State of Vermont’s Post

It has been a big week in the Social Health sphere... and it's only Tuesday! This morning, I had the delight of chatting with a representative of Pittsburgh Tomorrow about what the region needs to attract and retain residents and how Pittsburgh Social Health might supplement these efforts. It is heartening to know that many PGH community members are invested in making our city more welcoming and engaging, and I look forward to seeing what we accomplish as a collective. This afternoon, I also tuned into the 2024 Global Loneliness Awareness Summit hosted by The Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness & The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Each session was chock full of valuable prompts and insights into how we can tackle loneliness as a nation - and why it matters. The reality is this: many of us feel that social isolation and loneliness is a personal issue or shortcoming, but that could not be further from the truth. Loneliness is an experience that we will likely all have at some point(s) in our lives, regardless of political party, age, location, class, race, spiritual affiliation, etc. The more that we can recognize loneliness as a cue to prioritize social connection, the better we can set ourselves up for resilience and moving forward. As we observe #GlobalLonelinessAwarenessWeek from June 10-16th, I hope that these conversations, on the local and national level, begin to change the culture around seeking connection and prioritizing our social health. P.S. !! Today also marks the 7-day countdown to Kasley Killam, MPH's book release for "The Art and Science of Connection," which I cannot wait to get my hands on! In a culture that heavily emphasizes individual improvement, it is refreshing to see the importance of interpersonal connection being highlighted. Looking forward to diving in on 6/18! 📖 #globalonelinessawarenessweek #endloneliness #socialhealth #socialconnection

Looking for the latest insights in the construction industry? Check out our blog for informative posts on everything from career tips to mental health support!  Discover how our CIOB membership showcases our commitment to ethical values, read about our innovative projects in education, and learn more about our new office space that's designed to help us grow. Read more here https://lnkd.in/erQzqRrk Stay informed, stay inspired!  #ConstructionNews #HawesConstructionGroup #IndustryInsights 

💫 Bridging the Gap at Open Door Living Association, Inc 💫 At Open Door Living Association, bridging the gap means more than just offering support—it's about empowering communities. Here's how we do it: 1. Community Engagement: We conduct thorough community assessments to identify specific mental health needs and challenges. 2. Cultural Competency: Our team undergoes extensive training to ensure cultural sensitivity in service delivery, addressing nuances and preferences. 3. Evidence-Based Practices: We implement interventions backed by rigorous research, ensuring effectiveness and positive outcomes. 4. Collaborative Partnerships: We team up with local organizations and stakeholders to expand our reach and maximize resources. 5. Accessibility Initiatives: From language interpretation services to transportation assistance, we remove logistical barriers to access. 6. Psychoeducation Workshops: We offer workshops and seminars to educate communities about mental health, reducing stigma and increasing awareness. 7. Support Groups: We facilitate peer support groups, providing safe spaces for individuals to share experiences and coping strategies. 8. Telehealth Services: Leveraging technology, we provide remote counseling sessions, increasing accessibility for those in remote or underserved areas. 9. Outcome Evaluation: We continuously evaluate our programs to assess impact and identify areas for improvement, ensuring we meet the evolving needs of our communities. 10. Research Partnerships: We collaborate with academic institutions to conduct research on community mental health disparities, driving evidence-based policy and practice. #BridgingTheGap #CommunitySupport #ResearchInAction #OpenDoorLivingAssociation #Detroit

How would you describe the link between a stable home, mental health, and secure employment? Last week I met an inspiring woman who is helping to put productive heart-driven people back to work in jobs they care about. Liz Fritz Susla showed me how Pathway Homes, Inc. is accomplishing this by giving them safe housing and access to #mentalHealth care until they can stand again on their own. https://lnkd.in/eepHWmfh 7 other service programs, with an assigned case worker, make this reliable routine of care something that builds a pattern of caring for themselves and others around them. #resilience 🌟 A Continuum of Care is the key to this: Psychoeducation and skills that will help them stand on their own through daily living, medication management, and even learning how to provide support for each other. (see slide in the comments) 💓 In the case of those who have diminished capabilities or cognitive impairment, this may become a long-term stable housing arrangement where the homes are in a group for assisted living. 🚧I have personally known mature responsible adults that have willfully chosen their CAR as their home, because moving closer to a stable job with medical coverage was MORE IMPORTANT to them than a warm BED. Or staying in someone's basement on their sofa until they could get things back together. President Sylisa Lambert-Woodard sees the wider impact from helping those who are unsheltered or in "precarious living arrangements": "Ensuring that people struggling with behavioral health challenges can live their best lives is an investment in the health of the whole community." 👏 👏 👏 #communityWellness #mentalHealthMatters 👉 Follow Scott every Saturday for more like this. And throughout the week to see the connection #mentalHealthAwareness has to #organizationalDevelopment and #employeeEngagement Tap the bell 🔔 on my profile so you don't miss any of the free content and resources that will help you tie those threads together.

