WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES • DIVISION OF ...

[Pages:12]WASHINGTON

December 2011

WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES ? DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY

Proposed State Budget Reductions for Behavioral Health Services

In October DSHS held six public meetings across Washington to gather recommendations for budget priorities and reductions. Secretary Dreyfus asked for the meetings to help audiences understand the history of reductions that the agency has taken to date, the impacts of the reduction options she presented to the Governor, and to encourage stakeholders and local community leaders to be informed and to engage in the decisionmaking process over the next several months. The meetings were very well attended, with significant representation from behavioral health and long term care stakeholders.

Governor Gregoire's supplemental budget for 2011-2012 was released on November 21. It calls for more than $2 billion in spending cuts, reductions to local government revenue sharing and fund transfers. The proposed cuts and reductions for behavioral health services are:

Chemical Dependency Eliminate Disability Lifeline and ADATSA treatment ? $15.6 million: Terminates the Disability Lifeline and ADATSA (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Services Act) medical programs, affecting 15,000 low-income clients who receive chemical dependency services such as assessment, opiate substitution treatment, detoxification and crisis response. Disability Lifeline provides medical coverage for lowincome adults who are unable to work due to a temporary disability. ADATSA provides shelter and/or medical benefits, treatment and occasional cash support.

Reduce chemical dependency services ? $5.9 million: Reduces outpatient and detoxification chemical dependency services for 5,000 low-income clients without young children. Services include assessment, opiate substitution treatment, detoxification and crisis response.

Eliminate long-term residential and recovery house services ? $2.7 million: Ends funding for long-term residential services in excess of 90 days. Ends funding for five recovery houses, which serve 299 clients per year after they have finished residential treatment program.

Close Pioneer Center East ? $2.1 million: Ends funding for this Spokane chemical dependency treatment facility that annually serves

Budget Reductions continued on page 3

InSide FOCUS

Proposed State Budget Reductions for Behavioral Health Services ...Feature Story

David Dickinson Joins SAMHSA as Region X Administrator ...Page 2

Farewell Message from David Dickinson ...Page 2

Remembering Christina Carter ...Page 3

Federal Grant Begins to Take Shape ...Page 4

Motivational Interviewing Training to Enhance Consumer Employment ...Page 4

Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Older Adults ...Page 5

Adolescent Well-Being in Washington's Military Families ...Page 5

Expanding the Office of Consumer Partnerships ...Page 6

Alcohol Deregulation in Washington State: Next Steps ...Page 6

Outstanding Service Awards for Treatment Professionals ...Page 7

Exemplary Prevention Professionals Recognized ...Page 7

Healing Through Hip-Hop ...Page 8

Are You Prepared for a Disaster ...Page 9

Table of Contents continued on page 2

Table of Contents continued

SAMHSA Unifies State Block Grant Application ...Page 10

DBHR Begins Rule Making for Behavioral Health Administration WAC ...Page 10

DBHR Receives Federal Strategic Prevention Enhancement Grant ...Page 11

SPF SIG Evaluator: Raise Your IQ! ...Page 11

Drug Free Communities Grants Awarded to Washington State Coalitions ...Page 12

Upcoming Events ...Page 12

David Dickinson Joins SAMHSA as Region X Administrator

By MaryAnne Lindeblad, Assistant Secretary, Aging and Disability Services Administration

It is with mixed emotions that I must announce that David Dickinson will be leaving the Department of Social and Health Service's Aging and Disability Services Administration (ADSA) management team. David has accepted a position with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) as Regional Administrator of Region X, serving Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. David's keen knowledge of behavioral health care and collaborative nature has been a great asset for ADSA and I know will benefit SAMHSA in accomplishing its mission to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on communities throughout the region.

Since joining the Department in April of 2009, David has worked tirelessly to advance behavioral health care in Washington State. His accomplishments have included infusing the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery's substance abuse and community mental health services with a common goal of providing person centered, recovery oriented, quality driven services. David has helped position Washington for the future by promoting integration of behavioral health and primary health care through person centered health home clinical models.

