Reflecting back on Mental Health Awareness and Reflecting on a DUI Diversion Program

Reflecting back on the Symposium to Breaking the Silence, Mental Health Awareness last month. I came across a News Journal (Delaware Online) article by Esteban Para on May 11, 2014 called 'Reflections Program' that teaches reflection through coping and decision making skills. This is a story about a middle-aged man who is incarcerated after a repeated DUI Offense who participates in a Substance Abuse Program started by Connections at Sussex Correctional Institute. What is interesting is the DUI Offenders (name Hardin) heartfelt and honest answers about his addiction to Alcohol and his need to self-medicate to cope with every day life stressors and to have a good time. Hardin states, "Everything was better with alcohol and drugs." Getting to the core of what catalyzed Hardin's Substance Abuse by Reflecting on underlying trauma may be a step in the right direction to understand a repeat DUI offender's underlying Mental Health Disorders. Society and the Public are battled in a fierce crisis on how low-level non-violent offenders with Substance Abuse are treated in the Court of Law. Since Substance Abuse is a Mental Health Disorder, why not have more Drug and Rehabilitative Centers as a diversion across the state? Should we as a society Decriminalize All Drugs in the U.S. and offer DUI and Poly Substance Abuse Offenders the option of jail time or rehabilitation treatment centers like in Portugal? Moreover, the Reflections Program helps DUI Offenders learn about safe driving, living a balanced life and seek safety. However, the 3-time DUI Offender, Hardin may also benefit from a Drug Treatment and Rehabilitative Program. The story does not mention whether Hardin harmed anyone while driving which would complicate matters on behalf of the courts and public safety matters. So much work to be done!

E-Cigarettes: Boom & Bust in Delaware

I found this article in the News Journal today, by Jon Offredo. Delaware Legislature, State Representative Debra Heffernan, D-Brandywine Hundred is introducing a bill supported by the Delaware Association Restaurateurs and the Department of Health & Social Services to ban e-cigarette use in restaurants, public spaces (beaches & parks) and indoor spaces. E-Cigarettes have boomed popularity and use, especially among teenagers. The long-term risked of smoking e-cigarettes are unknown. The toxic chemicals and carcinogens (cancer causing agents) in the liquid vapor are not regulated by the FDA. This article was featured in the Tova Cares, Spring 2014 Newsletter, Healthy Tidbits. The House recently passed legislation to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and now the bill moves to the Senate.

Free EKG and Heart Screenings for Delaware Students

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a the #1 Killer of Student Athletes. A simple EKG Screening along with a Family History Screening can reduce a young athletes risk of SCA. New Castle County is offering FREE EKG and Heart Screenings for Delaware Students on Saturday, April 12th from 10am-2pm at A.I. duPont High School. Let's "Get Your Heart in the Game"

Doing Jail Time and Mentally Ill

There was a blog posted on Think Progress entitled, There are 10 Times More Mentally Ill Behind Bars Than Being Treated in State Hospitals, that came to my attention. In the TovaCares-Healthy Tidbits Newsletter, Fall 2013, I talked about Portugual’s Decriminalization of Drug Abuse Offenses. What is interesting is that Portugal has treats Drug Abuse as a Public Health Issue and not a Criminal Justice matter. Under Portugal law, people who have been found guilty of possession are first offered mental health services and not jail time. After 5 years of this new mandate, drug use declined and the number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction more than doubled. In the U.S., there are over 300,000 severely mentally ill people in jail cells without the medical expertise to properly treat their disease. The question becomes whether Drug Abuse should be treated as a Mental Health Disorder and/or a Public Health Issue versus a Criminal Justice issue. An aside, “Most of the prisoners who suffer from mental health issues are grappling with mood and psychotic disorders, like severe depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.” States would argue that jailing mentally ill patients is cheaper than funding state psychiatric hospitals. But a study by North Carolina State and the University of South Florida found, “ensuring access to affordable outpatient mental health treatment, like medication and counseling, helps keep mentally ill people out of jail and lower state governments’ overall expenses.” Prospectively, the cost savings are long-term not short-term. In the U.S., 300,000 severely mentally ill individuals are in prisons and jails that are neither equipped nor staffed to handle such problems. Let alone, the number of severely mentally ill who are in solitary confinement and locked down 24 hours a day. Where do we go from here?

