Jan Hooks has been
named Director of Business Development at Ridgeview. Before
joining Ridgeview,
she was director of Marketing/Public Relations/ Communications for
McDuffie Regional
Medical Center in Thomson, Georgia and served as executive
director of the
McDuffie Regional Foundation.
Hooks’ experience
also includes consulting for Quorum Health Resources, working as
a Corporate
Accounts and Marketing Executive with Trotter Realty in Augusta, and as
a Consumer
Information Specialist for the Georgia Natural Gas Company.
Hooks served on
various civic and community boards, including chair of the
Thomson-McDuffie
Chamber of Commerce. She was named district and state Young
Professional of
the Year by the Georgia Association of Extension Home Economists.
Back to Top
Across the nation, communities, individuals, and health care providers are
struggling
to
continue to finance and provide needed care and services for citizens of all
ages
and
from all walks of life. Ridgeview, a community mental health provider serving
Anderson, Campbell, Roane, Morgan, and Scott counties is no exception.
The problem in Tennessee is magnified by Governor Bredesen’s recent projection
that the health care services provided by TennCare may create a budgetary
deficit
for the state ranging anywhere from $250 million to $320 million during this
current
budget year.
To
reduce TennCare expenditures, 150,000 individuals were dropped from TennCare
rolls
following a re-determination of eligibility. This action has been appealed and
is
awaiting a ruling by the Federal Appeals Court, which could take months.
Meanwhile,
these
individuals are left to fend for themselves.
The
portion of the TennCare budget devoted specifically to supporting mental health
services is close to approximately $400 million dollars, annually. Ridgeview,
like other
non-profit agencies that provide these services, is facing critical challenges
to continue
to
provide the high-quality array of services to its 7,100 clients who receive over
90,000
face-to-face services each year.
From a modest start in Oak Ridge 46 years ago, Ridgeview has grown to where it
is
currently operating out of 22 sites in a 5-county area, employing 217 full and
part-time
staff, and having an annual operating budget of approximately $10 million
dollars.
Bob Benning, Chief Executive Officer, who has been at Ridgeview since 1987,
indicated that although the years prior to TennCare certainly had their share of
challenges, there was nothing like the challenges that became evident after
TennCare
and TennCare Partners – the behavioral healthcare arm - went into effect in
1996.
“Our
problems began when the state of Tennessee and the Department of Mental Health
and
Developmental Disabilities terminated the majority of contracts with mental
health
care
providers, such as Ridgeview, in order for TennCare to contract with behavioral
health
organizations, for-profit entities, to manage the behavioral health dollars in
the state,”
said
Benning.
“Since the TennCare Partners program came into existence, the community mental
health
centers in this state have not received a cost-of-living increase in their
contracts, and this
has significantly impacted their ability to expand resources at a pace with
demand for
services,” Benning said. “Like any other business, the cost of providing
behavioral health
services continues to escalate every year.”
He said that the challenges that providers of mental health and substance abuse
services
face include all of the state budgetary problems, the uncertainty of what
revenues could
be further impacted, and other unknown variables that exist in today’s
environment.
Benning said that one of those unknowns is the current status of the two
behavioral health
organizations in this state that are primarily owned by AdvoCare, which is owned
by
Magellan, a huge corporate entity with headquarters on the east coast.
“Magellan is
reportedly on the brink of filing bankruptcy, and we are waiting to see how this
will impact
Advocare,” said Benning.
He added that Ridgeview remains one of the few community mental health centers
in the
state that continues to see individuals on a sliding fee scale and that this
further adds to
the challenge of operating within budgetary constraints.
Benning indicated that despite these challenges, Ridgeview has continued to grow
services
and has recently added several new positions to address the increasing demand
for services.
“These additions have clearly reduced the waiting list for services that are not
emergency
in
nature; however, it has also added increased pressure on existing nursing and
psychiatry
staff. The shortage of nurses and psychiatrists, both locally and across the
nation, contributes
to
Ridgeview’s challenge to provide services,” Benning added.
Over the past four years, Ridgeview has expanded services through funding
sources other
than TennCare and has been quite successful in acquiring additional federal and
state grants.
