Our Auction is NOW OPEN! Let the bidding begin!
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Support BHcare and place your bids on incredible items from gift baskets, concerts, and experiences to local favorites and more!
Every bid helps individuals and families impacted by mental health, domestic violence, and substance use.
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This is shared from BHcare's Facebook page.
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An EmPATH unit that will offer a new approach in behavioral health is planned at Griffin Hospital in Derby.
DERBY - A $1 million gift from The Hewitt Foundation has enabled the establishment of Connecticut's first Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing (EmPATH) Unit at Griffin Hospital.
This pioneering unit represents a bold step forward in addressing the growing demand for mental health crisis services, offering specialized help to Connecticut residents in desperate need of specialized care.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 41% of adults in Connecticut have experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression, while 121,000 adults are living with serious mental illness.
“The Hewitt Foundation is honored to support Griffin’s pioneering efforts in behavioral health crisis care,” said Harry P. DiAdamo, treasurer of the Hewitt Foundation. “We encourage individuals, foundations, and businesses to join us in making this vision a reality and in ensuring a healthier future for those desperately in need of focused and compassionate help.”
With a shortage of behavioral health services statewide, individuals in emotional crisis are often brought to hospital emergency departments (EDs) by crisis centers, law enforcement, and well-meaning family members.
However, EDs are limited in their ability to provide the therapeutic care required, leaving many without the specialized support they urgently need.
“Over the past three years, mental health crisis cases at Griffin Hospital’s Emergency Department have surged by 50%, with one in seven patients seeking crisis care,” said Maria Dawe, MD, Chair of the Griffin Health Psychiatry Department. “This influx not only overwhelms our capacity - it delays care for all patients.
“The EmPATH Unit will expand services for community members in psychiatric crisis with a compassionate, dignified and patient-focused approach in a specially designed and reserved environment. This approach exclusively focuses on improving and expediting positive outcomes.”
An EmPATH Unit represents a new approach in behavioral healthcare, offering a calming therapeutic space for patients in emotional crisis. Unlike traditional EDs, this unit prioritizes rapid, personalized care in a soothing 4,300 square-foot environment that includes a large, open common space with high ceilings, natural light, exterior views, and soothing décor.
Staffed by psychiatrists, social workers, and trained nurses, the EmPATH Unit will feature sensory rooms with patient-controlled lighting and music, which will act as a safe space to help regulate emotions, tables for socializing, a nourishment station for snacks, shower room, and physician consultation and family rooms for visitors.
The evidence for this approach is compelling. Similar pioneering units across the country have stabilized 75% of patients experiencing psychiatric emergencies in less than 24 hours, reducing the need for hospitalization, and decreased crisis readmissions by 25%, all while eliminating many of the traumatic aspects of traditional emergency psychiatric care.
Recognition opportunities for visionary donors
Additional support is needed to fully realize Griffin’s transformative vision.
By joining this effort, donors have a rare opportunity to be part of a revolutionary approach to mental health care that will serve as a model throughout Connecticut and beyond. Donors will also have a special opportunity to be recognized within this innovative space through naming options, including the main treatment area and individual healing rooms.
To view an insightful video and learn more about the EmPATH Unit as well as naming opportunities, visit griffinhealth.org/supportempath or contact Griffin Hospital Development Fund Executive Director Kristy Jelenik at kjelenik@griffinhealth.org or 203-732-7539.
This is a press release from Griffin Health.
Program is for teens ages 13 and older, and discover how to overcome the stresses in life. This is a multi-part series and each session is a separate sign-up. Each month, we will have a different topic or strategy to take care of your mental health.
This first session is an introduction and learn about how to use journaling as a tool for stress management.
It will be held April 5 from 1-2 p.m. at Plumb Memorial Library, 65 Wooster St.
Click the link below to register:
https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=2661...
This is shared from the Shelton Library System Facebook page.
Taking place in September, Suicide Prevention Week offers a critical opportunity for individuals and organizations to engage in meaningful conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.
This year’s theme, “Community Support is Key to Suicide Prevention,” highlights the importance of community support and open dialogue in preventing suicide. Suicide is a complex and multifaceted issue that affects individuals, families, and communities.
Suicide is among the top three leading causes of death for people aged 18-34 in Connecticut according to the CT Department of Public Health.
The Regional Suicide Advisory Boards in CT have trained more than 2,500 people in suicide prevention this past year. This contributes to Connecticut having one of the lowest suicide rates in the United States, but even one death is too many. Learn how you can provide hope, start the conversation, and make a difference today.
“Suicide is preventable, and it’s our responsibility as a community to ensure that everyone has access to the support and resources they need,” said Taylor Gainey, Regional Suicide Advisory Board Coordinator of Alliance Prevention and Wellness at BHcare. “Through education, awareness, and collaboration, we can save lives and create a safer, more compassionate environment for everyone.”
BHcare encourages community members to participate in Suicide Prevention Month by attending events, sharing information on social media, and checking in with friends, family, and colleagues who may be struggling. Together, we can make a difference.