Please join me in thanking David for his service and wishing him the best in his new role. I am pleased to announce that Ron Jemelka will serve as Interim Director for DBHR effective December 1, while the recruitment process is underway for David's replacement. Mr. Jemelka's past experience leading the Mental Health Transformation Grant provides a base of knowledge that will allow him to step right in and support staff in keeping essential efforts on track while we complete the leadership change. I will look to Ron to maintain the responsiveness and continuity that is particularly important as we approach both the special and regular Legislative Sessions. I am pleased that he is joining us and ask that you welcome him in this new, temporary capacity.

Do you have a success story or news to share?

Send state and community news and success stories for FOCUS to: deb.schnellman @ dshs.

Resources DBHR website Washington Recovery Helpline 1-866-789-1511 Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 Licensing for Chemical Dependency Professionals Mental Health Professionals

DSHS Secretary Susan N. Dreyfus DBHR Director Ron Jemelka

2 December 2011 FOCUS

Farewell Message from David Dickinson

As Mary Anne Lindeblad said in announcing my departure from State service, I leave the position of Director of the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery with mixed emotions. As challenging as the role has been at times, I am proud of the things we have been able to accomplish as a Division in concert with our partners in the State.

Bringing together two historically separate Divisions, DASA and MHD, was almost the first unexpected order of business, right after beginning the implementation of legislatively mandated budget reductions following the 2009 Session as we entered the first budget cycle in the Great Recession. I have grown each day in my respect and admiration for my colleagues in the Division as together we have weathered multiple reorganizations and continuing fiscal challenges. In spite of these difficulties, the staff at DBHR has remained true to the vision of providing the best possible delivery system for preventing substance abuse, promoting mental health, treating substance use and mental health disorders, and a recovery-based system that builds on the individual resiliency of the clients and consumers we serve.

None of this work could have been accomplished without the partnerships we have with Washington's Counties and 29 Federally-recognized Tribes, people in recovery from addiction and/or mental disorders, our intra-departmental partners, other state agency partners, and the network of dedicated providers who every day deliver prevention, treatment and recovery support services. We have also had the support of leadership within our Department of Social and Health Services, from the Governor's Office staff, and from many Legislative members who recognize the benefits of evidencebased services to the lives of individual citizens, and the collective benefit to our communities in Washington through cost offsets in child welfare, criminal justice, and healthcare, which together strengthen the fabric of our society.

I want to say "Thank You" to all of these partners, and to the staff of DBHR, for your tireless efforts on behalf of our citizens and communities. It has been my privilege and honor to serve with you as the Director of DBHR, and I am looking forward to continuing to build on the relationships and work we share in my new role as the SAMHSA Regional Administrator for HHS Region X.

Budget Reductions continued from front cover

283 acute-care clients, some of whom are ordered by the court to receive intensive inpatient treatment. Other facilities in the state will be able to provide this coverage, including Pioneer Center North in Sedro-Woolley.

Convert funding to county block grant ? $2.1 million: Distributes chemical dependency state funds directly to counties to maximize efficiency. Counties will have flexibility in providing services with available funds. The department will continue to contract directly with tribal providers of chemical dependency services.

Mental Health Delay implementation of Involuntary Treatment Act changes ? $22.6 million: Changes implementation date of House Bill 3076 from January 1, 2012, to July 1, 2015. This postpones the expected increase in community-based and institutional mental health services.

Implement utilization management in Medicaid ? $9.8 million: Institutes process to reduce excessive use of mental health services by targeting services to those with the most acute needs.

Close state hospital wards for dementia and traumatic brain injury clients ? $7.6 million: Shuts down two wards at Western State Hospital and places 52 patients in long-term care community settings.

Reduce non-Medicaid funding for regional support networks ? $4.6 million: Cuts funding for mental health services provided to 8,000 non-Medicaid clients per month by regional support networks. Regional support networks deliver mental health services in their area.

Capture savings in Involuntary Treatment Act and offender reentry program ? $3.2 million: Lowers funding to match expected spending for drugs, equipment and professional fees for individuals involuntarily committed to a community mental health hospital. Also lowers funding for mental health

services to dangerously mentally ill offenders released from correctional institutions.

