ST. LOUIS (PRWEB)
October 02, 2019

Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS) Missouri understands the significant correlation that exists among utilization of mental health services, the stigma of mental illness, and accessibility to mental health services. Through a variety of innovative programs, LFCS offers accessible mental health services to over 4500 children and families throughout Missouri. World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10, provides an opportunity for this community to join LFCS in the conversation about mental illness and serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for mental health care in Missouri.

According to the Missouri Department of Mental Health 2017 Prevalence Update, nearly 18% of Missouri adults experienced a form of mental illness that year, and more than 14% of Missouri adolescents (ages 12 – 17) experienced a major depressive episode. According to the St. Louis County Children’s Services Fund’s Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Needs Assessment, the number of youth who receive psychiatric services has increased by 31% over the past few years in St. Louis County. Similarly, the St. Louis City Mental Health Board Needs Assessment found that 24% of children in St. Louis City are projected to have a mental health challenge that qualifies them for a diagnosis.

“Despite these staggering statistics, few will seek or can afford therapeutic services to address their mental health concerns or symptoms,” said behavioral health expert at LFCS, Michael Kreitler, MA LPC. “Data shows that there is a need for mental health services and that disparity in mental health care means that low and moderate-income individuals, couples, and families have challenges finding affordable, quality services.”

LFCS aims to combat this issue of accessibility by imbedding free or low-cost behavioral health services into schools, churches, and community spaces across the state. These programs include:

Counseling: LFCS offers outpatient therapeutic counseling services to adults, children, couples, and families regardless of their ability to pay. Counseling services are highly accessible, provided at 13 locations throughout St. Louis City and County, Franklin County, Jefferson County, St. Charles County, and Cape Girardeau. School-based counseling services are also available at over 60 schools. Treatment interventions address issues such as marriage, family, and social relationship problems, mood/behavior disruption, difficulties with work/school, and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Community Prevention: The school-based prevention program serves children and youth in third grade through high school at 19 schools in St. Louis City and St. Louis County. The program model is an evidence-based combination of curriculum delivered in a group or classroom setting and individual follow-up sessions designed to engage at-risk youth in activities to increase positive life skills and decrease the likelihood of risky behaviors such as bullying, drugs, alcohol, and violence which can lead to mental health issues.

“The individuals and communities these programs serve would not have access to this level of care without LFCS,” says Mike Duggar, President & CEO of LFCS. “The more awareness and financial support we receive throughout the state in honor of World Mental Health Day, the better we can serve these populations.”

Community members who would like to support LFCS’s ongoing efforts are invited to attend the organization’s 36th Annual Dinner and Auction on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at the Four Seasons in St. Louis. For tickets and more information: http://www.lfcsmo.org/event/2019-lfcs-dinner-auction. General donations to sustain funding gaps may be made at http://www.lfcsmo.org/donate-now.

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About Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS)

LFCS, a proud member of the United Way, is a statewide agency with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, three regional offices, and numerous satellite service sites. The mission of LFCS is to empower children and families to overcome challenges today so they can build a better tomorrow. As a nonprofit social services organization, its vision is to make generations of children and families safer and stronger together. LFCS opens doors for people who face poverty, unexpected pregnancy, violence, unemployment, illness, homelessness, and more. To tackle these challenges, LFCS programs are delivered in two key services areas: Family Services and Behavioral Health Services. A dedicated staff delivers professionalism and personal care in equal measure to every situation and each client who visits one of the many offices in Missouri. LFCS services are open to anyone regardless of race, faith, national origin, gender, or age. For more information, call 314-754-2785 or visit lfcsmo.org.

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LAS VEGAS (PRWEB)
October 01, 2019

LifeWorks, a leader in workplace well-being solutions, has released its findings from a recent qualitative survey of 25 US-based CEOs, investigating the impact of mental health and well-being in the workplace. The majority of leaders agree that the importance of employee well-being is increasing, according to the findings. In particular, executives recognize the importance of having effective programs in place to help attract top talent, retain key employees, as well as reduce absenteeism and increase engagement. Yet measuring well-being or the impact of their programs is proving a challenge. All respondents are in agreement on the need for a more comprehensive well-being index.

Michael Colucci, CEO of Idilus LLC, a Professional Employer Organization, said, “Employee well-being ranks number one, because your organization is only as good as the people that you have working for you, and their well-being determines how successful or unsuccessful you’re going to be.”

