Taos Behavioral Health

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New Services at Taos Behavioral Health

Mary Gray McPhail

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“It’s a client empowerment  program!” says Brian Salazar in describing the new Community Coordinated Social Services (CCSS) program at Taos Behavior Health.

“Our goal is to empower all clients to be as independent as possible” says Salazar, who coordinates the newly-hired staff of 10.

All referrals of youth and adults receive a qualifying diagnosis and are supported by Medicaid.  After an initial clinical assessment, goals are set in the areas of socialization, education, employment or work participation, positive living, and  recreation/self-care.  Services can be offered in our offices, in the school, homes or communities—wherever a goal can be worked toward and the client is comfortable.

The new CCSS workers are assigned to specific programs housed in the TBH agency: [Read more…] about New Services at Taos Behavioral Health

Taos Behavioral Health Ready to Support You as School Opens!

Mary Gray McPhail

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

Thursday, August 15th—the first day of the school year 2019–,2020!  The buses are rolling, the teachers are finishing last minute tasks, the schools are shining clean and the administrators stand ready to meet, greet and solve unexpected problems.  Excitement is in the air as the village starts the tasks of supporting our education system.

In homes, students are excited and nervous, and parents are hurrying to prepare them with needed supplies and encouragement as the family schedule changes.  Plans are finalized for transportation and after school activities.

For all students—the new school year brings change—new teachers and friends—new academic challenges.  For some students change is exciting and rewarding, and for many, change brings anxiety and stress.  Will they feel comfortable in new classes? Will they be with their friends?  Will they find new friends?  What if someone bullies them?  Who will be there to help?  Will the classwork be too hard? [Read more…] about Taos Behavioral Health Ready to Support You as School Opens!

What Should We Tell the Children?

Mary Gray McPhail

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

The trauma emanating from national news is felt by children in Taos—is heard in our schools, in our families, in our counseling offices.  The images on TV, the comments by parents and older siblings are scary and often not understood by children.

”Why do those TV pictures have people with no faces? “

“Why are there pictures of adults and/or children huddled on the floor in a room?”

“Why are there pictures of adults and children wading across a river or lying dead along the shore?”

Even if parents carefully shield their children from the news images we all see—it is impossible for them not to overhear something of the trauma occurring in our country right now.  As a border state, we have more action and reporting than other places might. Friends or classmates at school may be heard to express their fears—that their parents might be arrested—that they might come home to find them gone.  Even if their family is not immediately impacted by current threats children can undoubtedly learn that there is fear and violence in the land. [Read more…] about What Should We Tell the Children?

Open for Business: Comprehensive Community Support Service!

Mary Gray McPhail

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“Everything changes,” declared Angela Sisneros in describing the impact she has seen Comprehensive Community Support Service (CCSS) has on clients at Taos Behavior Health.  “They come in with a smile on their face, they are much more apt to talk to others in the waiting room, and they readily make additional appointments.  It is so different than when they first come in feeling negative and worried.”

Taos Behavioral Health now has four employees who are fully certified in CCSS, and six others in the process of being certified. The CCSS provides clients who are eligible for full Medicaid benefits with a path to self-sufficiency and more successful participation in the community.

Sisneros has been certified for a number of years through her education and participation in various behavioral health positions in Taos.  From a multi-generation Taos family, Sisneros was a single parent who knew she wanted to help others—initially with a goal of being an educator.  Her work at UNM-Taos began to emphasize alcohol and substance abuse treatment and intervention in abusive situations.  She found those topics compelling and following her completion of an associate degree she took a position at Taos Detox. [Read more…] about Open for Business: Comprehensive Community Support Service!

Taos Behavioral Health Begins a Pilot in Albuquerque

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

Taos is all about relationships.  A great example of that occurred in recent months when TBH CEO Simon Torrez was called by former Taos School District administrator—Catherine Durand about starting some agency service in Albuquerque.  Experienced in working collaboratively with TBH during her tenure here, Durand is now an administrator at  the charter school Cien Aguas.  She knew that we served students on site in the schools and was reminded of our service when a student enrolled in the Albuquerque school and had received services in Taos from TBH.

The CEO and the Board seriously considered the request and the TBH leadership team made a number of exploratory visits to Albuquerque.  It was clear that there was interest and support for this idea in a number of charter schools.  Behavioral Health services  in the Albuquerque district were sorely lacking and the Board approved a pilot effort to begin in one or two schools.   The pilot would study hiring, supervision, service coherence to TBH values, data entry quality and financial viability.  [Read more…] about Taos Behavioral Health Begins a Pilot in Albuquerque

A New Service at Taos Behavioral Health

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“I work from a deep commitment to partnership with my clients—asking them how we can help them achieve their goals” states Brian Salazar, the Director of the new Comprehensive Community Support Service (CCSS) program at Taos Behavioral Health.  CCSS is a Centennial Medicaid-supported community-based behavioral program for individuals of all ages struggling with a mental health challenge that interferes with their successful independent functioning in the community.  It provides psycho-social services to assist participants with learning the skills necessary to achieve the highest level of independent functioning, stability and independence.

After an assessment by a clinician, a plan is made with the client to cover five domains: community or independent living, employment or work, socialization, recreation and self-care, and thinking.  Through group and individual sessions, the CCSS worker and client work together on goals in each area.  “The client  is in charge of making a self-assessment as we work together” states Salazar.  If they are making progress, the client is able to find support for more fully participating in the community and building a satisfying life.  In contrast to case management, where a professional performs the actions to link the client to systems,  the CCSS professional teaches the client how to navigate systems and make use of  resources  they have seen as not open to them.

[Read more…] about A New Service at Taos Behavioral Health

A “Calm Natured Dad” for TBH Clients

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

The most important variable in successful clinical work is a meaningful relationship between a client and the therapist.  The most successful therapists are often those with  rich varied  life experiences—giving them insights and comfortableness with a variety of human challenges.  An outstanding example of such a clinician is our “calm Dad” at TBH—David Martin.

“I am deeply impressed by the attachments that develop between youth and the staff  in our work at TBH” comments Martin.  “I think I provide a sense of safety to youth who have experienced  frightening and stressful events in their lives.   By  nature, I am calm and reliable, and I think the youth sense that.”

Martin says that he knows he was fortunate to have a strong family foundation.  Even though his father was conservative and Germanic, he saw that Martin’s vagabond spirit also included a deep sense of commitment and work ethic.  “Whatever I started—I gave it my all and wanted to learn everything to be successful at it” stated Martin.  His curiosity and interest in outdoor adventure led him to expedition leadership positions with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLES).  [Read more…] about A “Calm Natured Dad” for TBH Clients

Bringing Rich Skills to You

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“As a student of human  behavior, I am fascinated to learn about the experiences that have contributed to people’s actions today,” states Linda Sanders, Clinical Supervisor at Taos Behavioral Health.  In her 28- year career as a clinical social worker, Sanders has enhanced her learning and understanding of people in a rich variety of contrasting roles—from work with veterans, to heading an adoption agency, to directorships at large social service agencies, to mitigation investigations in murder cases. She relates a deep understanding of the emotions involved in all these  situations.

Sanders joined TBH in 2018—after working at Tri-County and provides clinical supervision for all clinicians who are completing independent licensure and  masters level  interns who are completing their field work.  The fact that she has worked in so many different settings—that presented intense challenges– gives her a broad core of skills that guide her supervision.

Working for ten years as the director of a 100-year-old adoption agency gave Sanders a deep understanding of  grief and loss that is often not understood by others. The birth parents experience the loss of their child, the adopting couple is often in grief over their infertility failures and the adopted child loses the experience of being raised by her biological family.  These feelings of grief have to be dealt with to complete a successful adoption.  [Read more…] about Bringing Rich Skills to You

Reaching Out to Veterans

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“Working with veterans is a passion of mine,” declares Jacquie Arcand, one of four Taos Behavioral Health clinicians who are uniquely skilled at treating veterans. “I am a military brat and have a lived experience with military culture and family life.  My father was a WWI veteran whose PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) was never treated.”

Just as you would seek help for a physical injury, you can seek help for a soul-searing moral injury.  The wounds are just as deep and debilitating.  Most veterans have some level of PTSD—as a result of experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event/s.  PTSD symptoms may start within a month of the event or may not appear for years.   Often the individual has intrusive repetitive memories, avoidance behaviors, negative moods and thoughts and changes in physical and emotional reactions.  The veteran often experiences difficulties in social and family life, occupational instability, marital problems and difficulty in parenting. [Read more…] about Reaching Out to Veterans

Summer–Taos Behavioral Health Responds to the Season’s Challenge

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

The lazy freedoms of summer days present critical challenges for youth and families in Taos.   Once school is out the  supportive social structure and activities often  disappear and youth are “left with finding something to do“ comments Angela Romero, TBH clinician who works at Taos High School.

Families are challenged by the current school schedule—with a long summer break—and few organized offerings that are accessible by location and are affordable.  It is a reality that many families work 2-3 jobs to support their basic needs.  “Many youth are unsupervised in the summer weeks and get into trouble and fall behind academically” states Sadie Quintanilla, TBH Director of School Programs.  [Read more…] about Summer–Taos Behavioral Health Responds to the Season’s Challenge