NH DHHS Announces 8th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference Conference Theme: Healing, Hope and Health

Concord – The State Suicide Prevention Council, in partnership with the

National Alliance on Mental Illness–NH Chapter and the Youth Suicide

Prevention Assembly are announcing the 8th Annual Suicide Prevention

Conference. This year’s conference theme is Healing, Hope and Health. The

Conference will be held Friday, November 4, at the SERESC Center in

Bedford, and begins at 9 AM.



The Conference keynote speaker, Thomas Joiner, Ph.D., will share his

expertise on why people die by suicide. Dr. Joiner, a clinical

psychologist wholost his own father by suicide has written or edited 15

books, including Why People Die by Suicide and Myths About Suicide. Dr.

Joiner will explore the myths about suicide which he describes as “numerous

and pervasive; they represent a public health nuisance. Dispelling them is

thus important, and can shed new light on the phenomenon.”



The Conference is open to anyone interested in suicide prevention from

survivors of suicide loss to professionals working in the field. There

will be a wide range of presentations and workshops including one by TIGER

(Theatre Integrating Guidance, Education & Responsibility), a professional

theatre company from Plymouth State University, designed to help youth,

schools, families and communities deal proactively and positively with

social issues. Other topics include managing mental Illness compounded by

substance abuse; veterans’ reintegration after returning from war, and

helping children cope with grief after suicide loss.



The Conference is being held at the SERESC Center in Bedford. For more

information on this event, the NH Youth Suicide Prevention Assembly, or

other ongoing suicide prevention activities in NH, visit www.naminh.org. To

register for the event, please email Cindi.j.Lapointe@dartmouth.edu



Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults

up to age 24 and the fourth leading cause of death for adults ages 25 -54.

Nationally, veterans account for one fifth of all suicide deaths. If you

are worried about someone or are suicidal, please call 1-800-273-TALK, a

24/7 crisis line. Help is available.

NH CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE TO RELEASE REPORT ON PRISON DISPARITIES OF INCARCERATED WOMEN

Eastern Regional Office of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

What:  Press Conference

Who:   New Hampshire Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

When: Monday, October 17, 2011 10:30 a.m.

Where:  Foyer of the Legislative Office Building, 33 North State Street

              Concord, New Hampshire 03301

WASHINGTON, DC – The New Hampshire Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will release its report, “Unequal Treatment: Women Incarcerated in New Hampshire's State Prison System,” at a press conference in the Legislative Office Building. The report concludes that there are grave disparities between programs provided to incarcerated men and women that warrant action by the state’s policymakers and political leaders to end its unequal treatment of incarcerated women.

Background: The Advisory Committee conducted a two-year examination into allegations of sex-based disparities in the provision of basic programs and services within New Hampshire’s penal system. In the course of its examination, the Advisory Committee convened public briefings, toured several correctional facilities, and interviewed prisoners, correctional officials, community advocates, and other knowledgeable individuals to gather pertinent information. Based on this examination, the Advisory Committee now issues its findings and recommendations with respect to this serious allegation of civil rights violations.

As explained in the report, the Advisory Committee concludes that New Hampshire’s Department of Corrections faces a nearly insurmountable challenge in meeting many of the important needs of its female inmate population. The cramped, antiquated, and ill-equipped Goffstown facility prevents correctional officials from providing vocational training services, family visitation opportunities, access to outdoor programs, and treatment for serious mental health conditions at a level that even remotely approximates the comparable services and opportunities available to male offenders in New Hampshire’s correctional system.

Despite the social, economic, and human costs that attend these disparities, the state government has repeatedly refused to heed the advice of its own correctional officials and those with expertise in the field.  The Advisory Committee believes this situation requires immediate and sustained corrective action.  “It is past time for the state to take immediate steps to close the Goffstown prison and provide a facility that eliminates the inexcusable disparities that exist between the treatment of men and women in the state’s correctional system,” said  Jordan Budd, chair of the Advisory Committee.

Copies of the report will be available at the press conference.

