Horizon Newsletter I Summer 2022

JULY

I

2022

VOLUME 53

I

ISSUE NO.2

One For Wellness, Wellness For All

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO To my esteemed colleagues and friends of Horizon, It is with great enthusiasm that I write to you in our Horizon Newsletter: Summer Edition to share many exciting updates and transitions on the horizon. We are off to a strong start in the 2023 Fiscal Year, having recently been awarded funding for the expansion of existing programs including Project LINK and the Lynchburg Adult Drug Treatment Court.

In addition, I am pleased to share that Horizon has been awarded a 2M grant to benefit homeless individuals in central Virginia by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). With this grant, we will provide outreach, engagement, mental health and/or substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, housing and recovery support services to 245 homeless adolescents, their families, and transition age youth over the span of five years.

In other news, Horizon has also opened the doors of two new wellness centers within Lynchburg City limits. The Horizon Wellness Center at Lansdown Place will be the primary location for the first Project LINK site in the region located adjacent to Horizon's first Wellness Treatment Center, which will be home to Horizon's Office Based Addiction Treatment (OBAT) program.

On behalf of Horizon's Executive Leadership Team and the Horizon Board of Directors, I convey a proud applause for our hardworking teams who are diligently pursuing these - and other - opportunities to expand programming, improve access and serve our community well.

T! TIPS CORNER Microsoft 365 User Tips From Horizon's Information Technology Department

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One For Wellness, Wellness For All I July, 2022

PROJECT LINK

Horizon Behavioral Health announced

in May, the recent award of $670,522 by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to launch the first Project LINK site of its kind in the Lynchburg area. The purpose of this evidence-based program is to provide intensive case management and home visiting services to pregnant and parenting women who are “at risk” or are diagnosed with a substance use disorder. This program could not come at a more suitable time. Data shows that in 2021, there were 150 hospital-referred, substance using postpartum women identified in our area.

As of March, 2022, hospital referrals for substance-exposed postpartum women have increased by over 50% for the first quarter in comparison to last year indicating a great need emerging on the horizon.

“Having a Project LINK site in Central Virginia will allow us to reduce barriers to services for substance-using women and their families. It’s an opportunity to wrap treatment and supportive services around the whole family with the goal of keeping the family together,” shares Rhonda Turner, Program Manager at Horizon Behavioral Health.

The Project LINK site will operate at Horizon’s new Wellness Center as Lansdown Place, located at 2305 Lansdown Place, Lynchburg, VA 24501.

To learn more about Project LINK, visit WSLS News to hear the latest.

HALL OF FAME Best Counseling Services

Pictured above, Horizon Outpatient Managers Lesli Sedwick, Jennifer SmithRamey, and Marianne Powell stand adjacent to Senior Portfolio Director, Sherri WalkerThacker.

Pictured above, Melissa Lucy, Horizon CEO, presents to the Lynchburg City Council to share highlights and outcomes of the Fiscal Year, as well as share insight on the upcoming expansion the Project LINK program.

Horizon was named in the 2022 Hall of Fame for Best Counseling Services by Lynchburg Living Magazine.

Congratulations to all of our outpatient teams on this fine achievement! This award is a true testament to your exceptional work-ethic and commitment to our clients.

One For Wellness, Wellness For All I July, 2022

MODELING WELLNESS L et’s face it – social isolation and

distancing didn’t make anyone’s’ highlightreel over the last two years – but some good certainly came out of the experience. While some people took to home renovations, others took to welcoming a new pet into the family or trying their hand at a new hobby.

Mental Health America advocates those regular hobbies and routines can help to boost your mental health. In fact, Neuroscience News points out that social prescribing is a treatment method where doctors actually ask patients with mild to moderate depression to take up a nonmedical intervention (such as a hobby) to improve their mental health.

David Craft, a client of Horizon expresses how grateful he is for having found a hobby that he enjoys that also benefits his mental health. “I was always interested in art because my dad was an artist. I enjoyed doing model homes when I was a kid but did not become serious until later in life.

Now, I am the third-generation model builder in my family. Art was instrumental in helping me build my confidence."

Pictured below, model created by David Craft. The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War.

I can’t say enough good about Horizon. They really helped me out and I am benefiting from what I learned still today."

David Craft, Horizon Client "For some artists, I know it [art] is a positive escape mechanism for them. When I need to be by myself, I can do this and feel good about the outcome. It is something that leads to a tangible accomplishment that I can see.”

