PHILADELPHIA (PRWEB)
September 10, 2021

Kathia G. Reina Logroño, a physician who emigrated from her native Ecuador to the United States in 2001 and embarked on a rewarding career as a clinical therapist, ultimately specializing in mental health treatment for children and adolescents impacted by trauma, has completed her new book “Dark Side of Me”: a child-focused resource inspired by her fifteen years of experience with young patients.

The author shares, “At the beginning, the book was written for therapists who are just starting to learn how to work TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Treatment), and it was an example for the beginners, showing them the essence of each step. But then I started using it as a tool with kids and adolescents during the sessions and also allowed parents to read it, so they will also have an idea of what is going to be the program that their child is going to confront. For the parents, some of them started sharing about previous traumatic events, expressing their feelings at the session and being able to understand more how their kids were feeling. It was a good connection between parents and children.

I made the decision to title it ‘Dark Side of Me’ because the dark side of me is the dark part of every human being that they had been experiencing at some stage of their life that they don’t want to share or talk about and that marked their decisions and their behavior.”

Published by Page Publishing, Kathia G. Reina Logroño’s engrossing book is an invaluable resource for parents and caregivers contemplating trauma-focused treatment for young children.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase “Dark Side of Me” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing understands that authors should be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Page’s accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com

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“Behavioral health evaluation is complex,” said Mindyra Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer Connor Patros, Ph.D. “This is in part because patients with one singular problem area are the exception rather than the rule.”

DARIEN, Conn. (PRWEB)
September 09, 2021

A recent study from digital behavioral healthcare company Mindyra indicates the most popular mental health screening tests often provide insufficient data to yield an accurate understanding of the full spectrum of an individual’s clinical difficulties. The study found that participants who reported minimal symptoms on two of the most commonly utilized mental health tests often had problems unassessed by those measures, including trauma, mania, and sleep and eating disorders.

In the study, Mindyra used a community sampling approach of more than 450 adults and had them complete industry standard behavioral health tests, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, as well as Mindyra’s proprietary test, the Mindyra-9. The research indicates that while the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 provide a relatively in-depth view into an individual’s depression and anxiety concerns, they have shortcomings when it comes to broader mental health evaluations.

The findings are consistent with Mindyra’s other research showing that 98% of more than 5,700 adults in inpatient psychiatric facilities who scored in the moderate to severe range on the more traditional tests, reported problems other than depression or anxiety on the Mindyra-9.

“Behavioral health evaluation is complex,” said Mindyra Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer Connor Patros, Ph.D. “This is in part because patients with one singular problem area are the exception rather than the rule. The past year and a half have brought mental health issues in our society to the forefront like never before. We know you can’t effectively treat a patient if you don’t have a comprehensive assessment of what they are going through to begin with. Our research indicates a need for a different kind of testing in the mental health world.”

The Mindyra-9 asks patients to rate their difficulties on a 1-10 scale for nine basic statements such as “I am sad or depressed,” and “I have problems with sleep and it’s affecting me negatively.” Among a cohort of about 240 participants between the age of 18 and 54, nearly three quarters endorsed absent or mild depression or anxiety based on their PHQ-9 and GAD-7 responses. Those individuals would likely be deemed asymptomatic in many health care settings. Yet at least 50% of those same participants endorsed at least one moderate severity problem other than depression or anxiety when they took the Mindyra-9. Among participants who reported moderate to severe depression on the more traditional screening tests, 95% endorsed at least one other moderate severity problem other than depression on the Mindyra-9 and over 45% reported difficulties associated with mania.

This means that in many cases, individuals may potentially have other underlying mental health issues that are going undetected.

It comes at a time when mental health concerns are on the rise in the U.S. amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five adults lives with at least one mental illness. The pandemic’s impact has been especially acute for young adults, with a CDC study from 2020 indicating about three quarters of Americans ages 18-24 reported an adverse mental health condition.

