From: Earl.Appleby@p4.f429.n275.z1.fidonet.org (Earl Appleby)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: A Patient Effort
Date: 12 Aug 92 18:58:02 GMT
Reply-To: Earl.Appleby@p4.f429.n275.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:275/429.4 - HandiNet B B S, Virginia Beach VA
X-Fidonet: Able News Conference

Index Number: 23697

[This is from the AbleNews Conference]

ABLEnews

[The following file, SACENTI.ART was uploaded by Bruce Lynch to Project
Enable (1;279/14) (304-766-7842). It is entered here with appreciation
to Mr. Lynch for the information of our ABLEnews readers.]

                        Ex-patients Working as Staff:
                Overcoming Barriers to Provide Effective Services

Psychiatric patients who have achieved significant recovery have
demonstrated a high degree of capacity and motivation to help others who
are experiencing psychiatric disorders. Staff and administrators
working in the mental health field, however, often have negative
attitudes regarding the capacity of ex- patients to work as staff within
the field.  Also, traditional pre-service training programs do not
address the unique problems which ex-patients experience when they take
staff positions in the mental health field.

Over the past two years, a small group of ex-patients employed at
Eastern Middlesex Human Services in Wakefield, Massachusetts has been
developing a training program to support themselves and their capacity
to work successfully in their agency. This training is also focused on
promoting more positive attitudes among staff and administrators toward
ex-patients working within the mental health system.

The ex-patient staff who are conducting training and providing their own
mutual support include a nurse, a psychiatrist, an occupational
therapist, and a social worker. This peer group meets on a regular basis
and works to accomplish the following objectives: Providing assistance
to staff to identify attitudes of stigma; Creating viable opportunities
for staff to receive training and information to work effectively with
ex-patient employees; Conducting outreach meetings in the community to
educate ex-patients about returning to a working life; Working to create
constructive and empowering work relationships with people in positions
of authority; Learning to emphasize the value of one's own experience
and use this experience to give hope to others; and, Learning when and
how to disclose one's own past experience with mental illness.

The ex-patient professional staff at Eastern Middlesex Human Services will
be developing materials to help others implement similar training and
support activities. A regional workshop for administrators and line
staff of mental health centers is also being planned. Ex-patient staff
are available to provide consultation and technical assistance.

For more information, contact:

        Linda Sacenti
        Eastern Middlesex Human Services
        Administrative Offices
        395 Main St.
        Wakefield, MA 01880

A 2-page article entitled Making a Difference: Ex-patients as Staff, by
Meg Simon, was published in RESOURCES, Summer, 1990.  This article
describes the work of ex-patient staff at Eastern Middlesex Human
Services. For a copy of this article, contact Kathy Kennedy, Human
Resource Association of the Northeast, 187 High St., Suite 303, Holyoke,
MA 01040.

With a tip of our ABLEnews hat to Bruce Lynch and the folks at EMHS,

...For further information, contact CURE, 812 Stephen Street, Berkeley
Springs, West Virginia 254511 (304-258-LIFE/5433).

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