Employee-First Strategy

The majority of CEOs surveyed agreed that the importance of employee well-being is increasing. One executive stated that “employee well-being programs are becoming more of an expectation rather than a perk.” Whereas this once might have been exclusively the domain of the HR department, there is now a greater understanding among CEOs that employee well-being is vital for creating a productive, engaged and loyal workforce.

According to a CEO from an engineering firm, “I don’t believe that customers should come first, I believe that employees should come first. It’s a tenant at my company. It is a cornerstone of my company to have happy well-adjusted employees.”

Executives surveyed recognize the stress their employees face, with concerns ranging from financial stress to issues around family and home life. Family illness, divorce, childcare and eldercare were key areas, but employees were also concerned about job security and health issues. They also indicated that they saw EAP as a foundational component of well-being.

Another executive said, “If my employees are unhappy or they’re going through whatever stresses that they are encountering at home in their personal life, they bring that in. If you have a big team environment that we work in…it can cause absenteeism. People who aren’t focused at work, it creates delays with projects so things get backed up at work.”

Millennials and Well-Being

There is a growing understanding among company leaders that programs supporting employee well-being are critical for both attracting talent and retaining staff. Millennials, in particular, are seen to be more focused on a company’s culture and well-being approach, but there was also the recognition that anxiety in the workplace was affecting employees at all ages, and therefore wellness needs to be considered at a company-wide level.

Isolation Among CEOs

Unsurprisingly, the majority of CEOs said that they experience significant work stress, but many of them believed that they were successful in compartmentalizing that anxiety, and almost all noted how important it was for them to mask anxiety and stress as part of their everyday lives.

The results show how the burden of leadership impacts many CEOs. Executives surveyed are aware of the contagious nature of workplace stress and how they need to contain their emotions with the larger workforce. Nearly all the CEOs questioned also felt some form of isolation in the workforce, and recognized that this was a concern for their well-being and work.

How do We Measure Wellness?

Among those surveyed, there is no consistent approach to how their companies tackled improving employee wellness in the workforce, or even how they measured workplace wellness. While the majority said they measured the success of the well-being program with business-critical factors such as retention of employees, satisfaction in their role and employee engagement – these outcomes are something that CEOs set as a priority for CHROs.

All the respondents agreed that a comprehensive employee well-being index would be helpful to their business and many noted that they currently do not have a stable measure or index for their well-being program, with each using different KPIs and metrics. Almost all mentioned the use of some form of EAP or external wellness support, but many did not believe that their employees engage with the support provided as much as they could and there was little way to measure the success of that engagement.

Ushering in a New Era of Unified Well-Being

Paula Allen, Vice President of Research, Analytics and Innovation for Morneau Shepell said, “Employee wellness is increasingly critical to business success and at the top of the agenda for many CEOs and even board members. But executives still struggle with methods to properly execute and evaluate that support. LifeWorks is positioned to address these concerns. We partner with organizations to support their employee’s total well-being – physical, mental, social and financial – in a preventative, holistic, high-engagement approach. For users, LifeWorks provides confidential mental health and well-being support through a personalized well-being app with direct access to help 24/7. For leaders, we deliver the tools to track the mental health and well-being of the workforce and show direct impact over time.”

About LifeWorks

LifeWorks by Morneau Shepell provides the right care at the right time to people, organizations and communities across the globe so they can grow and thrive. LifeWorks is a unified well-being solution that helps organizations effectively support their workforce to stay happy, healthy and productive. Powered by the company’s global strength, clinical expertise and LifeWorks’ human-centric, leading technology, LifeWorks helps employers and their people achieve more than a traditional Employee Assistance Program can provide. LifeWorks partners with its customers to address their people’s total mental, physical, social and financial well-being at every stage of their journey. As the world’s most extensive employee assistance provider, LifeWorks supports employees and their families around the world – any time, any where – so they can manage work, health and life challenges. Recognizing that employers can’t address what they don’t measure, LifeWorks puts actionable KPIs at the center of its solution.

About the Study

The LifeWorks Workplace Mental Health study – the first of its kind – is a qualitative survey of 25 Presidents and CEOs, living in the US, who manage companies with more that 1,000 (global) employees. Interviews were conducted between July 31-September 15, 2019 on the topic of Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace. LifeWorks plans to make this an annual study.

