As part of the third episode of “Not Now, Maybe Later”, here is some bonus material for you. Listen here to learn about five of the more common therapies for teens: CBT, DBT, EMDR, Creative Therapies, Equine Therapy. Great resources for more information on types of therapy are: goodtherapy.org and verywellmind.com. This podcast is a project supported by Sweetser.
Saco Bay Sunset Rotary Club and Sweetser hold Narcan training in OOB
OLD ORCHARD BEACH – The Rotary Club of Saco Bay Sunset hosted a free Narcan training session at Old Orchard Beach High School last week. The event drew nearly 70 attendees.
Lacey Bailey, a Sweetser Drug & Alcohol Clinician and the York County liaison for the Overdose Prevention Through Intensive Outreach Naloxone and Safety (OPTIONS) initiative led the training.
Bailey’s presentation outlined the symptoms of an overdose, as well as the steps for administering Naloxone, the medication in NARCAN, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. If administered in time, the nasal spray can save a life. Attendees left with two free doses of the medication.
According to Saco Bay Sunset President Carol Marcotte, the club decided to host a training after Kennebunk Police Chief Bob MacKenzie spoke to them about opioid addiction.
“Substance use disorders affect people of all ages and all walks of life,” said Marcotte. “NARCAN trainings are crucial in helping recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and showing how to administer the drug that can reverse overdoses. Opioid overdose deaths have skyrocketed. It’s a mental health condition that can happen to anyone.”
The OPTIONS initiative at Sweetser is a partnership with the Maine Office of Behavioral Health to improve the health of Mainers who use substances by using harm reduction strategies, supporting recovery, and providing referrals for services.
“This is about reducing stigma and saving lives,” said Bailey. “People leave these trainings with a better understanding of the signs and symptoms of an overdose and are better prepared to assist with the proper tools and information.”
As part of the program, Sweetser has licensed behavioral health clinicians around the state who work with law enforcement agencies, emergency services, and community partners to engage in post-overdose follow-up and provide help with referrals, conduct community outreach, de-escalate behavioral health crises, provide short-term counseling interventions, and distribute Naloxone.
To request free Naloxone or to inquire about hosting a training in York County, contact Lacey Bailey at lmbailey@sweetser.org.
$4M Midcoast Expansion of Lifesaving Mental Health & Substance Use Services
BRUNSWICK (January 10th, 2023) – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced a $4 million grant to statewide mental health care provider Sweetser to expand their Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) in Brunswick.
Sweetser is currently the largest provider of mobile crisis services in Maine.
In 2021, Sweetser received a $2.9M grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to first establish these services for Sagadahoc County and parts of Cumberland, Lincoln and Androscoggin counties.
CCBHC’s are designed to increase timely access to mental health and substance use services in areas that otherwise lack accessibility. Services include 24/7 crisis response and medication-assisted treatment.
“We have to meet folks where they are at,” said Joey Rossignol, Clinical Director of the CCBHC. “Every single day we see the need for this type of program to be expanded to more communities. The need is great and the need is there. CCBHC reduces barriers to accessing services and creates a one stop shop for meeting various levels of patient acuity.”
Since its inception, this program has served more than 400 clients across the Midcoast. The additional $4M grant will allow Sweeter grow capacity and expand the number of clients they are able to serve.
Services include, but are not limited to:
- Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Screening, Assessment and Diagnosis
• 24/7 Mobile Crisis Response & Crisis Stabilization
• Case Management Services (including Assertive Community Treatment)
• Peer Support Services
• Outpatient MH and SUD Treatment, including MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)
“More Midcoast Mainers will be able to access the timely help and support they need in their recovery journey because of this grant,” says Danielle Parent, Senior Director of the CCBHC. “This innovative model represents national best practice in delivering mental health and substance use care wherever the need is greatest. We’ve seen this model in other states be an effective tool in creating networks of support, treatment, and hope and Sweetser will continue leading the effort here in Maine.”
According to a 2022 CCBHC Impact Report, 2.1 million clients nationally are served by around 249 CCBHCs, a steep increase from 1.5 million in 2021. CCBHC status enables organizations to help over 900 more people per area than prior to this model being implemented, about a 23% increase.
CCBHCs have dramatically increased access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment, expanded states’ capacity to address the overdose crisis and established innovative partnerships with law enforcement, schools and hospitals to improve care, reduce recidivism and prevent hospital readmissions.
For more information on Sweetser’s CCBHC or to access services, please visit: https://www.sweetser.org/certified-community-behavioral-health-clinic/
About Sweetser:
Sweetser is a behavioral health nonprofit that provides evidence-based treatment, support and hope through a statewide network of community-based mental health, recovery, and educational services.
Sweetser Welcomes Two New Board Members
Sweetser is beginning 2023 with two new additions to our Board of Directors—Craig Alie and Anna-Marie DiPasquale.
Craig Alie
Craig Alie lives in Portsmouth, NH and is Chief Revenue Officer at Computershare. He earned a BA in economics at Colby College. Craig brings his experience drawn from Board roles with Agassiz Village in Poland, ME (past VP & Chair of Development Committee), SEED in Dover, NH and as a Strategic Adviser to CEO and the board with Gather in Portsmouth, NH. Welcome, Craig!
