Kennebec Behavioral Health recognizes area partners at annual meeting

AUGUSTA — Three area organizations were recognized for their community service and partnership efforts with Kennebec Behavioral Health when it held its 57th annual Meeting on Thursday, June 15.
The Waterville Police Department, Humane Society Waterville Area and Jodi Beck, director of clinical integration and practice improvement with Kennebec Region Health Alliance were honored for the work.

The Waterville Police Department was recognized with the Outstanding Community Partnership Award. Sergeant Dan Goss, Deputy Chief William Bonney and Chief Joseph Massey were each credited for their engagement and support of the High Hopes Clubhouse in Waterville and its members.’
In addition to having a Waterville police officer on the clubhouse advisory board, clubhouse members have worked side by side with the police department in assisting in 5K races, working as parking attendants for large community events and working the polls for Election Day.
Lisa Soucie, director of High Hopes Clubhouse, noted that Massey embraced the idea of a partnership with the clubhouse and supports his officers to get involved with the clubhouse community. “He truly understands that a clubhouse and the entire Kennebec Behavioral Health agency is a cornerstone service in our community” she said.
The Humane Society Waterville Area and Director Lisa Smith were presented with the with the James R. Schmidt Award, wich is for a person or organization that best exemplifies the late Jim Schmidt’s efforts to improve quality of life for adults who have a mental illness. Since 2014, Smith and her team have welcomed 15 High Hopes Clubhouse members into their organization.

For many of those members, this was their first chance at work. Several now have jobs of their own and are very grateful for the opportunity that Smith and her team gave them.
Currently the animal shelter employs one High Hopes member in a supported employment position, and two members in 20-hour-a-week in a transitional employment position.
Soucie said the partnership with the animal shelter is succesful because, “Lisa Smith not only employs our members, but she ensures that they are part of her team. She takes the time to get to know the members and assists in any problem solving to help them be as successful in their employment as possible.
“She is a unique employer that provides an invaluable opportunity for members who may never have worked before. ”
The Transformational Clinical Collaboration Award was presented to Beck, who directs the health alliance, at Maine General Medical Center.

Beck has been an integral partner with Kennebec Behavioral Health as the organization has transformed its practice and delivery of case management services to becoming a successful behavioral health home organization, according to KBH. The behavioral health home organization is an innovative case management model that supports behavioral and primary health care integration and one that is delivered by a team.
Carla Stockdale, clinical director at KBH, said, “Jodi is a tireless champion of integrated care, health care quality, and the statewide effort to service system transformation through the state of Maine’s Health Home initiatives.” She said that Beck is not only a leader and partner in clinical practice within the health association, but has also become one at Kennebec Behavioral Health.
At the June 15 meeting, Joel D. Corcoran, executive director of Clubhouse International, he keynote speaker, said that there are 329 clubhouses in 33 countries, reaching more than 100,000 people who live with mental illness every year. Clubhouses across the global offer members opportunities for friendship, employment and education, as well as access to quality housing, medical and psychiatric services through a single caring and safe environment. Corcoran told the crowd that Kennebec Behavioral Health has “some of the best (clubhouses) I’ve ever seen.”
Kennebec Behavioral Health operates clinics in Waterville, Skowhegan, Winthrop and Augusta. For more information, call 1-888-322-2136 or visit www.kbhmaine.org.