Mental Health Mat t e r s Volume 7: Issue 3 - 2017

When life changes to be more difficult,YOU mustchange to be even strOnger.

Mental Health Mat t e r s

Serving Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Montgomery and Wilson County

Independence(620) 331-1748

Coffeyville(620) 251-8180

Cowley(620) 221-9664 or

(620) 442-4540

Emergency Services(800) 499-1748

www.fourcounty.com

A stepfamily is created when a parent or parents form a new partnership, usually through re-marriage. The term “blended” family is misleading. Stepfamily members rarely blend together. Instead, each person comes with an individual history and unique characteristics that sometimes mix well and sometimes not. Children often feel unfairly pulled back and forth between divorced parents, and their new households, and between several sets of grandparents. This be-comes even more difficult when divorced parents have not main-tained good communication in regards to their children. Good communication is necessary to make stepfamilies work.

MissionFour County Mental Health Center is dedicated to providing accessible, innovative services in partnership with individuals, families and our communities.

VisionWe envision healthier communities as we help individuals and families improve their lives. Collaborating with community partners, we sustain a robust range of services that are accessible because we help people where they live and work.

We continue to be innovative as we identify new and special needs, develop programs, train our staff, and deliver services. We will expand our use of state-of-the-art technology to extend our capacity and enhance the quality of service. We will continue to develop well-trained, dedicated staff within a supportive, challenging, and personally rewarding work environment.

• Suicide Prevention Involves Us All

• Sometimes it Just Has to go to the Dogs and Cats

• Staff Anniversaries

• Mental Health Tips

• Healthy School Routines

• Alcohol and Drugs - It’s Your Choice

• Events and Observances

• Bullying is a Serious Offense

• Stepfamilies Make a Family

• HOP Wellness Fair

Volume 7: Issue 3 - 2017

Stepfamilies Make a Family

Suicide is a major public health prob-lem, with so-cial, emotional and economic consequences.

There are approximately one million suicides worldwide each year, and it is estimated that at least six people are affected by each suicide.Every 15.2 minutes one person dies by suicide in the United States and every day one person dies by suicide in Kan-sas. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in youth ages 10 -24 and 16% of high school students have thoughts of suicide.Mood disorders, particularly depres-sion, are a major contributing risk factor for someone considering sui-cide. Serious depression signs might be unrelenting low mood; pessimism; hopelessness; desperation; anxiety, emotional pain and inner tension; with-drawal from friends and/or family; sleep problems. Alcohol and drug abuse increases the likelihood of self-injury. Impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks might be an indication of suicidal thoughts. Some more obvious warning

signs are threatening suicide or ex-pressing a strong wish to die; making a plan seeking access to pills, weapons or other means; and unexpected rage or anger.Evidence indicates that adequate pre-vention and treatment of depression and substance abuse can reduce suicide rates, as well as follow-up contact with those who have thoughts of or who have made an attempt at suicide.If a family member or friend mentions suicide, take it seriously. Be direct and talk to him/her openly and matter-of-factly about suicide. Ask them if they are thinking about suicide and be will-ing to listen, allowing expressions of feelings and accept those feelings. Do not be sworn to secrecy. Offer hope that help is available and do not leave him/her alone. Take action by removing means such as guns or stockpiled pills.

SEEK ASSISTANCE IMMEDIATELY!Headquarters Counseling Center in Law-rence is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Center for Kansas. Reach them free of charge, 24/7 at (800) 273-8255 or (785) 841-2345. Emergency mental health services are also available 24 hours a day through Four County Mental Health Center by calling (800) 499-1748.

Suicide Prevention Involves Us Allsui·cide pre·ven·tion - an term used for the collective efforts of local citizen organizations, health profession-als and related professionals to reduce the incidence of suicide