Benning cites a grant written jointly with the University of Tennessee Medical
Center,
Department of Telehealth, which makes it possible for Ridgeview’s Mobile Crisis
Team to
evaluate individuals, via telemedicine, who present at the Emergency Room at
Scott County
Hospital, in Oneida, within 5 to 10 minutes of the call to Ridgeview in Oak
Ridge, instead of
having to wait for up to two hours for staff to travel the 75 miles to Scott
County.
Ridgeview recently was awarded a federal grant for $1.8 million dollars to
provide mental
health services to individuals in rural areas who are homeless, or at-risk of
becoming homeless,
and
are experiencing problems with substance and alcohol abuse along with mental
illness.
Benning indicated that two other federal grants that have been submitted to
expand services
are awaiting review and approval. “One grant deals with expanding services into
the schools
in Morgan County and the other grant is intended to use telehealth to expand
mental health
services to the federally-funded rural health clinics located throughout our
5-county area,”
he said.
“Ridgeview’s Board of Directors, which consists of community volunteers from
throughout
the
five county area, and Ridgeview’s staff have been dedicated, supportive and
sensitive
to
the funding challenges we are experiencing,” Benning said. “Individuals who
choose to
work
in public mental health are a special breed of people who could oftentimes
secure higher
salaries in the private sector, but are committed to the mission of public
mental health and
especially to the mission of Ridgeview.”
He
added that despite the challenges, Ridgeview is a financially viable
organization, due
largely to the conservative approach to expenditures taken by the administration
and the Board.
“I am proud that Ridgeview continues to place the well being of our clients
first and
continues to provide high quality care, and I am optimistic that we will
continue to be
able to do so,” Benning said.
He
indicated that his optimism is reflected in his commitment of time in working
with
a
coalition of mental health constituents across the state. The mission of this
coalition
is to
make certain that mental health and alcohol and drug treatment and support
services
are
accessible to all individuals and to maintain a funding level that assures
quality care
to
those most in need.
“The commitment and dedication of the hundreds of consumers and advocates across
the state will assure that mental health services will continue to be a high
priority in
Tennessee,” Benning said.
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Learn how alcohol affects your health on
National Alcohol Screening Day, April 10, 2003
“My husband and
I want to start a family, and I enjoy an occasional glass of wine with
dinner – will
this affect my chances of becoming pregnant?” “I take an over the counter
pain medication
for my bad back – does this mean I shouldn’t drink alcohol?” “My
75-year-old
father has recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure – can drinking
make his
hypertension worse?”
For most
adults, moderate alcohol use causes few, if any, problems. But for some,
any alcohol use
may lead to significant health problems. Trying to figure out the risks
associated with
alcohol use is not easy because alcohol affects your body differently at
different
times. To protect yourself, it is important to figure out where you should draw
the line when
consuming alcohol – where do you draw the line: as you get older, if you
are trying to
get pregnant, if you have a family history of alcohol abuse, if you develop
a medical
condition, or if you take certain medications.
To help determine
where you should draw the line, Ridgeview is offering a free, anonymous
education and screening
program as part of National Alcohol Screening Day, Thursday, April 10.
The free screenings will
be held at Ridgeview’s Oak Ridge facility, 240 W. Tyrone Road,
from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00
p.m. Please call 481-6170, ext. 1127 for an appointment.
As
part of the program, participants will hear an educational presentation on
alcohol problems,
complete a written self-test, and have the opportunity to talk privately with a
health professional,
all for free. An educational video, pamphlets, brochures and flyers will be
available, as well as
referrals to local treatment and support resources for those who need further
evaluation.
Charlene Allen, Licensed
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, at Ridgeview,
says, “Although
most
individuals who drink do so safely, many people are unaware of the negative
effects
alcohol can
have on health. The goal of National Alcohol Screening Day is to educate the
public on
the potential risks associated with drinking. Through education, awareness and
understanding, individuals can make informed decisions about their drinking
behaviors.”
National
Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), held in April as part of Alcohol Awareness Month,
is a
program of the nonprofit organization Screening for Mental Health, Inc. in
collaboration
with the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance
Abuse
and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Screenings will be held across the
country at
approximately 5,000 screening sites, including hospitals, alcohol and addiction
treatment
centers, primary care offices, and colleges.