The studies went through a rigorous research review process including review by all members of Mindyra’s Clinical Advisory Board including Chairman Hank Schwartz, M.D., psychiatrist-in-chief emeritus at The Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital and former regional VP for Behavioral Health of Hartford HealthCare; Lloyd Sederer, M.D., former chief medical officer for McClean Hospital, former medical director for the New York State Office of Mental Health and director of Columbia Psychiatry Media; David Tolin, Ph.D., founder and director of the Anxiety Disorders Center and the Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy at the Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, adjunct professor Yale University; and Victor Villagra, M.D., founder and president of Health & Technology Vector and chief physician advisor to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

“The bottom line is our treatments are only as good as the accuracy of our diagnoses and our understanding of the comorbidities many struggle with,” said Dr. Kent Stahl, former vice president of Hartford HealthCare, former CEO and medical director of Hartford HealthCare Medical Group and member of Mindyra’s Clinical Advisory Board. “We believe Mindyra-9 testing provides earlier access to critical clues on how best to care for our patients, allowing us to expand our understanding of a patient’s mental health. This then allows providers to better treat the complex underlying issues that are affecting so many at this time.”

About Mindyra

Mindyra is a digital behavioral health company that provides diagnostic testing, treatment planning and care progress measuring tools to help improve health outcomes.

Care providers use the software to test, diagnose, plan treatment and monitor progress. Employees can self-administer tests to help guide them to care options specific to their difficulties and measure their progress. Employers engage Mindyra to improve employee mental health, reduce overall health care risk and optimize wellbeing program benefits.

Mindyra is the only digital behavioral health care company to have a clinically-validated test that assesses over 50 different diagnostic indications for all ages. Based in Connecticut, the company has experts throughout the northeastern United States.

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We are thrilled as a national corporation to recognize these crucial and courageous people by celebrating this special day once a year.

BETHESDA, Md. (PRWEB)
September 09, 2021

Meridian Senior Living, LLC (Meridian) proudly announces that they will be publicly recognizing all first responders including firefighters, emergency medical technicians, law enforcement officers, and any other first responders by designating Friday, September 10, 2021, as their national Honor Our First Responders Day. About 60 Meridian Senior Living communities across 18 states and the District of Columbia will honor these nearly two million dedicated men and women across the nation, who put their lives at risk by protecting and serving their country and their individual communities. These heroic individuals deserve to be acknowledged, especially in the wake of several recent and devastating events across the country.

“We are proud of our close working relationship with first responders in each of our communities and have partnered locally with them to create safe senior living environments at all Meridian Senior Living communities,” shares Kevin Carlin, Principal and Chief Sales Officer of Meridian Senior Living. “We are thrilled as a national corporation to recognize these crucial and courageous people by celebrating this special day once a year. It’s also a perfect lead-in to kicking off Assisted Living week, which will be celebrated on September 12th through the 18th.”

Each of Meridian’s communities work closely with local first responder groups to provide a secure setting for their residents. To honor their service, Meridian communities will be hosting their own events to acknowledge these essential individuals for protecting the nation’s senior population and providing assistance as needed. As part of these celebrations, select Meridian communities will be extending special move-in offers to area seniors in an effort to provide them with a secure, comfortable home in their later years. These special community events will be conducted safely by following CDC guidelines.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Meridian communities remain open and have rooms move-in ready for new residents. Their dedicated staff is committed to the safety and well-being of their residents and are trained and certified to assist in daily support functions such as dressing, bathing, medication management and especially the ability to immediately respond to emergency circumstances. Furthermore, they work tirelessly in keeping their residents engaged with activities and, where allowed by state and local health departments, Meridian communities are implementing visitation, group activities, and communal dining.

To learn more about Meridian Senior Living and how their communities are recognizing these brave men and women for the incredible sacrifices they make daily on everyone’s behalf, visit the website: meridiansenior.com or Facebook page:@Meridian Senior Living.

