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NEWS AND FEATURES FOR THE CONSUMERS, SUPPORTERS AND PROVIDERS OF PENNSYLVANIA’S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM VOLUME 20, NUMBER 1 FALL 2011 / WINTER 2012 IN THIS ISSUE: Powerful SelfSelf----HelpHelp Tool Takes Hold in Pennsylvania ------ By Elisa Ludwig 333 Pennsylvania is a leader in adopting and disseminating WRAP® (Wellness Recovery Action Plan), a recovery and wellness tool that transforms lives. Participatory Dialogues Level the Playing Field for Clients and Providers -- By Elisa Ludwig 777 Allegheny and Chester counties promote SAMHSA’s Participatory Dia- logues, which create deeper understanding among individuals with mental health conditions, providers and other stakeholders. Recovery and Little Green Apples -- By Brian McLaughlin 101010 Recalling his spiral into despair and back, the author – now a certified peer specialist – writes, “Any time someone is able to step outside them- selves to help another, healing can take place for both of them.” COVER ART: “Politically Correct,” tempera paint on canvas, by Kath- erine Redick. (Redick named her painting after it was dis- played in the offices of Senator Robert P. Casey.) Volume 20, Number 1 Tom Corbett, Governor Gary Alexander, Secretary of Public Welfare Blaine L. Smith, Deputy Secretary, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) Jessica Bradley Director, Division of Recovery Services, OMHSAS Susan Rogers Editor The cover features a partial view of the painting, Lauren Rieser Shawl shown here in full. Publication Design Redick participates in the Magnificent Minds Project: http://www.magnificentmindsproject.com. Featured in “The Arts Inspire Mental Health Recovery” ( People First , Bryce Hewlett Summer 2011), the Project was created by Syngred D. Production Manager Briddell-Watts, MSW, an artist and mental health profes- sional. Participating artists have exhibited in galleries such as the Art Association of Harrisburg and the Mantis PUBLISHED BY Collective Gallery, as well as in the Harrisburg Hilton The Mental Health Association of Downtown (as part of the Festival of Hope organized by the Mental Health Association of the Capital Region), at Southeastern Pennsylvania Temple University, at the Dauphin County Music and for the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Wine Festival, and at other sites. “The locations of all Magnificent Minds Project exhibits were spatial dona- tions, made by those in the community who wished to For a subscription to PEOPLE FIRST, join the fight against mental health stigma,” Briddell- see the back cover of this publication. Watts said. An online gallery, http://www.magnificentminds.net, If you received this issue in the mail, you are already solely devoted to displaying the work of Pennsylvania a subscriber and do not have to resubscribe. artists at no charge, was recently launched. Have an opinion to share? Reaction to an article? Send e-mail to: [email protected] or regular mail to: People First Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Letters are used at the discretion of the editors and may be edited for length. 2 Fall 2011 / Winter 2012 PowerfulPowerful SelfSelf --HelpHelp ToolTool TakesTakes HoldHold inin PennsylvaniaPennsylvania By Elisa Ludwig hen Mary Ellen Copeland ents improved in terms of reduced the most important things about developed the Wellness psychiatric symptoms, increased WRAP is that it’s a values-based Recovery Action Plan hopefulness, decreased self-blame, practice and a self-help tool,” said (WRAP®), a tool that improved quality of life and other Calhoun. “People can adopt it as WW helps people work toward factors. In fact, there was a direct they need to, to facilitate their own mental health recovery, she could correlation between the number of recovery.” not have predicted that, three dec- WRAP classes that participants at- ades later, it would become a na- tended and the benefits they saw. Lives Transformed tionally recognized best practice. The research supports what In Pennsylvania, WRAP has Yet this past July, WRAP was offi- those working with WRAP have been adopted by countless individu- cially entered into SAMHSA’s Na- known for some time – that WRAP als, many of whom have seen their tional Registry of Evidence-Based can promote real recovery. “We’ve lives transformed in the process. It Programs and Practices (NREPP), a been working on this research for has also been introduced at four list of scientifically proven and re- about five years,” said Katie Wilson, hospitals across the state, Calhoun viewed research projects on mental director of marketing and special said. “Pennsylvania is one of the health initiatives. projects at the Copeland Center for leaders in WRAP adoption. We of- This latest and most significant Wellness and Recovery in Brattle- fered voluntary trainings, and at all recognition for WRAP is based on a boro, Vermont. “And for someone four hospitals people participating WRAP has been adopted by