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Latest News From Fairmount

Fairmount Provides “Hope” to Lehigh Valley Conference

On Friday, October 20th, Lehigh Valley’s annual Harvest Full of Hope conference was held at The Palace Center, in Allentown PA. The Harvest Full of Hope is an annual event where consumers and providers unite to educate, inform, and increase mental health awareness. Fairmount is proud to be an annual sponsor of this event.

Part of Fairmount’s mission statement is to “offer hope”. As the main sponsor of this event, Fairmount was honored to be able to present to consumers and professionals. Each year, a member of Fairmount’s clinical team, presents on a topic that is meaningful to both consumers and professionals. This year Karissa Fogarty and Kristen Ullrich, two of Fairmount’s advanced doctoral students, spoke about anxiety with a specific focus on the biological and psychological basics of anxiety. They also spoke about the signs, symptoms and effective treatments and techniques for anxiety reduction.

We are also proud of Diane Sewards, Community Relations Representative, who is an annual chairperson of this event and dedicates many hours not only to this event but to the Lehigh Valley community!

Thanks to all who made this event an incredible success!

Fairmount Behavioral Health System Supports the 16th Annual Recovery Walk

It was indeed a beautiful sunny day when several staff from Fairmount Behavioral Health System walked with over 25,000 people to help celebrate, educate, support and advocate for recovery on September 23, 2017. Fairmount has been a major sponsor of this event for many years. The purpose of PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! is to raise awareness that drug and alcohol addiction is a public health concern, overcoming stigmas on addiction, putting a positive face on recovery, providing hope to people who are recovering, honoring the people and organizations that provide services for the recovery community, show solidarity and honor the fallen. PRO-ACT Recover Walks! also raises funds for PRO-ACT’s prevention, advocacy, and recovery support services; which benefit the entire community. It is the largest walk ever assembled in support of addiction recovery.

The annual recovery walk is sponsored by the Council of Southeast Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Recovery Organization—Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT). People have been walking in Recovery Walks! to support recovery from drug and alcohol addiction disorders during September’s National Recovery Month for 15 years. The route includes a walk through historic Philadelphia past Independence Hall and extend that symbol of freedom and dignity to what recovery brings to individuals and families, thereby benefiting the community at large.

Our team is extremely grateful and proud of our employees and families who took the time on a Saturday morning to provide recovery support services and advocacy efforts for the rights of the recovery community!

Fairmount Behavioral Health System Supports NAMI Walks!

On Saturday, May 6, 2017, over twenty Fairmount employees and their families participated in the annual NAMI (the National Alliance for Mental Illness) Walks. This was clearly one of the largest teams that Fairmount has ever assembled to support this walk! NAMI, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness through education, advocacy and awareness activities.

Fairmount has been an annual sponsor and supporter of NAMIWalks, which is NAMI’s largest and most successful mental health awareness and fundraising event in the country! Through Fairmount’s public display of support for people with mental health challenges, we are changing how Americans view mental illness.

Fairmount would like to say “thank you” to all the Fairmount staff and their families who helped us raise awareness for individuals with mental health challenges and support NAMI as well as those staff who made personal donations!!

We hope that everyone who participated had a good time and we look forward to future community events!

First Annual Holiday Unit Decorating Contest at Fairmount

The holiday season is a difficult time for many; often this time of the year is accompanied by increased stress or depression. It can be even harder when spending the holidays on an inpatient behavioral health unit. At Fairmount, we recognize that our patients struggle at this time of the year so we attempt to make it a bit more festive and fun.

This month, we have several holiday-related activities scheduled for our patients. Beginning the week of December 13th, we have a special coffee and doughnut recreational activity for our adults while our children and adolescents are served Donuts and Hot Cocoa. We also have unit decoration contests line up. The following week’s activities include a performance by an A-cappella Group and various Karaoke activities.

Christmas weekend is highlighted by our annual “Breakfast with Santa” in which all of our child and adolescent patients open tons of gifts donated by the hospital and it’s employees. On Christmas Day, we serve cookie trays to all of the patients and give gift bags.

While we know it’s not the same as being home for the holidays, our staff do a fantastic job helping our patients get through the holidays with a little warmth and cheer.

