- Click here to read the April 2012 Stakeholder "e-Connect." In the issue you can read about Tri-County's Outpatient Legal Competency Restoration Program and TCOOMMI.
- Click here to read the February 2012 Consumer "e-Connect." In this issue you can read about Tri-County's medication services updates.
- Click here to view Tri-County Services 2011 Annual Report.
Sharon Walker Selected as "Woman of Distinction"
Tri-County Services has chosen Sharon Walker as our 2012 Woman of Distinction for the Montgomery County Women’s Council of Organization. Ms. Walker has been a member of the Tri-County Services Board of Trustees since 2008 and has been actively involved in numerous activities since her appointment by the Montgomery County Commissioners Court.
Ms. Walker was also appointed a member of the Montgomery Supported Housing, Inc. (MSHI) Board of Director in January of 2012. The purpose of the MSHI board is to provide oversight, guidance and work to ensure that this safe and affordable housing meets the needs of persons with serious mental illness.
Each year, the Montgomery County Women's Council of Organizations comes together at the Women of Distinction Luncheon. This luncheon, held on April 27th, celebrates all that has been done during the past year and honors extraordinary women who do extraordinary things. Due to the philanthropic nature of Montgomery County Women's Council, most candidates are typically selected based on their volunteerism and service to the community.
Ms. Walker states that she is motivated to volunteer because “this is my opportunity to give to my community and continue in the development of services for members of our society less fortunate than myself.”
Ms. Walker is a retired Conroe ISD administrator and says of this, “I’ve been privileged to work with teenagers most of my life as an educator with Conroe ISD. The need of many individuals does not stop when they leave the school system. There are also many needs the school system is not designed to meet. Working with Tri-County allows me to continue working for our youth and our Special Needs adults to have better and more productive lives.”
Through her passion for gardening and her status as a master gardener, Ms. Walker has been instrumental in having many trees donated for the Independence Place Apartments in Montgomery and also for Tri-County’s new Psychiatric Emergency Treatment Center in Conroe which helps individuals who are experiencing a psychiatric crisis.
May is Mental Health Month
May is recognized as national Mental Health Month and Tri-County Services is calling on the community to help the 1 in 4 American adults who live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition and understand how important mental health is to overall health.
“We want people to know that while mental health and substance use conditions are common, they are extremely treatable and individuals go on to recover and lead full and productive lives,” said Cindy Sill Executive Director of Tri-County Services.
Ms. Sill said too many people who are living with a mental health condition never seek or receive help due to stigma, lack of information, cost, or lack of health care insurance coverage— as high as 50 percent.
“We want to change that equation and help our families, friends and co-workers who may be
reluctant to ask for help or don’t know where to find it.”
This month Tri-County Services is sponsoring an essay contest as a way to recognize the talents, accomplishments and strengths of our clients who are affected by mental illness. The clients will be able to discuss their illnesses and how these illnesses have affected their lives. The clients can also discuss how treatment has helped them realize they can set and reach goals. Goals are extremely important to a client’s life regardless of how big or small. Some client’s goals may be to get a job, to get married, to find housing, or just to get through the day. Writing about these goals will be a major part of the essay contest. The essays will be collected, reviewed and judged by a panel to determine 1st 2nd and 3rd place. Clients will then receive gift cards.
“We now recognize how essential mental health is to our overall health and well-being,” Ms. Sill said. “And we know how events and life changes can affect us. It could be a veteran struggling with the invisible wounds of war or someone coping with the stress of care giving or divorce or losing a loved one. Sometimes, people are dealing with depression associated with a chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer or hypertension. And traumatic events like the BP oil spill can take a huge toll on mental health.”
Ms. Sill said there are tested tools available that can help every person face difficult times and challenges and improve their resiliency. “We have incredible amount of knowledge about how to identify, treat and even prevent some mental health conditions,” she said. “It’s important that we spread the word about it.”