About Meridian Senior Living:

Meridian Senior Living, a privately held company based in Bethesda, Maryland, owns and operates seniors housing communities across the country and provides operational consulting to 24 communities in China. With approximately 60 communities in 18 states and more in development, Meridian is one of the largest seniors housing operators in the U.S. The company prides itself on providing the highest quality care, exceptional lifestyle programming and a distinctive dining experience for its residents. For more information on Meridian Senior Living, visit meridiansenior.com.

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Downtown San Diego

The mental health care needs of kids, teens, and families in San Diego has long exceeded available resources. We plan to help meet this need and ease the burdens of local families.

SAN DIEGO (PRWEB)
September 09, 2021

Bay Area Clinical Associates (BACA), a leading provider of mental health services to children, youth and families across California, has officially opened their first clinic in San Diego. To accommodate rapid growth and to bring evidence-based mental health services to youth, this expansion positions BACA as the leader in mental healthcare for youth on the West Coast.

“Our San Diego clinic is now accepting requests for new patients,” said Thomas Tarshis MD, MPH, Executive Director and Founder of BACA. “San Diego is an amazing city with a vibrant community and we are thrilled to call San Diego home to our first Southern California location. We have recruited some of the best mental health clinicians from all over the country to launch our newest site!”

BACA has tapped Tyler Morrison, MD, MAS to lead the expansion to Southern California. Morrison trained in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at University of California San Diego, and in Adult Psychiatry at University of California San Francisco. He previously held positions at the National Cancer Institute of the NIH, the San Diego VA Medical Center, and San Francisco General Hospital.

Dr. Morrison stated, “The mental health care needs of kids, teens, and families in San Diego has long exceeded available resources, causing months-long waitlists. This was true even before the pandemic, and is particularly true now. We plan to help meet this need and ease the burdens of local families.”

BACA offers highly integrated care with a multidisciplinary treatment team of psychiatrists and psychotherapists. For youth & adolescents under age 26 that struggle with depression and anxiety, they have developed a series of specialized Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs) and outpatient service programs.

BACA’s new San Diego clinic is located at 2837 Presidio Drive, San Diego 92110 and can be reached by phone at 619-241-2781.

For more information or to get in contact with a Bay Area Clinical Associates representative in your region, contact info@baca.org.

About Bay Area Clinical Associates

Since 2007, BACA’s clinicians have provided innovative mental health services to youth and families from across the San Francisco Bay Area. We believe that all youth, regardless of socio-economic status, should have access to gold-standard mental health interventions. As a social justice agency working on behalf of children and families, we strive to cure mental illness in our patients, help them develop healthy habits, and realize their full potential. We currently have offices in San Jose, Berkeley, Menlo Park and San Diego. We are opening additional offices throughout California. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of our services are currently operated via telehealth.

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Embark at Campbell

“Teen anxiety, depression, and suicide are at an all-time high. And communities and families need more access to local, high quality, affordable, teen-centered, specialized services,” said Dawn Haliburton-Rudy, Embark at Campbell Executive Director.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (PRWEB)
September 08, 2021

In its effort to reverse our country’s negative youth mental health trends, Embark Behavioral Health now operates multiple outpatient therapy centers across the country. These therapy centers offer teen-specialized, insurance-reimbursed outpatient mental health support for struggling teenagers and their families.

The centers complement Embark’s best-in-class continuum of programs and are part of its internationally validated outcomes platform. Embark’s outcomes platform evaluates and measures the health of Embark’s families and students in real-time and exceeds the industry’s highest quality of care and safety standards, using a 100-point safety scale to create joy and heal generations of families.

These outpatient centers of excellence allow families to get the help they need within their community. In addition, the centers offer premier programming for professionals looking to recommend effective, accessible, and local solutions to families.