David also shares how Horizon helped him learn to cope and become more open with people. Today, David is looking to get a group of artisans together locally to collaborate on seascape art for his current model, a 1942 Norfolk Navy boat from World War II.

T! TIPS CORNER Microsoft 365 User Tips From Horizon's Information Technology Department Editor in Outlook Desktop. When crafting an email, you now can use the editor tool directly in Outlook. This next generation spell-checker can help not only with your grammar, but also makes recommendations for inclusive language to prevent unintended biases.

To enable this feature, open a new message and select the ‘More’ Icon “. . .“ in your 'Send' ribbon. Then click “Editor”. Click on each category to explore and customize the editor options according to your preferences.

One For Wellness, Wellness For All I July, 2022

CALLING HORIZON

Home

Gary explained how difficult it can be to find quality care for individuals with disabilities, such as a dentist or physician for example, who can provide care to a non-verbal client.

Horizon ensures that these barriers are no longer a challenge by offering 24-hour specialty care at the Horizon Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF).

Currently, Horizon can provide this level of care to 42 individuals at a time, meeting a major need in our community.

This quarter, we celebrated Intellectual and

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month during the month of March. Over thirty minutes of ‘thank-you’s and appreciation messages from more than 20 client family members flooded our voicemail with heartfelt messages to our Horizon ICF staff, recognizing their impactful service and the thoughtful care provided to their loved ones.

Horizon Board Member, Gary Marple, shared with WSLS 10 news how grateful he is for Horizon and the care being provided to his daughter, Lisa.

Lisa, age 53, was told she would not live past her teenage years when she was diagnosed with a nervous system disorder at age 9. Gary said before that, she used to walk, run, and even had a 300– 400-word vocabulary. Today, Gary shares that even though Lisa is non-verbal with limited mobility “she is doing well and thriving.”

Gary credits her good health to the fact that “she is getting good nutrition and the nursing care is well done.”

As parents, we are pleased to know that we can see her and know she is taken care of in ways that we no longer can, physically. Horizon really came through for her.”

Gary Marple, Horizon Board Member

T! TIPS CORNER Microsoft 365 User Tips From Horizon's Information Technology Department Teams Meeting Options. The Integration of Teams meetings can be a great tool, but it can also be confusing if you prefer to use an external virtual meeting technology like Zoom or GoTo. You can add or remove Teams as a default setting on all meetings by selecting Settings pictured as a gear icon in the top right corner of your outlook home screen. The select “Calendar”. Choose “Events and invitations” and select your preference for adding online meetings.

B eginning in 1980, Lula Bowyer, mother of

Margaret Bowyer, traveled across Maryland to Pennsylvania to Virginia in search of answers to explain her daughter Margie’s slower-than-normal development. Not until after Margie started Elementary School, did they discover that she had a rare disease called Rett Syndrome.

Today, Lula makes it her mission to ensure other parents know that the help they need and answers they seek are out there. In fact, they can be found right here in Central Virginia.

Pictured above, Amy Ferguson, Lula Bowyer, and Lisa Haibach share a photo after talking with WDBJ 7 News.

Pictured above, Margaret 'Margie' Bowyer takes a walk outside her home as her mother reminisces on 45 joyful years with her beloved daughter.

After 19 years of teaching special education and working with parents directly, Lula shared “people need to know who Horizon Behavioral Health is, and what they can do to help them.” Margie will be celebrating her 45th birthday this July and has called Horizon 'home' for the last 24 years. As Lula reflected on their family’s journey, she said “I am forever indebted to the people at Horizon -who have become dear friends- for the dedication, love, and understanding that they display each and every day while caring for my daughter.”

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT Horizon would like to recognize Saint Thomas More Church for their generosity in partnership that has led to many years of impactful experiences for our clients at Horizon. The parish has volunteered much of their time and energy into creating meaningful and memorable experiences for our clients in our Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) otherwise known as “Horizon Homes”. This has included Christmas caroling drive-throughs’ and Horizon Home picnics, among others.

A notable program is called Giving Tree, organized by Saint Thomas More with the help of Horizon’s Prevention Team, which provides food and supply box donations to Horizon clients in need around the major holidays. This past Easter, 67 families were provided food boxes to enjoy on Easter Day! Horizon is very grateful for such dedicated volunteers at Saint Thomas More Church in Lynchburg and Horizon staff who, together, make this program possible year-in and year-out!

“I have 4 kids and my 9 year old loves to cook. She is going to be so excited. I wouldn’t have reached out for help on my own. But it is such a blessing to know that there are people out there that want to help and can. To have a case manager that knows your needs and knows that you wouldn’t reach out on your own, means the world to me.”

Program Participant

One For Wellness, Wellness For All I July, 2022

TOGETHER FOR With wellness in mind, Horizon team

members are getting creative in finding ways to encourage clients to pursue hobbies that will have a positive impact on their health.

According to Rachel Williams-Jordan, Case Manager at the Horizon Wellness Center at Campbell, reading is a great place to start when it comes to mental wellness.

“The idea of the ‘Lending Library’ came from a consistent need I recognized among some of my clients. Many of them expressed that they love to read, but access, affordability, or transportation was an issue for them to get new books. So, I let my coworkers know that I was collecting books and got a few more donations from friends to begin the bookshelf collection."

"I love to read myself. I know that it helps my mental health, and I thought it might help my clients as well."

"The goal is to have a variety of books for all ages and reading levels.” But Rachel didn’t stop there.

“Many of my clients have said that coloring is a huge relief for them. So, I found color-me bookmarks on Etsy with self-affirming messages like 'I am important. I am strong. I am smart, etc.' The bookmarks seemed like a great way to combine two self-care activities into one."

Horizon is grateful for Rachel’s thoughtful initiative to prioritize the mental health of those she serves in creative ways. We also recognize and appreciate the daily efforts of staff who go above and beyond to support their clients' overall wellness.

T! TIPS CORNER Microsoft 365 User Tips From Horizon's Information Technology Department Outlook Mobile: Sending Availability. This feature allows you to send your availability to individuals inside or outside of your organization with ease.

Pictured above, Rachel Williams-Jordan stands next to the new 'Lending Library' at Horizon's Appomattox Wellness Center.

How to use: On your mobile, open a message, and choose who you want to reply to. Then, click the calendar icon with a “+” symbol. Choose send availability. Lastly, tap on the time and dates that you are available and click the “Checkmark” in the top right corner when finished. Voila! You just saved 3 minutes!

MENTAL HEALTH As we reflect on Mental Health Awareness Month, Melissa Lucy, CEO, and Horizon’s Prevention and Wellness Team would like to thank everyone who participated in the “Wellness For Me Too” campaign during the month of May. While leading the charge on the campaign, the team aimed to encourage all Horizon employees to take time to prioritize their mental health. As a result of their efforts, we shared opportunities to come together to color a picture at each Wellness Center, play wellness bingo, win wellness raffle prizes, and use items in the wellness care packages to practice self-care.

It's not too late to catch Horizon's "Motivate Your Monday" wellness videos developed in partnership with WSET. You can find those and other reminders for creative ways to boost your mental health by following us on Facebook @Horizonbh.

SAVE THE DATE Horizon's Ride Of Our Lives Motorcycle Ride & Rally is coming up on Saturday, September 17th.

To RSVP for the race or find out more information about the event, visit us on Facebook.

T! TIPS CORNER Microsoft 365 User Tips From Horizon's Information Technology Department Microsoft Viva. The Microsoft experience is personalized, complete with commitment and follow-up reminders, calendar management recommendations, spaces for team culture building, workplace habits data tracking, and more. This employee experience platform brings it all together – pairing productivity, teamwork, and personal wellbeing to promote the ideal work environment.

To get set up, go to the Microsoft Teams desktop. Select “. . .” in the left corner.

Select the Microsoft “Viva Insights” tile.

At the bottom of the page, select the module you want to set up. Select the “. . .” in the top right corner of the Viva start page to adjust settings for your daily Viva insights.

One For Wellness, Wellness For All I July, 2022

LYNCHBURG ADULT DRUG For those who are unfamiliar with the Lynchburg

I may not be all I want to be, but I am better than I used to be.”

Marvin Hubbard, LADC Graduate

Graduation day marks a special milestone for all who have worked diligently to accomplish their goals and take a step closer to their dreams. For the five brave individuals who were awarded their graduation certificate on May 26th, 2022, from the Lynchburg Adult Drug Treatment Court (LADC), this was a memorable milestone indeed.

In many ways, this triumphant moment represented a new beginning in which individuals could celebrate with pride their decision to dedicate themselves to their recovery, a feat that only some can truly understand and appreciate but we all can deeply respect.

Drug Treatment Court program, the goal is to intercept individuals who have been introduced to the court system as a result of a drug-related charge. From there, those that qualify are given the option to enter into the program which provides attentive, layered accountability, as well as a combination of treatments and supports based on each individuals’ unique needs. The outcome is two-fold. Necessary treatment is provided in a person’s natural environment where evidence suggests greater success in long-term recovery, while also reducing recidivism, an overwhelming burden faced by local prison systems. The result, as clearly demonstrated in the graduate speeches, are nothing short of inspiring.

A packed Courtroom sat silently as the graduates in attendance shared their appreciation, their story of growth, and future plans to help others along their journey of recovery.

Joined by many community partners such as the Court System, Probation and Parole, and the Virginia Department of Health, and outspoken program advocates, Congressman Bob Good, Delegate Windle Walker, and Anna Powers of the Supreme Court, Horizon enjoyed sharing this triumphant moment with the program’s 2022 graduates.

TREATMENT COURT Horizon proudly congratulates each graduate on this tremendous achievement followed by a message of appreciation to the Horizon teams who have poured into the lives of each graduate and other clients in the program.

These stories of success as well as news of expanding funding from the Bureau of Justice Administration (BJA) are telling of the hard work invested into this program and the lives it has touched in our community.

To learn more about plans on the Horizon to expand this program, visit our news page.

Where I was a few months back, I’m not that person anymore. I appreciate every single one of you that helped me get on the right track.”

Jeremiah Brooks, LADC Graduate

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT To be in this field is to know that it takes all of us to help one of us, and without all of us, a vision cannot become a reality. At Horizon, we know that strong partnerships are the key to success. For this reason, we are abundantly grateful to team up with Genoa Healthcare to offer pharmaceutical services to our clients.

The tell-tale sign of a great partnership is continued growth. Following suite, we are very pleased to welcome Christy Powers, Consumer Medication Coordinator to the Horizon team, who will be assisting our teams at the Horizon Wellness Center at Langhorne to improve the overall client experience, medication adherence, and other medication-related outcomes.

After 14 years of retail pharmacy experience, Christy says “my favorite part of the role is getting to know the clients, connecting with them, and really getting to know their story." Having lived in Lynchburg all her life, Christy shares how meaningful it is to serve in the home she grew up in, “I’ve always wanted to help my community more and that is a big part of what I do."

As a consumer medication coordinator, Christy supports our care teams by acting as an on-site pharmacy liaison, coordinating prescription fulfillment and mailing/delivery, provide refill reminders and adherence calls, assist with prior authorization, and builds relationships with consumers. When Christy is not educating clients on pharmacy resources such as Dispill packaging, you can find her spending time with her son, listening to classic rock, traveling or reading the latest bestselling fiction/fantasy novel.

Pictured above, Christy Powers, Consumer Medication Coordinator at Horizon's Langhorne Wellness Center.

One For Wellness, Wellness For All I July, 2022

DODGE THE SMOKE High schoolers in the City of Lynchburg are bringing a whole new meaning to phrase “Dodge The Smoke”.

Over 143 students from E.C. Glass and Heritage High Schools lined up after school to participate in the 2nd annual “Dodge the Smoke” Dodgeball Tournament, organized by their peers in the Healthy Youth Through Education (HYPE) and Youth of Virginia Speak Out (YOVaSO) clubs at each school.

I’m really proud of the students for coming together to create such a successful event. Their hard work truly demonstrated their leadership skills and passion to raise awareness around the dangers of smoking tobacco and marijuana.”

Taylor Cafro, Prevention Specialist at Horizon

At the event, students packed the gym to support the cause; dodging the use of tobacco and other drugs. Before and after the tournament, students had the opportunity to learn about the risks of youth substance use, share the facts with their peers and show their peers that living drug-free is the best way to be!

Zoe' Q Whitcomb-Stokes, M.Ed., Student Services Supervisor at Lynchburg City Schools said "It was amazing to watch our students enjoy an activity that allowed them to just be a kid again without the pressures of COVID or safety concerns outside the classroom.

Students at both Heritage Highschool and E.C. Glass appeared to appreciate the food, fellowship and game along with the information they received regarding substance use and its negative impact. Staff and students alike stated they would like to see this or similar activities occur more often."

Horizon is grateful to partner with Anthem Healthkeepers Plus, Central Virginia Addiction and Recovery Resources (CVARR) and Lynchburg City Schools to host this year’s Dodge the Smoke Dodgeball Tournament.