News from Community Reach Center!

News about services & upcoming events from Community Reach Center

A NOTE FROM THE CEO

SERVICE HIGHLIGHT

NEWS & UPDATES

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

A Note from the CEO

Dear Friends and Supporters,


	Rick Doucet, CEO

When Arapahoe House notified Adams County Commissioners in December 2016 of its plans to abandon social detox services in Commerce City, the commissioners immediately outreached Community Reach Center to gauge our interest in continuing that service. Community Reach recognizes the vital importance of detox services to the health, wellness and safety of the community. We developed a business model that would serve as the foundation for development of this new service sector at the Center within the 60 day time frame allotted, culminating in the opening of The Center for Detox Services at Community Reach Center in Commerce City in March 2017.

In December 2017 the county found itself in a similar predicament when Arapahoe House announced it would be closing its entire operation effective January 2, 2018. The direct and immediate impact to Adams County was the closure of Arapahoe House's intensive residential treatment location in Thornton. Upon quick but careful consideration, Community Reach Center's Foundation Board purchased the 43,000-square-foot site at 8801 Lipan St. from Arapahoe House on February 9.

We have named the facility the Margaret Carpenter Center, in honor of the late Margaret Carpenter. Although best known as the former mayor of Thornton for 20 years, Margaret also served on the Community Reach Center board of directors for 15 years and was an outspoken advocate for mental health care. The Margaret Carpenter Center will provide intensive residential treatment services for individuals experiencing significant substance use disorders. Services will include individual and group therapy, case management, medical support, and coordination of care necessary to transfer individuals into outpatient care and to promote safe and successful transitions back into the community.

The Margaret Carpenter Center will be staffed by medical professionals 24/7/365 who are trained in evidence-based practices required to serve people with substance use disorders as well as co-occurring mental health challenges. It is slated to open sometime in June.

We are extremely grateful for the support we have received from Adams County commissioners, Adams County law enforcement agencies and hospital systems in our efforts to significantly improve substance use treatment for our community. More to come.

Sincerely,

Rick Doucet

Chief Executive Officer

Service Highlight

Peer Response Team

A career in the behavioral health field can be an extremely rewarding experience. It can also put a strain on staff's emotional well-being from continuous exposure to the trauma of others or direct exposure to traumatic events. These experiences can lead to vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and high rates of burnout.

Community Reach Center has always been committed to supporting staff following critical incidents such as the death of consumer; however, as the scope of the Center's continuum of care expanded, it became apparent there was a need to develop a team of trained internal staff who would be dedicated to providing support to their peers in the aftermath of critical incidents. The Peer Response Team was formed in the fall of 2016.

The Peer Response Team is an important part of the Risk Management system at Community Reach Center. The team is comprised of two clinical staff, two non-clinical staff, one clinical manager, one non-clinical manager and one member from the Center's Leadership Team. Peer response services are not intended to be therapy or treatment. The team determines the appropriate support required for each unique situation, which may include psychoeducation about vicarious trauma, and working with managers and supervisors to provide resources for therapy or treatment as needed.

Community Reach Center encourages its employees to continually challenge themselves and grow professionally within the organization so they have the opportunity to move within and across multiple disciplines and roles. Bringing clinical and non-clinical staff together with members of the agency's leadership to provide peer response services has proven to be an effective way to provide them with a unique opportunity for professional growth.

News and Updates


	Loretta Bozeman (L) and Kate Fantozzi

Peer Response Team featured at National Council Conference

Loretta Bozeman and Kate Fantozzi were invited to present a digital poster highlighting the benefits of developing a Peer Response Team at the National Council Conference in Washington D.C. in April. "A Peer Response Team can provide internal support to help increase staff resiliency, decrease burnout and circumvent vicarious trauma," said Bozeman. "Community Reach Center is committed to a culture where staff are invested and engaged in their own resiliency and recovery, which will enhance staff's ability to support our consumers in theirs."


	Lindy Lewis

National Recognition for Community Reach Center's Mental Health First Aid Manager

National Council for Behavioral Health has named Lindy Lewis, Manager of Marketing and Communications, one of the Top 100 Mental Health First Aid Instructors in the U.S. The Top 100 Instructors have taught anywhere from 60 to 160 courses over their Instructor lifetime.The only instructor in Colorado to receive this national honor, Lewis manages the Mental Health First Aid program at Community Reach Center, and has taught Mental Health First Aid since 2010.

Reaching Out to the Community


	John Parker (L) presents award to Nancy McNally

Nancy McNally Receives 2018 Mary Ciancio Memorial Distinguished Service Award

Community Reach Center honored Nancy McNally for outstanding volunteerism at the annual Mary Ciancio Memorial Distinguished Service Award Dinner April 12 at Stonebrook Manor Events Center in Thornton.

Although best known for serving on the Westminster City Council and two terms as mayor of Westminster, McNally is a voracious community volunteer. She has volunteered with the Westminster Citizen Police Alumni since 2003 and many other activities at the police department, including safety fairs, shred-a-thons and Westy Fest. She has been president of the alumni group since 2014. The group raises $3,000 each year for Santa Cops, benefiting low-income children in Westminster during the Christmas holidays. She is also a member of the Citizen Fire Academy Alumni. Much like the Citizen Police Alumni, she volunteers for fund-raisers, fairs and events. She is a trustee of the Westminster Historical Society and has been involved in the numerous events presented by the historical society, including the annual Vintage Baseball game held each July. She also chairs her church call committee. In addition to her volunteer work, Nancy has another particularly unique connection with the community. For the past eight years, she has opened her home every Sunday to teach knitting and crocheting to anyone who wants to come - often donating the groups' crocheted hats to chemotherapy patients. One year, her Sunday knitters sent 165 hats to a church group in Ethiopia.

"Just telling you about Nancy's involvement in our community makes me tired. She is amazing," said nominator Karen Cobb, Metro North Chamber of Commerce.