First-time families have a built-in bond, as well as bonds that naturally develop over time. Stepfamilies will be making new rituals from everything from breakfast time to how they go to and from school. Children may even have to switch schools. If an argument comes up between the divorced parents, it is suggested that the stepparent remove him/herself and not have arguments in front of children. That only adds to the child’s stress and feeling of loss. Creating rituals that are new and different can build a bond for the whole family. For many families, deciding where to gather for a family event can be a decision that requires a great deal of planning, communica-tion, and compromise. For fam-ilies of divorce or remarriage, this can become even more of a challenge, trying to satisfy the wants and needs of everyone in-volved. Discussing holiday plans

and birthday expectations early in the year can help everyone feel more comfortable and will help reduce last minute confu-sion and conflicts. Children will also feel better when they know where they will be, and when. It is a good idea to talk about family traditions with the goal of preserving past traditions that are special, as well as en-couraging new ones. The holi-day season is considered a time of giving and forgiving. With good communication and plan-ning ahead, family experiences can help strengthen all who are involved.It takes an average of three to six years to move through the stages of stepfamily de-velopment. It is important to understand the “normal” feel-ings and behaviors of everyone involved in a stepfamily. Have realistic expectations, know the challenges, keep communi-cating and work together at it daily.

It takes a family to make a family great!

StaffAnniversaries

Life isn’t about finding yourself.We have just one life. LIVe your life tO the fULLest, gIVe YOUr best in everything, do what you LOVe, regret and fear nOthIng.Life is about creatIng YOUrseLf.

Mark YourCalendars

SeptemberAlcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery

ADHD Month4 - Labor Day (observed)

4-10 - Suicide Prevention Week16 - Stepfamily Day

19-22 - Annual Conference in Kansas City, MO

21 - Families - THE Foundation25 - Family Table Day

29 - HOP Wellness Fair

OctoberBullying Prevention

Depression Education & AwarenessDomestic Violence Awareness1-7 - Mental Illness Awareness

6-12 - Physicians Assistant Week18 - Medical Assistants Day22-29 - Red Ribbon Week

NovemberAlzheimer’s Disease Awareness

Family CaregiversMilitary Family Appreciation

11 - Veterans Day12-18 - Nurse Practitioners Week23-24 - Thanksgiving (observed)

Events &Observances

Sometimes it Just Has to Go to the Dogs and Cats!There are many ways to help the school year progress smoothly and reduce stress levels. One way is to set a bedtime to make sure your child gets enough sleep. The average amount of sleep a child/youth should get ev-ery night is around 10 hours.Eating healthy will help provide neces-sary nutrients needed to have energy, stay healthy and help maintain focus on school-work. Also pay attention to what and how much your child eats; a change in eating habits may be an early warning for other problems. Understand that kids will snack between meals so be prepared for that and

have healthy snacks on-hand ready for them.Get your child moving with some type of physical activity. It is shown that this will be beneficial with aspects of health such as weight, muscular strength, bone mass, anxi-ety and stress, as well as self-esteem.Make sure everyone has stays clear under-standing on the established guidelines for how your child will get to and from school to ensure safety.Finally, breathe and make the best out of ev-ery day and remember every child deserves to be loved.

Healthy School Routines

Parenting ClassesPlease go to our website:www.fourcounty.com

to view a list of upcoming Parenting Classes.

Congratulations to Four County staff on these milestone anniversaries. Thank you for your commitment to Four County and the patients we serve.

15 Years of ServicePenny Webber, CSSCarrie Timmons-Kukovich, CBSKelly Smallwood, CDS10 Years of ServiceLarissa Scammey, AdmAngela Hammack, MedDianna Berry, CDS5 Years of ServiceNancy Tanner, CBSTroy Dannels, ITJudy Johnson, CDSJoy Findley, AdmRebecca Raymond, CBSMelissa McDaniel, Active Partners

Bullying is a cruel behavior that may happen again and again and hurts ev-eryone. It hurts the victim(s) who are being bullied; the person who bullies; and bystanders - witnesses to bullying. It creates a climate of fear and distrust. Bullies are at school, the workforce, on the street - they are everywhere.There are four types of bullying: physi-

cal, relationsal/emotional, verbal and cyberbullying. Physical bullying involves hitting, shoving, kicking, tripping, dam-aging personal property, stealing. Rela-tional/Emotional bullying involves shun-ning or rejecting a person, spreading cruel rumors, persuading others to hurt or reject the victim, staring or laughing. Verbal bullying involves saying insulting or mocking things, making threats, or

racist remarks. Cyberbullying involves spreading insulting messages or embar-rassing images by cell phone or com-puter, creating rude websites, polls or weblogs about the victim.We all need to learn how to stand up against bullying. Everyone deserves to be safe and treated with respect.

