September is National Recovery Month, and it’s a good time to talk about substance use disorders (commonly referred to as “drug or alcohol addiction”) and mental health so we can help fight the stigma associated with these diseases. The more comfortable people are about talking about these conditions, the more likely they will seek treatment. Continue reading “September is National Recovery Month: Can you help reduce the stigma of substance-use disorder?”
The Department of Health and Welfare is pleased to announce that Pathways Community Crisis Center is on track to open in early December in Boise. Pathways of Idaho has been awarded the contract to operate the community crisis center, which is the fourth to open in the state.
“Community crisis centers are critical access points to services for individuals experiencing a mental health or substance-use crisis,” said DHW Director Russ Barron. “Pathways Community Crisis Center will fill a much-needed service gap in the Treasure Valley, and I am grateful for the Legislative and community support for all of the community crisis centers across the state.”
The crisis center will provide assessment, intervention, and referral services to individuals 18 years and older who are experiencing a crisis related to mental health or substance-use disorders. The facility, at 7192 Potomac Drive, Boise, is centrally positioned and accessible by public transportation.
The overarching goal of the crisis center is to work collaboratively with local law enforcement, hospitals, social service entities, and other community partners to provide a supportive and more cost-effective approach to crisis services. Services will be available around the clock 365 days a year and will be accessed either by self-referral or referral by family, friends, law enforcement, or other concerned community members. Continue reading “Pathways Community Crisis Center set to open in December”
May is national Mental Health Awareness month, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is joining with Idaho Regional Behavioral Health Boards around the state to commend individuals who have worked hard to reduce the stigma around mental health and volunteered in their communities to inspire hope, recovery and resiliency.
The winner of IDHW’s first-annual Voice of Idaho award, Lisa Koller, is one of those individuals. Part of her journey to recovery and dedicating her life to helping others with mental illness was inspired by receiving help from an Idaho peer support specialist after she graduated from Mental Health Court in 2007. Lisa now works as a peer support specialist and recovery coach at The Center for HOPE recovery center in Idaho Falls.
Read more below about Idaho’s program of certified peer support specialists from Idaho Division of Behaviorial Health Administrator Ross Edmunds, and Lisa Koller’s personal story of her struggles with substance use disorder and mental illness as recounted in her own words: Continue reading “Voice of Idaho award winner Lisa Koller: “Today my life is to help people overcome the stigma””
Recovery efforts in Idaho would not be successful without the important leadership, passion, and hard work of some tireless people in communities around the state. Those individuals were honored and recognized today at a celebration of recovery awareness in the Lincoln Auditorium at the State Capitol.
Idaho named its first Champion of Recovery as well as Advocates for Recovery from around the state. They all were nominated by their communities.
Champion Darrell Keim was chosen for his work in the “development, formation and realization of the Latah Recovery Center in Moscow.” His nomination called him “the face of the recovery community in our rural college community.”
“I’m deeply honored by the recognition,” Keim said. “Our whole committee has worked hard on this project.”
The Latah Recovery Center opened in September 2015. Continue reading “Idaho honors its first Champion and Advocates for Recovery”
September is National Recovery Month, and it’s a good time to talk about mental illness and substance use disorders so we can help fight the stigma associated with them. The more comfortable people are about talking about those conditions, the more likely they will seek treatment. You can support recovery publicly by attending a celebration of recovery at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the Lincoln Auditorium at the Idaho Statehouse. Lt. Gov. Brad Little will present a proclamation and Idaho’s first Champion of Recovery will be presented with an award.
How do we know if someone is in recovery?
Recovery is an ongoing process that includes a person’s entire mental well-being, and how well they can function on a daily basis. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight and it’s not guaranteed that someone will stay in recovery once they’ve achieved it. It is a life-long process that depends on many things, including robust recovery support systems. People who have a good support system are better able to maintain recovery. Continue reading “It’s National Recovery Month. Will you help reduce stigma?”
DHW Voice 