Posted May 09, 2014
WHO: Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County and the Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center in the Department of Psychiatry at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) have partnered to establish FIRST Cuyahoga County, a comprehensive, team-based, early identification and outpatient treatment program for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
WHAT: A Ribbon-cutting and Dedication Ceremony for FIRST Cuyahoga County
WHEN/WHERE: May 20, 3:30 p.m., Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland, the Gymnasium at the Covenant Center, 1515 West 29th, Cleveland, Ohio 44113
MORE: Many individuals with schizophrenia suffer needlessly, waiting months – even years – before an appropriate diagnosis is made and treatment begins. Emerging research suggests that intervening as soon as possible following an initial episode of psychosis can lessen its severity and promote a faster, more complete recovery from schizophrenia. FIRST Cuyahoga County is a team-based integrated, comprehensive early identification and outpatient treatment program for schizophrenia. Treatment includes: psychiatric care, individual counseling, family psychoeducation, supported employment/education and case management.
Although the course and features of schizophrenia and related disorders vary from person to person, schizophrenia includes periods when an individual experiences psychotic symptoms, meaning that there is some loss of contact with reality. Schizophrenia is characterized by hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that others do not), delusions (firmly held false beliefs, such as paranoia), disordered thinking, social withdrawal, limited emotional expression, problems with attention and certain types of memory, and loss or decrease in the abilities that allow people to plan and organize.
Anyone between the ages of 15 and 40 who is experiencing these symptoms and/or who has been taking an antipsychotic medication for less than a total of 18 months may contact FIRST Cuyahoga County team leader Jessica Balmert, MSW, LISW-S, at 216.339.1438. FIRST Cuyahoga County treatment services are based at Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland, 1515 West 29th, Cleveland, Ohio 44113.There are FIRST early identification and treatment programs in Cuyahoga, Summit, Portage, Trumbull and Mahoning counties. To learn more, please visit www.neomed.edu/bestcenter.
About Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland
As one of the largest comprehensive health and human services organizations in the region, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland carries out Christ’s healing mission here in Northeast Ohio. Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland delivers more than 150 services at 60 locations to nearly 400,000 people each year – providing help and creating hope for people of every race and religion in each of the eight counties in the Diocese.
About the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County
The Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County is responsible for the planning, funding and monitoring of public mental health and alcohol and other drug addiction services delivered to the residents of Cuyahoga County. Under Ohio law, the ADAMHS Board is one of 50 Boards coordinating the public behavioral health system in Ohio. The Board is a quasi-independent part of county government, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board has the legal responsibility and authority for the provision of mental health and addiction treatment services and contracts with provider agencies to deliver services that assist consumers and clients on the road to recovery. To learn more, please visit http://www.adamhscc.org.
About the BeST Center at NEOMED
The mission of the Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center is to promote recovery and improve the lives of as many people with schizophrenia as possible by accelerating the adoption of evidence-based and promising practices. The BeST Center works with consumers, family members, expert consultants, policymakers and mental health partners to offer training, consultation, evaluation, education and outreach activities to build the capacity of local systems to provide state-of-the-art care. To learn more, please visit www.neomed.edu/bestcenter.
Part of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