Bullying is a Serious Offense

• Think positively• Cherish the ones you love• Continue learning every day and from your mistakes• Relax, breathe, and exercise daily• Remind yourself it’s okay not to be perfect• Do not complicate your life unnecessarily• Do not be so hard on yourself• Accept what is, let go of what was• Self-forgiveness is essential for self-healing• Try to understand and encourage others• Help others - it keeps us from focusing on ourselves• Appreciate someone• Do not give up, look at the bigger picture• Count your blessings• Discover and nurture your talents• Set goals for yourself and pursue your dreams• Enjoy today and live your life

Mental Health Tips

Monarch Clubhouse members saw a great need and collectively made the decision to raise funds/food donations for the local animal shelters in Cof-feyville, Kansas and Fredonia, Kansas.Club members spent time raising money by sitting in the hot sun in the parking lot of both Walmart and the Dollar Tree located in Coffeyville. Patrons were asked to make financial donations, food dona-tions, or supply donations.Members raised $427.23 along with many food and supply product donations.The Monarch Club members thank Walmart and the Dollar Tree both located in Coffeyville, Kansas for allowing them to setup the fundraiser and all who donated to this wonderful cause.

bul·ly·ing - abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger, more powerful, etc.

EvEry daymay not bE

good.bUt thErE isSOMETHING

GOOD inEVERY DAY.

Before anyone ever takes a puff, a hit or a drink, there is a decision made - a healthy or an unhealthy decision. Sometimes mak-ing the healthy choice is hard because you are stressed, angry or pressured by others. Learning the facts about drugs and alcohol can help you make informed decisions about your health and risks associated with alco-hol/drug use. There is no easy answer to this if and how quickly you might become addicted. It all depends on many factors including your

Alcohol and Drugs - It’s Your Choicegenes (which you inherit from your parents) and the biology of your body. All tobacco, alcohol and drugs are considered harmful and may have life-threatening consequences associated with their use. There are also vast differences among individuals in sen-sitivity. While one person may use one or many times and suffer no long-term effects, another person may be particularly vulner-able and overdose with the first use. There is no way of knowing in advance how someone may react.

Tips To Keep Positive and Away from Alcohol and Drugs:• Learn good communication skills.• Get involved in civic organizations, educa-

tional or faith-based programs.• Reduce stress.• Choose friends wisely.• Become a mentor.• Keep a positive attitude.

StaffAnniversaries

Life isn’t about finding yourself.We have just one life. LIVe your life tO the fULLest, gIVe YOUr best in everything, do what you LOVe, regret and fear nOthIng.Life is about creatIng YOUrseLf.

Mark YourCalendars

SeptemberAlcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery

ADHD Month4 - Labor Day (observed)

4-10 - Suicide Prevention Week16 - Stepfamily Day

19-22 - Annual Conference in Kansas City, MO

21 - Families - THE Foundation25 - Family Table Day

29 - HOP Wellness Fair

OctoberBullying Prevention

Depression Education & AwarenessDomestic Violence Awareness1-7 - Mental Illness Awareness

6-12 - Physicians Assistant Week18 - Medical Assistants Day22-29 - Red Ribbon Week

NovemberAlzheimer’s Disease Awareness

Family CaregiversMilitary Family Appreciation

11 - Veterans Day12-18 - Nurse Practitioners Week23-24 - Thanksgiving (observed)

Events &Observances

Sometimes it Just Has to Go to the Dogs and Cats!There are many ways to help the school year progress smoothly and reduce stress levels. One way is to set a bedtime to make sure your child gets enough sleep. The average amount of sleep a child/youth should get ev-ery night is around 10 hours.Eating healthy will help provide neces-sary nutrients needed to have energy, stay healthy and help maintain focus on school-work. Also pay attention to what and how much your child eats; a change in eating habits may be an early warning for other problems. Understand that kids will snack between meals so be prepared for that and

have healthy snacks on-hand ready for them.Get your child moving with some type of physical activity. It is shown that this will be beneficial with aspects of health such as weight, muscular strength, bone mass, anxi-ety and stress, as well as self-esteem.Make sure everyone has stays clear under-standing on the established guidelines for how your child will get to and from school to ensure safety.Finally, breathe and make the best out of ev-ery day and remember every child deserves to be loved.

Healthy School Routines

Parenting ClassesPlease go to our website:www.fourcounty.com

to view a list of upcoming Parenting Classes.

Congratulations to Four County staff on these milestone anniversaries. Thank you for your commitment to Four County and the patients we serve.