Anna-Marie DiPasquale
Anna-Marie DiPasquale lives in Biddeford and comes to us with a background as a social worker. She earned a BA in Psychology from New England College and an MA in School of Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. She is also an active volunteer with Foundation AHLE, an orphanage in Honduras. Welcome, Anna-Marie!
Watch this video to learn more about Craig and Anna-Maria:
Podcast Episode 3: What is Therapy
On this episode of “Not Now, Maybe Later”, you will hear some essential information about getting therapy when you are a teen. Things like how to find the right therapist, what confidentiality is, what different types of therapies there are, and what the most common diagnoses are for teens getting therapy.
New Sweetser Store
We’re so excited to announce our brand new Sweetser Store! Available to everyone at www.SweetserStore.org.
This a new and engaging way to order your favorite Sweetser branded attire like t-shirts, zip hoodies, and North Face outerwear.
There are also various accessories like mugs, tumblers, backpacks, and more!
We also have an entire Pride-themed collection.
Together let’s show off our Sweetser pride!
Podcast Episode 2: Middle School Mental Health
Middle school. Where you are supposed to “just be a kid” then “you are a teenager now” all in just a few years. On the second episode of Not Now, Maybe Later, our guest is Elizabeth Cunningham, a Sweetser school-based clinician who works with middle school students. She delves into mental health entering the teen years.
Middle school is a key time for mental health issues like anxiety and self-esteem problems to show up. One large study found that the average age for mental health disorders to start was 14.5 years old, with over a third of adults with a mental health diagnoses having symptoms start before age 14.
On this episode, we will reveal some developmental headlines for this age, like “the dilemma” and “the spotlight effect”. You will hear ways to find your trusted adults and start conversations about what is really coming up in your inner life. And since recognizing something is off might be new, we want you to hear where you can look for help. Two websites that are recommended: NAMI – “Kids, Teens, and Young Adults” page, and seizetheawkward.org.
About the guest:
Elizabeth Cunningham, LCSW is a clinical social worker for Sweetser in southern Maine who currently works with students at a middle school and adults in the outpatient setting. Elizabeth graduated from Arizona State University with a Master’s degree in Social Work, and has an undergraduate degree in Family and Child Development from the University of Central Oklahoma. Elizabeth has experience working in Domestic Violence Prevention, Parent and Family Education, Inpatient and Residential care, and Case Management and utilizes these experiences to provide education, resources, and a holistic approach.
Podcast is also available on Spotify and SoundCloud.
Sweetser sponsors Saco’s Festival of Trees
Sweetser is proud to be a sponsor of this year’s Annual Festival of Trees at the Saco Museum! Our tree was expertly designed by members of their organizing committee. Pictured below: President & CEO Jayne Van Bramer & Communications Director Justin Chenette.
The festival is free to the public and open through Dec. 29th. Hours are below:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 12 pm – 5 pm
Wednesday – 12 pm – 5 pm
Thursday – 12 pm – 5 pm
Saturday – 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday – 12 pm – 5 pm
Location: 371 Main St, Saco, ME 04072
New Website Accessibility Features
Sweetser now has one of the most accessible websites in behavioral health in Maine. We’ve added new functionality to our website to ensure we reduce barriers to access services.
The first is a translation feature that allows individuals to toggle between top languages and it will auto translate all the text on our website. Top languages include:
- Arabic
- Chinese
- Dutch
- French
- German
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
The other allows individuals with various visual impairments to select different ways to better interact with our website content. This includes adjusting contrast, text spacing highlighting links, making text larger, and more.
See both here: https://www.sweetser.org.
Sweetser produces new teen mental health podcast
Sweetser, a statewide mental health organization, has launched a new podcast about mental health, specifically for Maine youth.
The podcast, Not Now Maybe Later, is hosted by Emily Ostrow, a licensed Sweetser clinical social worker based in MSAD #60.
According to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, children are struggling with anxiety and depression at unprecedented levels, about one-in-nine nationally. Amongst Maine youth, their rates of anxiety and depression are higher than the national average, closer to one in six kids experiencing these challenges.
Teenagers and their mental health will be the focus of each episode. Topics will include:
- What to expect from therapy
- Medications & seeing a psychiatrist
- Perspectives on mental health changes as you grow up
- Eating disorders and nutrition
- LGBTQ+ & gender affirming care
- When someone you love has mental illness or addiction
“I’ve been working with teenagers for nearly 14 years, and they are my favorite clients to work with,” Ostrow said. “Podcasts are a great way to make information relevant, personal and accessible. There has never been a more important time to meet Maine youth where they are at to both validate their experiences and aid in their development.”
Ostrow earned a Master in Social Work, clinical program, from Simmons University in Boston and is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. She specializes in working with teens who have experienced trauma.
“Sweetser is always looking for creative ways of connecting critical resources and support to those we serve,” Justin Chenette said, Sweetser’s Communications Director. “We hope this podcast provides a platform to continue destigmatizing mental health and gives youth a way to feel like they aren’t alone in their feelings and anxieties.”
The first episode centers around the impact social media has on teenage mental health as research has shown social media can cause or worsen loneliness and depression, and lower self-esteem.
Future guests will be pulled from a variety of places and will showcase various expertise in the mental health field.
Not Now Maybe Later is available on Spotify, Soundcloud and Youtube.