More than 200 attended the Second District's Mental Health Community Forum hosted by Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke at the City of Carson Community Center on April 7, 2008.

Supervisor Burke began her speech by highlighting the 40-plus year history of where the County's mental health system has been highly under funded. As a result, it has impacted the delivery of services to Los Angeles County citizens. She continued by saying that many constituents in her district have been underserved or inappropriately served, not just because of the lack of funding, but also due to a lack of community-based providers who are linguistically capable in understanding the various cultures of the mental health consumers.

"Our ability to serve the underserved communities and those individuals with serious mental illness was enhanced by the passage of Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in 2004," said Supervisor Burke. "We have made great progress in providing much needed services to the underrepresented ethnic groups in the County, but there is still much more work to be done."

She briefly mentioned some of the successful programs and their outcomes that have been implemented in the MHSA Community Services and Supports (CSS) Plan. Supervisor Burke concluded her welcome speech by complimenting Director Dr. Marvin J. Southard and DMH staff on its efforts in getting the various ethnic communities involved in the planning process of the County’s CSS Plan, and encouraged the community leaders to once again participate in the planning process for the next step of the MHSA Prevention and Early Intervention.

Also in attendance at the mental health community forum were California State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (26th Senate District) who was representing the State's Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, Los Angeles Councilman Bernard Parks (Eighth District), City of Carson Mayor Jim Dear, City of Carson Councilman Elito M. Santarina, Primitivo Castro, Field Representative from California State Senator Jenny Oropeza’s Office (28th Senate District), Jerry Lubin, Chair of the Los Angeles County Mental Health Commission, and Nancy Carter, President of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Los Angeles.

Senator Thomas commented, "The State has collected $3 billion, and has distributed more than $1 billion statewide. I am also here to let you know that I will make sure that Los Angeles County gets its fair share, and a little more…and a little more…and a little more."

Councilman Parks stated, "The last thing people think about is mental health. There is no stigma when you are seeking mental health help. We can deal with the circumstances on the streets. We can make an impact. We need to give our kids a sense of hope and our mental health people do that."

Following the welcome speeches Dr. Southard provided a summary of the MHSA CSS Plan and outcomes, and Dr. William Arroyo presented on the Department’s planning process for the Prevention and Early Intervention.

The mental health community forum was the fifth that the Community and Government Relations Division coordinated.

Ellen Satkin, L.C.S.W. has been appointed as Program Director of the Patients' Rights Office in an announcement made by Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) Director Marvin J. Southard, D.S.W. on April 7, 2008.

Satkin has been serving as the Acting Program Director of the Patients' Rights Office since the retirement of Carole Matthews on September 24, 2007.

A veteran of 22 years with DMH, 19 of those having been with the Patients' Rights Office, Satkin is passionate about the system. Prior to working for the County, Satkin attended the University of Southern California where she received a Master's in Social Work in 1984 and Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 1987.

"I believe that my background in social work provides a solid foundation for advocacy," said Satkin.

In her 19 years she has worked in all facets of the Patients’ Rights Office. Congratulations to Ellen Satkin.

Linda Graul retired from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) on April 1, 2008. Graul's retirement program was designed by Sylvia Martinez and featured comments focusing on her philosophy of life. Here is her advice on "How to Get the Most Out of Life":

"Bloom Where You're Planted"

Recognize what the expression: "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you make of it" means, apply it in your life.

Know that "This too shall pass":

Keep your sense of humor: "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves…for they shall never cease to be amused"

Summary: Serve the Lord with a joyful heart; Treat everyone with respect, no matter what; Don't take it personally; Rise above your circumstances; and Don't take yourself too seriously.

What you do to earn a living isn't as important as what you become while you're doing it.

