intouch fall 2015

InTouch With our Donors, Volunteers and Friends

Common Ground offers Choices, Broad Continuum of Care to Those in Crisis Sometimes, when individuals arrive at Common Ground for help during a mental health crisis, their only expectation is to be hospitalized. But according to Lynne Stillwell, associate manager of OACIS, the agency offers much more than that. In fact, Common Ground provides a broad continuum of programs and services that are designed especially to help individuals learn to manage their own challenges, develop coping strategies and continue to live independently in the community. “Hospitalizing people doesn’t necessarily deal with the crisis they’re having and it doesn’t give them any coping skills,” explained Stillwell. “It’s a respite from the crisis but the crisis is still there when they get out of the hospital. Sometimes a less restrictive and more supportive intervention is by far more beneficial in helping individuals deal with their crisis.” When an individual comes to Common Ground for help, the goal is to work with that person to find out which services will be appropriate for them. That may or may not include a recommendation for hospitalization. “Just lifting someone out of something does not necessarily teach them how to cope better or how to make better choices,” Stillwell said. “We don’t do assessments for hospitalization, we do assessments to find out what level of support a person would most benefit from. Then we help them select from our continuum of services the best supports to help them move from crisis to hope and continue to live their own lives.” Sometimes it is determined that a person can benefit from multiple services. For example, a person may be connected to the Oakland Crisis Intervention and Recovery Team (OCIRT) and also get accepted into The Retreat, the agency’s Crisis Residential Unit. The individual may meet with a certified peer support specialist, and connect with OCIRT. Sometimes it is determined that a person has had some kind of recent trauma in their life and is connected with the Victim Assistance Program (VAP). “For somebody whose emotional or mental health symptoms are just totally imbalanced and they need that for safety or for emergency medication reviews, then the hospital is the right place to be,” explained Stillwell. “But if it’s something that can be handled through our continuum of care, that’s a much better intervention than putting them in the hospital. Hospitalizing someone is the most restrictive action we can use and we try to use it well, but use it less often because it is not the best way to help people cope with their crisis.” Hospital emergency rooms are for medical emergencies, according to Stillwell. If someone goes to the emergency room and says they want to kill themselves, doctors will fill out a petition and send them to Common Ground’s Resource and Crisis Center (RCC) because mental health professionals are best equipped to handle that type of emergency. By contrast, if someone arrives at the RCC and has chest pain, they will be sent to an emergency room because doctors are best equipped to handle that type of emergency. Hospitalizing people is not Common Ground’s primary function. “We are here to support people and work with them to determine what level of care they need and might benefit from,” said Stillwell. “Everybody is appropriate for us—there is no wrong door or wrong person. Come on in and talk to us and we will figure out how we can support you.” (See Common Ground’s Resource and Crisis Center’s Continuum of Services graphic on page 2).

If you need help, call Common Ground’s 24-hour Resource and Crisis Helpline at 800-231-1127 or text weekdays, 4-10p.m. at 800-231-1127.

We listen, we care, we help...24-hours a day, 7 days a week Fall, 2015

InTouch 5

Common Ground Legacy Society Members

Administration

1410 S. Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 248-456-8150

Crisis Intervention & Recovery Team

1063 Professional Dr. Suite D-4 Flint, MI 48532

810-496-4935

Retreat Crisis Residential Unit

(Call the Resource and Crisis Center for admittance).

Resource and Crisis Center

1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Bldg. 32E Pontiac, MI 48341

248-451-2600

Sanctuary Youth Shelter, A Step Forward and Graduated Apt. Program

1222 S. Washington, Royal Oak, MI 48067 248-547-2260

For help in a crisis, call the 24-hour Resource & Crisis Helpline at 1-800-231-1127 or visit www.commongroundhelps.org; text us M-F, 4-10pm @ 1-800-231-1127

LEGACY PARTNERS Lorrie D’Angelo

Fred Fechheimer Rita Margherio

Mind Over Matter Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Maggie Allesee Debbie & Richard Astrein

Tom & Carol Beeler The City of Birmingham

Donald & Susan Campbell The Chadwick Group P.C. Howard & Judith Christie

William Cousins Horace & Lorrie D’Angelo Trust

Jane Dallas Dean P. Darby

Marjorie DeCapite Gary Dembs & Jan Weiss Dembs

Dr. Shari & Eric Dobrusin Debbie & John M. Erb

The Fred A. & Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation

Myron Frasier Dr. Howard & Pola Friedman

The Harold & Marion Gordon Family Global Office Solutions

Jeanne P. Hackett Sylvia & Edward Hagenlocker

Ann Hartzell-Kneen Sandy & Michael Hermanoff

Robert & Diane Horstman Connie & Len Johnston

Dr. Paula Jorné Timothy & Karen Kelly

Ellen Kock, PhD James Kohlenberg, M.D. Vickie & Rhein Krigner

LymTal International, Inc. Steven & Sara Majoros

Mike & Cathy McNamara Mara McNeill

The Honorable Fred Mester Jerome & Deborah Moceri Mr. & Mrs. Neill Murphy

Scott Murphy Oakland Civic Charities Foundation

Patterson-Bryant Healthcare

Solutions Heather Rae

John & Julie Roberts Cheryl Rossman

Tony Rothschild &Mona Scott Christine & Dennis Ruen

Jim & Cindy Scoggin Dr. Edward & Dr. Kathleen Sheridan Robert F. Smith & Sharon Noll Smith