For additional information
about alcohol or the screening program,
Back to Top
RIDGEVIEW OFFERS HELP
April 2003
RIDGEVIEW OFFERS HELP FOR SUFFERERS
OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ILLNESSES
Nearly a quarter of Americans will suffer from an anxiety disorder at some time
in their
lives. Sadly, only about one third of those suffering will seek treatment for
their illness.
To
help build awareness and educate about anxiety disorders, their symptoms and the
effective treatments available, Ridgeview will be holding an Anxiety Disorders
Screening
on
May 7, at 240 W. Tyrone Road in Oak Ridge. Those interested in this free
screening
can call 481-6170, ext 1127 to schedule an appointment.
National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day gives
thousands of Americans across the
country the opportunity to get screened for
anxiety and depressive illnesses.
This free program includes viewing a video,
meeting with a mental health professional,
completing a screening questionnaire and
receiving a variety of educational materials.
“Abnormal anxiety is a serious public health
concern. What complicates the situation
is that individuals who suffer from anxiety often
become severely depressed, "says
Chris Hebb, Chief Psychologist at Ridgeview. “We
hope that National Anxiety Disorders
Screening Day will guide individuals to the
effective treatments available for both anxiety
and depression."
"Many people don't realize that anxiety presents
in several forms," says Hebb. "We
hope that events such as National Anxiety
Disorders Screening Day will help increase
the number of people who seek help and get
treatment for their illnesses."
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):
Hallmark symptoms include,
persistent anxiety
involving excessive worry
that lasts for at least six months accompanied by physical and
behavioral symptoms
including irritability, muscle tension, aches, soreness, restlessness,
or feeling keyed up or on
edge, easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbances.
Panic Disorder: Hallmark symptoms
include a sudden, uncontrollable attack of terror that
can manifest itself with heart palpitations,
dizziness, shortness of breath, and an out of
control or terribly frightening feeling similar
to symptoms of anxiety.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD):
Hallmark symptoms include repeated, intrusive
and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that cause
anxiety, often accompanied by ritualized
behavior (compulsions). Common obsessions
include fear of dirt, germs or contamination,
or a fear of harming someone. Common compulsions
are excessive cleaning, counting,
double-checking and hoarding. OCD sufferers
recognize their behavior is irrational but
are unable to control it.
Social Phobia: Hallmark symptoms
include a persistent and disabling fear of scrutiny,
embarrassment, or humiliation in social
situations, which leads to the avoidance of many
potentially pleasurable or meaningful activities.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: This
disorder is caused when
someone experiences a
severely distressing or traumatic event. The
symptoms include recurring nightmares and/or
flashbacks, avoidance of people and items
associated with trauma, unprovoked anger,
jumpiness, inability to concentrate and insomnia.
Research has shown that anxiety disorders can be
successfully treated with medications
and psychotherapy. A combination of both of
these treatments is often the most effective.
“What is most important,” says Hebb, “is that
treatment works and pain and suffering can
be relieved improving the individual’s quality of
life.”
Back to Top
Suicide is a subject that most of us rarely talk about or feel comfortable
discussing unless
we hear about a death by suicide in the news or in our local community. The
idea of a
person’s intentionally killing themselves is frightening and confusing. But,
knowing more
about suicide and learning how to talk about it can actually be one of the most
important
steps we can take toward preventing suicide. If you are wondering why we should
be
concerned with suicide, a look at a few statistics will help show the
seriousness of the
problem. According to the National Center for Health Statistics:
· Suicide is the third
most common cause of death for
young
people aged 15 to 24 years old in the United States.
Over 5,000
young people in the U.S. take their own lives
every
year.
· Overall, suicide is
the 11th most frequent cause of death
in our
country. In fact, more people die by suicide than
by
homicide in the U.S.
· While women are more
likely to attempt suicide, males
are more
likely to die by suicide.
· White males and
white females together make up 90%
of all
suicides in the U.S.
· Suicide is most
common among the elderly (those aged
65 and
older).
· More than 90% of
people who die by suicide have a
mental
illness (usually clinical depression).
Much of what we believe and hear about suicide is shrouded in myths. For
instance,
it is common for a person to be afraid that talking with someone who is
depressed about
suicide may actually give the depressed person the idea to kill him or
herself. However,
by reaching out to those who are suffering, we show that we notice that they
are having
a difficult time and that we care. Studies of people who have committed
suicide show that
at least two-thirds of them did or said things that let people around them
know that they
were struggling emotionally prior to killing themselves. So, if someone is
talking about
suicide by making statements about killing themselves, no matter how
unbelievable it may
seem, take their comments very seriously.