Although what we do to help people who struggle with mental illness every day and their families is important, the above statement is also an important fact of life. We are work in progress our entire lives, and the thoughts and action in which we engage make us into the persons we are becoming. When we tell a lie, we become liars. When we violate someone's trust, we become untrustworthy. When we treat others lovingly, we become loving people. When we steal, we become thieves. The everyday choices we make about what we think, say and do all go into making us the sort of person we are becoming. When we rationalize our bad behavior, we become people who don't accept responsibility for their actions.

We choose the type of person that we become through what we think, say and do everyday.

I had an epiphany regarding this back in the 1960s that I still clearly recall. I was sitting in the lunch room at the San Bernardino County Welfare Department, where I worked. We were talking about how incompetent others were, and how terrible everything was. All of a sudden it occurred to me that this wasn’t the sort of person I wanted to be – a gossip who tore people down and criticized everyone and everything. I wanted to be a positive, constructive person who did what she could to build people up and make things better. I got up and walked out of that lunch room, and ever after made intentional efforts to become a better person.

I hope this helps you on your journey through life.

Thanks for joining my celebration – you're the best! Hang in there, and one day you will be retiring and moving on to the next phase of your life!!

 

 

More than 200 attended the Second Annual "Connections for Life through Employment and Education" Celebration sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Mental Health Commission held at the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels located in downtown Los Angeles on April 2, 2008.

Serving as moderator for the celebration was Bruce Anderson from Washington State who started the event by congratulating the consumers who have undergone their own recovery. "You are a standard as employment and/or education are an essential part of recovery. What you have achieved gives these people in the audience hope, and the opportunity to take care of their own wellness and recovery."

During his presentation, Anderson stated that each one of us has at one time in life suffered and/or struggled through some type of trauma and/or crisis, and from that we have a gift. It does not matter what culture, community or person, each one of us has a gift to offer others who are suffering or struggling with what we have experienced in the past. We just need to discover it, and it usually happens after we have suffered and/or struggled due to trauma and/or crisis in our lives.

One of the gifts that Anderson was talking about was demonstrated with an African American Drum Spirit performance, as the music and dance was a gift to the consumers and attendees.

After the drum and dance performance, one-by-one Anderson called up the consumers to the stage area as they told their stories of suffering and/or struggles in dealing with their mental illness, and how they took ownership of their own hope, wellness and recovery.

One of the consumers presenting her story was Michelle. She is very gifted and talented floral designer. Her clients include "A-List" Hollywood actors and celebrities. Michelle has been diagnosed with bi-polar.

In Her Own Words

My life was a roller coaster. I refer to my episodes as another nervous breakthrough, and not breakdown. I have been in therapy for what seems to be years. I have been married three times. To tell the truth, I did not want to be a florist, why, I would wake up in the morning at 2:22 a.m., work 17 hours a day at $7.00 an hour, but somehow this calling found me. Really, I wanted to be rock star, in fact I married a drummer, and we had a son. My husband was abusive and an alcoholic. I left him with only $5.00 in my pocket. I did not want my son going through the same things that I was going through. Then, one day I got a telephone call from a police station, and that was it, my son had gotten into trouble with law. I told myself, I had to find a better life for me and my son. While watching CNN's "Larry King Live" Show which featured on a homeless man who prayed to God, and took $2.15 in his pocket, and began printing flyers promoting his new business, "Husband for Hire." Today, this man is a multi-millionaire. After watching the television show, I said to myself I can do that. Now, I had people, including my family encouraging me to get back into the workforce. I told myself, why, not make your own as it would satisfy my family members who wanted me to get a job again. I said, Make your life work for you, and so I did. At the start, I was scared running my own business. But, I am proud to say that I work full-time, and make money. You know what, that occupation I told you that I hated, well I have been self employed for six years, and would you believe this as a floral artist. Come to think of it, my gift is being a floral designer, as it has helped me with my recovery.

To read more about the consumers' stories, and the other surprises that took place throughout the day, check out the next edition of Minds and Matters Magazine.

Congratulations to Rhonda Gunderson, and her staff, and especially Mental Health Commissioner Victoria A. Sofro for all her hard work and dedication in making this event into a reality.