EAST News and Events

Check out the EAST calendar for February 2008.

Multi-family groups are happening in Salem, McMinnville and Albany. See our brochure or talk to your counselor for more information.

EAST offers a library for young people, families, friends and professionals working with the program. The library is housed at Mid-Valley Behavioral Care Network office located at 1660 Oak St. SE, Suite 230, in Salem. Click below for the list of materials and for more information:

What's it all about? The Salem YMCA offers EAST members and their families a substantial discount to join. The YMCA has a wide variety of classes and activities. EAST periodically holds activities at the YMCA, and encourages people to get involved.

Fishing licenses are available for EAST members. If you are interested in a fishing license, talk to Tamara Sale at 503-931-0785.

EAST is offering a free video called "Psychosis: It's About Balance" to high school health teachers in the five-county region. The video can be viewed on the Robert Wood Johnson Local Initiative website at: http://www.lifp.org/html/spotlight/stories.html
        Thanks to Brian Heater and Wild World Productions for producing this video. Thanks also to Moe Armstrong, Scott Snedecor, and the EAST staff and young people who shared their perspectives. 
        For more information or to order the videotape, contact EAST by using the email form at the "Contact EAST" link at the top of this page.

• Meyer Memorial Trust, whose wisdom and three-year matching grant greatly increased our long-term sustainability and relationships.

• Northwest Health Foundation
• Paul G. Allen Charitable Foundation, who joined Meyer Memorial Trust in the three-year matching grant.
• Spirit Mountain Community Fund, which helped us get the website going and helped us integrate vocational services in Polk and Yamhill Counties.

EAST Place Scheduled for Construction
Construction is scheduled to begin by May on "EAST Place", a five-unit apartment complex which will provide transitional living for participants age 18 and over in the EAST Program.

 

The project comes thanks to the collaboration of Polk County Mental Health and Polk Community Development Corporation. It will have four studio apartments and one two-bedroom. It's located just a few blocks from the Academy Building in Dallas, and within walking distance of stores, public services and CARTS bus. Individuals from Polk County will be given priority; however, the units will be open to individuals from throughout the five counties based on availability.

Closer to its opening (scheduled for fall/winter 2008 at this time), the program will need assistance with furnishing the new units. Individuals who would like to help coordinate support for furnishing the units should contact Tamara Sale at 503-361-2796 or tsale@mvbcn.org.

OHP Standard provides free or low-cost health care coverage to Oregon residents who are 19 years old or older and have limited income. DHS will soon have a limited number of openings for Oregon residents who need health care coverage. For information, go to: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/open/index.shtml

Dr. Robert Wolf, EAST's main psychiatrist, is one of the 2007 recipients of the Oregon Mental Health Award of Excellence, presented on October 19. He is honored for his commitment, integrity, leadership and high quality of work.

Sheryl Baker, EAST's occupational therapist, won the "Occupational Therapist of the Year Award" from the Occupational Therapy Association of Oregon for her work with EAST. Congratulations, Sheryl!

Welcome to Ingrid Siadal, intern from the Portland State University School of Social Work. Ingrid will be working with Nina Donnelly in the central Salem office.

Read the article about EAST that appeared in the Statesman Journal newspaper on April 23, 2007. The article profiles two young adults who have benefited from EAST services and discusses the grant recently awarded to EAST by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

 

PRESS RELEASE: Mid-Valley Behavioral Care Network, in Partnership with Oregon Health & Science University, Receives $2 Million Grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Join New National Program for Preventing Psychotic Illness in Youth

 

The Community Network is a new group that EAST is organizing. The goal of the Network is to create community supports that will help youth and young adults thrive despite experiencing psychosis. After months of collecting information and gathering ideas, the Community Network is starting to take shape. 

On February 16, 2006, a planning retreat was held. At the planning retreat about 10 individuals and families involved in EAST worked together to plan activities for the next few months and to set the Community Network's long-term priorities. The information gained from this planning retreat will be used to develop a strategic plan for the Community Network. The long-term priorities that were set at the retreat are: 

• Arrange speaking opportunities for members to share their success stories with potential funding sources;

• Develop a mentoring program; and

• Provide ongoing education about EAST and psychosis. 

For more detailed information on the decisions made at the planning retreat and the Community Network, check out the notes from the planning retreat and concept paper below: