June 02, 2008 - Vol 2, Issue 7
2nd Annual GMHA Conference Draws 400+
Over 400 members of the Alliance and others came together for our Second Annual Conference. Robert Butler, the keynote, was terrific and we have been hearing very positive feedback about the high quality of the workshops and the important information gained. Many thanks to the planning committee, the volunteers, all the presenters, and to everyone who attended!
For those of you who were not able to attend, here are some of the highlights. Dr. Robert Butler of the International Longevity Center-USA, the keynote speaker, gave a compelling talk about why we must refine our approach to aging and the challenges that increased longevity will bring. Commissioner Michael Hogan, PhD from NYSOMH and Nicholas Rogone from NYSOFA shared the state's perspective on mental health and aging. The workshops included topics such as housing models for people with long- term psychiatric disabilities who are aging, addressing the needs of depressed older New Yorkers, information about the NYS geriatric mental health demonstration grantees, current and future state of geriatric mental health research, and barriers and strategies to addressing the mental health needs of elders of color - this resulted in the development of a Statewide Diversity Council on Geriatric Mental Health, which will have a particular focus on racism.
Please keep an eye out for the power-point presentations of some of the presenters. We plan to have links to them shortly.
We look forward to doing it again next year!
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Geriatric Mental Health Act Hearing
Representatives from the Offices of Mental Health and Aging testified about the work of the Interagency Geriatric Mental Health Planning Council, details of the demonstration grants, and other activities of the Offices related to geriatric mental health. In addition, the Offices of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services testified about collaborative work related to geriatric mental health between various state departments.
Some of the geriatric mental health demonstration grantees submitted written testimony or publicly testified about the importance of the legislation and the grant funding, the successful work they are doing with the funds, and the need for the state to invest more in geriatric mental health services.
Michael Friedman also testified about the significance of the legislation and demonstration grants, the need for a long-term geriatric mental health plan, and called on the administration and legislature to add more funding for geriatric behavioral health services. To read his testimony click here.
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Action Alert: Testify about Geriatric Mental Health Services and Planning
The Office of Mental Health is hosting two hearings on the Statewide Plan for Mental Health Services. This is an important opportunity to testify about the need for a long-term plan to address the needs of elders with mental disorders in NYS.
The hearings are taking place:
Thursday, June 5, 2008
1:00 - 3:00pm
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
998 Crooked Hill Road Building
102 Auditorium
West Brentwood, NY 11717 Y
ou must pre-register with the field office coordinator, Lisa Legendre -- (631) 761-2886 or pgaslxl@omh.state.ny.us
Friday, June 6, 2008
9:30am - 1:00pm
NYC Field Office
9th Floor, Conference Room A
330 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10001
You must pre-register with the field office coordinator, Curletta McClanhan-Michael -- (212) 330-1651 or cocbcmm@omh.state.ny.us
Please let us know if you plan to testify.
For more information about the hearing and the statewide comprehensive plan, click here.
On April 25, HUD issued a notice of funding availability for a new demonstration program for elderly housing for intergenerational families. Congress approved this demonstration in its FY07 HUD spending bill as a set-aside within the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program. This NOFA is only available to private nonprofit owners of Section 202 elderly housing projects.
The goal is to expand the supply of intergenerational dwelling units for very low-income grandparents or relatives who are heads of households 62 years of age or older and raising a child. Two to four grants will be awarded with a maximum individual award amount of $2 million. Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) funds are available for certain projects.
The nation's first ever new construction development for grandparents raising grandchildren was created by Network member, West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing. It is located in the South Bronx. Laura Jervis, the Executive Director has graciously offered to provide technical assistance to agencies that are considering applying for this grant. Contact: LJervis@wsfssh.org or (212) 721-6032 ext. 1000.
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Other Upcoming Events
June 4, 2008 - The Top Ten Ways to Help Your Aging Loved Ones Get the Medical Care They Need- even when you don't have a doctor in the family! presented by James Luciano, MD and sponsored by One Stop Senior Services. The event will be held from 06:00pm to 08:00pm at 747 Amsterdam Ave., 3rd Floor. A light dinner will be served. Please RSVP to Trudi Cohen at tcohen@onestopseniorservices.org or call her at (212) 864-7900 x18.
