Mentalhelpinfo

Welcome to Mentalhelpinfo.org
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH     March 2010
Joint commitee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse
                                                                                                                                                                                                        Department of Mental Health
Southwest Suburban Site Board. All of our members are volunteers for the Department of Mental Health. Our primary purpose is to Educate and Advocate for those who suffer from Mental Illness.Our Site Board is made up of consumers of mental health services,families,and ffriends of the mentally ill.
The links to the left will connect you to a broad range of Mental health topics including Mental Health Videos.
We have put together below a list of Frequently Asked Question
to help you get started

1 WHO SHOULD I CALL IN A CRISIS?
Every Department of Mental health region has an Emergency Services Team that is available 24 Hours a day/7 days a week to assist in psychiatric emergencies
Call 781-769-8674 or 1-800-529-5077

2 WHAT SERVICES DOES THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDE?
Services offered vary among Department of Mental Health site offices. You will need to contact your local office for specific information. A state wide list of services can be found online at.www.massachusetts.DMH.list
The Southwest Suburban Siteboard includes these communities.Canton, Dedham, Foxboro, Medfield, Millis, Needham, Newton, Norfolk, Norwood,
Plainville, Sharon, Walpole, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood and Wrentham.

3 WHAT CAN BE DONE WHEN A PERSON REFUSES HELP/
Take care of the crisis first. If anyone is unsafe.
CALL THE CRISIS TEAM
Remember you are dealing with a very complex situation.There are no easy answers. This website can help with specific information.
Your DMH regional offices can help you find the resources to fit your particular situation.

4 WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES?
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) gives a free 12 week educational course entitled Family TO Family.

Please refer questions or comments to webmaster
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NAMI Massachusetts

Massachusetts Joint Commitee on Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

Things To Consider If You Think You Can’t Work:

· Sometimes consumers hear the message from well meaning parents that they can not/should not work.

Remember that parents are often concerned for and worry about their children getting sick, remind your parents that work is a very positive thing.

· Without the right supports, the stress of working may have precipitated a past hospitalization.

It is important for everyone to remember that things change. With the right support network and a good understanding of the things that can cause stress many consumers can work without going into the hospital.

· Many consumers feel so sedated from medications that they can’t imagine having the energy to work.

Discuss this with your Doctor, and remember the sedating effects of many medications can be overcome with increased activity.

· Many consumers worry about missing appointments w/therapists or doctors if they go to work.

For most people work will only be part time. With good planning, appointment times can be changed to fit into a work schedule.

· Fear of failure/”who would hire me?”

The local vocational programs, HIRE, NRH, Elliot House, MRC specialize in helping people get jobs. This is what these programs do best; they know all the “tricks” to use to make sure an application/resume looks great.

· Fear of loss of entitlements is very real & powerful

Be knowledgeable about the effects working can have on your entitlements. Make an appointment with the entitlements specialists in your area – local work programs are a good first place to start.

Remember not all the benefits of working are about money…

· People who work feel good about themselves.

· Many people meet their significant others at work or a work function.

· Many companies offer an employee discount or meal plan.

· Working gives your day purpose and something different to think about.

· In the United States most people introduce themselves and then mention what they do for a living - when you have a job you have an identity.

· Friday and the “week-end” have meaning again

· A good day at work gives you a real sense of accomplishment

· And then of course there is the PAYCHECK!!

YOU CAN WORK

Here is some information to help everyone see that it is possible to work without losing benefits

· If you receive SSDI you can make up to $980.00 per month in 2009 and it will not affect your benefits. For example:

o If you make $8.00 an hour you can work up to 28 hours a week

o If you make $8.50 an hour you can work up to 26 hours a week

o If you make $10.00 an hour you can work up to 22 hours a week

(To figure the amount of hours someone can work using a specific hourly wage, divide $980.00 by the wage and then divide that amount by 4.3, since an average month has more than 4 weeks.)

· If you receive SSI things are a little more complicated. The first $85.00 a month you earn is not touched. After subtracting the first $85, your total gross monthly amount is divided in two – that amount is what your SSI check will be reduced by. For example:

· If you make $8.00 an hour and you work 15 hours a week, your average gross (before taxes) monthly total is $516.00. Subtract $85.00 from the total leaving $431.00. Divide $431.00 by 2 and that equals $215.50 – that is the amount your SSI check is reduced by.

· In short, this means that you will have MORE money by working.

· Continuing with the above example, if your SSI benefits were $600 before working, your check will be reduced to $384.50 while working, but, add your SSI check to your earnings and you see that you now have $900.50 per month while working. You now have MORE money each and every month.

· Even if you make too much money to receive MassHealth Standard you can still get health insurance. CommonHealth is an affordable insurance program (with the same coverage as MassHealth) for people with disabilities who are working at least 40 hours per month.

· Direct questions or concerns back to the vocational programs or other resources:

v Transitional Employment Placements (TEP) at the clubhouse are designed so that you can work and not have your benefits affected.

v Clubhouse staff have information about entitlements and can help you make the right choices.

v Mass Rehab Counselors and DMH Case Managers have a great deal of information about entitlements; make an appointment to see them.

Some helpful phone numbers

Neponset River House (781) 762-7075 (781) 762-7075

Elliot House (781) 449-1212 (781) 449-1212

Hire Enterprise (508) 668-4592 (508) 668-4592

Department of Mental Health (781) 401-9700 (781) 401-9700

Mass. Rehabilitation Commission:

Brookline Office (617) 739-9080 (617) 739-9080

Natick Office (508) 651-7531 (508) 651-7531

Quincy Office (617) 471-1600 (617) 471-1600

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