The latest state-of-the-art center opened in Campbell, California, bringing Embark’s total outpatient therapy centers to five. Like the other centers, this location offers a robust continuum of insurance-reimbursed outpatient services, including outpatient to psychiatric, intensive outpatient programming (IOP), and therapeutic day programming (PHP). The centers also provide local support, including virtual and wrap-around treatment services for families that have teens coming home from a treatment placement.

“Teen anxiety, depression, and suicide are at an all-time high. And communities and families need more access to local, high quality, affordable, teen-centered, specialized services. This is exactly what our families will find at Embark, Campbell. At this critical time in our community, we can no longer afford to delay access to high quality care,” said Dawn Haliburton-Rudy, Embark at Campbell Executive Director.

According to “The 2020 California Children’s Report Card,” published by the Oakland-based advocacy organization Children Now, California received an “F” grade for its ratio of students to counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses on school campuses. The report also noted that mental illness is the leading cause of hospitalization among California’s children.

“Recognizing that teen mental health is at epidemic levels, we cannot sit back and continue to watch families get lost in their communities. As an industry, we must come together to increase awareness, lower the stigma, and create more access to high-quality treatment services,” said Alex Stavros, CEO of Embark Behavioral Health. “Problems in communities across the country are growing, and families cannot get the services and help they need. This can only be solved together and locally, which is why we will continue investing in outpatient centers,” said Alex Stavros, CEO of Embark Behavioral Health.

Embark’s current outpatient teen therapy centers include:

• 
  Embark at Atlanta North, located in Alpharetta, Georgia, in the greater Atlanta area
• Embark at Cabin John, located in Cabin John, Maryland, in the Potomac and Washington DC metro area
• Embark at Campbell, located in Campbell, California, in the greater San Jose and San Francisco area
• Embark at Main Line, located in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, in the greater Philadelphia area
• Embark at Tysons Corner, located in Vienna, Virginia, in the Tysons Corner area

For more information about Embark’s outpatient programs, please visit: http://www.embarkbh.com/outpatient-therapy/

About Embark Behavioral Health

Embark Behavioral Health is a leading network of clinics and programs offering premier mental health treatment for adolescents and young adults. Dedicated to its mission of reversing the trends of adolescent and young adult anxiety, depression, and suicide by 2028, Embark is unlike any other behavioral health organization in the United States. Embark offers a full continuum and spectrum of services, a unique 25-years of specialization, a deep legacy of serving youth, and a set of internationally validated outcomes that drive treatment in real-time. For more information about Embark or its treatment programs, including wilderness therapy, long-term residential treatment centers, short-term residential treatment centers, day treatment, and partial hospitalization (PHP) programs, and intensive outpatient programs (IOP), visit embarkbh.com.

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NEW YORK (PRWEB)
September 08, 2021

CaringKind, New York City’s leading expert on Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving will be hosting their 33rd annual CaringKind Alzheimer’s walk on September 26th at the Coney Island Boardwalk and on October 10th at Central Park’s Naumburg Bandshell.

The purpose of the Walk is to raise awareness around the importance of caregiving support and to raise funds for the myriad programs offered through CaringKind to support caregivers and their families.

This year, the event honors prominent philanthropist Susan Patricof who passed in January of 2021 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 12 years ago. The wife of renowned Alan Patricof, one of the founding fathers of venture capital, the two were described as an ‘indomitable pair’ and worked side by side on countless causes. Mr. Patricof found solace and support in CaringKind, utilizing their programs and systems as a caregiver himself.

CaringKind’s support groups are led by trained facilitators and provide caregivers the opportunity to discuss the many challenges of caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, with other who understand. Their goal is to provide a safe setting which promote mutual support, both practical and emotional, throughout the course of the disease.

“I am honored that this year’s Alzheimer’s Walk by CaringKind, the Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving, will be held in my wife, Susan’s name. She loved New York City and was devoted to and supported many of its most important organizations. I know from personal experience the value of having support groups. A regular check-in with other caregivers is critical to a person’s mental and emotional health. CaringKind does that better than anyone.” said Alan Patricof.

