A special visit encourages staff as they initiate new approaches to mental health management

Above, from left are Donna A. Santarsiero, BBCS Executive Director; Angel, ENY Clubhouse member, Linda Hamilton, and Lori Tannenbaum, BBCS Psychiatric Rehabilitation Director.

Exercise, nutrition, and patient education have become components of a mental health management strategy at five BBCS programs that provide services for people with mental illness.

Staff at Adult Employment & Education Program (AEEP), East New York Clubhouse, Enclaves in Industry, MetroClub and Project Moving On are increasingly taking an approach to mental health services called "evidence-based practice." Evidence-based practice is the use of interventions that have been proven to benefit clients. The interventions are tailored to match the unique preferences, concerns, and expectations that each client brings to the program.

This approach began last year, when BBCS staff participated in a three-day conference on mental wellness and psychiatric rehabilitation at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, which drew practitioners from mental health agencies nationwide.

Upon their return, Lori Tannenbaum, Director of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, and staff representatives from five programs formed a BBCS Mental Health Management Committee. The committee's goal is to address issues such as improving medication compliance, addressing side effects, the benefits of proper nutrition and exercise, and placing consumers in supportive work sites.

The work of the BBCS Mental Health Management Committee has thus far prompted the emergence of a salad bar at the East New York Clubhouse and the removal of fried foods from its menu.

The initiative received a big boost from actress Linda Hamilton. Ms. Hamilton visited consumers and clinicians at Project Moving On in a media event to kick off a mental health public awareness campaign. The campaign, initiated by the Neuroscience Treatment Team Partners at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and funded by Eli Lily, chose the Brooklyn Bureau as the site for their media event because of BBCS's growing reputation as a provider of quality mental health services and community outreach.

BBCS consumers presented her with a "Thank You" card for her work on promoting mental health wellness, below.

Ms. Hamilton became a celebrity spokesperson for mental health wellness following her own diagnosis of bipolar disorder and efforts to manage the disease. She said a turning point was her discovery that her symptoms were greatly reduced while working out for her athletically demanding role in Terminator 2. in Terminator 2.