Another myth about suicide is that people who attempt or actually commit
suicide are “crazy.”
The truth is that most people who die by suicide are not psychotic. While
people who are
suicidal may be struggling with depression, they are usually able to manage
their day-to-day
lives. Hopefully, with help, they will be able to find ways to cope with
their crisis and ultimately
return to their typical level of functioning and enjoy life again.
The idea that people who are suicidal cannot really be stopped from killing
themselves is
another misconception we often have about suicidal behavior. People who are
considering
suicide are doing just that – considering it. This means that they may be
stopped if they
can realize that there are people who care and that there are other options
for dealing with
the pain that is causing so much suffering. Generally, people who are
suicidal see death as
a way to get relief from their pain. Since the coping skills that they
usually use are no longer
working, they become desperate for relief.
In
order to be able to reach out to those who are struggling with suicidal
thoughts, it is
important to know some of the warning signs of suicide:
· Talking about
suicide and/or being preoccupied with death
· Depressed behavior
· Episodes of rage
· Feelings of
worthlessness, helplessness, and/or hopelessness –
“There is no hope. Nothing matters anyway.” People would be
better off without me.”
· Giving away
possessions and getting things in order
· Reckless behavior
such as substance abuse or reckless driving
· Becoming suddenly
calmer or happier after a period of depression
(this is related to a sense of relief from finding a solution)
If you see any of these behaviors in someone you know, there are some
important things
you can do to help. First, tell the person that you notice that they seem
down or depressed.
Ask them about what’s going on – let them know that you care. Then, listen
to what they
have to say. It is important to treat their feelings with respect. Sometimes
people have a
tendency to say things like “Oh, now it’s not that bad,” or “Just be
strong.” Or, we try to
convince the person that life is valuable. These kinds of statements can
push the person
we want to help away, so it is best to avoid saying them. Instead, say
things like, “That
must be very difficult for you,” and “I can tell you are really in pain.”
Remember, it is
okay to ask the person if they are thinking of suicide. If the person tells
you that they are
thinking about suicide, ask for more detailed information like if they have a
plan and when
they plan to carry it out. A person who has a plan for killing his or her
self can be in
immediate danger. You may need to take the person to an emergency room or
call 911.
If the person is not in immediate danger, then encourage and help them to get
professional help.
If
you recognize the warning signs for suicide in yourself or someone you know,
there is
help available. It is possible to find safe, healthy solutions for dealing with
our problems,
no
matter how overwhelming they may feel.
Helpful resources:
1. The National Hopeline Network: 1-800 SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
This is a free call that will connect you with trained telephone
counselors
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
2. Ridgeview: (423) 569-7979
This is the local mental health center in Scott County where there are
professionals who provide counseling and other services
3. Mobile Crisis: 1 (800) 870-5481
This is an EMERGENCY NUMBER that will connect you with a crisis worker 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
Article written by
Christy Hickman, Ridgeview Therapist
Back to Top
Local program receives award for Innovation in Healthcare
Dr.
Ken Luckmann, of the Oak Ridge Sister City Support Organization, was recently
notified by Sister Cities International (S.C.I.) that
Oak Ridge is the recipient of this
year’s award for innovation in health care for
its outstanding sister city program with
Obninsk, Russia.
The
Oak Ridge Sister City Support Organization will receive the Sister Cities’
international
commendation during the Lou Wozar annual awards luncheon, at the S.C.I. annual
conference in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 25, 2003.
S.C.I.
established the annual awards program in 1962 to recognize outstanding sister
city
programs across the country. These programs demonstrate to other communities
how
to incorporate exciting and innovative ideas in exchanges, into their own sister
city
program. Winners were selected by a distinguished panel of judges for
achievements
made
in the year 2002.
Bob
Benning, C.E.O. of Ridgeview, a community mental health center that serves
Anderson,
Campbell, Morgan, Roane and Scott counties and has its administrative offices in
Oak Ridge,
will
attend the luncheon to receive the award.
The
award is the result of the collaboration of Benning and Luckmann in developing
an
exchange program that occurred in the latter part of September 2002. The goal
was to
familiarize the Russian delegates with current state-of-the-art programs and
concepts
carried out by Ridgeview and other organizations that have led to successful
prevention
and
intervention strategies with children and youth.