Use federal block grant for waivered mental health services ? $2.0 million: Replaces state funds with federal funds for such services as supported employment, club house for adult services and respite care.

Consolidate regional support networks ? $1.7 million: Reduces number of regional support networks from 13 to no more than six by January 1, 2013.

Reduce Spokane acute care diversion proviso by 50 percent ? $797,000: Cuts funding for services that divert mental health patients from the state hospital system. This funding is now provided only to the Spokane regional support network.

Increase community mental health resources and close two civil wards ? $4.1 million: Closes two civil wards at Western State Hospital and places 60 patients in community settings. Savings from the elimination of the Housing and Essential Needs program will be used to develop housing support and community mental health treatment for discharged patients.

Add resources for forensic evaluations ? $493,000: Hires two psychologists and two psychiatrists to conduct forensic evaluations in jails to help divert individuals from more expensive placement at Western State Hospital.

Eliminate Hospital Bed Penalty ? $1.4 million: Eliminates bed penalties that Regional Support Networks (RSN) pay when exceeding their state hospital bed allocation.

Next Steps The 2011 Second Special Session began November 28. The 2012 Regular Session will begin January 9. Updates and more information about the state budget can be found at ofm.. Governor Gregoire invites comments and suggestions about the budget.

Remembering Christina Carter

It is with great sadness we share the news of the passing of Christina Carter on July 23 due to sudden heart failure. Christina had been working as the Administrative Assistant to the Certification section of the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR).

Christina graduated with an AA degree from South Puget Sound Community College and started state service 20 years ago. She came to DBHR from the Mental Health Division and before that worked at the Department of Corrections. Christina was the type of person you could ask for help without hesitation; it was her nature to be helpful and kind to all. Being a bit of a perfectionist, she would persist with the issue at hand until she figured it out.

Earlier in her life she lived in Spain with her parents. While studying Spanish she met her first husband and moved to his country, Switzerland. She lived there for 11 years, learned to speak fluent Romansh (Swiss dialect) and had two children, Daniel and Chatrina. After moving back to the U.S. she had another son, Wayne. Spending time with her family, including six grandchildren, was her biggest joy. When she married her current husband, Brian, she gained another son, Jake. Brian was very devoted to her and a perfect partner to share her love of crabbing and fishing. Christina was also known for her great cooking skills, entertaining, and making and wearing her fun, quirky jewelry.

Christina will be missed by many and remembered by all.

FOCUS December 2011 3

Federal Grant Begins to Take Shape

Recommendations from OJJDP panel on enforcing underage drinking laws

By Ray Horodowicz

The December 2010 issue of FOCUS included an article on the State Assessment, Strategic Planning, and Implementation Initiative (SASPI) Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Discretionary Grant awarded to the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR). Funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), this was a nationally competitive grant awarded to only three states: Washington, Nevada and Maine.

Under this grant, DBHR and the Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking will be crafting a strategic action plan that will address some of our state's greatest needs in enforcing underage drinking laws. We will be guided by a series of recommendations made to us by an OJJDP-affiliated Assessment Team.

These recommendations came from interviews and conversations the Assessment Team held this past spring and summer with various individuals involved with underage drinking prevention. From police officers to court administrators, treatment professionals to media consultants, the Assessment Team spent about 20 hours gathering information about our state's underage drinking prevention system, with a special emphasis on underage drinking law enforcement. The assessment process provided 47 recommendations for our state to consider.

We are now in the process of prioritizing those recommendations and creating a strategic action plan. While the challenge of narrowing down recommendations from an outside group may seem daunting, to our advantage we have an insightful and hard-working advisory committee. This committee includes a Colonel with the Washington National Guard, an elected county prosecutor, a police Lieutenant, a Sheriff's Chief Deputy, and representatives from the Liquor Control Board and Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

Through this grant we will be able to strengthen our state's systems that deal with enforcement, prosecution, adjudication and probation/monitoring practices related to underage drinking. In the words of OJJDP, we are challenged with `breaking new ground' with this grant. We will be piloting efforts that will inform the underage drinking prevention field - and along the way, forge new partnerships and collaborations on local, county, and state levels. What, exactly, will we be implementing and piloting? It is still a bit too early to say. One thing is for sure: the actions funded by the EUDL Discretionary grant will lead to safer kids and communities.

