly. These types of savings can hopefully help to limit necessary tax increases borne ultimately to county tax payers.   

Bethesda PA Treatment & Healing is able to address the mental health issues associated with youth who have come to the attention of the court due to dependency and/or delinquency issues.  We have welcomed to our team of outstanding professional staff, Master’s level Clinical Supervisors, Licensed psychologists and a consulting Psychiatrist.  We are pleased to report that youth with mental health issues, who are involved in the juvenile justice system are being treated more thoroughly, and professionally than ever before.

The positive impact that this has for the counties who choose to refer youth to our licensed programs (our licensed partial hospitalization as well as our outpatient drug and alcohol counseling) is astonishing. Here is an example of how this can impact a Juvenile Probation department or Children and Youth 

agency.  If one of these agencies typically refers 10 youth per month to Bethesda PATH for treatment, the bill for treating those youth would be equivalent to $16,500 which is an expense normally charged and paid for by the county.  If those same 10 youth are evaluated and determined to have a mental health disorder, the cost to treat them in Bethesda PA Treatment & Healing is paid for by Medical Assistance instead of being charged to the county. This results in a potential savings to the county of $16,500 per month.

When the county refers youth who are demonstrating behaviors which may be diagnosable or those youth who may have already been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, it is an unbelievable “more for less” benefit for all concerned.  The client gets effective treatment by a professional, trained staff and the county does not bear the costs of treating those youth.

When they refer youth to our newly licensed mental health and medical assistance approved programs (which includes D&A counseling), County Administrators are realizing that more youth can be served even though county budgets across the state continue to shrink.  Can there be any better equation? More youth treated for less.

Striving to continually enhance the quality of our services while providing cost effective avenues for doing so, we are pleased to continue partnering with our referring agencies from across the state. If you have any questions about how you can get a youth referred to the program feel free to contact either myself or the Regional Manager for your area. Please visit the Bethesda PA Treatment & Healing website at www.pathtochange.org for more detail about our programs.

All My Very Best,

Jerilyn

Jerilyn A. Keen, M.A.

President

News from our Corporate Office…

Congratulations to MA Specialist & Drug & Alcohol Administrative Supervisor, Michele Barrows and her husband Shannon on the birth of twin boys Gavin Dean and Bryson Dean born October 9, 2007. We wish Michele and her family much happiness during this time with the new little ones.

Congratulations to Michelle Finck on her new position as HR/Administrative Assistant. Michelle has moved into her new position with an abundant amount of knowledge as she had worked very closely with Collette for years. We wish her well and know that she will be fantastic in this capacity also. Great job Michelle!

Office Assistant, Tanya Printzenhoff has also been promoted to Administrative Assistant. She will be handling Michelle Finck’s previous responsibilities and continue to work closely with President Keen. Tanya has been a wonderful addition to our team! She has learned so quickly that it seems like she has been with PATH for years.  Way to go Tanya!

Wedding bells were ringing for our very own Jennifer Napp on October 13^th as she wed Mr. Kurt Evans. We wish them a lifetime of happiness together.  And yes, she is now Jennifer Evans.

Corporate Business Manager, Stacey Kifolo continues to work on constructing our new PATH website. It is developing nicely. Thanks Stacey! Check it out at www.pathtochange.org.

Bethesda Highlights

On October 10^th, Program Compliance Manager, Erica Frey conducted Medication Administration Training at the Corporate Office. This training was the first of several she has conducted on this topic. We appreciate her willingness to become our specialized trainer in this area!

This is “What’s Happening” at our Centers…

PATH - Bloomsburg:  A special thanks to all the Day Treatment Staff for working hard and pulling long hours to accomplish all of their tasks! Dean of Students, Gary O'Neal has been assisting the Day Treatment Program with supervision, cooking, groups, crisis intervention and anything else needed. Thanks Gary! Clinical Supervisor, Jodee Strine has been putting a lot of effort into Public Relations and her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Thanks Jodee for all of your hard work! Congratulations to John O'Brien for receiving 100% compliance on his recent D&A inspection! Way to go Johny O'! The clients have been participating once a month with the Bloomsburg Food Pantry Distribution. They are responsible for handing out the bags of food to the people. They all seem to be enjoying the project a lot!

PATH - East Stroudsburg:  The Day Treatment clients continue to participate in the community service with the RSVP program. The clients are doing a good job at keeping the building clean and tidy. Landlord Bob Deinarowicz donated a room full of beautiful furniture to our center. We are so thankful and blessed by his generosity.

PATH - Honesdale:  The Honesdale Center presented to Wayne County Children & Youth Services at a meeting on November 15, 2007 to inform the staff of our services. Teacher, Marianne O'Brien and Teacher's Aide, John Evans met with the Director of the local YMCA to have Physical Education class during the late fall through early spring months. They have made arrangements to exchange community service for free gym time. Great job guys, the kids will love this! It is great to welcome back Dean of Students, Linda O'Hagan as she was on an extended leave. We missed you Linda.