From
September 26 - October 2 the five delegates, three of them physicians, one a
city
manager, and one an interpreter, traveled with Benning throughout the urban and
rural
roads
of East Tennessee visiting prevention programs sponsored by Ridgeview and other
agencies. The delegates also spent a day in Nashville visiting the governor’s
office, the
House
and Senate chambers, had meetings with representatives of the Department of
Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol,
and the
staff
of AdvoCare, the major behavioral health organization in the state that is
responsible
for
contracting for services with children and youth.
Further activities were scheduled during the evenings and weekends to expose the
delegates to other aspects of life and culture in the area. These activities
ranged from
an
in-depth tour of Oak Ridge, attendance at the Oak Ridge High School football
game,
dancing at Cotton-Eyed Joe’s, and visiting many of the beautiful historical
areas in and
around the Smoky Mountains. One evening was also spent with select medical
staff at
Methodist Medical Center, where the physicians had an opportunity to interface
with
their
American counterparts.
The
project was tied into an earlier experience in which Benning participated in
September
2000
when he joined a team of Oak Ridge non-profit agency directors who spent ten
days in
Obninsk, Russia, Oak Ridge’s Sister City. That trip was sponsored by grants
from IREX
(International Research and Exchanges Board) and SPAN (Sustaining Partnerships
into the
Next
Century) and was coordinated through the United Way of Anderson County.
Benning met with a group of three physicians during that visit who were already
volunteering
their
professional time during evenings and weekends and were experiencing the
frustration
of
seeing at-risk youth with limited resources and no prevention programs to
address their concerns.
As a
result of the work that was done in 2000, and the recent visit of the delegates,
current
efforts are underway to implement two prevention programs in Obninsk that
potentially
could
be modeled for all of Russia.
Benning acknowledged that Ken Luckmann and the families that hosted the
delegates were
vital
to the success of the program and were key to making this program as successful
as
the
panel of judges determined it to be.
Sister Cities International is a citizen diplomacy network that creates and
strengthens
partnerships between the U.S. and international communities to increase global
cooperation
at
the local level. S.C.I. works to promote cultural understanding, social
development and
economic growth, and as a national membership organization, officially certifies
links between
U.S.
communities and those abroad to insure their sustained commitment and success in
this
mission. The S.C.I. network represents more than 2,100 communities in 122
countries around
the
world. S.C.I. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Back to Top
Okon
Enyenihi, M.D., has joined the medical staff of Ridgeview, a community mental
health center, based in Oak Ridge.
Dr.
Enyenihi is from Nigeria where he earned a medical degree at the University of
Calabar – College of Medicine, Cross River State. He was in family practice for
ten
years
in Nigeria and the West Indies before completing a residency in psychiatry at
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. He has extensive medical
experience
across different cultures, including involvement in numerous drug trials while
at LSUHSC.
Enyenihi is board eligible in psychiatry.
His
primary responsibility at Ridgeview is as interdisciplinary team leader on the
inpatient
unit. Other duties include serving as a clinical consultant with the DACT team
(Dual
Assertive Community Treatment) that offers structured integrated treatment to
homeless
persons with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse conditions. He also
works
closely with Ridgeview’s Mobile Crisis Team assessing individuals who present
with psychiatric
emergencies, as well as providing psychiatric services to outpatients.
Dr.
Enyenihi, his wife Robbeline and children are quickly settling into “Big Orange
Country,”
despite his previous LSU ties.
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Can you tell the difference between normal grief, passing sadness, and serious
clinical
depression? We can. We’re the clinicians at Ridgeview and as a public service
we are
holding free, anonymous depression screenings on National
Depression Screening Day,
Thursday, October 9 2003, at 240 W. Tyrone Road, in Oak Ridge. The program will
include the opportunity to take a free, anonymous screening for depression, and
an
opportunity to talk with a mental health professional.
Depression ranks among the top three workplace problems, following only family
crisis
and stress. Each year depression costs the U.S. economy $43.7 billion. Major
depression
is the 2nd leading cause of disability in the United States and
worldwide.