For more information about this project, email ray.horodowicz@dshs..

4 December 2011 FOCUS

Got FOCUS?

Motivational Interviewing Training to Enhance Consumer Employment

By Bonnie Staples

Mental health consumers face very real stigma and employment barriers when seeking to enter paid employment. As such, the employment rate of people with a psychiatric diagnosis is unnecessarily low.

Most consumers are unaware of supports to help around benefits questions, such as trained benefit specialists. This includes maintaining benefits during employment if necessary, whether pursuing employment for the first time or returning to work.

Training in Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques is being provided to paid, certified peer counselors as well as peers from consumer-operated services, employment specialists, and employment supervisors. The training provides education to motivate and encourage mental health consumers to set goals to seek employment and to overcome the ambivalence, stigma, and barriers they face in becoming employed.

Those trained will work in their respective agencies to motivate consumers to choose to work, and to encourage them to use other extended supports such as benefit specialists, supported employment programs, ticket to work resources, clubhouse transitional employment programs, and state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) services.

Following the MI training, employment support groups will be developed and implemented in two pilot sites chosen from applications submitted by a consumer-run organization, or CMHAs. The support groups will use staff trained in MI to work with consumers in a group setting to encourage and lead the way for consumer employment.

The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) contracted with the Washington Institute for Mental Health Research and Training (WIMHRT) to provide MI training, using Medicaid Infrastructure Grant funds. Training participants come from the five willing partner RSN's, Clark, King, Optum/ Pierce, North Sound, and Peninsula. Training began in September, with the goal of increasing consumer employment in Washington.

Included in the contract DBHR will monitor is the development of a Mental Health Employment Consortium, organized and developed by WIMHRT for DVR.

For more information, contact Bonnie Staples at bonnie.staples@dshs. or (360) 725-1883, or Jonathan Beard of WIMHRT at progressivestrategies@ or (206) 524-3927.

WASHINGTON

December 2011

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Proposed State Budget Reductions for Behavioral Health Services

In October DSHS held six public meetings across Washington to gather recommendations for budget priorities and reductions. Secretary Dreyfus asked for the meetings to help audiences understand the history of reductions that the agency has taken to date, the impacts of the reduction options she presented to the Governor, and to encourage stakeholders and local community leaders to be informed and to engage in the decisionmaking process over the next several months. The meetings were very well attended, with significant representation from behavioral health and long term care stakeholders.

Governor Gregoire's supplemental budget for 2011-2012 was released on November 21. It calls for more than $2 billion in spending cuts, reductions to local government revenue sharing and fund transfers. The proposed cuts and reductions for behavioral health services are:

Chemical Dependency Eliminate Disability Lifeline and ADATSA treatment ? $15.6 million: Terminates the Disability Lifeline and ADATSA (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Services Act) medical programs, affecting 15,000 low-income clients who receive chemical dependency services such as assessment, opiate substitution treatment, detoxification and crisis response. Disability Lifeline provides medical coverage for lowincome adults who are unable to work due to a temporary disability. ADATSA provides shelter and/or medical benefits, treatment and occasional cash support.

Reduce chemical dependency services ? $5.9 million: Reduces outpatient and detoxification chemical dependency services for 5,000 low-income clients without young children. Services include assessment, opiate substitution treatment, detoxification and crisis response.

Eliminate long-term residential and recovery house services ? $2.7 million: Ends funding for long-term residential services in excess of 90 days. Ends funding for five recovery houses, which serve 299 clients per year after they have finished residential treatment program.