PATH - Lehighton:  We welcome Michelle Finney as a Social Worker to the Lehighton Center. Michelle has been doing an outstanding job thus far! The clients and staff picked pumpkins at Country Junction and returned to the Center to paint them. They did a wonderful job and all of the pumpkins look great! The Day Treatment clients have been assisting Juvenile Probation in cleaning up the football field at Panther Valley High School on Saturday mornings. Congratulations to Program Manager, Kevin Loch and his wife on the birth of their son, Jacob Brennen on October 31st. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 inches long.

PATH - Group Home - Middleburg:  We welcome new Support Staff Clarence Fuller to our team! The Group Home is now a BDAP licensed community-based non-hospital drug and alcohol facility. All young men referred to the recovery house have a substance abuse background. We are very excited about this new endeavor! We have been networking with CMSU and other various agency representatives as we proceed with our quest to provide the best treatment to our residents. The residents have been doing an outstanding job with providing community service with Penn Lutheran Village & Middleburg Red Cross. The nursing staff have provided much praise to "our guys" and PATH staff for their many contributions and generosity.

PATH - Milton:  Congratulations to Day Treatment Supervisor, Jon Sharpe on his promotion to Program Manager and to Social Worker, Heather Heiny on her promotion to Day Treatment Supervisor. We wish them the best in their new positions! Foster Care Coordinator, Stephanie Rice, staffed a promotional table at the Susquehanna Valley Mall in an attempt to get the word out about our Foster Care Program.

PATH - Scranton:  Judge Barrasse and Master David Sofinelli met with Regional Manager, Scott Constantini and Program Manager, Jeremy Wohlken, to discuss the needs for more options of treatment for youth involved in the legal system. Judge BArrasse inquired about our Community Service Program, as well as a community-based mentor program to help guide troubled youth and gain insight into their family dynamics. Elaine Donly of EOTC came to the Scranton Center to speak to the students about the Mentoring Program. The students responded positively, and there were some who asked for applications to participate to be mentors to local at-risk children (in conjunction with University of Scranton students). Dean of Students, Robert Mattioli, celebrated the birth of his son on October 8th, 2007 at 3:52 AM. He weighed 8 lbs 7oz, and measured 20 inches. His name...Robert Mattioli the III! 

PATH - South Montrose:  As part of the Drug and Alcohol Education in the Alternative Education Program, the students viewed films on Crack/Cocaine. They made posters and gave presentations on the information that they learned about this drug. The posters were put on display throughout the school. The students have also been working on three large wall murals in the center. They designed, drew and are no painting the different scenes. Keep up the great work team!

PATH - State College:  The staff continue to make improvements at the new facility, as numerous school officials, community agency representatives, and parents stop by and visit the new facility. An Open House is scheduled for December 5th from 3-5 p.m. All are welcome to attend! The center has begun using student tutors from Penn State University. Way to go Lions! They have been doing a fantastic job thus far. We would like to extend our Congratulations to Jenn as she "tied the knot" on October 13, 2007. Congratulations Jenn, we wish you all the best!

 

PATH - Williamsport:  The Montoursville Center is now the Williamsport Center, and the move to the new center was a successful team effort. All staff and clients helped to make the transition go as smooth as possible. A special thanks to Day Treatment Supervisor, Gary Shipman for stripping, buffing and waxing over 4000 square feet of flooring. A special early morning open house was held for Lycoming County Judges and the Juvenile Probation Officers on October 30th. The Center also receive a very generous donation from Oenn College consisting of desks, book shelves, filing cabinets, and student desks and chairs. We appreciate all the furniture they have given to us!

President Keen at Williamsport's Open House

Each month we are featuring a member of our Management Team as a way to honor their dedication and commitment to make our Agency the best it can be!  This month we highlight John Dunne, former Program Manager of our Milton Center .

Although John resigned in November as Program Manager of the Milton Center , we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight John and thank him for all that he has given to our mission of “guiding people on the path to change.”  We wish John and his family the best!

John and his wife, Katie, are the proud parents of their 8 month old son Carter.  John attended Pennsylvania State University and graduated in 2000.  Prior to becoming the Program Manager at the Milton Center , John was employed as a Community Monitor at the Montoursville Center .  

Though most of John’s free time is taken up by his son.  He also enjoys playing his guitar, reading and riding his motorcycle.

John shares his thoughts on PATH’s mission, “I believe that PATH’s approach to healing broken relationship while providing structure and accountability make for a winning combination.  Hearing from discharged clients about how they have turned their life and their relationships around is an uplifting experience.

Our Therapeutic Touch!

