2007 News Stories

January

Hamilton Center Sub-Acute Unit Celebrates 1 year Anniversary - January 26, 2007

Hamilton Center Inc.’s Sub-Acute unit celebrated its first year anniversary at the beginning of this year. Since its opening January 3, 2006 there have been 42 enrollments with 4 clients admitted twice therefore total persons served equals 38.

The Sub-Acute treatment facility provides 24-hour supervision designed especially for the treatment of people with psychiatric disorders. The state of the art facility has been designed to be less restrictive than a traditional In-patient facility, but more structured than a Supervised Group Living home.

The Sub-Acute unit accommodates 10 clients, in private room settings, each with an individual bedroom and bathroom. The unit is also equipped with a full kitchen, group and dining area, TV room and relaxation room. Clients have access to a full-size,

all-enclosed outdoor basketball court and an indoor gym. “The addition of the Sub Acute Unit to Hamilton Center’s continuum of care, helps keep people out of the state hospitals which is our ultimate goal” said, Dr. Cynthia Sartor, Executive Director of Client Support Services for Hamilton Center, Inc.

Statistics from the unit’s first year show that 50% of the clients served were between the ages of 40-59 and 24% of the clients were between the ages of 18-29. Of those clients served, 67% were female, and 33% were male. 60% of clients were referred from Hamilton Center’s own in-patient unit. 60% of clients had various diagnosis related to Schizophrenia and other Psychotic disorders. The great news is that 91% of those admitted to the Sub-Acute unit return to the community.

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February

Hamilton Center, Inc. Announces 2006-2007 Officers of the Board of Directors- February 1, 2007

Hamilton Center, Inc. is pleased to announce the new 2006-2007 Officers of the Board of Directors.

Serving as President is David Fee, Eli Lilly retiree. Fee is serving his fourth three-year term on the Board.

Serving as Vice President is Richard Pittelkow, Financial Consultant in Vigo County. Pittlekow is serving his second three-year term on the Board.

Serving as Secretary is Virginia Gillman, a retired school teacher from Sullivan County. Gillman is serving her second three-year term on the Board.

Serving as Treasurer is Cary Sparks, Senior Vice-President and Trust Officer for First Financial Bank in Terre Haute. Sparks is serving his fourth three-year term on the Board.

Hamilton Center, Inc. 2007 Board of Directors

Hamilton Center, Inc. Board of Directors Front Row (L to R) Max Miller-Vigo, Rhonda Majors-Vermillion, Web Van Tryon- Hendricks,
Louis Bonomo-Vermillion, Louise Anderson-Vigo
Back Row (L to R) Mark Killion-Hendricks, James Clayton-Vigo, Cary Sparks-Vigo, Jim Jenkins-Vigo, Richard Pittelkow-Vigo, Michael Wood-Owen, Susie Waymire-Parke, Kelsey White-Clay,
John Hancewicz-Vigo
Not Pictured: Timothy Bookwalter-Putnam, Tony Brewer-Vigo, David Fee-Johnson,
Virginia Gilman-Sullivan, Bobby Moore-Vigo, Rebecca Porter-Parke, Brian Short-Vigo

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April

Indiana Healthcare Agencies Partner to Create Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Video - April 2007

In cooperation with the Indiana State Department of Health, and Union Hospital’s Richard G. Lugar Center for Rural Health. Hamilton Center has created and underwritten a video to educate and prepare our Indiana communities for a possible pandemic influenza outbreak. A pandemic is a global disease outbreak that can happen at any time a new influenza virus emerges and there is no immunity and no vaccine available. It can lead to high levels of illness, social disruption and death.In April 2006 at the Clay County Health and Medical ESF 8 emergency planning session, Gerri Husband, former local emergency preparedness coordinator for Clay County, Brenda Church, Assistant Administrator for the Richard G. Lugar Center for Rural Health, Mel Burks, Executive Director of Administrative Services at Hamilton Center, Inc., and other key health care leaders had a general discussion about the possibility of Pandemic Influenza and whether or not citizens of their respective counties were prepared for it. Burks shared with the group his plans to create a corporate DVD to prepare Hamilton Center staff for such an event. He asked why not do one to reach a larger audience? Based on this discussion, it was decided that the best way to reach the masses and to present the most clear, concise and consistent message would be through a well-prepared DVD for everyone to use as an educational tool. Money was the primary concern. Hamilton Center, Inc. and the Richard G. Lugar Center for Rural Health were determined to get it done, so with the two as partners, they underwrote the entire cost of the production. They were unaware how long it would take to get done, but due to the seriousness of the topic, less than a professional finished product was unacceptable. The group all agreed that it would be important to teach people how to prepare for such a catastrophic event. After all, most of us in this mid-western region have been through exercises and received trainings on how to prepare for a tornado and other events likely to hit this area. But, what if an event like this were to happen, what would we do and how would we prepare? Accuracy and coordination with the Indiana Department of Health and a lot of patience were keys to getting this production completed. One of the experts in the video is Indiana State Health Commissioner, Dr. Judy Monroe, who says health professionals are concerned because there are several possible candidates for the influenza pandemic. The most likely is the H5N1, or avian bird flu, which has been identified in the Far East and other countries. It is a particularly serious type of flu, but, at this point, infection is rare. Virtually all of the cases reported have come through direct contact with poultry – such as chicken, ducks and turkeys infected with the virus. However, by their very nature, viruses are constantly changing and the fear is that this or another virus may, over time, adapt to infect and spread among humans. The DVD will be distributed to as many schools, county agencies, churches and other community organizations in order to educate on pandemic preparedness for your home, school and work environment. “The better prepared we are today, the less chance of a more chaotic situation if it should actually occur,” said Mel Burks of Hamilton Center, and one of the leaders in seeing the project to completion.