15 Years of ServicePenny Webber, CSSCarrie Timmons-Kukovich, CBSKelly Smallwood, CDS10 Years of ServiceLarissa Scammey, AdmAngela Hammack, MedDianna Berry, CDS5 Years of ServiceNancy Tanner, CBSTroy Dannels, ITJudy Johnson, CDSJoy Findley, AdmRebecca Raymond, CBSMelissa McDaniel, Active Partners

Bullying is a cruel behavior that may happen again and again and hurts ev-eryone. It hurts the victim(s) who are being bullied; the person who bullies; and bystanders - witnesses to bullying. It creates a climate of fear and distrust. Bullies are at school, the workforce, on the street - they are everywhere.There are four types of bullying: physi-

cal, relationsal/emotional, verbal and cyberbullying. Physical bullying involves hitting, shoving, kicking, tripping, dam-aging personal property, stealing. Rela-tional/Emotional bullying involves shun-ning or rejecting a person, spreading cruel rumors, persuading others to hurt or reject the victim, staring or laughing. Verbal bullying involves saying insulting or mocking things, making threats, or

racist remarks. Cyberbullying involves spreading insulting messages or embar-rassing images by cell phone or com-puter, creating rude websites, polls or weblogs about the victim.We all need to learn how to stand up against bullying. Everyone deserves to be safe and treated with respect.

Bullying is a Serious Offense

• Think positively• Cherish the ones you love• Continue learning every day and from your mistakes• Relax, breathe, and exercise daily• Remind yourself it’s okay not to be perfect• Do not complicate your life unnecessarily• Do not be so hard on yourself• Accept what is, let go of what was• Self-forgiveness is essential for self-healing• Try to understand and encourage others• Help others - it keeps us from focusing on ourselves• Appreciate someone• Do not give up, look at the bigger picture• Count your blessings• Discover and nurture your talents• Set goals for yourself and pursue your dreams• Enjoy today and live your life

Mental Health Tips

Monarch Clubhouse members saw a great need and collectively made the decision to raise funds/food donations for the local animal shelters in Cof-feyville, Kansas and Fredonia, Kansas.Club members spent time raising money by sitting in the hot sun in the parking lot of both Walmart and the Dollar Tree located in Coffeyville. Patrons were asked to make financial donations, food dona-tions, or supply donations.Members raised $427.23 along with many food and supply product donations.The Monarch Club members thank Walmart and the Dollar Tree both located in Coffeyville, Kansas for allowing them to setup the fundraiser and all who donated to this wonderful cause.

bul·ly·ing - abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger, more powerful, etc.

EvEry daymay not bE

good.bUt thErE isSOMETHING

GOOD inEVERY DAY.

Before anyone ever takes a puff, a hit or a drink, there is a decision made - a healthy or an unhealthy decision. Sometimes mak-ing the healthy choice is hard because you are stressed, angry or pressured by others. Learning the facts about drugs and alcohol can help you make informed decisions about your health and risks associated with alco-hol/drug use. There is no easy answer to this if and how quickly you might become addicted. It all depends on many factors including your

Alcohol and Drugs - It’s Your Choicegenes (which you inherit from your parents) and the biology of your body. All tobacco, alcohol and drugs are considered harmful and may have life-threatening consequences associated with their use. There are also vast differences among individuals in sen-sitivity. While one person may use one or many times and suffer no long-term effects, another person may be particularly vulner-able and overdose with the first use. There is no way of knowing in advance how someone may react.

Tips To Keep Positive and Away from Alcohol and Drugs:• Learn good communication skills.• Get involved in civic organizations, educa-

tional or faith-based programs.• Reduce stress.• Choose friends wisely.• Become a mentor.• Keep a positive attitude.

Mental Health Mat t e r s Volume 7: Issue 3 - 2017

When life changes to be more difficult,YOU mustchange to be even strOnger.

Mental Health Mat t e r s

Serving Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Montgomery and Wilson County

Independence(620) 331-1748

Coffeyville(620) 251-8180

Cowley(620) 221-9664 or

(620) 442-4540

Emergency Services(800) 499-1748

www.fourcounty.com

A stepfamily is created when a parent or parents form a new partnership, usually through re-marriage. The term “blended” family is misleading. Stepfamily members rarely blend together. Instead, each person comes with an individual history and unique characteristics that sometimes mix well and sometimes not. Children often feel unfairly pulled back and forth between divorced parents, and their new households, and between several sets of grandparents. This be-comes even more difficult when divorced parents have not main-tained good communication in regards to their children. Good communication is necessary to make stepfamilies work.