June 4, 2008 - Save the Date: Assessment and Treatment of Pain in Cognitively Impaired Older Adults presented by the Schervier Center for Research in Geriatric Care. Keynote speaker is internationally known expert in pain and pain management, Keela Herr, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Chair of the Adult and Gerontological Nursing Area at the University of Iowa. Other featured speakers include: Steven Grenell, MD, Jeffrey Nichols, MD, Terry Altilio, LCSW and Susan Caccappolo, LCSW. The event will be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York. The registration fee is $50.00. For more information, please contact Dr. Paulette Sansone at 718-432-1939 or e-mail paulette_sansone@bshsi.org.
June 13, 2008 - Jarvie Commonweal Service 13th Annual Colloquium - The Graying Elephant in the Room: Addictions, Dependence & Risky Behaviors in Older People. Morning Plenary, Afternoon Policy Panel and workshops to address a wide range of issues and topics focused on understanding, preventing, addressing and helping support older people who seek to make changes in their behavior related to alcohol, prescription drugs, illicit drugs, food, spending, gambling, sex, cigarettes, vitamins/health supplements, health "fixes," exercise, etc. The event will be held at The Interchurch Center, 475 Riverside Drive (120th Street) from 08:00am to 04:00pm. If you would like more information, please email june13@jarvie.org or call (212) 870-2967 with your name, title, agency, address, phone number and/or email address.
June 17-18th, 2008 - Save the Date: 12th Annual Aging Concerns Unite Us Conference at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, Albany, NY.
June 18, 2008 - Elder Abuse And The Family: Not A Private Matter. A multidisciplinary conference sponsored by JASA with keynote by Dr. Evan Stark, Ph.D., MSW, professor at the Rutgers Univ. School of Public Affairs and Administration and a founder of one of the nation's first shelters for battered women. The event will be held at the New School Institute for Retired Professionals, 66 West 12th St. from 08:30am to 03:00pm.
September 11, 2008 - Making Every Day Count: A Challenge for Geriatric Care Managers. An annual conference of the Greater New York Chapter of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. The keynote will be by David Spiegel, MD, Director of the Center on Stress and Health, Stanford University School of Medicine and Rona Bartelstone, LCSW, Founder and past President of NAPGCM. The event will be held at the Roosevelt Hotel, 45th & Madison Ave. from 08:30am - 04:30pm
September 13, 2008 - Save the Date: The Paradoxes of Aging: Psychotherapy with Older Adults A conference sponsored by The Met Chapter of the New York State Society of Clinical Social Workers and co- sponsored by the Geriatric Mental Health Alliance and Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service.
October 23-25, 2008 - Save-the-Date: State Society on Aging of New York 36th Annual Conference This year's theme is: Geriatric Mental Health: Practice, Research, Education, and Policy and the conference will be held at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Culturally Competent Practice: Integrative Model Serving Asians and Asian Americans Colloquium Series
The Institute of Community Health and Research (ICHR) and NYU's Silver School of Social Work (SSW) present a weekly colloquium series to discuss topics such as Mental Health and Psychosocial Adjustment, Work with Asian American Elders, Death/Dying and End of Life Services, and others. All sessions will be taught by community experts or SSW faculty. Interested participants meet Thursdays, 11:00am - 12:50pm in the 1st Floor Parlor, WSN Building, Silver School of Social Work, Ehrenkranz Center, One Washington Square North.
Please click here for more information.
Educational Activities for Healthcare Professionals Focusing on Older Adults sponsored by the Consortium of New York Geriatric Education Centers. Programs include reinventing senior centers and senior programs, new trends in discharge planning, falls prevention and more. Programs are from 8:45am -4:30pm and registration is $50.
Educational Seminar Series at Service Program for Older People (SPOP) This training opportunity features SPOP clinicians who have extensive experience with older adults and mental health. It is offered to the professional geriatrics community and all who work with seniors. Each seminar is held at: 302 West 91st Street at West End Avenue, New York, NY. Seminar fee: $15. Discount for 3 or more attendees from the same organization. Space is limited. Please register in advance by mail or online here or call: 212-787-7102 ext.515.