The initial distribution points for this video are the County Health Departments in the following counties: Clay, Greene, Hendricks, Marion, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo. Not-for-profit reproduction of this DVD is encouraged in an effort to reach all residents. If you would like more information on this DVD, please contact your county health department.

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May

Hamilton Center Inc. Celebrates Mental Health Month - May 16, 2007

Hamilton Center Inc. will celebrate Mental Health Month with a cookout to be held on Wednesday, May 23rd from 11:00 am-2:00 pm. The event will be held in the parking lot of Hamilton Center’s Spectrum Services building at 1616 Wabash Avenue. Hotdogs, chips and a drink will be available for $5 (while supplies last), and attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about mental health treatment from Hamilton Center representatives. Proceeds will go to support the Hamilton Center Partial Hospitalization programs.

Mental Health Month is an annual observance sponsored by the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) and the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH). It is designed to increase awareness about mental health and mental illness. This year’s theme is “Mind Your Health” and is intended to focus awareness on the connection between the mind and body. It draws on the growing research that shows that mental and physical well-being go hand-in-hand. According to the U.S. Surgeon General's report on mental health, more than half of all Americans with a severe mental illness fail to seek treatment. Many people do not receive treatment for mental health problems due to a lack of awareness of the problem, fear of stigma, or lack of access to appropriate services. Yet, overall quality of life is greatly improved when a person with a mental health problem gets an early diagnosis and receives appropriate treatment.

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Hamilton Center Inc. and Indiana State University Department of Social Work host workshop on Advancing Excellence in Leadership and Management - May 25, 2007

Hamilton Center, Inc. in conjunction with Indiana State University’s Department of Social Work is hosting a workshop on “Advancing Excellence in Leadership and Management” on Wednesday, June 20th, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The workshop will be held in Indianapolis at the International Medical Group Building at 2960 North Meridian.

By the end of this workshop, participants will obtain a basic framework of knowledge, values and skills that define effective and sound leadership and management standards. The participants will learn the importance of addressing issues that integrate the values of ethics of clinical practice to the leadership and management of the organization. Fourteen leadership and management standards for managers will be introduced and reviewed.

The workshop will be led by Bruce D. Friedman, PhD., ACSW, CSWM, LCSW. Friedman is the President of the Board for the National Network of Social Work Managers and an Associate Professor at the Social Work Program at the University of Texas—Pan American.

Six Continuing Education hours (Category 1) are approved for L.S.W., L.C.S.W., L.M.F.T., L.M.H.C. and Psychologists.

For further information contact: Jan Weber (Hamilton Center) at 812-231-8216 or Anne Roy (Indiana State University) at 812-237-3611.

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July

Two Hamilton Center Programs Continue To Show Positive Outcomes In Their Second Year - July 18, 2007

Hamilton Center, Inc. Client Support Services Division is pleased to report positive outcomes for two programs in their second year. The 28-day Residential Addictions Program and Sub-Acute Unit have reported enrollment and discharge data for each program’s duration.

