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County Provides Key Programs For Good Mental Health

A passenger rushes past an art exhibit at Logan International Airport in Boston, Dec. 8. The exhibit consists of larger-than-life posters of nearly three dozen people — some ordinary, some famous — who have struggled with mental illness. AP photo

The Chautauqua County Mental Hygiene Department is tasked with planning, developing and providing accessible and comprehensive services to residents.

Through the years, director Pat Brinkman said the department has expanded to include specialty services for children, enhanced crisis response and the development of a mobile crisis team that goes out and evaluates people, among other services.

The Post-Journal recently conducted an interview with Brinkman regarding some of the issues locally, what people can do to help and what’s needed to further assist individuals with mental health problems.

P-J: “What are some of the mental health problems seen locally and what are some of the factors that lead to them?”

Brinkman: “We see the addiction issues. There’s a lot of people coming into our clinic who have depression or anxiety. We see some post-traumatic stress disorder. We see that more often in children. Bipolar disorder and ADHD are the ones that I think are the most frequently identified.”

“I think in Chautauqua County, we have many people who struggle with day-to-day livelihood, just the general stressors, poverty, domestic violence, the job situation and concern about safety. I think all of those factors come into play. You do see individuals who have the genetic predisposition if they’re in those situations. They’re more likely to develop a mental health issue.”

P-J: “How can a friend or family member spot a problem? What should they do if they see something?”

Brinkman: “I think the first thing is to be alert and trust your instincts. If you know someone well and you see their behavior starting to change. If someone has been outgoing and enjoys life and all of sudden you see that person withdrawing, or you see that person not engaging in the activities they love; they start losing or gaining weight; they’re not sleeping or are maybe sleeping all the time, or if they become angry over minor issues and lash out at people.”

“With ADHD for example, they’re not able to focus on the task. The child with ADHD has difficulty focusing on the task at school. They become easily distracted or maybe have behavioral problems because they’re not engaged in what’s going on in the classroom. I think the most important thing is to recognize that you want to be looking for changes in behavior patterns.”

“We’re fortunate in this community to have four programs to deal with mental health issues. We have others that deal with addiction issues. The county clinics, UPMC Chautauqua WCA, The Resource Center and Family Services all deal with the range of issues. If they’re experiencing a problem, they can call and make an appointment. Our clinics and WCA offer open access so an individual can walk in anytime.”

P-J: “What do we need to further help people with mental health problems?”

Brinkman: “The crying need in the county right now is more psychiatrists. I think this is a national problem and it’s particularly playing itself out in rural areas because it’s very difficult and expensive to attract psychiatrists. All clinics in our community are struggling to recruit and retain psychiatrists. We’ve brought in nurse practitioners and physician assistants. We struggle to have enough time for someone to be evaluated and treated with medication.”

P-J: “What are some of the services that Mental Hygiene Department offers?”

Brinkman: “We have health homes that are seeing hundreds of people who have significant issues. We implemented assertive community treatment, which deals with individuals with complex needs and high risk. On the child side, we have clinics in schools, including Washington Middle School in Jamestown and alternative education programs in Dunkirk, Chautauqua Lake and Brocton. We’ve expanded services in the jail. We finally have outpatient detox through UPMC Chautauqua WCA. We have personalized recovery oriented services that is offered by The Resource Center and they provide suboxone services for those with addiction and services on the mental health side.”

THE MYSTRENGTH APP

For those with depression, holiday stress or addiction, Brinkman said the myStrength app can be downloaded on their phones to help them. The county purchased the app for the community and has different tips and exercises for relaxation.

“It’s a way to help the body to relax and reduce impact of stress on the mind and body. It doesn’t cost anything and is something they can access,” Brinkman said.

People can sign up for the app by visiting www.myStrength.com, click “Sign-up” and enter access code CHAUTCommunity. The app can be downloaded for iOS and Android devices at www.mystrength.com/mobile.

County mental clinics are located at 200 E. Third St. in Jamestown and 319 Central Ave. in Dunkirk.

The county’s crisis line can be called anytime of the day: 1-800-724-0461. Brinkman said someone will be on the other line to talk with people and figure out what their needs are. Brinkman said the mobile crisis team will respond and assist if needed.

The Jamestown Mental Health Clinic can be contacted by calling 661-8330. The Dunkirk Mental Health Clinic can be contacted by calling 363-3550.

“The stigma around mental illness in general is people don’t understand that it’s a disease of the brain,” Brinkman said. “They’re reticent to get help because they believe it’s a weakness. People don’t have to be ashamed of that. That’s the orientation we want to bring to mental illness.”

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