Close Pioneer Center East ? $2.1 million: Ends funding for this Spokane chemical dependency treatment facility that annually serves

"UDGET2EDUCTIONScontinued on page 3

InSide FOCUS

Proposed State Budget Reductions for Behavioral Health Services ...Feature Story

David Dickinson Joins SAMHSA as Region X Administrator ...Page 2

Farewell Message from David Dickinson ...Page 2

Remembering Christina Carter ...Page 3

Federal Grant Begins to Take Shape ...Page 4

Motivational Interviewing Training to Enhance Consumer Employment ...Page 4

Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Older Adults ...Page 5

Adolescent Well-Being in Washington's Military Families ...Page 5

Expanding the Office of Consumer Partnerships ...Page 6

Alcohol Deregulation in Washington State: Next Steps ...Page 6

Outstanding Service Awards for Treatment Professionals ...Page 7

Exemplary Prevention Professionals Recognized ...Page 7

Healing Through Hip-Hop ...Page 8

Are You Prepared for a Disaster ...Page 9

Table of Contents continued on page 2

To continue bringing you useful information in FOCUS, let us know what matters most to you. Send comments and articles to Deb Schnellman at deb. schnellman@dshs..

Meeting the Behavioral

Health Needs of Older Adults

By Kara Panek and Ruth Leonard

As we recognized Recovery Month last September, the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery included a special focus on the behavioral health needs of older adults. Our goal was to increase awareness of the unique and often overlooked needs of older adults. We chose to call out this population, in part, because by 2030, one in five Americans will be age 65 of older. Let's take a brief look at three issues that deeply impact the way older adults receive behavioral healthcare:

Stigma

While mental health and substance use disorders impact everyone in our society, older adults feel the impact of this stigma even more than their younger counterparts. Many come from a time when these issues were not discussed and the expectation was for folks to `pull themselves up by their bootstraps.' Older adults, who are often less comfortable seeking treatment from traditional mental health and chemical dependency providers, often choose to receive treatment from their primary care physician. Evidence-based practices, such as IMPACT, succeed by placing geriatric mental health professionals in primary care practices. This allows for better coordination and integration of healthcare services, which enhance behavioral healthcare for older adults.

Another form of stigma is ageism. Ageism effects the care older adults receive in terms of the referrals given and the beliefs many health professionals hold related to older adults. Depression is often mistakenly thought to be a "normal" part of aging. Substance use is often overlooked or ignored in older adults without recognizing the potential adverse outcomes of continued use, such as falls, medication interaction, and loss of independence.

Suicide

In the United States, the rate of completed suicide is highest amongst older adults. In 2004, people age 65 and older comprised only 12% of the population, however they accounted for 16% of suicide deaths. Studies show that up to 75% of those older adults who commit suicide saw their primary care physician in the month prior to their suicide. Unfortunately, some healthcare professionals hold the belief that persistent depression is an acceptable response to other serious illnesses and the social and financial hardships that often accompany aging.

Access

Older adults often require a different treatment response than their younger counterparts. They may need transportation, accommodations, or outreach services due to pain or mobility issues. Case finding efforts are often necessary to identify isolated older adults in need of help. The Gatekeeper Model trains mail carriers, utility workers, bank tellers, and other professional who have regular contact with older adults to recognize and refer older adults with psychiatric disabilities. Additionally, behavioral health services may need to be adapted to best meet the needs of older adults, by recognizing the social, biological, and developmental issues older adults face.

For more information, please contact: Kara Panek, Mental Health Program Administrator kara.panek@dshs. or Ruth Leonard, Regional Treatment Manager ruth.leonard@ dshs..

Adolescent Well-Being in Washington's Military Families

A study by the University of Washington found that in military families with a de- The study's authors suggest that mili-

to examine associations between parents ployed parent, teens are at increased risk tary, school-based, and public health pro-

who serve in the military, and the impact for impaired well-being, especially teen fessionals have a unique opportunity to

on their teens' well being, was published boys. Specifically, 8th grade girls and boys develop school- and community-based

in the American Journal of Public Health in were more likely to report thoughts of sui- interventions to improve the well-being of

July.

cide. Tenth and 12th graders were more adolescents in military families.

The study, which used 2008 Washington likely to report low quality of life, depres- For information about 2010 HYS results,

State Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) data, sion, and thoughts of suicide.

see the news release and the HYS website.

