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A Nurse of Many Hats

By: Cindy Dowers, BSN, RN, Executive Director of Nursing Services, Hamilton Center, Inc.

The World Health Organization has designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse – and based on the courageous work of nurses during COVID-19, it couldn’t come at a more appropriate time.

This week, we celebrate National Nurses Week, which begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Nightingale, who was born on May 12, 1820, 200 years ago, was a British nurse, statistician, and social reformer who is credited as the foundational philosopher of modern nursing.

Today, thanks to Nightingale’s efforts, there are a variety of nursing specialties, and one of those is the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (PMHN), or psych nurse.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health is becoming increasingly relevant to our social discussions about wellness and quality of life. In America, most of the nation has been restricted to social distancing and self-quarantine. Because of this, many individuals –  if not all – are experiencing newfound struggles related to mental health with little to no understanding of why or how to cope. Psych nurses are a uniquely qualified for these types of situations, and for those who struggle with mental illness, they are truly heroes.

A psych nurse wears many hats. They are trained mental health care professionals that develop strong therapeutic relationships with people experiencing mental illnesses, crisis, and/or substance use disorders. They are integrated health care specialists that work with a variety of other professions, including peer support specialists, counselors and therapists, and psychiatrists and psychologists. They are direct caregivers, who work to care for individuals and families while educating them about the mind-body connection and the strong correlation of mental and physical health. And, perhaps most critically, they are educators and advocates, actively work to end the stigma associated with mental health by encouraging self-care and promoting treatment when necessary.

Another nursing specialty of the mental health field is Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). PMHNPs help fill the gaps in care caused by a critical shortage of trained professionals. As a master’s level clinician, they work closely with patients to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals, and their families, with psychiatric disorders. They play a vital role in the treatment of mental illness through their full scope of therapeutic skills, which includes assisting patients to establish preventative and maintenance behaviors, prescribing medications, and administrating psychotherapy.

Nurses of all types play a vital role in providing health services. They are the backbone of our health care system, so much so, that many are the only point of care in their communities. They devote their lives to caring for individuals from before birth to the end of life. They do this, not on the basis of socioeconomic background, ethnicity, or color, but on basis of need and the love of serving others. In fact, right now, nurses all across the world are serving others in dire and frankly dangerous circumstances, stepping up to the challenge and answering our cries for help. 2020 is indeed the year of the nurse, and we thank every last one of them for all they do.

Hamilton Center, Inc. is a regional behavioral health system in Central and West Central Indiana. Services are provided to children, adolescents and adults, with specialized programs for expectant mothers, infants, and people with drug and alcohol problems. Counseling services are provided for people who may be struggling with stress, life changes, or relationship issues as well as more serious problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, and serious mental illnesses. For more information about services, call 1-800-742-0787, or visit www.hamiltoncenter.org.

Hamilton Center Welcomes New Therapist to Linton Office

Hamilton Center, Inc. welcomes therapists Wendy Hill, MSW, LCSW, and Brittney Higgins, to the Linton satellite office located at Lonetree Rd. in Linton, IN.

Ms. Hill graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in social and behavioral sciences and later went on to complete a master’s in Social Work from Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis. With Spanish as a secondary language, Ms. Hill has worked in a variety of settings serving families, children and adolescents, adults, and those struggling with addictions. Her clinical interests are in trauma, anxiety, and depression. She enjoys helping individuals and families realize their strengths and reach their potential.

Ms. Higgins graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies and later went on to complete a master’s in Social Work from Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis. Ms. Higgins has worked in a variety of settings serving families, children and adolescents, and those struggling with crisis. Her clinical interests are working with adolescents and young adults who suffer from depression, anxiety and/or have experienced trauma, as well as assisting these clients with navigating life changes.

Hamilton Center, Inc. is a regional behavioral health system in Central and West Central Indiana with corporate offices located in Terre Haute, IN. Services are provided to children, youth and adults, with specialized programs for expectant mothers, infants, and people who may be struggling with stress, life changes, or relationship issues as well as more serious problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, and serious mental illnesses.
For information on Hamilton Center Services call (800) 742-0787.

Hamilton Center Welcomes New Therapists to Owen Office

Hamilton Center, Inc. welcomes therapist Kimberly Zaun, MA, LPC, to the Owen satellite office located at 909 W. Hillside Ave. in Spencer, IN.

Ms. Zaun graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in clinical mental health counseling from Bowling Green State University, in Bowling Green, Ohio. Ms. Zaun has significant experience in the mental health field having worker with children providing crisis intervention, mental health assessments, and individual and group therapy. Her clinical interests are in Trauma-Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Application.

Hamilton Center, Inc. is a regional behavioral health system in Central and West Central Indiana with corporate offices located in Terre Haute, IN. Services are provided to children, youth and adults, with specialized programs for expectant mothers, infants, and people who may be struggling with stress, life changes, or relationship issues as well as more serious problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, and serious mental illnesses.
For information on Hamilton Center Services call (800) 742-0787.

Hamilton Center Awarded DMHA Poverty Simulation Systems of Care Grant

Sets date for next SOC meeting.

Terre Haute, IN- Hamilton Center has been awarded the Project AWARE Systems of Care (SOC) School Based Engagement grant by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA). The grant provides $4,942 to fund Community Action Poverty Simulations (CAPS) that will help increase awareness and understanding about poverty and how it impacts the youth and families in our community. In partnership with local SOCs, Hamilton Center, Inc. will serve Vigo, Sullivan, Parke, Vermillion, Clay, Greene and Marion counties with this grant.

Poverty is a significant area of concern for central and west central Indiana. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, counties served by this grant have a higher percentage of children living in poverty than the state average, an estimated 17.8 percent for individuals under the age of 18.  All counties proposed for the grant fall above that number, with Vigo and Marion at 25 percent, and Vermillion, the lowest of the group, at 17.9 percent. This group of counties also struggles with other issues related to poverty. In the state, Clay and Parke counties rank in the top 10 for removal of children from the home due to substance use; Sullivan County ranks 7th for unemployment rate; while Greene County ranks 5th for unemployment.

“Poverty is a reality for many individuals and families” Said Melvin L. Burks, Hamilton Center’s CEO.  “But unless someone has experienced poverty, it’s difficult to truly understand,” he said.

The Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) bridges that gap from misconception to understanding. CAPS is an interactive immersion experience. It sensitizes community participants to the realities of poverty.  The goals of the simulation are promote poverty awareness, increase understanding, inspire local change, and transform perspectives.

“These staggering statistics show a significant need for community initiatives like the SOC,” said Dwight Weaver, SOC Coordinator and Program Manager of Child & Adolescent Services at Hamilton Center, Inc. “The primary function of the SOC is to increase services and collaborations among providers to meet the increasing needs of the youth and families in our communities, with the ultimate goal of improving these statistics,” he said.

Hamilton Center has taken a primary role in developing SOC’s across its regional footprint, applying for several grants that will help increase access to services and market the good work of the group. The organization received the DMHA School Based Systems of Care grant in August of 2019 to develop a marketing campaign and website which will provide a broader reach for the initiative. Go to www.vigosoc.org to get more information.

Community members, specifically those involved in the “system of care”, are invited to attend the monthly SOC meetings. If you are interested in attending by call Dwight Weaver, Program Manager, Hamilton Center, Inc., at 812-231-8194.