Mindful Meditation

Have you thought about Mindful Meditation? Meditation is a state of thoughtful self-awareness in the mind & body in which the body is in a profound state of peace & calmness. I actually took a Meditation class because my sister Rachel meditates every morning before she goes to work. She’s a Middle School Language Teacher! Anyone who is a teacher knows that middle-school is a challenging age group to teach. But, Rachel always appears in a clam state of mind. Initially, I had some reservations about taking the class but was willing to try anything to help me learn to relax. Unwillingly, I learned the ‘basics’ of this practice from a wonderful Yoga & Meditation instructor. Meditation taught me how to re-channel my nervous energy & put me in a more relaxed state of mind. Leaving the class left me refreshed but in order to maintain this sense of calmness during everyday challenges requires work and practice. Russell Simmons, the entertainment mongul is a Buddhist & practices Trancendental Meditation. According to Global Grind, meditation allows the “thinking mind to effortlessly settle down and experience the transcendent-the field of silence within.” Health benefits of meditation increase with regular practice such as: infertility, pain, blood pressure, immunity and ect. Why not try Meditation and make it apart of your overall mind, body, and spiritual wellness?

Buyer Beware: E-Cigarettes

E-Cigarettes is a new product being found in stores all across this state and country that has gained popularity especially among people under 18. Perusing the store, the bright-colored packages are visible with a variety of sweet flavored vapors that brings many consumer over to look at this new product. E-Cigarettes are an electric cigarette that uses nicotine vapor liquid instead of tobacco products. The News Journal featured the headline, E-Cigarettes Could Be Banned which talked about state legislation that aims to ban the purchase of e-cigarettes in Delaware. The Department of Health and Social Services and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) reports that the percentage of U.S. middle and high school use of e-cigarettes doubled between 2011 and 2012 and there was a 4.7 increase in the state of Delaware. While there are those who do not think that e-cigarettes are necessarily dangerous, most people feel banning minors from using these products will reduce the risk of smoking in the long-term. Many research studies show the harmful risks that tobacco products and health benefits of quitting such as, reducing risk of heart and lung disease and cancer (National Cancer Institute). According to the Delaware Division of Public Health chief, Dr. Rattay, “smoking is the leading cause of death in Delaware” and preventing addiction to this harmful substance is foremost. Overall, there are limited studies looking at the long-term risks of e-cigarettes which contain harmful chemicals: diethylene glycol (a toxic ingredient found in antifreeze), toxins and carcinogens (cancer causing agents). On the national level, health agencies and organizations are pushing for the FDA & the Division of Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement to test and regulate e-cigarettes. Overall, there is great concern therefore, the unknown risks from an addictive substance requires the Buyer to Beware. Do you think E-Cigarettes are Bad?

Picture@alajazeera.com

Celebrating Delaware Legends during Black History Month

      Delawareans who improved the quality of lives for the Poor and Underserved during Black History Month, There are so many local legends in Delaware who have contributed to the field of science to improve the lives of people with medical conditions. Two people who come to mind are Charles Whitten and Henrietta Johnson (the founder of the Henrietta Johnson Medical Center). Taken from Henrietta Johnson's website, The Biography of Mrs. Henrietta Johnson 1914-1997 Henrietta Johnson -(1914-1997) was born on July 24,1914 in Baltimore, MD. She was the mother of 3 children, 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. She spent 20 years as a nurse and also volunteered at the YMCA, Layton Home for the Aged and Delaware Adolescent Program. Mrs. Johnson made political history in Delaware by becoming the first Black woman elected to the Delaware General Assembly House of Representatives. She served four 2-year terms representing the people of the 3rd district. During her years in the General Assembly, she sponsored legislation for financial support to senior citizen centers, community based social services, increased welfare benefits and general obligation bonds for school renovations. In 1980, Mrs. Johnson was honored for her years as a tireless representative of the people by having a multi-purpose facility named in her honor..... Henrietta Johnson Medical Center http://www.hjmc.org/history. Dr. Charles F. Whitten was born on February 2, 1922 in Wilmington, Delaware. He attended the Howard High School and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1942. Dr. Whitten grew up on the Wilmington’s East Side and lived next door to the legendary jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown. He went on to finish his medical degree at the prestigious Mehary Medical College in 1945 and completed a residency program in pediatrics and a one-year fellowship in pediatric hematology. Dr. Whitten's major area of interest was research in sickle cell anemia. With the help of many concerned citizens, he organized to form the National Association for Sickle Cell Disease and the Sickle Cell Detection and Information Center in 1971. The National Association for Sickle Cell Disease which is now known as the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) head quarters are in Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, SCDAA has over 50 member organizations and affiliates thanks to the steadfast leadership of Dr. Whitten. He continued to serve on the board for over two decades until his health started to decline in his 80s. Dr. Whitten was also the first African-American to serve as the chief of pediatrics and head a department at Detroit Receiving Hospital. Dr. Whitten passed away on August 14, 2008 at the age of 86 (Healthy Tidbits). Check out the Sickle Cell Disease Association of American’s website: www.scdaa.org Kudos, to Dr. Kimech at Delaware State University for his work with Gene Alteration Therapy Research to cure Sickle Cell Anemia