News: 2006 Archive

The Future of Life Guidance Services: Research Supported Counseling Grounded in a Compassionate Relationship

Now that LGS has integrated all except our Cherry Street programs and out-county Wellness and Prevention programs under one roof at the Claystone location, our biggest challenge for the immediate future is to evolve into an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) with an emphasis on our staff providing their clients sensitive, compassionate treatment using interventions that have a history of proven success in the psychotherapy research literature.

Experts in the field state that there are four cornerstones of Evidence-Based Practice:

• What is known from research and theory
• What is known from clients, or practice wisdom, that also includes professional values
• What is known from the clinician’s personal experience
• What clients bring to practice situations

All four come into play and mutually affect each other at any given time in the therapeutic experience. Because of this, EBP promotes a high degree of clinician reflection and self awareness. [Gilgun, J. (2005). The four cornerstones of evidence-based practice in social work. Research on Social Work Practice 15(1), 52-61]

This multi-year project toward becoming an Evidence-Based Practice has already begun. The clinical disorders that will be the first EBP focus (depression and anxiety) have been identified. An original outcome tool has been designed and is currently awaiting technical solutions prior to implementation. Next steps are to determine training needs and then contract with trainers experienced with EBP in behavioral health.

These are exciting times at LGS as we endeavor to poise ourselves to meet the needs of clients and funding sources in the immediate and distant future.

New Behavioral Health Umbrella Organization Aims to Improve Lives

GRAND RAPIDS—Project Rehab announced today that it has created a new umbrella organization to lead its established service organizations. “From this point forward, we will help lead the way in creating awareness about behavioral health issues under the name Proaction Behavioral Health Alliance,” said Michael Reagan, President of the alliance. The announcement was made at a briefing Friday afternoon where staff leadership learned of the mission of the new organization and were presented with the new alliance logo.

“We need to emphasize, however, that the story here today is not about the new name or the new logo. The story is about how this alliance is going to improve lives,” explained Reagan.

Project Rehab, a not-for-profit organization, has been promoting wellness and healthy lifestyles since 1968. Over the years their services have expanded and they now offer a range of behavioral health services through 300 employees at 14 facilities in East and West Michigan. In addition to the Project Rehab programs, their services have expanded to include Community Treatment Centers, Life Guidance Services, the Employee Assistance Center, and Community Counseling and Personal Growth Ministries. The purpose of the new umbrella organization is to provide leadership for each of the service organizations while working on community-wide behavioral health issues.

“Knowing that this wider range of behavioral health expertise positioned us to be a leader in the health community, we created a separate entity to focus on increasing awareness, understanding and support of behavioral health in Michigan communities,” said Reagan. The “Project Rehab” name will continue as the brand name of their residential and community corrections services.

“The Proaction Behavioral Health Alliance will improve lives by creating a stronger continuum of care, creating and sustaining organizational excellence, and creating awareness about behavioral health issues in our communities,” said Reagan.

Reagan explained that the restructuring provides potential for increased capacity. “Working together as a close-knit family of organizations, we can provide more seamless care for patients going from residential care to outpatient or vice-versa.”

Proaction plans to improve the state of behavioral health delivery by supplying alliance members with operational support. “This will lead to greater efficiencies, which will allow us to invest in the advance technologies needed to compete in today’s environment.” Proaction will provide human resource, information technology, brand management, and operational services so that each service organization is able to “focus their energies on advancing their missions.”

“Ultimately this change is a necessity if we are going to be able to continue surviving and competing. This restructuring provides us with abilities which are critically needed, that we would not have otherwise had,” said Reagan.

Life Guidance Provides Free Depression Screening

One of Kent County’s longest serving social service organizations, Life Guidance Services, is continuing its mission to help people “live life to the fullest” by providing free depression screening.  Life Guidance is partnering with Affordable Basic Care (ABC) to offer the tests at the ABC location at the Clyde Park Meijer store on National Depression Screening Day, Thursday, October 5, 2006.