For topics, dates, and registration information, click here.
Educational Seminars by the Consortium of New York Geriatric Education Centers
- June 3, 2008 - Older Adult Substance Abuse, Alcoholism & Gambling: Profiles In Devastation - Through lecture, case presentation, and panel discussion we will discuss addictions and their impact on older adults.
- June 10, 2008 - Caregiving: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities - Examine caregiver roles from yesterday and today; teamwork strategies for successful caregiving; assessment strategies; kinship care; flourishing caregiving programs, approaches, and resources; and self-care for the professional caregiver. Appropriate for professional caregivers such as, but not limited to, nurses, social workers, case/care managers, therapists (psycho, physical, occupational, recreational) and so on.
To Register for Any Seminar, complete the information on the respective flyers or go to www.nygec.org and click on Registration and choose the program you would like to attend. Or, please contact Brenda Rodriguez at (212) 998-5618 or brenda.rodriguez@nyu.edu.
HIV/AIDS and Older Adults Trainings The AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA) and the Council of Senior Centers and Services (CSCS) is offering a citywide HIV training program funded by the New York City Council. These free trainings will help senior service providers address HIV prevention issues and understand better the needs of those aging with HIV. Each seminar is held at various locations.
For dates and registration information, click here.
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In the News...Geriatric Health Care Declining
Report: Geriatric Health Care Declining
John Beale
Poughkeepsie Journal
May 19, 2008
Without changes at the national level, older Americans will lack access to affordable, quality health care - including mental health care - concludes the Institute of Medicine in its report, "Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce."
The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry has long been concerned about the work force in the area of late-life mental health care, particularly the declining numbers of doctors entering the field of geriatric psychiatry. The diminishing work force in these areas will lead to inadequate access to quality mental health care for the aging generation of baby boomers.
Today there are only 3.9 geriatric psychiatrists for every 10,000 Americans 85 and older, and only 1.1 for every 10,000 over 75, according to the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs. It is estimated the country needs 5,000 geriatric psychiatrists, yet last year there were fewer than 1,600 board-certified geriatric psychiatrists in the United States.
The report acknowledges "the costs associated with extra years of geriatric training do not translate into additional income, and geriatric specialists tend to earn significantly less income than other specialists or even generalists in their own disciplines."
Bruce Pollock, president of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, explained, "While the demand for specialized mental health care is great, physicians face several financial disincentives to entering the field of geriatric psychiatry such as annual scheduled cuts to Medicare physician payments and discriminatory coverage of mental health benefits under Medicare. This affects providers as well patients."
Although Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of covered medical services, the program pays only 50 percent of covered mental health services.
Specialists Are Few
The small numbers of specialists in geriatric mental health care, including geriatric psychiatry, combined with increases in life expectancy and the growing population of those 65 and over, estimated to be 20 percent of the U.S. population in 2030 (up from 12 percent in 2006), foretells a crisis in health care that will impact families nationwide.
"Unless changes are made now, older Americans will face long waits, decreased choice, and suboptimal care," American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry President-Elect Charles F. Reynolds III said. The association urges Congress, the regulatory agencies, and health care thought leaders to act upon the Institute of Medicine's report and make the necessary changes to recruit and retain a skilled work force in geriatrics and geriatric mental health care, and to adopt an efficient and effective organization of geriatric medical and mental health-care services.
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In the News…Treating Older Adults with MH Disorders
Treating Older Adults With Mental Health Disorders
Mental Health Weekly
May 12, 2008
With the senior population growing at an accelerated rate, it is more important than ever for them to have programs available to assist them, said presenters during a session at this month's National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare's annual training conference.
The session, "A Clinical and Community Perspective in Treating Older Adults," was featured during the 38th National Council Conference, held from May 13 in Boston (see MHW, May 5).
By 2020, the 60-plus population will have more than doubled, said Vicki Rodgers, deputy chief operating office at the Jefferson Center for Mental Health in Wheat Ridge, Colo."The number of people are growing; it's such a staggering growth. Some seniors have little or no support from family and friends."