Lynne & William Treharne Michael & Karen Valentino

Rebecca Vlasic Kay White

Sue and Gary Willick Michael & Gail Whitty

Wally Prechter & The World Heritage Foundation

YOUR NAME GOES HERE

LEGACY LEADERS

LEGACY BENEFACTOR Kemp Klein Foundation

InTouch5 InTouch

With our Donors, Volunteers and Friends

1410 S. Telegraph Road Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302

Administration 248-456-8150

24-hour Crisis and Resource Helpline 248-456-0909 or 800-231-1127

Web Site www.commongroundhelps.org

In Touch Editor Lenda Jackson, Director of Communications Our Core Purpose is: Helping people move from crisis to hope. We listen, we care, we help 24-hours a day

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Royal Oak, MI Permit No. 853

COMMON GROUND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Kay White, Board Chair Doug Wright, Chair-Elect

Judy Christie, Secretary Laurie Marshall, Treasurer

Cathy McNamara, Immediate Past Chair

Barbara Belkiewicz • Gary Dembs • Eric Dobrusin Fred Fechheimer • Myron Frasier • Eric Hawkins

Bob Horstman • Paula Jorné, PhD • Dr. James Kohlenberg Darren Lubbers, PhD • Lisa Mason • Sharon R. McMurray

Gregory Moore • Rita Patel • Gary Robb • Chris Ruen Al Sasson • Nicole Sherard-Freeman

Colette Stimmell • Kevin B. Williams

Heather Rae President & CEO

Tony Rothschild CEO Emeritus

COMMON GROUND ADVISORY BOARD

Maggie Allesee • Richard Astrein Sheriff Michael Bouchard • Jerry Cavellier • Joe Donovan

John Erb • Maxine Frankel • Eugene Hartwig Howard Hertz • Helen Holmes • Rita Margherio Hon. Fred Mester • Jerome Moceri • Hubert Price

John Roberts • Shelley Roberts • Hon. Edward Sosnick

COMMON GROUND Legacy Circle

Founding Members

Gary Dembs Adrienne Marie Johnson

Tony Rothschild Edward E. Snyder

Kay White Gail & Michael Whitty

Common Ground leads the nation with its resource and crisis intervention model. We’re crafting brighter futures—one life at a time. But we need your help to ensure that we continue to be there for those who need us far into the future. We invite you to become a part of our Legacy Circle! Make yours a more lasting legacy by adding Common Ground to your will or trust with a charitable bequest. It’s an easy way to help us keep crafting brighter futures for generations to come! For information on how you can make a charitable bequest to Common Ground, call 248-456-8150.

InTouch 3

Common Ground Welcomes New Members to Leadership Team

Common Ground welcomes three new employees to its leadership team: Diane Cartwright, director of Crisis and Advocacy; Kyle Glasgow, director of Mission Impact and Data Analysis and Todd Reid, director of OACIS.

As director of Crisis and Advocacy, Diane Cartwright oversees Triage, Shared Clinicians, the Liaison Team, Victims Assistance Program, Runaway and Homeless Youth Services, the Resource and Crisis Helpline and Resource and Crisis Center Lobby Welcoming Specialists. Prior to joining Common Ground, Cartwright held numerous positions in the mental health field including associate director, clinical supervisor, mental health therapist and treatment manager in the non-profit as well as

the for- profit sector. She received undergraduate and master’s degrees in social work from Wayne State University, with a concentration in Family Systems. Additionally, she has credentials as a qualified clinical social worker from the National Association of Social Workers. Cartwright is not new to Common Ground. She interned with the agency’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Program while working on her undergraduate degree in social work. She was so impressed with her experience that she encouraged her teenage daughter to seek employment at The Sanctuary for her first job. “Returning to Common Ground after working at The Sanctuary years ago feels like I have come full circle,” Cartwright said. “There is great symmetry in my partnership with Common Ground and I look forward to supporting the agency’s mission of helping people move from crisis to hope.”

Kyle Glasgow joined Common Ground as director of Mission Impact and Data Analysis about two months ago. He is responsible for managing the agency’s policies and procedure system, managing professional accreditations for the agency, overseeing recipient rights issues and using data to determine the effectiveness of agency programs.

A clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience, Glasgow was a clinical supervisor at the Neighborhood Service Organization for 10 years prior to joining Common Ground. He has also done work with computer data bases and data analysis and hopes to use that experience to make data more easily available to the organization. “I’m working on making practical information like productivity levels and recidivism rates easier to access and using the data we collect to measure Common Ground’s impact on the community,” he said. Glasgow has a

doctorate in clinical psychology from the Michigan School of Professional Psychology. Todd Reid is the agency’s director of OACIS (Oakland Assessment and Crisis Intervention Services). He is responsible for making sure the agency’s recovery oriented face-to-face emergency assessments, crisis interventions, peer support and stabilization services are running smoothly. “Part of my job is working with hospitals and keeping the lines of communication open with the people that we work with there because we rely on them and they rely on us. The other part is operations—making sure that things within the program are running smoothly and efficiently,” he said. Reid brings a wealth of professional and personal experience to the position. “I think what I bring to the table is a culmination of different lifetime experiences, including a leadership style that allows me to connect, support and work effectively with all kinds of people —especially staff, and a broad educational background.” Prior to joining Common Ground, Reid was a dual diagnosis therapist at Community Care Services and later clinical director of all their programs, including substance abuse programs aimed at individuals in correctional facilities. Reid has special empathy for those dealing with substance abuse issues. “I have been in recovery myself for 19 years, so I think that gives me an advantage in understanding the challenges people facing this issue are going through.” Reid has an associate degree from Northern Michigan University, a bachelor’s degree in social work from Madonna University and a master’s degree in social work from Wayne State University. He is also a trained and certified chef. Reid is excited about all the possibilities at Common Ground. “Our ultimate goal for the people we serve is to get them back to a sense of they are part of the community and that’s the bottom line.”

242424---Hour Resource & Crisis HelplineHour Resource & Crisis HelplineHour Resource & Crisis Helpline 800800800---231231231---112711271127

The Crisis Text Line number is now 800800800---231231231---112711271127

Resource & Crisis Helpline & Crisis Text Line are linked.

Former Retreat Guest is Grateful to Common Ground

InTouch 4

Edward Ewing looks and feels great. But just a few months ago he was in a bad place and did not know what to do about it. He had spent time at an inpatient detox facility to try to get his life and addictions under control. “When I left there I was like Mr. Recovery,” he said. “But I relapsed within a week.” Ewing remembers it being about six weeks after leaving that facility and hitting “rock bottom” that he came to Common Ground and was lucky enough to get a bed in the agency’s Crisis Residential Unit, known as The Retreat. He initially felt alone, sick and didn’t know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. “I thought it was going to be a dump-- like an impersonal homeless shelter, but when I got there I had my own room, a private bathroom, there were televisions, computers and the staff was so kind. Right away I started to feel better and got very comfortable,” Ewing said. He was even more impressed with the meals there. “The food was unbelievable! They had

a chef and they served salad and real food—not stuff from a box. That all adds to your mood—you start feeling better. I was eating well so I felt good and I used the gym to exercise. I didn’t want to leave!” Compared to his stay at the in-patient facility, Common Ground’s Retreat was almost like a vacation. Ewing liked having choices and he felt more relaxed, which made him feel open to participating in group sessions and other forms of therapy. “You didn’t have to go to the groups but I went. I didn’t have to go to the AA meeting but I went, and I never thought I’d be coloring but I did that too and found it to be really relaxing.” He found the group meetings beneficial and liked how staff members talked about themselves as individuals and shared personal stories. “Most if not all of them had been through mental health challenges themselves and they made you feel like they understood what you’re going through because they’ve been there themselves.” Finding it a refreshing change, Ewing really connected with the art therapy during his stay. “As addicts, we’re always destroying things and we don’t create anything but a mess, he admitted. “It’s nice to create something even if it’s a picture. In addition to his addictions, Ewing was very depressed, had anxiety and couldn’t sleep. He felt those issues had not been dealt with at the in-patient facility. “Here, I met with a psychiatrist and he gave me medication to help deal with my issues and met with me a couple times a week. I felt I was finally getting help in that area because ultimately it leads a person back to drugs when they aren’t sleeping and having panic attacks.” Ewing can’t say enough about the kindness of Common Ground’s staff. On his last day, he had an appointment with an addiction specialist but didn’t have transportation. That’s when Common Ground staff sprang into action. “Everyone was running around trying to find me a ride—I mean they were taking up a collection to get me a cab—that’s how much they cared about getting me to this doctor.” To Ewing’s amazement, an agency employee came to his rescue. “The chef (Eric Stillwell) actually said he’d drive me. We had a nice conversation on the way and he was very encouraging.” During his stay at Common Ground, Ewing made a decision. “Something snapped when I was in there and I don’t know what it was, I just knew that when I got out I was not going back to drugs.” Since his release, Ewing has been doing well, but knows there may be challenges ahead. “It’s not easy,” he admitted. “The urges are still there and you just have to learn how to deal with that. Even though I’m feeling good and doing positive things, I know if something goes wrong, I can call Common Ground.”

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intouch fall 2015

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