For Further Information:

Morneau Shepell, media@morneaushepell.com

Elise Vue, Peppercomm, evue@peppercomm.com, 415.633.3212

PHOENIX (PRWEB)
September 30, 2019

The Institute for Mental Health Research (IMHR), a statewide non-profit dedicated to funding innovative mental health research, has appointed Mitzi Krockover, M.D. as its newest Board Chair.

Dr. Krockover has spent decades developing, integrating, and supporting health programs and initiatives, implementing women’s health services in various settings, and providing clinical care to women. Previously the Director of the Health Futures Council at ASU, Krockover also worked as a Senior Partner of SSB Solutions, Vice President of e-Health and Women’s Health for Humana Inc., and was the founding Medical Director of the Iris Cantor-UCLA Women’s Health Center.

“There are many organizations that focus on increasing awareness and education and recourses, but not very many that are focused on finding new ways of addressing mental health, whether it be in the laboratory or community programs,” Krockover says. “The research is needed, and IMHR has taken that lane to further mental health research, and those that work in the field, and that’s the real value of the organization.”

Krockover replaces Keith Crnic as IMHR Board Chair. Dr. Crnic will continue his work with IMHR as CEO.

“IMHR is incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Krockover move into our leadership position” says Crnic. “She brings an innovative and entrepreneurial perspective that combines with an unwavering commitment to community and public health that will certainly help IMHR thrive and expand its ability to support important new research initiatives in mental health.”

In 1997, Krockover was named “Woman of the Year” by the Los Angeles County Commission on Women, and in 1999, she was awarded the International Emerging Leader in Health Care Award sponsored by Korn Ferry International and the Health Forum. She holds a BA in Arts and Sciences from Washington University and an MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Northeastern University in 1990.

About The Institute for Mental Health Research

Founded in 2001, IMHR is the only statewide, non-profit organization of its kind in the United States. Over the past ten years, in partnership with Arizona researchers and direct care providers, to support broad-based, innovative mental health research across the lifespan, IMHR has attracted and invested a total of more than 17 million in research dollars in Arizona.

Scientists are studying a broad range of diseases and conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, resilience, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and perimenopause. Statistics show that some 57 million Americans are struggling with mental illness, with millions more being affected as friends and families care for their loved ones.

Donations to IMHR directly fund the research that will ultimately discover and produce groundbreaking treatments and cures for these devastating illnesses.

For more information, follow @IMHR_AZ or visit http://www.imhr.org

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (PRWEB)
September 30, 2019

Alyfe Wellbeing Strategies announced today that it has expanded its product development team and advisory board with the addition of several industry leaders. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Alyfe delivers tailored workplace solutions that address all aspects of well-being while delivering meaningful results for employers, and helping individuals and families thrive at work, at home, and in their community.

According to Kay Lakhi, founder and CEO of Alyfe Wellbeing Strategies, the company has expanded its team to better meet a growing employer interest in workplace health and well-being. Recent surveys show that employee well-being is becoming increasingly popular among organizations of all sizes, as employers look for solutions that are customized to their workplace and personalized to the needs of individual employees.

“Creating a workplace culture that considers all aspects of employee well-being takes more than an off-the-shelf solution. It requires real people with real-world experience who understand that employees are more than a number,” said Lakhi. “The addition of these industry leaders increases our understanding of behavior change and our ability to continually develop solutions that deliver a personalized, trackable experience through the best of technology – with a human touch.”

Changes to the Alyfe team include:

• David Anderson, Ph.D., has been named to the newly formed Alyfe Advisory Board. Anderson is a nationally recognized expert on population and workplace health, behavior change, and measuring the effectiveness of well-being strategies. He was previously co-founder, executive vice president and chief health officer at StayWell before becoming founder and president of VisioNEXT LLC in 2017. Anderson has published numerous scientific studies about behavior change and workplace best practices. He is joined on the Advisory Board by Priya Lakhi, JD, who continues to bring her expertise in executive leadership training, workplace happiness/gratitude and “wellness through wholeness” strategies to Alyfe’s development initiatives. Alyfe will continue to expand its Advisory Board in the coming months.
• Aubrey Olson has been hired as vice president of product management. In this role, she will be responsible for expanding Alyfe’s suite of well-being solutions that deliver a balance of cutting-edge technology with high-touch interactivity.
• Erin Rademacher has been hired as vice president of strategy and performance. In this role, she will oversee the development of individual and population health and well-being evaluation strategies, as well as tactics to measure and assess program effectiveness.
• Lesley Lesch has joined Alyfe as vice president of client success, overseeing the account management team and the implementation and outcomes generated through the customized well-being initiatives the company develops for employers.
• Angelee Richards has been named vice president of people and culture for Alyfe, transitioning from the role of vice president of operations and director of client services. In her new position, Richards will lead the human resources team and oversee the company’s own well-being initiatives.