Open since July 1, 2005 the 28-day Residential Addictions Program provides recovery services for males eighteen and older. The program provides 24-hour immersion for successful addiction recovery in a safe, secure, home-like environment. As a licensed residential treatment facility in Indiana, the facility provides intensive mental health and addictions treatment under one roof. Since they opened their doors in 2005, the program has admitted 170 individuals with eighty-nine percent of them successfully graduating. Seventy-five percent of the participants were referred to the program via the court system. At the time of admission, eighty-nine percent of the participants had pending legal charges. Of those who have successfully completed the program, eighty-seven percent of the participants have not been re-arrested in the first six months following discharge. Fifty-four percent of those discharged were referred to Freebird’s Solution Center in Terre Haute.

Hamilton Center’s Sub-Acute unit has now been open for approximately eighteen months. The Sub-Acute treatment facility provides 24-hour supervision designed especially for the treatment of people with psychiatric disorders. The state of the art facility has been designed to be less restrictive than a traditional In-patient facility, but more than a Supervised Group Living home. Since opening their doors in January, 2006, the unit has received fifty-eight client enrollments. Three clients have been admitted twice and two have been admitted three times. Thirty of the clients were between the ages of 40-59, while fourteen of the clients were between the ages of 18-29. Thirty-six clients were female and twenty-two were male. Thirty-five of the clients had diagnoses related to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders with only fourteen structured diagnosed with mood disorders. Of the forty-eight clients discharged from the program forty were returned to the community and eight were referred to an In-Patient Psychiatric unit upon discharge. The Sub-Acute unit averages three to four admissions and discharges monthly. Eighteen clients stayed between 10-39 days; sixteen stayed 50-79 days, and four had extended stays between 220-329 days. Dr. Cynthia Sartor, Executive Director of Client Support Services for Hamilton Center, Inc. said, “The addition of the Sub-Acute Unit to Hamilton Center’s continuum of care, helps keep people out of the state hospitals which is our ultimate goal.”

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Hamilton Awards Nominations Needed - July 25, 2007

The Board of Directors of Hamilton Center Inc. is now accepting Hamilton Award nominations from the community. All nominees and winners will be recognized at the Annual Hamilton Awards Dinner, Tuesday, September, 18, 2007.

All nominations must be submitted on a nomination form by August, 22, 2007 to: Hamilton Center Inc., Office of the CEO, P.O. Box 4323, Terre Haute, IN 47804. To obtain a nomination form, call (812) 231-8317.

Hamilton Awards are presented to businesses, organizations, and individuals that have significantly contributed to the cause of mental health and/or care of persons with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities or substance abuse problems. In addition, an award is given each year to a Hamilton Center staff person who has demonstrated a personal commitment to the cause of behavioral health and advanced the mission of Hamilton Center through service above and beyond the normal duties of his/her position.

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September

Hamilton Awards Presented Four Awards Presented at Annual Dinner of the Board of Directors - September 18, 2007

Hamilton Center, Inc. is pleased to announce the recipients of this year's Hamilton Awards. The awards were presented on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2007 at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors at Hulman Center, Terre Haute, IN. Officers of the Board presented the awards. Kelvin Sampson, Head Coach for Indiana University Men’s Basketball Team, gave the keynote address to an audience of over 500 people.

Hamilton Awards, which are selected by the Executive Committee of Hamilton Center’s Board of Directors, are presented annually. Winners have significantly contributed to the cause of mental health and/or the care of people with mental illnesses, addiction problems, or developmental disabilities. Hamilton Awards have been presented annually since 1981 and are named in honor of Katherine Hamilton, a woman who was devoted to the cause of mental health and improving the care of those in need.

Community Award winner:

This year the Hamilton “Community” Award went to Lori Thatcher-Quillen of Owen County. Thatcher-Quillen has been a long standing resident and professional in Owen County. During her tenure she has offered her time and services to addressing the concerns and problems faced by children and families. Her interest in this area is not limited to her professional duties, but has expanded to identifying effective programs, services and efforts that demonstrate success. She has provided services in her community as a former attorney and deputy prosecutor. She has spent countless hours as a Guardian-Ad-Litem for abused and neglected children. Along with the Chief Probation Officer and community team, she helped start the drug court, which has proven successes in many counties. Her nominator said, “she does this work without interest in receiving personal recognition.”

Volunteer Award winner:

Marion County’s Rick Gustafson was the winner of this year’s Hamilton “Volunteer” Award. Mr. Gustafson is dedicated to improving the quality of life for many in his community. He started at least two halfway houses in Indianapolis, and gives up a great deal of his personal time to help suffering and recovering addicts and alcoholics in Center Indiana. He is on staff at IUPUI and teaches social work students about addiction and recovery. Gustafson is also very involved with the narcotics and alcoholic anonymous programs. His nominator said, “he has helped hundreds of addicts and alcoholics come out of denial, become hopeful and find a new way to live.” His contributions in the community are multi-faceted. He is devoted to the cause of recovery from addiction and exemplifies the spirit of Katherine Hamilton.”