NH DHHS - State Leadership Group Tackles Growing Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic

Concord, NH – A group of state government, healthcare, community and

business leaders are gathering in Concord, New Hampshire today to develop a

coordinated response to the growing problem of prescription drug abuse in

New Hampshire.



The Governors Commission on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention,

Intervention and Treatment convened the one-day summit as part of their

work to develop a statewide strategic plan to combat what many see as an

epidemic in New Hampshire.



“Prescription drug related deaths, 172 in 2010, have more than quadrupled

over the past decade and a half,” says Joseph Harding, New Hampshire

Department of Health and Human Services’ Bureau of Drug and Alcohol

Services’ Director and Executive Director of the Commission. “It will take

the efforts of many to turn the tide on this issue.”



This summit builds upon other efforts already underway to reduce

prescription drug misuse, including public take-back days, improved

training of medical professionals, as well as efforts by law enforcement

and community groups.



“We’re fortunate in New Hampshire to have many local and state leaders well

aware of the damage prescription drug abuse is having in our communities,”

states Tym Rourke, Chair of the Commission, “The Commission felt that our

best role would be to bring together the threads of efforts underway into a

unified plan.”



When completed, the state’s prescription drug strategy will provide a

unique roadmap to reducing the harm caused by prescription drugs. “Only a

small handful of states have developed such a plan” states Harding. “New

Hampshire can hopefully pave the way for others.



A Federal Prescription Drug Strategy has already been released. Gil

Kirlikowski, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

will be featured speaker at today’s summit, along with NH Attorney General

Michael Delaney, Dr. Seddon Savage from Dartmouth Medical School, and

several others.


The Commission will release a final version of the New Hampshire

Prescription Drug Strategy in December.

NH DHHS Announces Daylong Respite Summit

Concord, NH – The NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Special

Medical Services (SMS) in collaboration with the NH Lifespan Respite

Coalition made up of family caregivers and a broad group of stakeholders

are hosting a daylong Lifespan Respite Summit on Wednesday, October 12th.

The Summit is an opportunity to bring together stakeholders and family

caregivers of all ages to discuss the status of respite services in New

Hampshire, identify gaps in services and training opportunities for respite

providers.


“Providing day to day care for a loved one, while rewarding, can also be

challenging,” said Cathy Creapaux, DHHS’ Caregiver Program Manager. “We

recognize that respite services are crucial for family caregivers in the

very important work they do each and every day.”


SMS has been working with various stakeholders to improve respite services

for primary caregivers who support individuals with special health care

needs and disabilities across the lifespan. The Summit will provide

opportunities to hear from Greg Link of the Federal Administration on Aging

and Jill Kagan, national representative for ArchRespite regarding Lifespan

Respite Care initiatives.


The Summit is being held at New Hampshire Hospital in Concord, and will go

from 8:30 – 4:00. For those who cannot travel, but wish to attend, they

can do so through videoconferencing. There will be several host sites

around the State: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Aging Resource Center in Lebanon;

North Country Education Services in Gorham; NH Public TV in Durham; and

Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services in Keene. For more

information about the summit call 271-4653 or visit:

www.eventsbot.com/events/eb173161041 . There is a $15 fee to cover the cost

of lunch and refreshments.

NH DHHS Announces Prescription Drug Prevention Summit

State Leadership Group Tackles Growing Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS), Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services (BDAS) in collaboration with

the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention,

Intervention and Treatment are announcing the Prescription Drug Prevention

Summit on Monday, October 3, 2011. The daylong Summit is being held from

9AM – 3 PM at the Grappone Center in Concord. More than 150 State leaders

and stakeholders have been invited to attend. The goal of the Summit is to

bring together stakeholders from state government, communities, law

enforcement, business and healthcare to respond to a draft statewide

prescription drug strategy to combat what many see as an epidemic in New

Hampshire – the misuse of prescription drugs.



Speakers for this event include:

NH Governor John Lynch

Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

Dr. Seddon Savage, Director, Dartmouth Center on Addiction, Recovery &

Education



DATE October 3, 2011

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM



EVENT Prescription Drug Prevention Summit



LOCATION Grappone Center

70 Constitution Avenue

Concord, NH

603-225-0303