Topic: Mental Health

Juvenile Justice Director raises the question: What about the children?

By Terry McMoore | May 23, 2008 |

The citizens of Clarksville were treated to a wealth of information at a recent community forum hosted by the Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Task Force. The program was held at the Clarksville - Montgomery County Public Library and included a reception for speakers and guests. Ms. Debrah Stafford, Juvenile Justice Director for the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, opened the forum with a strong power point presentation titled What About the Children?

Every day in America, 540 children are arrested for various crimes, though in many cases there are mitigating situations that cause these children to come in contact with the system. Ms. Stafford suggests that we must not be “in such a hurry” to just lock up a child.

One major finding by juvenile justice professionals is that more attention should be paid to the mental heath of the child. Children in juvenile justice often have mental health and substance abuse problems, have a higher percentage of learning disabilities, have frequent histories of trauma abuse/neglect, violence in the home, and/or have parents with substance abuse problems.

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Picking up the pieces after suicide

By Michael Covington | May 13, 2008 |

When a loved one takes their life by their own hands, how are we to pick up the pieces and go on with life? For a suicide survivor, life can never be seen the same way again. Many emotions and surface and submerge long after the eulogies are delivered.

Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death in people of all ages. Also, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the average rate of suicides in the United States is 89 per day. This equals roughly one suicide every 16 minutes. In 2005, eight percent of U.S. high school students had reported at least one attempt at suicide at some point in the previous 12 months. The rate of U.S. high school students reporting that they seriously considered a suicide attempt in the last year was 16.9%. Also, males commit suicide at almost four times the rate that females commit suicide. In four out of every five cases, there are warning signs against possible suicide.

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Sections: Issues, Opinion | 1 Comment »

H.O.P.E. to sponsor Women’s Health Fair

By Christine Anne Piesyk | May 12, 2008 |

Knowledge is power, and empowerment is the goal of the first Women’s Health and Wellness Expo.

Free medical screenings. Free dental check-ups. Free eye/vision screenings. Nutrition and fitness information. Classes on marriage, self-esteem, and self-image. It’s all included in a single program being offered to the women of our community during a unique and absolutely free conference coming up on May 31.

This Women’s Health and Wellness fair is a Community Enhancement event sponsored by the Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education [H.O.P.E.]. It will be held on May 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Riverview Inn in downtown Clarksville. The event is free and offered as a community service.

Dr. Joy Twillie, a graduate of John Hopkins University will be the guest speaker on issues including Marriage and Self-esteem. Representatives from Centerstone will be available to discuss services they offer the community. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Education, Events | No Comments

“Disgusted” army wife speaks out on Army’s response to soldier suicide surge

By Debbie Boen | February 4, 2008 |

Editor’s Note: Even as Ms. Boen was preparing this article, the issue of soldier suicide exploded on the news front again with these statistics:

Last fall, there was an article in the Leaf Chronicle [10.12.07] titled, Fort Campbell General stresses suicide prevention. It reported that with nine suicides for the year, and 16 deaths pending investigation, and with three suicides in the last two weeks, the general said:

“This is unacceptable and it must stop. I want everyone associated with Fort Campbell to take pause, and to focus on what we can do as a community to reverse this trend.”

According to the Fort Campbell Courier, [12.20.07 vol. 43, no. 51], Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, Commanding General at Fort Campbell, made suicide prevention his priority since he took command in 2006. He expanded the “buddy care” program, which has soldiers watching out for each other, to “unit watch,” a program used by commanders when a soldier has suicidal thoughts. Now he is training families to recognize signs through “Building Family Resiliency” programs. He was quoted as saying:

“The individual has got to take personal responsibility. They have got to take responsibility for themselves and realize that they can save their own lives. It comes back to the individual.”

An army wife spoke out about these articles and about what was going on at the base because of the suicide scares. This is her view, in her words:

I only became aware of these “programs” when there was apparently an increase in suicides in the November/December time frame.

At first I thought they had to be kidding.

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Sections: Issues, Opinion | 2 Comments

Reflective listening: A bridge to effective communication, relationships

By Rev. Charles Moreland | December 30, 2007 |

In our better moments we wish to be better listeners. Reaching such a goal, though, requires discipline, patience, understanding and practice. In such endeavors, there will also inevitably be failures, times when we review a conversation and kick ourselves for missing the opportunity to be better communicators.

One avenue to becoming a better listener is to employ a system identified in psychology as reflective listening. It continues to be popular in teaching parents an effective means of communicating with children. It is also an invaluable technique for building bridges of communication. It is indispensable in teaching relational skills in college. It is used by progressive business brokers too. Even the military appreciate reflective listening. While in the Army I taught NCOs and officers the intricacies of this skill. Yes, even in such an autocratic system there is a place for listening. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Spirituality | No Comments

Aging: It’s not numbers, it’s attitude!

November 15, 2007 |

Age?

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old. I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.

Old Age, I decided, is a gift.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don’t agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, and my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I’ve aged, I’ve become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I’ve become my own friend. «Read the rest of this article»

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Chad Youth Enhancement Center still up and running after questionable deaths

By Terry McMoore | November 12, 2007 |

As the investigation into the death of two youths in less than two years at the Chad Youth Enhancement Center begins to winds down, the call for Chad’s operating license to be revoked continues to grow among child safety advocates and civil rights groups like the Urban Resource Center.

In a press statement issued by URC director Terry McMoore, an immediate investigation was to be launched with the cooperation of several state agency’s, civic organizations and full media participation. Their hope was to get this multi-million dollar corporation shut down, or to at lest put CHAD under the microscope so as to prevent any more deaths at this facility.

McMoore said, “I have found the media reporting and news investigation to date both starling and very disturbing and I am sure you will to.” «Read the article at the Nashville Scene»

Sections: News | 2 Comments

Suicides up among troops; Army concedes need for mental health care

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 15, 2007 |

Suicide rates among Army personnel have hit a 26-year high, according to a new report just released by the U.S. Army.

“It’s not surprising,” said Clarksville Therapist Polly Coe as she heard details of the report stating that suicide rates among Army personnel have hit their highest rate in 26 years, with 25% of those self-inflicted deaths occurring in the Afghanistan and Iraq arenas. Iraq led the numbers with the most reported suicides and suicide attempts, according to a report released by the U.S. Army.

I’ve been hearing about it,” Coe said, while voicing a bit optimism that the Army is acknowledging the program and bolstering its metal health treatment efforts for troops worldwide. “They (Army) have to got to face this. Many of these soldiers are facing overwhelming depression and desperately need treatment.” Mental health issues among troops have reached “disastrous” proportions, Coe said, noting that suicides have been occurring not just among enlisted troops but officers as well. «Read the rest of this article»

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