“Well-being is increasingly recognized as essential for business success because of the correlation to corporate performance, improved employee engagement, and productivity,” said Lakhi. “Our growing team of experts has firsthand experience in designing and implementing well-being strategies that drive meaningful business results for organizations, while helping individuals create lasting changes that improve their quality of life. I couldn’t be more pleased to have this team leading Alyfe into the next phase of our growth.”

For more information:

Barbara Tabor, APR / 651.450.1342 / barbara@taborpr.com

About Alyfe Wellbeing Strategies

Alyfe Wellbeing Strategies is a woman-owned, minority business based in Columbus, OH that successfully serves the wellness needs of businesses nationwide. With more than 25 years in the healthcare industry, Alyfe’s team of experienced professionals partner with employers to create purpose-driven, comprehensive programming that fits the specific needs of each workplace. Alyfe utilizes engaging technology and cutting-edge methods to cultivate sustainable behavior changes so all individuals can reach their peak well-being and live their best lives.

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WASHINGTON (PRWEB)
September 30, 2019

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.6 million Americans over the age of 65 are living with Alzheimer’s dementia today. Time and time again, research has found that older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are restrained either by chemical or physical restraints in order to address what are deemed negative or unwanted actions or “behaviors.” A Human Rights Watch report, released in February 2018, found that approximately 179,000 people living in U.S. nursing facilities are being given antipsychotic medications even though they don’t have approved psychiatric diagnoses. Research also shows that the effective way to address such issues is actually through an individualized, person-centered approach to care.

This is why Linked Senior and Pioneer Network decided to create a social media awareness campaign that brings attention to the use of restraints in home-based and residential settings. This campaign will educate the public about the negative outcomes and consequences of the use of restraints. The campaign will also provide access to other techniques, practices and resources that family members can use.

Linked Senior is challenging its clients and partners with a simple and fun “EngageAThon” contest: the more they use its evidence based platform during the month of October, the more Linked Senior will donate to Pioneer Network to support their effort to remove physical restraints currently being sold on Amazon.com. By the end of October, the Linked Senior community who has logged the most minutes of engagement on the Linked Senior platform will be recognized as the winner and receive Old People are Cool swag for their team. If you are interested in joining this effort please contact Linked Senior directly.

Pioneer Network, which was established in 1997, has worked with many other organizations over the years to not only decrease but also discontinue the practice of using both physical and chemical restraints in nursing homes. Carter Catlett Williams, one of Pioneer Network’s founders, was a social worker in Rochester, NY in the 1970’s and worked to eliminate the use of physical and chemical restraints in nursing homes. She was a leader in the restraint free movement. The Pioneer Network’s vision of A Culture of Aging that is Life-Affirming, Satisfying, Humane and Meaningful is closely aligned with the mission of Linked Senior.

“Pioneer Network has promoted and educated about individualized, person-centered care since its inception, ensuring that care and support is life-affirming and humane. We do not believe that the use of restraints in a person’s home supports this goal and we want to provide alternatives to caregivers, so they know there are other options. I’m very appreciative to Linked Senior for their contribution to this effort,” said Penny Cook, President and CEO at Pioneer Network.

Echoing this sentiment, Linked Senior CEO & Co-founder Charles de Vilmorin shared, “We believe in a world where the older adult is valued and respected – and where their experience is person-centered. Addressing their need with the opportunity to fulfill purpose is our duty, this is why we’re happy to spearhead an effort to not only remove physical restraints from Amazon.com for people living with dementia, but also support the formal and informal caregivers to help them provide the most purposeful experience.”

Linked Senior is an evidence-based resident engagement platform for senior living. The platform optimizes the person-centered experience for residents by empowering staff with digital tools to assess, plan, implement and evaluate engagement for the entire resident population.

Pioneer Network was founded in 1997 by a small group of prominent professionals in long-term care who were pioneers in changing the culture of aging, care and support. Today, Pioneer Network is the umbrella organization for the culture change movement, providing education and advocacy for person-centered care in all settings. If you are interested in getting involved in this initiative, you can do so by emailing Penny Cook at info@pioneernetwork.net.

