Cenpatico Blog

“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.”
– Former President Bill Clinton

I read a wonderful article this weekend about Army Major General David Blackledge who served our country in Iraq but came home suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).* There is nothing unique about this; according to the article an estimate 20% of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will return to the U.S. suffering from anxiety and major depression disorders. I don’t have the statistics, but I am certain the numbers for those coming home with substance use disorders will be high as well. But, what is unique about Maj. Gen. Blackledge is that he successfully underwent treatment and then has been openly talking about his successful treatment, as he did for this article in the Associated Press.

We are a culture that has a propensity to stigmatize and our greatest weapon against stigma around mental illness and substance use disorders is for people like Blackledge to openly talk to others about their experience. All the public service announcements, national walks and research I believe cannot do as much to fight this stigma as much as people willing to come forward and tell their story. So, as I write this on Veteran’s Day, I am grateful not only for the service by our brave men and women in the armed forces, but also grateful for this brave soldier. Let’s honor Blackledge not only for his service to our country, but also his service in helping all who suffer from mental illness to overcome their personal sense of shame. He is twice the hero in my book.

I would like to hear from you: What do you think we need to do to overcome stigma in this country?

*”General bucks culture of silence on mental health”; P. Jelinek, Associated Press, 11/8/2008

This entry is filed under Blog.

Essential Learning Proceeds from Course Purchases on CEQuick on Veterans Day Will Go to The Wounded Warrior Project

Mark your calendar to purchase continuing education courses on CEQuick on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11 to support The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Essential Learning will donate our CEQuick revenue on Veterans Day to this worthwhile organization which offers a number of rehabilitative, educational, employment and community building programs for veterans and their family members beyond a veteran’s hospital stay.

We enthusiastically support this cause and hope you will too! You will not only be supporting our wounded veterans with every purchase of a continuing education course but also sharpening your skills to help those you serve.

Courses purchased on Veterans Day can be accessed for an unlimited period time – no need to complete the courses that day.

Visit CEQuick on Veterans Day for a Free Continuing Education Course

Essential Learning will provide a free course in honor of Veterans Day – Military Cultural Competence which was developed in collaboration with the Center for Deployment Psychology, a Department of Defense training consortium. This free course will be available Nov 10-14. Use discount code vet08. Click here instructions on how to access.

CEQuick provides a comprehensive library of more than 400 accredited online courses on clinical and compliance topics and more than 50 hours of courses to improve your knowledge base in working with veterans, military personnel and their families. Topics include suicide prevention, post traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, adjustment to civilian life and the impact of deployment.

Click Here to View Essential Learning’s Entire Library

Click Here for a List of Essential Learning’s Veterans Curriculum

Course Are Available for Free to Essential Learning Customers

Additional Resources to Reach Out to Veterans

Build Your Own WRAP® for Veterans

Build Your Own WRAP®, a self-help tool geared especially to veterans, features a self-paced video of Mary Ellen Copeland working with a veterans group and specific content, scenarios and guidance offered for veterans. Click here for more information.

If your agency is interested in subscribing to this service, click here to request a demo.

NAMI Releases PTSD Brochure

Another excellent resource available is the new brochure on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment and recovery from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Go to www.nami.org/PTSD to download or purchase copies. This brochure is intended to help individuals experiencing symptoms or diagnosed with the illness, along with their families and caregivers.

www.EssentialLearning.com www.Cequick.com

This entry is filed under News.

Cenpatico Marcom is looking for volunteers to join us in supporting the 20th Annual Children Giving to Children Parade – an Austin holiday tradition!

Toys collected during the parade support Austin Police Department’s Operation Blue Santa which distributes hundreds of thousands of toys and food for Central Texas families and children in need.

This year’s parade is scheduled for Saturday, November 29th at 11am on Congress Avenue.

Volunteering is easy – just email Ashley Doran by noon Friday if you would like to participate with the date of the training that you would like to attend:

Tuesday November 11- Chuy’s Arbor Trails 9:00 P.M
Wed November 12 – Chuy’s 183- 3:00 P.M.
Sat November 15- Chuy’s 183 9:00 A.M.
Monday November 17- Chuy’s North Lamar 8:30 P.M.
Wed November 19- Chuy’s Barton Springs 9:00 P.M.
Sat November 22- Chuy’s Round Rock 9:00 A.M.

This entry is filed under News.

“Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote.” – William E. Simon

I love elections and love the process, long and arduous as it might be. There is no greater opportunity to recognize and appreciate the fact that Americans really can choose the direction of their government. Every forecast is that today will result in the highest voter turnout in decades, possibly one for the record books. If you succumb to the apathy that many Americans do by telling yourself “my vote doesn’t matter”, then you have only helped to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I hope that you will make your voice heard and that as you consider your candidates of choice that you consider the following issues:

Where do the candidates stand on the issue of health care? What is their involvement and voting record?

Specifically, have the candidates you are considering been champions for fighting for the funding for research and treatment of mental illness and substance use disorders? A good place to start is to take a look at your candidates voting record on the recently passed “parity law” or the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (H.R. 1424).

And another good question: what have the candidates done to fight the stigma surrounding mental illness and substance use disorders?

We all have our important issues that we consider when voting. Don’t forget to vote for candidates who support behavioral health recovery and wellness!

Get out and vote! No excuses. It is your responsibility if you are going to participate in a Democracy!

This entry is filed under Blog.

ARIZONA – On Wednesday, October 8, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano along with Senator Rebecca Rios, Representative Barbara McGuire, Health Director January Contreras, and Casa Grande Mayor Bob Jackson toured Sun Life’s Casa Grande facility.

The tour was followed by an informal health issues roundtable focusing on “Kids as a Basis for Developing a Healthy Community.”

Joining Sun Life and the Governor in the roundtable discussion were CEO of Cenpatico Arizona Terry Stevens, Director of the Pinal Division of Public Health Tom Schryer, Pinal Regional Coordinator Aimee Kempton-Sarosi, Pinal Regional Coalition Chair Chair Barbara Mezzio, and Empowerment Systems Project Manager Russell Smith.

The Governor lead discussions of four key topics: Immunization, Access to Care (AHCCCS/KidsCare), Oral Health, and Community Collaboration.

“It’s always a pleasure to visit this part of Pinal County,” Governor Napolitano said. “I’m impressed by the good work and good thinking that is occuring at the Sun Life Center.”

-Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2008

This entry is filed under News.