<\/p>\n
By Jessica J. Burchard
\nWednesday, August 29, 2007<\/p>\n
Despite differences in policy, representatives from three countries have found common issues in mental health care options.<\/p>\n
A group of eight mental health specialists \u2014 from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States \u2014 convened at the Grafton Inc. administrative offices on Monday and Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Their meeting is part of a new campaign for mental health awareness called the International Initiative for Disability Leadership. The meeting was co-sponsored by Grafton and New Zealand\u2019s Office for Disability Issues and the Ministry of Health\u2019s Disability Services Directorate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe conference is about trying to get leaders in different disciplinary fields together to see how their systems run,\u201d said Geraldine Woods, senior public service officer for the New Zealand Ministry of Health. \u201cI didn\u2019t come here with any agenda, besides exchanging information.\u201d<\/p>\n
During their gathering, the group toured Grafton\u2019s Winchester offices and a residential facility in Berryville before sitting down for a roundtable discussion on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Patty Cooney, regional director for South West England Care Services Partnership, praised the exchange of ideas. \u201cThere are strengths in everyone\u2019s services and the idea is what can we learn from them,\u201d he said. \u201cActually, having face-to-face contact to learn is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cooney was amazed at the differences between the UK\u2019s National Health Care system and the free-market health care system. \u201cIn England, we have the National Health Services, so no one is left out,\u201d he said. \u201cIn America, there are people with health insurance, but no long-term care. You have people selling their homes and moving in with their children because of health care costs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, Cooney and the others will travel to Ottawa for a three-day conference. Canada also has a national health care system. While many of Grafton\u2019s programs were lauded, its new \u201cextraordinary blocking\u201d technique received considerable attention. The technique was implemented in 2006 and features a staff member using a cushion with handles on it to prevent harm or frightening a child who has become violent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole policy they\u2019ve developed there is something to take away,\u201d Cooney said. \u201cThey\u2019ve got the staff engaged.\u201d In addition to its blocking technique, Grafton was endorsed for taking on youths with severe disabilities such as emotional disturbances, learning disabilities, mental retardation, autistism, and severe behavioral disorders.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn most other areas of the country, those people are being pingponged among different organizations,\u201d said Eileen Elias, a deputy director for the Department of Health and Human Services.<\/p>\n
Elias coordinates policy supporting integrated human and human services systems at all levels of public and private systems. She also works to ensure that people with disabilities have access to education, employment, housing, and other resources.<\/p>\n
Citing her experience internationally and in the United States, Elias noted how well-organized Grafton\u2019s services are. \u201cGrafton has developed a terrific program,\u201d she said. \u201cFor us, in the U.S., Grafton is a model program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grafton operates 23 group homes across Virginia, including about a dozen in the Winchester area and a Berryville facility. For all the comparisons and contrasts among the services, Woods stressed one central goal for the conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to do is keep the conference relevant to everybody,\u201d she said. \u201cHow do we get the best services for everyone?\u201d <\/p>\n
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By Jessica J. Burchard Wednesday, August 29, 2007 Despite differences in policy, representatives from three countries have found common issues in mental health care options. A group of eight mental health specialists \u2014 from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States \u2014 convened at the Grafton Inc. administrative offices on Monday and Tuesday. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-news-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n