FOCUS December 2011 5

Expanding the Office of Consumer Partnerships

By Ronnie San Nicolas

In June David Dickinson, DBHR's director, announced to consumers and stakeholders that the Office of Consumer Partnerships (OCP) was expanding. This decision was in direct response to a 14month period in which the OCP director's position had become vacant due to a statewide hiring freeze.

Within DBHR, the OCP has an active role in promoting the principles of recovery and resiliency for all people in the public mental health and chemical dependency systems. The OCP aims to dispel the prevailing stigmatization of individuals and families affected by substance abuse and mental health conditions. The mission of OCP is to ensure the integration of consumer focused, recovery?oriented services and initiatives into all aspects of DBHR's planning, practice and development.

The OCP is responsible for representation of mental health consumers' concerns in internal agency planning activities; facilitation of communication with consumers and consumer advocacy organizations in the community; and active support of the development and growth of individual mental health consumer leaders, advocacy organizations and consumer-run organizations. According to David Dickinson, "the OCP will actively consult and give advice on policy decisions including program direction, program priorities and the review of Regional Support Network contracts to ensure continued and increasing emphasis on recovery values and consumer voice."

The OCP is under the leadership of Victoria Roberts, Chief of the DBHR's Office of Policy, Planning, Certification and Legislative Relations and directly

supervised by David Reed. The expansion of OCP gave the opportunity for six DBHR staff members to incorporate their work responsibilities as team members. Assigned to the OCP team are Jeanette Barnes, Wanda Johns, Deyna Sagnella, Ronnie San Nicolas, Bonnie Staples, and Julian Teodoro.

The OCP team meets monthly with the DBHR Director, and quarterly with Mary Ann Lindeblad, Assistant Secretary of Aging and Disability Services Administration. The personal experiences each staff brings will offer a new dimension and added depth to OCP as the state of Washington continues its efforts to transform mental health services into a recovery?oriented system of care across the lifespan. Ronnie San Nicolas, a mental health program administrator for DBHR, may be reached at Ronnie.SanNicolas@dshs..

Alcohol Deregulation in Washington State:

Next Steps

With the passage of Initiative 1183, Washington is now one of the least regulated states for alcohol sales. The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) will cease state liquor store and liquor distribution operations by June 1, 2012. Contract liquor stores ? which are operated by small business owners ? may continue to sell spirits, but state-run liquor stores will be closed. The Seattle Distribution Center - which supplies state and contract liquor stores with spirits ? and its assets will be sold.

The passage of 1183 allows the private sector to sell and distribute spirits with the proper liquor licenses. Several laws related to the three-tier and product safety systems, taxes, fees, advertising and training requirements will be changed. There are no new enforcement officers that come with the passage of I-1183; with the increased number of alcohol outlets, it is likely there will be fewer compliance checks for sales to minors.

The WSLCB will post updates and fact sheets about the transition to private liquor sales and distribution as they become available.

Timeline for Implementing 1183

December 8, 2011: Initiative goes into effect. WSLCB Licensing and Regulation Division will begin creating the framework for two new liquor license types: the spirits distributor license and the spirits retail license. More details on these license types will be available soon.

January 2012: WSLCB begins divesting itself from its current business operations as prescribed in the initiative.

March 1, 2012: Spirits distributors may begin to sell spirits.

June 1, 2012: Spirits retail license holders may begin to sell spirits.

June 1, 2012: All state liquor stores must be closed and liquor inventory must be depleted.

June 1, 2013: All asset sales must be closed. Any state store or Distribution Center assets remaining after this date will be managed by the Department of Revenue.

6 December 2011 FOCUS

Oustanding Service Awards for Treatment Professionals

Several dedicated professionals and programs from across the state were recognized at the Washington State Co-Occurring Disorders (COD) and Treatment Conference October 3-4 in Yakima.

This year's conference theme was Maintaining Quality During Times of Transition and Reform, which reflects the goal of providing the latest information about COD to treatment counselors to support them in providing the most effective services. Conference topics included health care reform, treatment models and ou tcomes for co-occurring disorders in culturallydiverse populations, treating trauma, suicide awareness and prevention, and developmental disabilities.