Staff Award winners:

This year there were to recipients of the Hamilton “Staff” Award. The first winner was Vermillion County Office Supervisor, Debra Curry. Curry has been employed at Hamilton Center for nearly 20 years. She is known for her pleasant contacts with both clients and staff. Those that know this person, regard her with the utmost respect, as she always conducts herself in a professional manner that brings credit to Hamilton Center. Her work ethic is well known to all who have contact with her. The person nominating her said, “we need to remember that our services are possible only with the talent and dedication of those behind the scenes.”

The second person being honored with a Hamilton “Staff” Award is Parke County Program Manager, Dr. Todd Carpenter. Carpenter came to Hamilton Center as a therapist approximately 13 years ago. After earning his doctorate at Indiana State University, he was promoted to psychologist and ultimately became the Program Manager of two different Hamilton Center satellite offices. His nominator described him as someone who is “conscientious about his job and works hard at it. He is always pleasant and professional.

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October

Indiana State University’s Department of Social Work and Psychology and Hamilton Center, Inc. Host Suicide Prevention Conference - October 8, 2007

October 17, 2007 8:30 am to 4:15pm, Indiana State University’s Department of Social Work and Psychology in conjunction with Hamilton Center, Inc. will host a conference on Building Resiliency: Suicide Prevention and Postvention at Hulman Memorial Student Union, Dede 1. Up to 6 CE credit hours in Category I will be approved for L.S.W., S.C.S.W., L.M.F.T., L.M.H.C., and Psychologists who attend the entire session and complete the evaluation form.

The conference’s keynote speaker is nationally recognized bereavement specialist, and speaker Barbara Rubel, MA, BCETS, CBS. Widely published, Rubel is a noted author, is one of the top authorities in the field of sudden traumatic loss and compassion fatigue. As Director of her company, Griefwork Center, Inc., she guides clients as they support individuals in life changing situations.

Barbara is also a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress and Diplomate, and American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. She is Certified Bereavement Specialist and a Certified Pastoral Bereavement Counselor. She received her BS in Psychology and MA in Community Health and is a consultant for the Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime. Previously she taught courses at Brooklyn College that included Children and Death and Crisis Intervention.

Who should attend this conference? Mental health professionals, nurses, human services/social services workers, physicians, first responders, criminal justice system, law enforcement officers, victim advocates, prosecutors, pastoral care, human resources, funeral directors and school Counselors.

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November

Caring Grandparent Gives Thanks and Gives Back, Hamilton Center’s Therapeutic Playgroup Receives Gift - November 21, 2007

Hamilton Center’s Therapeutic Playgroup, which provides therapeutic services to children 3 to 5 years of age, received a wonderful new gift from Belinda Green, who has three grandchildren in the program. Pictured with one of her grandchildren, Wesley and Program Manager Martha Wininger, two weeks ago Wesley was a popular kid during playgroup! On that day a big truck pulled up with a brand new 6x6 playhouse for the kids to enjoy. “I didn’t think I would win!” Belinda expressed that she had taken her last $10 to buy raffle tickets for the playhouse during a raffle Habitat for Humanity held. As soon as she realized she was the winner, she immediately donated the playhouse to Hamilton Center for the kids in the playgroup. Brenda stated she was thankful that she had won, and wanted to share their good fortune with others in the playgroup. The house was built by Rose-Hulman Students and delivered directly to the playground on the west side of the Hamilton Center’s Child and Adolescent Services Building.

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Hamilton Center Welcomes New Medical Director - November 27, 2007

Hamilton Center, Inc. welcomed its new Medical Director, Dr. David Hilton this month. Dr. Hilton might be a new face to Hamilton Center, Inc., but not to the Terre Haute community. He graduated from Terre Haute South Vigo High School, and Indiana State University and attended medical school at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He comes to Hamilton Center with a wealth of knowledge and credentials. He is board certified in general child and forensic psychiatry as well as addiction medicine and completed his residency in Psychiatry at the University of Kentucky.

Prior to joining Hamilton Center, Dr. Hilton also served as Medical Director of Evansville Psychiatric Children’s Center and Staff Psychiatrist at Southwestern Indiana Mental Health Center.

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