countless individuals, many of whom have seen their lives transformed in the process. randomized controlled trial, funded who has personally worked with in state hospital services, CEOs, doc- by the U.S. Department of Educa- WRAP, it was great to see these tors, staff and dieticians came. All of tion, the National Institute on Disa- positive results – though they were- a sudden, people were able to step bility and Rehabilitation Research, n’t entirely a surprise.” away from their role within the and the Substance Abuse and Men- Gina Calhoun, an advanced lev- hospital and just be in the room, tal Health Services Administration el WRAP facilitator and the exploring what they do for well- (SAMHSA). For eight weeks, re- Copeland Center’s director of well- ness. It was a really cool experi- searchers observed a thousand peo- ness and recovery education, ence,” she recalled. ple across the state of Ohio; some agrees: “The beauty of being includ- As more individuals are devel- of these individuals used WRAP im- ed in the registry is that now we oping WRAP plans, the mental mediately and some were sched- have the outcome and the evidence health system has started to recog- uled to adopt it nine months later. to say that it works.” nize their efficacy – and with that A series of tests measured the out- WRAP is a system for examining has come the need to address comes, including recovery, empow- one’s own wellness needs and the WRAP in policy terms. In December erment, self-advocacy, social sup- triggers and early warning signs for 2010, Sherry Snyder, acting deputy port, hopefulness, quality of life, the onset of illness. A WRAP plan secretary of the Office of Mental symptoms, coping, stigma and can include a wellness toolbox, a Health and Substance Abuse Ser- physical health perceptions. The daily maintenance plan, a crisis plan vices (OMHSAS), sent a letter clari- researchers found that WRAP recipi- and post-crisis planning. “One of fying the agency’s position on … continued on page 4 Fall 2011 / Winter 2012 3 … continued from page 3 WRAP: that individuals should have aged care organizations and provid- states like Pennsylvania move to- the right to choose whether or not ers that want to effectively imple- ward taking a closer look at evi- to include a WRAP plan in their ment WRAP. “It is OMHSAS’ ex- dence-based practices, we want to treatment plan, recovery plan or pectation that every county have make sure that WRAP is being of- file. “Making the WRAP mandato- peer specialists who are trained in fered with fidelity,” said Calhoun. ry, or even strongly encouraging WRAP as well as peers who are “That’s where the policy statement the development of a WRAP along trained as WRAP facilitators,” the from OMHSAS comes in. It answers with the expectation that it must be letter stated. questions about who can actually “It is OMHSAS’ expectation that every county have peer specialists who are trained in WRAP as well as peers who are trained as WRAP facilitators.” While WRAP is a self-directed, facilitate WRAP and how much included in the person’s record, is values-based concept, its effective- training you need.” For instance, contrary to the values and ethics of ness is also contingent on following evidence has shown that people WRAP,” the letter states. certain principles; and, as WRAP who have gone through five-day However, the letter goes on to grows, the Copeland Center is WRAP facilitator training were best suggest possible approaches for working to ensure that people have skilled and able to promote the val- counties, behavioral health man- access to quality education. “As ues of WRAP. WRAP Around the World Conference, Philadelphia, August 1-3, 2011 (left to right) Gary Andricks, Audrey Garfield, Jean Rogers, Flora Releford, Michelle Maczka, Jane Winterling; (front) Margo McMahon … continued on page 5 4 Fall 2011 / Winter 2012 … continued from page 4 The Copeland Center is now Hospital, I still hadn’t offering WRAP refresher courses for heard the words ‘mental existing facilitators, which it recom- health recovery.’ It wasn’t mends they take once every two until I went to Massachu- years. “These courses help people setts and learned about keep up with a growing body of WRAP that the possibility knowledge out there and stay up to of recovery for my life re- date with the new information,” ally began to shine,” said said Calhoun. Calhoun. “What was also important was that the fa- International Impact cilitator kept telling us it Celebrating the international was voluntary. I thought, impact of WRAP, the Copeland ‘Man, I haven’t heard that Center sponsored a WRAP Around word as it relates to my the World conference, held in Phila- wellness in a long time.’ To delphia last August. The conference witness people who had offered a wide range of sessions, written a plan and were from WRAP for people with eating now passionate and satis- disorders to finding funding for fied within their lives made WRAP training.

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