This month we focus our “therapeutic touch” on our Scranton Center.

The Scranton Center has been adjusting its therapeutic focus to include a broader range of modalities and groups. The treatment team has been working together very closely to come up with ideas to impact our clients in new and positive ways.  

Social Worker, Shelly Ackroyd ran a very successful and powerful Art Therapy group. The clients each created their "masks". The clients processed the meaning and importance of the masks they wear. They found this exercise enlightening and valuable.

Social Worker, Tara Gillick has been making efforts to schedule Gretchen Hunt, the Nutrition Program Manager of the Weinberg Food bank, to come to talk to the clients about cooking and nutrition. The clients are eagerly awaiting her visit and learn more about making good food healthier.

Mike DiMattia, Day Treatment Supervisor, has been focusing on team work and healthy interactions within the group setting, at the Center as well as in the community. Mike utilizes recreational therapy elemetns in the center to help promote these skills. The clients have been going on community based trips to put their newly acquired skills into practice. Clients then process these activities with Mike in group.

Jeremy Wohlken, Clinical Supervisor and Program Manager, has been conducting two groups per week on various therapeutic topics, including coping skills, defense mechanisms, and group proces. Jeremy also promotes exercise as a coping skill and healthy living skill, and has facilitated the clients taking walks around Lake Scranton as a therapeutic recreation group. It was amazing to see how the clients responded to the walk, and the exercise seemed to facilitate the clients opening up and talking in a candid manner while they walked and enjoyed the fresh air.

Congratulations to the Employees of the Quarter for July through September 2007.  Those staff are:

v     Karen Brenchley, Secretary at the Bloomsburg Center;

v     Lee Viola, Head Community Monitor at the Honesdale Center;

v     Deb Wolfe, Secretary at the Milton Center;

v     Jeremy Eck, Social Worker at the Montoursville Center;

v     Tara Gillick, Social Worker at the Scranton Center; and

v     Mark Robinson, Teacher at the South Montrose Center

We would like to extend our gratitude to Day Treatment Supervisor, Gary Shipman for the countless hours of his own free time that he put into stripping, polishing and waxing over 4,000 square feet of flooring in the new Williamsport Center. Words cannot express our thankfulness for his selfless efforts and donation of skills! Thank you Gary!

Congratulations goes to the D&A Staff of the following centers; Bloomsburg, State College, Lehighton, Middleburg Group Home, and Corporate Office for their outstanding BDAP inspection results so far this year.  The other offices are yet to be inspected but we are confident they will do great!

Way to go team Honesdale!  On November 14^th they had their annual DPW inspection and received 100% compliance.  We are so proud of you guys!  Great Job!

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH….

The following staff were also nominated for Employees of the Month for October:

Ø      Debbie Fisher, Secretary at the Scranton Center;

Ø      Hillary Zilber, Social Worker at the East Stroudsburg Center;

Ø      Tracy Greco, Social Worker at the East Stroudsburg Center;

Ø      Mark Robinson, Teacher at the South Montrose Center;

Ø      Gary O’Neal, Dean of Students at the Bloomsburg Center.

We thank these staff for their dedication to our Agency!

Welcome to our family…

Jennifer Wolfe, Social Worker, Milton

Lyndsay Chandler, Secretary, State College

Clarence Fuller, Support Staff, Middleburg

Shannon Tagliaferri, Social Worker, Williamsport

Barry Matthews, Community Monitor, Scranton

USEFUL BITS OF INFORMATION (UBI’S)

Personality Disorders are diagnosed by observing patients and identifying whether or not clusters of symptoms exist in a person.  If several of the identified symptoms exist, the person is said to be suffering from that particular personality disorder.  This is the list of identified symptoms which professionals look for to diagnose Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).  A person is said to have BPD if he or she has 5 or more of these.

Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment

A pattern of intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.  This is called "splitting".

Identity Disturbance:  Markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.

Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self- damaging.  Examples are spending, sex, substance-abuse, reckless driving, binge eating.

Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self- mutilating behavior.

Intense episodes of depression, irritability or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and rarely more than a few days.

Chronic feelings of emptiness.

Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger.

In severe cases, transient, stress-related paranoidideation or severe disassociative symptoms.

*This list of symptoms is adapted from the DSM-IV-TR
Diagnostic Criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder.

Just a word about the odd symptom of "splitting."  Borderline Personality Disorder sufferers may one day regard you as saintly, even perfect.  And the very next day, for no reason
you can identify, considers you a horrible person, and maybe even a person who is dangerous to him.  For more information on BPD go to http://www.borderlinecentral.com/

Quotes to ponder – 

There is no obstacle too small to stumble over, or too large to overcome! 

Success doesn’t just happen. – It is the result of initiative and follow through on the part of committed staff members.

A positive attitude is a spark that causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes.