October, 2018
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The Power of Peers

Reuters reported in an article by Lisa Rapaport last month that peer support is working to reduce repeat psychiatric hospitalizations. A study of more than 400 psychiatric patients in the UK found that those who met with a peer support specialist were 34% less likely to have a repeat admission in year following their hospitalization, than those who did not have such support.
TAKE A MENTAL HEALTH DAY
at West Chester University
Wednesday, October 10, 2018

West Chester University's College of Health Sciences is holding the third annual Take A Mental Health Day on campus. Learn more about the day and the screening of the film, Suicide: The Ripple Effect , at this link .
Since June, Chester County's Suicide Prevention Task Force has certified more than two dozen new QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) instructors to help deliver QPR suicide prevention classes throughout the county.
If you're interested in taking a QPR class, click for a flier about an upcoming class.
Check out @CCSPTaskForce on Facebook, or visit the website,
Liv Live Concert
for Suicide Prevention & Awareness

Friday, October 19
7:00 PM
Steel City Coffee House
203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460

Come out to support this important cause & hear great music from local musicians!
Sponsored by the Chester County Suicide Prevention Task Force.
Donations accepted at the door.
The PA Care Partnership is sponsoring the
Ninth Annual National Family Week Conference
October 26, 2018 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
A Community Built to Conquer Opioid Addiction

Find out more about this event, trauma informed training and other resources at the website www.pacarepartnership.org .
How Can We Prevent ACEs?

We know Adverse Childhood Experiences have a strong and lasting impact on a person's overall health and safety, but more research is now showing ways to prevent the trauma, build resilience and heal.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, along with VetoViolence, have developed the ACEs Snapshot online resource. Click here for more information .
Chester County is holding the third annual Color Run to raise awareness and funds to fight opioid addiction and overdose. Click here to register for this event .
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More Resources, Events & Classes
Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD - A 3 day training at West Chester University, October 17-19. Click for flier .

Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse Training - Free from the PA Family Support Alliance, November 2nd. Click for flier.

The Center For Families in Bryn Mawr is hosting a Symposium, Emerging Trends in Mental Health Treatment on November 8 - 9.

Accessing the Child Serving System - Wednesday, Oct. 17 at the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus. Registration required.

Free Mental Health First Aid - classes are offered throughout the year in Chester County. Check the MH/IDD website for classes in October.

Chester County Refer web - a user-friendly database for social services information.

Calendar of events - Information on local monthly stakeholder meetings and support groups.
Chester County Department of Mental Health / Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
601 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA

Chester County Commissioners
Administrator: Linda Cox
Deputy Administrator: Candy Craig