According to a recent Associated Press article, “Depression among Tennessee high
school
students is on the rise, with about 30 percent of the 2,000 students who took
the 2003 Youth
Risk Survey saying they have experienced severe sadness or hopelessness. About
half of
those students have considered suicide during the past year.”
For additional information about depression and an appointment, phone 276-1206.
Back to Top
Barbara Smith, director of Ridgeview’s Campbell County Drop-In Center, “W.I.N.G.S.,”
is
this year’s winner of the “Consumer Award,” presented at the annual National
Alliance
for the Mentally Ill, (NAMI) Knoxville chapter, Iris Awards Banquet, held at the
Foundry
in
Knoxville. Smith was recognized for her contributions to the mental health
community.
Each year NAMI Knoxville recognizes outstanding accomplishments of consumers,
family
members and providers of care to individuals in East Tennessee. Nominees for
the
“Consumer Award” must be challenged with a biological brain disorder, must
demonstrate
support for others and involvement in the community, manage symptoms of their
illness,
strive for stability and independence, and exhibit strength and optimism.
“Major depression and everything that goes with it,
including hospitalizations, brought
Barbara to Ridgeview’s Cumberland Cornerstone program in LaFollette,” said Janet
Kitts,
coordinator of that program. “I knew she was in a battle – one of many she had
already
had in a long and difficult war. However, she had something that she didn’t
even know she had,
the will to get better. She wanted to get better even though it didn’t seem
possible, and she
worked very hard to change her circumstances. She wanted to learn as much as
possible
about her illness and how to cope with its symptoms. Barbara likes to say about
the program,
‘It saved my life,’ but the fact is that she did all of the hard work. Barbara
is a shining example
of
overcoming the stigma that is as disabling as the illness itself. From a small
step like painting
a
little duck early in the program, to directing a program herself – what a
testimony,” said Kitts.
Barbara has also become a trained peer counselor, has training in suicide
prevention, and is an
instructor for BRIDGES, a program that is staffed and directed by persons in
recovery, to provide
education to help others cope with their mental illness.
Barbara is a resident of LaFollette.
Back to Top
Ridgeview announces a new program that provides assessment and treatment for
adolescents,
thirteen through seventeen years of age, who are experiencing substance abuse
problems, with
or
without a mental health diagnosis.
Jill Riley, a licensed clinical social worker, is coordinator for the Adolescent
Drug Assessment
Planning and Treatment program, “ADAPT.” The staff is composed of licensed and
credentialed
therapists and case managers.
“The therapist’s role includes assessment, referral, individual and group
therapy. The case
manager
acts as a liaison between the family, courts, DCS, and the school system,” said
Riley.
“The goal of
“ADAPT” is to provide treatment, support and education to enhance the skills
needed for children and
families to improve their quality of life,” Riley added.
“ADAPT” services are currently being scheduled at Ridgeview facilities in
Anderson, Campbell
and
Scott counties and will be available in Morgan and Roane counties by the end of
the year.
“Our goal is to provide the treatment component of “ADAPT” in locations in the
community
that are
easily accessible to families,” said Riley. “Assessments can be provided at
schools,
the courts or at
Ridgeview offices.”
Participants and their families will have the opportunity to learn relapse
prevention,
communication,
coping, anger management and problem solving skills in a supportive and
encouraging environment.
Parents also have the opportunity to learn new approaches to
their child’s
specific needs.
“The
“ADAPT” team believes that family support is critical in the child’s ability to
make
life changes.
Families are strongly encouraged to attend multi-family group therapy,” said
Riley.
To be
eligible for “ADAPT” services, participants must arrange for reliable
transportation
to and from the
program located at a site within their county (TennCare can help with
transportation); meet the criteria of
chemical dependency; have TennCare or private insurance
that covers treatment;
and be between the ages
of 13-17.
For
additional information about “ADAPT,” call Riley at 865-276-1216.
Back to Top
Willie Golden, Ridgeview’s Board chair, congratulates Blanche Dresner for nine
years of
service as a member of the board of directors and former chairperson. Dresner
is also a
psychologist with the Oak Ridge schools.
“Dr.
Dresner has provided a special link to the Oak Ridge school system and to the
needs
of
children and youth through her professional background. Her leadership on the
Board
has
been outstanding and her expertise, caring attitude and high level of
professionalism
will
be greatly missed,” said Bob Benning, Ridgeview’s CEO.
Back to Top