Rodgers cited Denver as an example of a growing aging population. "Older adults do not have the same kinds of supports people had 20 or 30 years ago," she said. "Many are not aware of services. We have to help them find the resources they need."
Mental health concerns for the senior population includes anxiety, which is prevalent, said Rodgers. They also have higher rates of 'minor' depression, she said. "A new group of substance abusers is emerging," she said. "It will be a different kind of challenge."
Another important factor is that many seniors are fearful of entering the 'system,' she noted. "I hear from seniors who have this fear of dependency and getting into they system. They have worked all their lives. They don't want to ask for services."
Seniors don't' want to be seen as a burden and be dependent on others, she noted. "We may see it even more with this next generation, "added Rodgers. "We are truly prepared in the human services arena for this population."
Senior Reach
Senior Reach, a very promising community- involved practice is helping to identify older adults who may need emotional or physical support and/or connection to community services in Colorado, said Rodgers. While Rodgers acknowledged earlier that some seniors are refusing services, they are attempting to reach out to them. "We're looking for people falling through the cracks- not those already in the system, said Rodgers.
She added, "We have 70 percent who have fallen though cracks as needing mental health services. Ninety percent of the seniors referred to a program have accepted mental health services, said Rodgers.
"That's pretty amazing; it's not what I expected to see,""It's a simple way for older adults to get help and get services before a crisis develops. We have these silos in the community. You have frustrated consumers." Rodgers added, she said. Building relationships with area agencies and organizations is key, she said.
The program, which builds on a strong collaborative partnership between agencies that enhance ongoing services to older adults, is run by mental health professionals, she said.
The partnerships include area businesses, Adult Protection Services, professionals who work with older adults and non-traditional referral sources, even sewing circles, said Rodgers. The program's advisory board includes representatives from the police and fire departments she said. "It has been exciting how our community responded."
Services for seniors are provided in their homes, she said. There are also opportunities to socialize with other seniors in 'sit and sip' coffee and tea gatherings for example, she said. The program has reached seniors in five communities in Colorado, she said. Choose the best practice model [and look] at what your community already offers, Rodgers advised. "Make sure you have infrastructure to support the program and then install it in your community," she said. Senior Reach has been met with overwhelming community response and exceeded all expectations, according to Rodgers. "People are very interested in older adults in our community, I think that would translate in your community as well," she told attendees.
What Model Will Work?
Integrating mental health into primary care is also important for older adults, said Steve Bartels,M.D., professor of psychiatry and community and family medicine at Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, N.H.
"Developing integrated models in primary care is the future," Bartels told session attendees. "A carve-out system of care to me makes no sense." The case manager sat mental health centers are not meeting the needs of the population they see, he added.
Bartels discussed outreach models that have been studied and evaluated. The case identification model identifies older persons in need and links them to appropriate services, he said. Another model, multidisciplinary outreach services, helps to bring services to where older people live and reside, such as home-based settings and health care settings.
"The good news is that evidence-based [services] are robust now for multidisciplinary outreach teams," said Bartels.
Outreach Programs
Bartels cited two outreach programs for seniors, which he said are very promising. One is the Pscyhogeriatric Assessment and Treatment in City Housing Program in Baltimore, Md., (PATCH). The program targets public housing residents with a specific objective of getting 75percent of individuals who require ongoing care into the formal mental health system within six months. PATCH identifies public housing sites with high rates of emergency care and hospitalization. Psychiatric nurses also provide education and training for public housing staff.
Seattle's Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors (PEARLS) is another good program, said Bartels. PEARLS, developed at the University of Washington's Health Promotion Research Center with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a depression management program for seniors consisting of in- home visits with a counselor.
"These multidisciplinary outreach teams work best when they combine case identification and outreach, "said Bartels. He cited two ongoing Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) initiatives that also assist seniors with substance abuse and mental health issues. SAMHSA's Older Americans Substance Abuse and Mental Health Technical Assistance Center. Another initiative is SAMHSA's Implementation Resource Kits for Depression in Older Adults.
For more information about Senior Reach: www.seniorreach.org.