Dear All, I am so excited to announce the publication of my final PhD article:) In this article, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Jonathan Tritter, and I am deeply grateful for his valuable insights and contributions. This article offers a unique perspective on the profound implications of employing individuals with first-hand experiences of mental health and substance use as peer workers (PWs). Employing PW is a relatively new practice in the Norwegian health and welfare context, and their roles are not clearly defined. Through a qualitative approach, the study investigates PW's influence on mental health and substance use services as perceived by managers, health professionals, and peer workers. PWs use their firsthand experience as service users to influence the service. They are often acknowledged as knowledgeable experts by both managers and their health professional colleagues. Commonly, they act as boundary spanners linking service users, providers, and the service system and can catalyze workplace cultural change. However, several conditions influence their ability to assume empowered co-production roles, which you can read more about in our article.

I have found as a Counsellor that by being with my peers, brings a real sense of we’re all in this together. They just ‘get it’. We’re humans first, then therapists. We spend a lot of our time ‘holding’ our clients, working to support them with their needs/goals. Our work is incredibly rewarding, but we also need to have space to feel held, supported, heard and validated. 👉🏼 I don’t need to explain what I do for my job. 👉🏼 I feel a real sense of ease to be in their company. 👉🏼 it’s a relief to know that I’m not alone with the juggling that comes with running a practice while looking after my family. 👉🏼 it brings light-heartedness, openness and honesty. 👉🏼 I’ve had some of the most ‘realest’ conversations with my peers, less ‘small talk’ more let’s get real talk. 👉🏼 It’s feeling connected and part of a special community that not everyone will understand. It’s refreshing, it’s open, it’s warts and all, it’s being human ❤️ P.s We do have space for peer support/CPD groups at our therapy services in Hove, check out our space here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e5ypMaG3 How do you feel being around and connected with your peers? Let’s share in the comments 👇🏼 #peersupport #privatepractice #counsellors #psychotherapists #connection #community

Absolutely loved the panel discussion today at University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre. For me, the main take away is the notion of "connection", being to: 1. Connect with those with diverse identities to ensure representation is achieved in strategies and support. This includes connecting with those who have lived experience, in regional and rural Australia and who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to inform policy, social and healthcare services and support. 2. Connect with organisations within the health and social sectors to ensure we are working towards a common goal of improving our ecosystem to better support the mental health and wellbeing of our populations. An example is seen in the recent partnership of Beyond Blue and Lifeline Australia to support people across the mental health continuum, from prevention to intervention and postvention services. 3. Connect with our local communities to build stronger societal infrastructure, including improved support for our vulnerable populations (such as those who are homeless, youth, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders), and social connection programs to foster a culture of honest connection with community members. 4. Connect with the land around us. Nature is a powerful tool in improving mental health and wellbeing - we can learn a few things from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachings and practices. #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthagenda #universityofsydney #brainandmindcentre #connection #prevention #treatment #intervention #connect #socialconnection

The first question we ask about a public policy when we analyze it is this: does it work? New research suggests "wraparound services"--providing a range of services to people who are at risk or receiving one type of support--at least improve employment prospects. Check out more information in my new blog post.

Lived experience in #mentalhealth. Here we make recommendations for areas of learning and unlearning ingrained bias/ assumptions which may be detrimental to integration of lived experience workforces and greater adoption of recovery-orientated services. Led by first author Verity Reeves

https://lnkd.in/eu-3WUeM So proud of what is being achieved in the third sector in Lincoln with regard to mental health challenges.