MissionFour County Mental Health Center is dedicated to providing accessible, innovative services in partnership with individuals, families and our communities.

VisionWe envision healthier communities as we help individuals and families improve their lives. Collaborating with community partners, we sustain a robust range of services that are accessible because we help people where they live and work.

We continue to be innovative as we identify new and special needs, develop programs, train our staff, and deliver services. We will expand our use of state-of-the-art technology to extend our capacity and enhance the quality of service. We will continue to develop well-trained, dedicated staff within a supportive, challenging, and personally rewarding work environment.

• Suicide Prevention Involves Us All

• Sometimes it Just Has to go to the Dogs and Cats

• Staff Anniversaries

• Mental Health Tips

• Healthy School Routines

• Alcohol and Drugs - It’s Your Choice

• Events and Observances

• Bullying is a Serious Offense

• Stepfamilies Make a Family

• HOP Wellness Fair

Volume 7: Issue 3 - 2017

Stepfamilies Make a Family

Suicide is a major public health prob-lem, with so-cial, emotional and economic consequences.

There are approximately one million suicides worldwide each year, and it is estimated that at least six people are affected by each suicide.Every 15.2 minutes one person dies by suicide in the United States and every day one person dies by suicide in Kan-sas. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in youth ages 10 -24 and 16% of high school students have thoughts of suicide.Mood disorders, particularly depres-sion, are a major contributing risk factor for someone considering sui-cide. Serious depression signs might be unrelenting low mood; pessimism; hopelessness; desperation; anxiety, emotional pain and inner tension; with-drawal from friends and/or family; sleep problems. Alcohol and drug abuse increases the likelihood of self-injury. Impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks might be an indication of suicidal thoughts. Some more obvious warning

signs are threatening suicide or ex-pressing a strong wish to die; making a plan seeking access to pills, weapons or other means; and unexpected rage or anger.Evidence indicates that adequate pre-vention and treatment of depression and substance abuse can reduce suicide rates, as well as follow-up contact with those who have thoughts of or who have made an attempt at suicide.If a family member or friend mentions suicide, take it seriously. Be direct and talk to him/her openly and matter-of-factly about suicide. Ask them if they are thinking about suicide and be will-ing to listen, allowing expressions of feelings and accept those feelings. Do not be sworn to secrecy. Offer hope that help is available and do not leave him/her alone. Take action by removing means such as guns or stockpiled pills.

SEEK ASSISTANCE IMMEDIATELY!Headquarters Counseling Center in Law-rence is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Center for Kansas. Reach them free of charge, 24/7 at (800) 273-8255 or (785) 841-2345. Emergency mental health services are also available 24 hours a day through Four County Mental Health Center by calling (800) 499-1748.

Suicide Prevention Involves Us Allsui·cide pre·ven·tion - an term used for the collective efforts of local citizen organizations, health profession-als and related professionals to reduce the incidence of suicide

First-time families have a built-in bond, as well as bonds that naturally develop over time. Stepfamilies will be making new rituals from everything from breakfast time to how they go to and from school. Children may even have to switch schools. If an argument comes up between the divorced parents, it is suggested that the stepparent remove him/herself and not have arguments in front of children. That only adds to the child’s stress and feeling of loss. Creating rituals that are new and different can build a bond for the whole family. For many families, deciding where to gather for a family event can be a decision that requires a great deal of planning, communica-tion, and compromise. For fam-ilies of divorce or remarriage, this can become even more of a challenge, trying to satisfy the wants and needs of everyone in-volved. Discussing holiday plans

and birthday expectations early in the year can help everyone feel more comfortable and will help reduce last minute confu-sion and conflicts. Children will also feel better when they know where they will be, and when. It is a good idea to talk about family traditions with the goal of preserving past traditions that are special, as well as en-couraging new ones. The holi-day season is considered a time of giving and forgiving. With good communication and plan-ning ahead, family experiences can help strengthen all who are involved.It takes an average of three to six years to move through the stages of stepfamily de-velopment. It is important to understand the “normal” feel-ings and behaviors of everyone involved in a stepfamily. Have realistic expectations, know the challenges, keep communi-cating and work together at it daily.

It takes a family to make a family great!