The Manhattan Walk will feature television and Broadway star David Hyde Pierce, and exciting performances from the Unforgettables, an acapella group made up of those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, and Blue Angels drumline. The drumline will lead the walkers to the start and celebrate Walkers at the finish line.

Attendees (both virtually and in person) are encouraged to share memories and photos of loved ones to be incorporated into the CaringKind Memory Wall, a physical manifestation of the love, remembrance, promise, and hope the Walk represents.

As of August 18, sponsors for the event include Micro Essential Labs, 305 West End, First Republic Bank, Inspir, Grimaldi & Yeung, UFT, Columbia App Study, Insperity, Eisai, The Hirsh Family, Pitta & Baione LLP, Greycroft, and Apax Foundation.

CaringKind’s mission is to create, deliver, and promote comprehensive and compassionate care and support services for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In particular, the support They achieve their mission by providing programs and services for individuals with dementia, their family, and professional caregivers, increasing public awareness, collaborating with research centers, and informing public policy through advocacy.

In 2021, CaringKind has answered 6,100 helpline calls, initiated 1,000 social work consultations, enrolled 31,500 people in their Wanderer’s Safety program, and hosted 83 different support groups facilitated by a trained leader both virtually and in person.

About CaringKind

CaringKind* is New York City’s leading expert on Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving. With over 40 years of experience, CaringKind works directly with their community partners to develop the information, tools, and training to support individuals and families affected by dementia. They offer a CaringKind Helpline (646) 744-2900 run by professional staff; individual and family counseling sessions with licensed social workers; a vast network of support groups; education seminars and training programs; early-stage services and a wanderer’s safety program. They believe in the power of caregiving and seek a world where everyone dealing with dementia has the support they need when they need it.

http://www.caringkindnyc.org

*Formerly Known as Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter.

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DARIEN, Conn. (PRWEB)
September 08, 2021

futuresTHRIVE, a startup working to improve early mental health screening, tracking, and outcomes among youth, today announced that it has received a $100,000 investment from the Connecticut Innovations prototype design fund to commence the development of its modernized mental health screener, used to identify mental health conditions in children ages 4-20 (Prototype 9-14). Using a combination of artificial intelligence, sentiment analysis, and machine learning, the fT screener will provide a first-of-its-kind mental health baseline that can be used by doctors and families to better understand a child’s unique mental health qualities.

The investment will enable fT to advance its game platform from design to development while continuing to pursue interest from additional investors. The company expects to launch the platform in late fall of 2021.

“Millions of awareness campaign dollars later, the CDC still reports that 20% of children suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition, half of whom will show signs and symptoms before the age of 14,” said Wendy Ward, fT Founder. “Using our web-based platform, we can help pediatricians and mental health professionals more readily identify mild and moderate risk factors in children that are known to be indicators of mental health concerns. We are grateful to CI for their expression of confidence in our platform and for helping us further our mission of improving the mental health futures of our children.”

fT is comprised of a team of experts in technology, youth mental health, and health statistics who have come together to develop the first significant advancement in early-stage mental health diagnostic tools since the 1990s and create a new vision for pediatric mental health screening. The company has secured key partnerships in healthcare, insurance, and assessment centers and plans to launch the platform in the pediatric market initially with expansion into K-12 education, colleges, universities, hospitals, and clinics.

“Too often today, mental health measures for children begin late and only after severe signs and symptoms have emerged,” Ward continued. “Our platform will arm doctors and parents with actionable insights that can be tracked in the same way as height, weight, and other health measures.”

About futureTHRIVE:

futuresTHRIVE is developing the tools to combat the trajectory of youth mental health concerns and identify and track pediatric mental health easily, early, and often. fT’s groundbreaking early intervention mental health screening tool for youth uses AI and game-based technology to affordably meet the acute needs of doctors, educators, and families. For more information, please visit: https://www.futuresthrive.com

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