Newsletter for March 2017

Hello friends, here is my monthly newsletter for March 2017.

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New Horizons Community Service Board

Last month, on “Focus on Health” I had Mrs. Andrea Winston, the Chief Executive Officer of New Horizons CSB, and Susan Gallagher, the Community Relations Specialist, to give an overview of New Horizons.

New Horizons has a staff of Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Counselors, Social Workers and Para-Professionals, who have been meeting the needs of citizens who have mental health, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases for over forty years. Andrea said that New Horizons meets the needs of individuals, not only in Muscogee County, but also in “Harris, Talbot, Stewart, Chattahoochee, Randolph, Quitman, Clay and other Georgia counties.”

I refer many people to to New Horizons, however, it is strange how many people still do not know that New Horizons exists. Access to New Horizons is extremely easy. They have a walk in clinic Monday through Friday from 8am-11am, and 1 PM-3:30PM; if necessary, appointments can be scheduled on Friday by calling (706) 596-5500.

Because New Horizons offers so many services, I wanted them to at least list them so you will know what they offer and can call their number for additional information. Later on in another newsletter, I will cover some of these various programs  and explain how each one serves the specific needs of those with mental health, addictive diseases and developmental disabilities.

The following is an extract of the power point presentation outlining the types of programs offered for Mental Health, Development Disabilities and Addictive Diseases:

Mental Health Services

• Outpatient Services for Children, Teens and Adults
• Individual Therapy and Group Therapy – a Licensed Professional Counselor can meet with individuals either individually or in a group session.
• Intensive Outpatient services -There are cases when the Counselor may need to meet more frequently with an individual dependent on what the person’s individual needs are.
• Integrated Behavioral Health/Primary Health Care– a program located on 2nd Avenue called Better Life where the physical health of the individual is taken care of as well.
• Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services– is a day treatment program that helps individuals to learn daily living skills and to practice recovery efforts.
• Peer Drop -In Center- Individuals who have experienced themselves first hand what the individual is going through either with mental illness or substance abuse is on hand to help
• Peer Support Program– The same type of support from a person who has experienced mental health issues or substance abuse.
• Supported Employment– help for individuals with mental health issues to job search, fill out resumes etc.
• Mental Health Children’s Clubhouse (Sky Program)– This program is two years old and is a program for children with diagnosed behavioral health needs. There is a music room there and a game room all geared to address the child’s therapeutic needs.
• Therapeutic Foster Care– A program that is operated in conjunction with DFACS. They need trained foster parents in the specific needs of the children.
• Family Training– Training offered in the home that helps parents in family dynamics such as communication skills, positive discipline techniques
• Emerging Adult Support Services– Services offered to young adults ages 16-26 with mental health needs. Services offered is help in teaching daily life skills such as doing laundry, help in getting in an apartment and living well. Services are provided where we monitor them to make sure that they are functioning well.

Oftentimes services to individuals can’t be provided in an out-patient manner and residential services are necessary. These services are:

Mental Health Residential Services

• Mental Health Group Homes
• Georgia Housing Voucher Program– ministered in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health. Individuals can apply if they have income and the Georgia Voucher program helps them with their rental and will help them as long as they are in the program, but they must have a diagnosed severe mental illness.
• Personal Care Home Placement and Support – This is for individuals who have been diagnosed with a severe persistent mental illness they are placed in group homes. These homes are not necessarily operated by New Horizons, but New Horizons have case managers who go to the homes to make sure the individuals are being given proper care.
• Willow Glen– housing that is in conjunction with the Housing Authority. The individuals have their own apartment. It is a gated community with on site staff.
• Muscogee County Shelter Plus Care– Funded through HUD and the Department of Community Affairs individuals with Substance Abuse or Mental Health challenges receive funding for rental and utilities. They must pay 30% for their rental and utilities. New Horizons helps them to find an apartment and provides case management.
• Harris County Shelter Plus Care – Same as above
• Harris County Family shelter Plus Care – Same as above except housing for families is provided

Residential and Housing Services

• PATH Program-New Horizons sends teams out on the streets to find homeless individuals who are ready to move into an apartment and provides case management personnel to help them in the process.
• Project Veterans First– This program is offered to all Veterans whether they were honorably discharged from the service or not.
• Project Homeless Connect– An annual event held at a location that New Horizons does that brings social services to the homeless to connect them to the services they need. It is often done in conjunction with the annual homeless count in Muscogee County
• SOAR Services – New Horizons has trained staff to help individuals to get their birth certificates identification etc; things that are necessary for them to receive the services they are entitled to receive.
• Homeless Outreach/Services outside Muscogee County
• Rural rapid Rehousing– a DCA funded program that is offered outside of Muscogee County to get individuals rehabilitation or rental payment if they are in danger of losing their housing.
• Homeless Prevention– Services are provided to help individuals to stay in their houses
• Emerging Adult Housing and Support-helping young adults who are emerging from DFACS to get housing support

Addictive Diseases

The Services that New Horizons offers for addictive Diseases according to the presentation are:

• Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Services– These Services are offered in New Horizons Midtown Project. Group sessions are offered 5 days a week to help individuals with their addictions
• Journey To Recovery Transitional Housing– A program for individuals with substance abuse who are not ready to live on their own but need intensive services. They have on site case managers 24 hours a day with them.
• Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse Clubhouse (Project Change)– Same as the adult program except this is for children 12-17 years old and it is also supervised.
• Gambling Addiction Services

Developmental Disabilities Services

In a nutshell New Horizons Provides so many services and in so many locations for individuals with Developmental Disabilities. please call their number at 7065965500:

• Muscogee County Day Services Center “Artistic Ability” Program
• –Harris County Day Services Center
• –Randolph County Day Services Center
• –Stewart County Day Services Center
• –Sheltered Employment Services
• –Supported Employment Services
• –Family Support/Respite Services
• –Emergency Respite Services
• –Residential Services
• –Residential Support Sites

Ancillary Services

• Transportation– New Horizons does not want lack of transportation to be a problem if you need care. Please call 7065965500.

New Horizons has partnerships with a number of other organizations that it partners with to provide services to the community.: Adult Drug Court, Veterans Court, Women’s Treatment and Recovery and many more. For any services provided by  New Horizons please call their number (706) 596-5500.

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The River Valley Regional Commission’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The River Valley Regional Commission serves Muscogee County as well as Chattahoochee, Clay Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Webster counties.

The mission of the River Valley Regional Commission is to “Create, promote, and foster the orderly growth and economic prosperity for our region.”

Every five years the RVRC has a survey. This survey is very easy and basically is asking the citizens in the 16 county areas their opinions as to what things they feel contribute to the economic prosperity of their counties and which do not; basically what they perceive are the economic strengths  or economic weaknesses of the counties where they live. The results of the survey will be used to create a Comprehensive Economic Strategy, (CEDS), for the 16 county region.

Mr. Jim Livingston, the Special Projects Coordinator for the RVRC said “…The new CEDS will take into account the results of this survey as well as the other regional planning documents and local economic development planning documents that have been recently created, in particular the Columbus 2025 plan that the Greater Columbus Chamber has developed. We need participation from Columbus to ensure that we have a balanced response from our entire region.

“Please take five minutes to take the online survey and make sure your input is included. Our target audience for this survey is anyone in the region with an interest in economic development within the 16 county area that comprises the River Valley Regional Commission.The link to the survey is at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2018CEDS and also at http://rivervalleyrc.org”. Call Jim Livingston at 877-819-6348 for more information.

Muscogee County’s economic development should be of the utmost importance to everyone. Please take the time to take the survey and ensure that your concerns are expressed.

Yours truly,

Pops