In efforts to foster a warm atmosphere, holiday spirit and a sense of community, Fairmount held its first Annual Holiday Unit Decorating contest. The contest took place throughout the week of December 12th and was judged on December 16th. The purpose of this event was to foster teamwork and collaboration amongst patients and staff members.

Throughout the week, this collaborative process promoted unification amongst units as well as a friendly competition throughout the hospital. Patients were able to cultivate their creativity while making holiday decor which increased self-esteem, communication, positive reinforcement, and feelings of pride. One patient commented on the process of the contest: “We really came together, despite getting frustrated at times, we worked so hard as a team”. Based on the positive feedback from patients and staff members, Fairmount plans to continue this holiday tradition for years to come.

Happy Holidays!

Fairmount Behavioral Health System and Intercommunity Action, Inc. (Interact) Collaborate in Providing Emotional Well being Screenings at Gorgas Park Harvest Festival

A section of our Vision Statement states, “We will have a reputation for unrivaled partnership with all of our associates and guests, including our patients, their families, and our community”. Consistent with this statement, and for the sixth year in a row, Fairmount Behavioral Health System and Intercommunity Action, Inc. (Interact), joined together to give back to the Roxborough community and provided Emotional Wellbeing Screenings at the Gorgas Park Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 16, 2016.

Considering that both organizations serve the same geographic region and consistent with our mission statements, we are always exploring new opportunities to provide community education, engagement and outreach.

Fairmount would like to say “thank you” to Jason Coleman, a third year doctoral student from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), Leanne Scharr, a first year doctoral student from Widener University and Dr. Patrick Boyle, Fairmount Director of Psychological Services and Director of Adult Services, for collaborating with Interact clinical staff and student interns in engaging Harvest Festival attendees to spend a little time to complete a 2 minute assessment of their emotional wellbeing.

Those that scored low on the assessment were encouraged to take an online Behavioral Health Screening (sponsored by Healthy Minds Philly and the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services). Over 20 festival attendees participated in the screenings but many more received educational materials about behavioral health and about our two organizations.

We would also like to thank Paul Demianovich for taking the time out of his day to transport needed supplies to our booth. We hope that all students and staff who participated had a good time and we look forward to future community events with Interact!

Fairmount Behavioral Health System Supports NAMI Walks

On a glorious, Saturday morning in May, eight Fairmount employees and their families participated in the annual NAMI (the National Alliance for Mental Illness) Walks. NAMI, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness through education, advocacy and awareness activities.

Fairmount has been an annual sponsor and supporter of NAMIWalks, which is NAMI’s largest and most successful mental health awareness and fundraising event in the country! Through Fairmount’s public display of support for people with mental health challenges, we are changing how Americans view mental illness.

Fairmount would like to say “thank you” to all the Fairmount staff and their families who helped us raise awareness for individuals with mental health challenges and support NAMI as well as those staff who made personal donations!!

We hope that everyone who participated had a good time and we look forward to future community events!

Emotional Mental Health Screenings at Roxborough High School

Fairmount Behavioral Health System and Intercommunity Action, Inc. (Interact) Collaborate in Providing Emotional Wellbeing/Mental Health Screenings at Roxborough High School

On May 11, 2016, two local organizations joined together again to give back to the Roxborough community. Consistent with the Collaborative Continuum of Care Service Agreement that exists between Fairmount Behavioral Health System and Intercommunity Action, Inc. (Interact), we provided Emotional Wellbeing Screenings and Mental Health Screenings to students at Roxborough High School.

Considering that both organizations serve the same geographic region and consistent with our mission statements, we are always exploring new opportunities to provide community education, engagement and outreach.

Fairmount would like to say “thank you” to Bryan Gottlieb (Widener Doctoral student) and Grant Mundell (Doctorate Intern) for collaborating with Interact clinical staff and the High School Counselor during this event. They did an exceptional job of engaging over 40 students to complete a 10-15 minute assessment of their emotional wellbeing! There were a few students who scored high on the assessment and were encouraged to seek formal treatment.

At a time when local schools have very few clinical resources to provide appropriate interventions to a high risk student population, the High School was grateful that we were available to provide such a quality service. We look forward to future community events with Interact!