If you or someone you know needs help, help them connect to support. Help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 to speak with trained crisis counselors who can provide immediate support and guidance.
You can also chat online at 988lifeline.org/chat. Support is also available in Spanish and American Sign Language. If a person is in imminent danger, call 911 first.
For more information on BHcare’s Regional Suicide Advisory Board, please visit or contact Taylor Gainey at tgainey@bhcare.org or visit preventsuicidect.org.
This is a press release from the Alliance for Prevention and Wellness.
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| Dr. Alexander Rahimi |
ANSONIA/BRANFORD - BHcare welcomes Dr. Alexander Rahimi to our team of mental health and substance use specialists.
Dr Rahimi will be working with our Medication Assisted Treatment program, leading our dedicated MAT team to provide behavioral therapy, supports and medications to treat clients with opioid use disorders.
Dr. Rahimi received his medical degree at the Uniformed Services University, where he earned membership to Gold Humanism Honor Society. He completed his psychiatry residency at Tripler Army Medical Center and earned his fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine.
He served as Chief Resident of Research and Scholarly Activity, Safety Chief of the Department of Behavioral Health, a member of the Medical Student Recruitment Committee, and participated in the Program Evaluation Committee along with the Medical Student Curriculum Committee at Tripler Army Medical Center.
Dr Rahimi was also awarded Intern of the Year and Resident Researcher of the Year during his time at Tripler.
BHcare’s MAT uses FDA-approved medications naltrexone (Vivitrol®) and buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®) - along with comprehensive counseling and behavioral therapies - to help to provide a “whole-person” approach to address issues related to opioid dependence, including withdrawal management, cravings and relapse prevention.
Evidence-based treatment approaches like these increase success and long-term recovery rates. Call 203-800-7177 or visit BHcare.org to learn more about our services.
BHcare provides a comprehensive and integrated system of care with wrap-around services for adults, children, and families struggling with mental health, substance use, domestic violence and other health-risk behaviors.
Visit BHcare.org for more information.
This is a press release from BHcare.
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BRANFORD - The recent community shooting is an isolated incident that is part of other isolated incidents happening across the nation.
Realizing that many community residents who live or work in the area heard the gunfire, were in lockdown, witnessed the scene, or needed to shelter in area businesses and buildings will be working through the effects of this experience over the next several days, weeks, months and years.
There is a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms one can experience from this kind of trauma.
Physical symptoms may include insomnia or nightmares, fatigue, being startled easily, racing heartbeat, edginess and agitation, aches and pains, muscle tension, increase use of alcohol or other drugs.
Emotional symptoms may include shock, denial, or disbelief, confusion, difficulty concentrating, anger, irritability, mood swings, anxiety and fear, guilt, shame, self-blame, withdrawing from others, feeling sad or hopeless and/or feeling disconnected or numb.
How can you help? You can be empathetic and increase your observation and listening skills. While it is easy for us to observe signs, we may not always see the symptoms a person is experiencing.
By implementing the Mental Health First Aid USA Action Plan called ALGEE, you can assist and refer to appropriate professional help when needed.
The five-step action plan helps you to:
1.)Approach, assess and assist with any crisis, 2.) Listen non-judgmentally, 3.) Give support and information, 4) Encourage appropriate professional help and 5.) Encourage other supports.
If you or someone you care about needs to be bridged to professional help, BHcare is here for you.
Our experienced and professional staff are trained in evidence-based practices and are available to help. Call today at (203) 800-7177.
Whether you lived through the trauma yourself, are a relative of someone who did or witnessed the aftermath on the news or social media, it is crucial for everyone to understand their emotions and develop strategies to cope.
BHcare is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.
We offer a comprehensive and integrated system of care, with “wrap-around” services for adults, children and families struggling with mental health, substance use, domestic violence, and other health-risk behaviors.
Learn more at BHcare.org.
This is press release from Pam Mautte, Director, Alliance for Prevention & Wellness.
To all those who have served, and those who continue to serve … Happy Veterans Day!
Veterans Day is Nov. 11.
Mental health care is especially important during today’s stressful and difficult times. It’s important to note that mental illness does not only affect service members but their families, as well.
Many soldiers have spouses, and nearly half have children who are under 18.
Our military service members may experience grief and stress before, during, and after their service, which may result in mental health struggles and substance use.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 22 military veterans die by suicide each day in the United States. Less than 50 percent of returning veterans experiencing need receive any mental health treatment.
BHcare wants you to know that you are not alone. No matter what you are experiencing, there is support to get you back on track. We are here for you.
Some of the services BHcare offers include:
If you or someone you love needs mental health support, help is always available. BHcare provides services for adults, children, and families. Get connected today. Call 203-800-7177 or visit www.BHcare.org.
BHcare is a regional community provider of behavioral health, addiction prevention, and domestic violence services for the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven and Shoreline communities.
For more information, visit www.BHcare.org.
This is a press release from BHcare.
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