The conference and awards are sponsored by the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR).

Photo: left to right: Martina Whelshula, Rickey "Deekon" Jones, Janice Schutz, Floyd "Gus" Nolte, Jennie Lindberg, and Deborah Brown.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE-INDIVIDUAL Jennie Lindberg, Evergreen Manor (Everett)

Deborah Brown (Everett)

The awardees are:

CONSUMER ADVOCATE Janice Schultz (Tacoma)

LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT Alan Marlatt (Seattle) Floyd Gus Nolte (Kelso)

INNOVATIVE PROGRAM

The Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations (Spokane) Martina Whelshula, Executive Director

Exemplary Prevention Professionals Recognized

In October 650 people from around the state attended the Washington State Prevention Summit to further their skills, education and collaboration to prevent underage drinking, drug abuse, violence and other unhealthy behaviors.

This year's theme was Dream. Lead. Achieve. These qualities have also been demonstrated by several individuals and groups who received an Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Award.

Information, presentations and photos from this year's Prevention Summit are available at .

Castle Rock Police Department

Sharon Foster

Christine Mackleit

We congratulate and thank this year's awardees for their

dedication to prevention:

Sharon Foster

Exemplary Professional, Olympia

Shelton High School SADD Club

Exemplary Youth Leadership, Shelton

Castle Rock Police Department

Exemplary Collaboration, Castle Rock

Christine Mackleit

Exemplary Volunteer, Spokane

Florence Bucierka

Lifetime Achievement, Clallam County

Patricia Mouton

Lifetime Achievement, Seattle

Terry Reid

Lifetime Achievement, Olympia

Florence Bucierka

Shelton High School SADD Club

Patricia Mouton

FOCUS December 2011 7

Last July, the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations received honorable mention by the National Institute for Addictions Treatment (NIATx) and the State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) for innovative treatment programming of their Expressive Arts program. Others recognized included Boston Medical Center and New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, among others.

Left to right, Rickey "Deekon" Jones, Expressive Arts Program Manager, and Terral Lay, Expressive Arts Coach.

The Dark Road, a music CD produced by the residents at the Healing Lodge in Spokane.

In 2008, the Healing Lodge, an adolescent residential chemical dependency treatment center in Spokane Valley, Washington, underwent significant changes, leading toward a new environment that supported innovative new treatment applications.

It was at this time that staff member Rickey "Deekon" Jones surveyed residents on what activities would make their treatment more enjoyable. The results revealed a constant and undoubtable theme ? music. As a musician and audio engineer, Jones knew the power of poetry and music. He brought instrumentals he produced from home and taught residents how to write their own lyrics to the music. The response from residents was overwhelming. Jones approached Martina Whelshula, Ph.D., Executive Director, with a plan to develop a new program using music as a therapeutic approach. Whelshula saw the proposal as an innovative way to engage residents, and a year later the Expressive Arts program was born with Jones leading the effort. Residents quickly chose hip hop as their desired genre, as the struggles hip hop artists experience resonated with the struggles residents experienced in their own lives. In group music sessions, female and male residents create beats and write lyrics inspired by their personal stories. Songs were recorded in a studio, and it was at this point that the Healing Lodge realized the music program was not just music, it was a transformational process. The residents' pride soared as they played their recordings to staff and residents. The residents began to request more time in music and more studio time to record. Due to the demand and enhancement to therapy, the Expressive Arts Program added a studio, complete with recording equipment. Residents couldn't get enough and the clinical staff began to realize how effective the music program was. They discovered that residents would write lyrics about detailed trauma that was not revealed during one-on-one counseling sessions. Even the most resistant residents became engaged. Residents recorded and produced their first CD album, The Dark Road, which was released in July. As a result of the Expressive Arts Program, success rates at the Healing Lodge have improved. One resident told Whelshula that music was his "new high." For more information, please contact Brad Meyers at bradm@.

8 December 2011 FOCUS

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