3043 State Rt. 4
Hudson Falls, New York

p. 518.747.2284
f. 518.747.2253

Table of Contents

Raffle will help "Catch a Falling Star | Adirondack Booster Club Donates $3,500 to "Breaking the Silence" | Catching a Child before his or her World Darkens | Recovering in the Community | Peer-to-peer | AMH Annual Dinner- Honoring the Exceptional | Council will host training with Dr. Minkoff | Improvising Mental Illness | Changes

Improvising Mental Illness

The CDPC (Capital District Psychiatric Center) Mental Health Players presented vignettes on substance abuse, depression and anxiety during Mental Health Month. Students from a Warrensburg High School psychology class (below) attended. The Mental Health Players is an improvisational theater group whose task is to develop a better community understanding of mental health problems of everyday life and to dispel the myths, misconceptions and stigma surrounding major mental illnesses. Based on the interest shown last May, the Stigma Action Coalition plans on conducting another session this fall exclusively for this High School population.

Council will host training with Dr. Minkoff

Cliff Green, Coordinator of the AMH Dual Recovery Program, announced that Dr. Kenneth Minkoff will conduct a day-long workshop on October 26. The program will be funded through a grant from the Office of Mental Health to the Dual Recovery Council. It is free, open to the public and will be held in a location within Warren or Washington County. Pre-registration is required by contacting Cliff at 747-0035, ext. 265.

Dr. Minkoff is a nationally known expert on dual disorders and the integration of mental health and substance disorder services. Conference attendees will learn the details of his highly respected integrated service model for MICA (Mentally Ill Chemically Addicted) clients. Topics will include screening and assessment, principles of successful intervention, stages of recovery and psychopharmacology.

The Dual Recovery Council consists of sixteen agencies who provide services to the MICA population within Warren and Washington Counties.

As Dual Recovery Coordinator, Cliff's work includes identifying workforce training needs and facilitating cross agency/cross discipline staff development. Over the past two years, Dual Recovery has offered a variety of training opportunities including a two-day seminar with Dr. Bert Pepper, another national figure whose research details the connection between mental illness and chemical dependency and the need to integrate treatment modalities for people with co-occurring disorders.

Weekly Substance Abuse programs in September

Overview of Substance Abuse, 11am-1pm, conducted by the Council on Prevention and held at the AMH Hudson Falls offices. Open to the public, free of charge. Call 747-0035 for details.