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FALLS CHURCH, Va. (PRWEB)
September 30, 2019

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) announces the selection of nine outstanding individuals from the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing, and one APNA chapter, to honor for excellence at the APNA 33rd Annual Conference in New Orleans in October. These award recipients lead by example, make a positive impact and elevate the work of those around them.

“Psychiatric-mental health nurses are the whole health connection,” APNA President Gail R. Stern, RN, MSN, PMHCNS-BCsays. “As we celebrate the extraordinary individuals and chapter that are nurturing our workforce and embracing leadership roles, we send a message that psychiatric nurses can have a significant influence on our nation’s overall health.”

For daring to innovate and giving voice to other nurses and the patients they serve, the recipients below were nominated by their colleagues and chosen for recognition by a committee of their peers.

Susie M. Adams, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, Professor of Nursing, Faculty Scholar for Community Engaged Behavioral Health, Nashville, TN, will be awarded Psychiatric Nurse of the Year, honoring her career-long passion for community engagement and psychiatric-mental health nursing, which improved the lives of those with mental health and substance use needs, strengthened communities, and inspired new nurses.

Marlene Nadler-Moodie, MSN, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, Clinical Nurse Specialist, San Diego, CA, will receive the Award for Distinguished Service. Her work exemplifies the possibilities for psychiatric-mental health nurses: as an advocate for patients, as a community and APNA leader, and as a dedicated servant of psychiatric-mental health nursing as a whole.

Diane H. Esposito, PhD, ARNP, PMHCNS-BC, Visiting Professor, Palm City, FL, will receive the Award for Excellence in Education. Her drive to help improve nursing education included spearheading the creation of an undergraduate education faculty toolkit to expand psychiatric-mental health resources for nursing students nationwide.

APNA Kentucky Chapter, will receive the Award for Innovation – Chapter. This chapter is intentional about ensuring diverse perspectives are represented in conference programming and looks outward to participate in their community, enriching the mental health care conversation.

Joseph Giovannoni, DNP, PMHCNS-BC, APRN-RX , Honolulu, HI, will receive the Award for Innovation – Individual. His innovative practice, including a model guided by loving kindness and compassion, has resulted in improved outcomes for both individuals on probation and victims of sexual abuse.

Matthew Tierney, MSN, PMHNP-BC, FANP-BC, FAAN, Clinical Faculty and Clinical Director of Substance Use Treatment and Education, San Francisco, CA, will receive the Award for Excellence in Leadership – APRN. His leadership both ensures care for stigmatized individuals with substance use disorders and that new nurses in the field receive expert mentorship and support.

Brynne Delaney Calleran, MSN, BSN, BS, NE-BC, IN/RN-BC, PMH/RN-BC, Nurse Clinician, Nurse Educator, Magnet Designation Specialist, Bronxville, NY, will receive the Award for Excellence in Leadership – RN. Her accomplishments include leading initiatives around the pursuit of Magnet status for the hospital where she works. It was among the first freestanding psychiatric hospitals to achieve this designation.

Francine Pingitore, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Johnston, RI, will receive the Award for Excellence in Practice – APRN. Her body of work with child and adolescent group therapy promotes a person-centered approach to care and includes programs for individuals living with eating disorders.

Vanessa H. Barlow, MBA, BSN, RN, Supervisor Charge Nurse, Alabaster, AL, will receive the Award for Excellence in Practice – RN. Her achievements have included both implementing strategies for de-escalation and restraint reduction and a career-long dedication to offering mentoring and guidance to her team.

Janet Ann York, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, Director PMHNP Residency, Charleston, SC, will receive the Award for Excellence in Research. For decades, Janet has applied her research to clinical work, trainings, and advocacy to ensure that the standards of care for psychiatric-mental health nursing remain current.

About the APNA Annual Conference:

The APNA 33nd Annual Conference will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, October 2-5, 2019, in New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition to honoring this year’s awards recipients, the APNA Annual Conference offers hundreds of varied sessions and networking opportunities to more than 2000 psychiatric-mental health RNs and APRNs who attend each year.

About the APNA:

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is a national professional membership organization committed to the specialty practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. APNA’s membership is inclusive of all psychiatric-mental health registered nurses including associate degree, baccalaureate, advanced practice (comprised of clinical nurse specialists and psychiatric nurse practitioners), and nurse scientists and academicians (PhD). APNA serves as a resource for psychiatric-mental health nurses to engage in networking, education, and the dissemination of research.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.