W W W . P E E R S N E T . O R G

PEERSpulse, Autumn 2009 1

A Quarterly Newsletter Issue No. 4 -- Autumn 2009

PEERS pulse Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services Nothing about us, without us.

Tobacco Information ProgramsBy John Woodruff

Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS) is ever seeking opportunities to engage Alameda County residents to identify health and wellness in their own terms. Tobacco use has been a frequent discussion topic in our wellness recovery action planning (WRAP) groups. We decided to make the topic an Education Goal for Fiscal Year 2010. EDUCATION is one of the Five Key Concepts of Recovery discussed in our WRAP groups and trainings.

Tobacco sales and tobacco smoking became an accepted way of life not only in society, but also in public mental health treatment. Public mental health practitioners have taken seriously and treated illicit drug use by those with mental health issues for some time. A substance used disproportionately by this population, tobacco, has been ignored.

TOBACCO use is dangerous! A recent study released by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors shows that people with mental health issues die on average 25 years

earlier than the general population. Tobacco is a leading contributor of disease and early death in this population.

Why is smoking dangerous? Here are some facts to consider:

•! For every 5 deaths per year in this country, at least 1 is due to smoking.

•! Smoking causes 9 out of 10 cases of lung cancer. That’s 90% of the cases.

•! Smoking causes nearly all cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These illnesses are chronic asthma, bronchitis or emphysema.

•! Smokers are twice as likely to die from stroke or heart attack, compared to non-smokers.

•! Smokers miss more days of work than non-smokers.

•! Smoking is also a risk factor for cancer of the mouth, throat, pancreas, kidney, bladder, cervix, liver, esophagus, uterus, colon and leukemia.

Beginning this Fall PEERS is doing a pilot Tobacco Information Program for Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services. The program offers three group information sessions a month for consumers, family members and providers interested in learning more about the serious health implications of tobacco use.

To learn more about these group sessions check the PEERS website at www.peersnet.org. Should you want to schedule a session at your agency or in your community, please contact the PEERS Program Developer, Lisle Boomer at 510-832-7337 or lisle@peersnet.org.

What Happened To My Benefits? Lisle Boomer

Have you figured out what happened to your SSI benefits? Why is your check smaller? What happened to your ability to visit a dentist or get eyeglasses through Medi-Cal? Have these changes affected your wellness? If you experienced any difficulties you are not alone! This year the California legislature made tremendous cuts to services for people with disabilities. Here is what happened. If you received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in January 2009 your check was $907. The budget the legislature passed in February cut your SSI. Beginning May 1, 2009 you received $870, a reduction of $37 per month. The next cut went into effect July 1, 2009, bringing SSI payments down another $20 to $850. The budget passed in July cut SSI once again. Beginning October 1, 2009 checks will be reduced another $5 to $845. The total reduction is $62 or 6.8% of your monthly SSI benefit check.

Why may the California legislature reduce SSI, a Federal benefit? The legislature originally added funds to SSI because of the high living costs in California. Certain healthcare services are not covered anymore. The federal government allowed these health services to be covered on an optional basis by states. States are not mandated or obligated to provide them, so out they went this year in California. The services that were discontinued are Optometry (eyeglasses/contacts/vision exams), Audiology (hearing tests), Podiatry (foot care), adult Dental and Psychological (visiting a psychologist), Speech Therapy, Incontinence Creams Washes, acupuncture and chiropractic treatments.

Peers Envisioning & Engaging in Recovery Services knows the disastrous effect of these cuts. WRAP participants focus on the Five Key Recovery Concepts: Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy and Support. Honoring these Concepts, PEERS introduced a series of Benefits Workshops in July, August and September to assist folks to navigate these changes and discuss what might be done to continue living in wellness. PEERS is committed to helping the Alameda County Community explore living in Wellness & Recovery.

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“Being my WRAP”by Rosa Warder

My name is Rosa Warder; I serve as the Manager for the Office of Family Relations for Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services. This summer I had the opportunity to grow in ways that I had no previous frame of reference for; it was the Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) facilitators five-day training offered by PEERS.

I have had an interest in WRAP for nearly a decade, and as a Family Partner, I always thought that WRAP was a tool we needed as family members. It seemed to me that supporting a loved one in their recovery meant that I needed to be as well as possible too.

I read the “red book” and went on the Copeland Center web site, and developed a plan for myself. Among other things, I am the mother of a young person who had been diagnosed with “serious emotional disturbance.” This label seriously disturbed me, and I felt that my family were in just as much crisis as my son. The plan helped, a lot.

This summer’s facilitator training took me from “having a WRAP” to “being my WRAP”. I was challenged in every way: the knowledge base, facilitation skills, truly listening, holding everyone in their upmost high regard, and most profoundly, holding my truth at all times under whatever circumstances showed up. Layers were peeled back and un-comfort zones were created to accomplish this.

I am so grateful for the week, our crew, and the growth we experienced together. Now I’m honing my skills to be able to facilitate WRAP for family members in our recently opened Family Education and Resource Centers. Of course, my WRAP is a living document, it reminds me to “Breathe” when I flip open my cell phone, it includes sticky notes on my dashboard telling me to go to the gym, take my vitamins, and laugh every

day, and it lives on my screen saver with the message “Journal out loud!”.

Yes, the five-day WRAP facilitation training is hard work, emotional, and tests your ability to not run fleeing from the room, and for me, it was one of the best weeks in my life. Thank you PEERS and the Copeland Center for letting me have “another great opportunity for learning.”

Hello!By Tracy Love, Program Administrator

Hello all, I am the newest member of Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS). As Program Administrator, I will be committed to promoting wellness, recovery and resiliency to all individuals in our community. I look forward to meeting you as we all engage in the work of living in wellness. I have included some information about myself. I graduated from the SPIRIT (Service Provider Individual Recovery Intensive Training) program in Contra Costa County in 2003 were I learned to empower and advocate for myself and others. I also became involved in Wellness and Recovery on local, state and national levels.

My passion for advocacy became stronger, as did I. I discovered a strong voice as a Consumer Stakeholder/Advisor in the Mental Health Services Act process for Contra Costa County in 2005. I am a member of statewide initiatives by serving on the Stigma and Discrimination Advisory Workgroup and the Client and Family Leadership Committee. I also serve on the Crisis Intervention Training Panel in Contra Costa County.

I believe that the people of Alameda County are enriched by having PEERS and

the services they provide for the community. I myself, thrive by focusing on living well and discovering my inner strengths which allow for recovery. I’m happy to be working here, and look forward to helping PEERS. reach our

future goals.

How I Came to PEERS Lisle Boomer

Here’s how I got to PEERS, in January 2007 I began volunteering for Disability Rights California, while volunteering for the Peer Self Advocacy unit Amy Breckenridge and Sharon Schimdt suggested I talk with Jay Mahler. Jay encouraged me to join the pool of consumer champions, where I heard about the Bestnow program, and got into the 2008-09 class. I did my BestNow internship at PEERS and went through their WRAP certification training. When the job announcement for Program Developer was posted, I applied for the position and was hired, and that’s the short version of how I became the program developer at PEERS.

For more information on Tracy Love, Lisle Boomer, or any of the PEERS staff,

visit us online at www.peersnet.org.

APOLOGYIn our efforts to combat stigma and

discrimination against individuals with mental health challenges, it is prudent for

PEERS to address last quarter’s newsletter quote by Seal attached to the spirituality

article. This quote does not represent PEERS views or beliefs and was

inappropriate to print. We addressed the issue with the individual involved and

apologize for the misrepresentation. Being aware and sensitive of the language we use is one of the first steps in reducing mental

health stigma and discrimination.