Dear Reader,
Welcome to the start of the New Year and there are going to be some small changes to this blog.
It will still highlight content that didn’t make it on-air and was left on the cutting room floor, show you what’s on my mind, in my reporter’s notebook, what I do with Report for America and what some things I do to keep my own mental health in tip-top shape.
But, it’s also going to highlight stories around the state, country, and globe about mental health, more events in the WNY community and guest bloggers.
There’s a lot in store for 2020, including our first #IAm1in5 Facebook Live Chat on Jan. 16 at 1:30 p.m. with Mental Health Advocates of WNY executive director Ken Houseknecht.
Thank you,
—Camalot K. Todd
In My Ears: “Making Art Is Good For Your Health. Here's How To Start A Habit” by Malaka Gharib on NPR Life Kit.
In Gharib’s piece, she interviews experts on art therapy and how creating can reduce stress and anxiety while creating a stronger sense of agency. Her piece gives examples on how to incorporate art in your everyday life as a way to maintain positive mental health.
BryLin Hospital utilizes several different forms of art therapy, in addition to talk therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and medicine.
Dr. Brian Joseph, a medical director at BryLin Hospital, explains why it’s important to have multiple options for treatments.
“There's also another aspect of these different treatments, yoga, music, therapy, art therapy are all being provided by a person for the patients need,” he said. “They acknowledge the power of human relationships, to be therapeutic.”
On My Mind:
In December, there was a mobile mental health clinic conference in Verona, NY, according to the Onedia Daily Dispatch. Mobile clinics are filling a void in getting behavioral health services to rural communities while traditional behavioral health hospitals are becoming harder to access due to deinstitutionalization.
Threshold Solutions is the mobile clinics that cover Western New York.
Williamsville doctor Eugene Gosy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and health care fraud. Officials said Gosy and his center issued more prescriptions for controlled substances each year than any other prescribing entity in the state, according to Spectrum News reporter Brandon Lewis.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave his State of the State address today where he expanded on his 14th proposal to increase transparency in health care. Follow the Spectrum News Capital Tonight team for updates.
In My Reporter’s Notebook:
There are 601 in-hospital psychiatric beds licensed for the nearly 1.6 million people in the eight counties of WNY, with the bulk being in Erie County.
Three counties, Allegany, Genesee, and Orleans have no licensed beds and Chautauqua County will lose 20 of its psychiatric beds at the Brooks-TLC Hospital System.
To finalize the hospital closing, which was supposed to take place on Jan. 1, the New York State Office of Mental Health must approve of the request at the Behavioral Health Services Advisory Council, according to James Plastiras, the director of public information for the New York State Office of Mental Health.
The next council meeting is scheduled for Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Albany but will be broadcasted at Buffalo OASAS Stutzman STC, 360 Forest Ave.
On the Ground with Report for America:
Report for America is expanding to 250 journalists in 164 different newsrooms. Spectrum News Buffalo was the first TV news outlet to get an RFA corps member. Next year, RFA has expanded to 12 stations total including Spectrum affiliates in Orlando and Los Angeles.
I’m looking forward to spending another year digging into mental health in WNY here.
In the meantime, I’m still interested in partnering with a local coffee shop for monthly meetups—if you have any ideas please let me know. I’d love to work with a local artist for some prints to advertise these—if you have any in mind please let me know via email at Camalot.Todd@Charter.com.
In My Belly and Out and About in WNY:
I got back into Buffalo last week after I spent the holidays with my friends and family in Las Vegas and ate at In-N-Out three times.
On my trip home, I met a new friend serendipitously during a layover in Chicago. She was flying into Buffalo to visit her fiancé and I was waiting for a delayed flight. We bonded over being from warmer climates stuck in the cold and airport pizza.
This weekend, we reconnected over coffee at the Intersection Café in Allentown before she flew home.
I also desperately missed some of my favorite WNY food, so I swung by Wegmans to pick up Yancey Fancy’s Champagne Cheese and the stuffed banana pepper pierogis from Ru’s.
If you have any suggestions of places that I should explore, want to share how you take care of your mental health or have any questions about mental health, email me at Camalot.Todd@Charter.com.