NEWS & NOTES

It takes a lot of people to keep things running smoothly, they deal with people of all kinds, oftentimes they’re sad or moody. An absolute favorite I always see when walking through the door, is a perky, encouraging, spitfire gal who’s been there a long time before. Professional as this woman is, she always finds time to care, people watch her every day, to this she’s unaware. The world would say that we are broke, no fix in sight to see, but Carole connects us to all that’

Statistically speaking, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth are at a disproportionate risk for depression, suicide, and substance abuse. They also can feel isolated, alienated or bullied. A new LGBT group for youth was started in the summer of 2017 at the Bert Nash Center to provide a support system so teenagers have a safe place to talk. Bert Nash also offers a support group for transgender adults. “That was the motivation for the group, just kids needing a s

Men aren’t necessarily known for expressing their feelings or being vulnerable. Which is why when Julian Brown, Bert Nash Adult Outpatient Program therapist, started a client group for men he wasn’t sure how open or talkative they would be. Turns out, they had plenty to talk about. “Initially, I was thinking there would be a lot of reservation coming from the guys,” Brown said. ‘But they have been very vocal. They jumped right in and started talking about things.” Participant

Trauma-informed care is more than just a different approach to behavioral and mental health care. It is a totally new way of doing things. “Trauma-informed care is a concept, a way of thinking that informs actions,” said Julia Gaughan, who serves as the point person for this agency-wide effort at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center. “It is a cultural shift with how we all work together as an agency and how we work with the people we serve.” Trauma-informed care grew

Solutions to community problems have to start somewhere. Agencies that are participating in an upcoming housing event hope that starts with a conversation. The event – Housing in Lawrence and Douglas County: A Public/Private Partnership – will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. September 13th at the Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania Street. Mathew Faulk, housing program manager for the Bert Nash Center, said the goal of the event is to develop relationships with property managers and owner