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Show County & Mental Health officials discussed program Every few months, the County Commissioners and the staff of Four Corners Mental Health Center get together to talk about the Center's programs pro-grams and about how to better meet the needs of the community. Such a meeting was held Tuesday, Nov. 14 in the Mental Health offices in Moab. Commissioner Harvey Merrell and Commissioner-elect Jim McPhersen, the Moab staff of Four Corners Mental Health Center, and two Mental Health Board Members, Linda Gold and Jack Olearain, were present. Darrell Peck, Assistant Director of the Center and head of the Moab office, chaired the meeting. He gave a brief orientation to the Center and then each of the staff explained some of the programs in which they are involved. Bob Greenberg, Consultation Con-sultation and Education Coordinator, summarized the very positive findings of the On-Site Review Team who monitor the Center's programs annually. an-nually. Mr. Greenberg also explained the procedure pro-cedure when a person requests services from the Center. Michaelene Pendleton, Substance Abuse Counselor, Coun-selor, discussed her program pro-gram on drug abuse in Grand County. She pointed point-ed out that alcohol is also a drug, although it is not generally considered as such. Laurel Lesmeister, Mental Health Worker, explained the Center's Volunteer Program. "Among the many services ser-vices they donate," she said, "Volunteers can provide valuable follow-up after a client is discharged from treatment." Roger Christensen, Psychiatric Social Worker, discussed plans for a Children's Diagnostic Team, which will provide comprehensive assessment assess-ment and treatment to children throughout the catchment area. Lori Thayn, Secretary, explained explain-ed the new billing procedure proce-dure which has been adopted by mental health centers throughout the state. The meeting also included in-cluded some very special guests. Four Grand County residents who have used the Center's services spoke to the meeting about their own experiences. They spoke of the problems that prompted them to seek assistance at the Center, and of the kinds of help that were offered. All four consumers had high praise for the Center staff members who worked work-ed with them at the Center. Several mentioned mention-ed that before the Center was established the only help available was the State Hospital in Provo. Since the establishment of the Center and the availability availa-bility of services in the community the number of Grand County residents sent to Provo for treatment treat-ment has decreased dramatically. "This meeting went a long way toward helping our Commissioners and Board Members under stand what the Center really does," said Mr. Peck. "Because of the Center's policy of the confidentiality of communications com-munications between client cli-ent and therapist all we could do was present statistics and other impersonal imper-sonal information. These few minutes of talking to local people who have used the Center have meant more than all the hours of statistics combined. combin-ed. The Center and the community certainly owe a great deal to these consumers who have had the courage to speak-out and to take some of the mystery out of mental health services." Mr. Peck added. ;ated I sc I 'chno: j, and 1 .Vele '-aduat ing f i V" . " ....'--.. ; 'v . 'i x.. r'i The Grand County High wrestling team recently began workouts in preparation iJL the upcoming season. The first match will be against Durango on the evening of DtL-" 1. The first home match will be held Friday, Dec. 8 against Delta. Coach W. Leonard stated that Delta would prove to be "a real powerhouse" this year. |