National Depression Screening Day providing (NDSD) began fifteen years ago as the first nationwide, community-based mental health screening program. Today it is the largest provider of mental health screening services in the country through its partnership with thousands of behavioral health professionals.    

“The screenings are available to anyone on a walk-in basis from 10am to noon,” explained Art Jongsma, PhD, Executive Director of Life Guidance Services.  Jongsma said that the tests are offered “in a private corner of the ABC clinic.  The tests screen for four of the most common and frequently co-occurring mental disorders: depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.   

NDSD Mental Health Screening is designed to call attention to mood and anxiety disorders on a national level, to educate the public and clinicians about the symptoms and effective treatments, to offer individuals the opportunity to be screened for the disorders, and to connect those in need of treatment to the mental health care system.  “If we determine that someone may benefit from treatment, we can refer them to one of our over twenty clinicians,” said Jongsma.  “Life Guidance’s staff of counselors has an average of 27 years of experience.  We have the expertise to provide a variety of treatments.”

Established in 1893, Life Guidance in a not-for-profit organization that specializes in outpatient counseling, wellness and prevention programs, and employee assistance programs. 

Family Expo Strengthens Families

(Grand Rapids, MI) --- A social service organization that has been helping Kent County families since 1893 is commemorating National Family Week with an event designed to strengthen local families and the community.  “Family Expo” connects families with community resources that help families access reliable transportation, employment opportunities, education, child care, housing, health care, and support from community networks and institutions.

Life Guidance Services, a not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and wellness and prevention programs, is partnering with the David D. Hunting Branch YMCA to offer this event at the YMCA facility in downtown Grand Rapids.  Family Expo takes place during National Family Week on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 from 6pm to 9pm.  This is a free event open to the community.

In addition to the exposition of community service organizations, Family Expo will feature workshops aimed at keeping kids and their families happy and healthy.  The first session of workshops offers “Drugs of Abuse and Signs of Use  ” and “No Bullies Allowed!” an engaging presentation to help children identify ways they can protect themselves against bullies. “Fortaleciendo las Familias Hispanas (Strengthening Hispanic Families)” is a workshop presented in Spanish by Angel Rodriguez of Life Guidance Wellness and Prevention Services.

The second session includes “How to Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem,” “Building Support Systems in Families,” and “Proyecto Respeto,” a Spanish language presentation identifying how today’s culture of mass media can have a negative impact on an individual’s choices and self-respect.

"Ordinary families are extraordinarily important to our communities and our country," says Dr. Art Jongsma, Executive Director of Life Guidance Services.  "When America's diverse families and children are healthy, our nation prospers.  Family Expo recognizes the value of families and provides resources that will help families of all types, sizes, and configurations."

The evening begins at 6pm in the Community Room on the first floor of the YMCA.  Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell will offer opening remarks followed by a keynote address from Teresa Neal, Grand Rapids Public Schools Assistant to the Superintendent for Community & Student Affairs.  In addition, Mary Alice Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arbor Circle, will accept a National Family Week Advocacy Award.  This award is given to “an individual who has significantly contributed to state and local advocacy efforts on behalf of vulnerable children and families.” 

“The team here at the David D. Hunting Branch YMCA is delighted to host this National Family Week celebration” said Stan Greene, Executive Director.  “It’s hard to imagine an effort that aligns better with our vision of being the leader in building strong kids, strong families and strong communities.” 

The premise of National Family Week is that “children live better lives when their families are strong, and families are strong when they live in communities that connect them to economic opportunities, social networks, and services.”  The Alliance for Children and Families, a nonprofit membership association representing organizations serving children and families in the United States and Canada, has directed National Family Week efforts for more than 30 years.  The Alliance is upporting Life Guidance’s Family Expo with a “mini-grant” of $1,000.

Life Guidance is part of the Proaction Behavioral Health Alliance, a not-for-profit alliance of health organizations that works together to improve lives.

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Links:    

National Family Week www.nationalfamilyweek.org

Life Guidance Services www.lifeguidanceservices.org

Proaction Behavioral Health Alliance www.proactionbehavioralhealth.org

Alliance for Children and Families www.alliance1.org