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rr 8 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, Sept. 25, 1984 Mental health kept closeted indarkness Hare Ave EE rer Although some pro- gress is 'being made changing people's neg- ative attitudes, mental health problems still hang in the mind's closet, hidden in the dark with other social evils. A patient just return- ed from Whitby Psych- iatric Hospital is shunn- ed or regarded merely as a curiosity, while a problem-consumed individual afraid to leave the safety of his or her room is given up on. Few people want to lend a hand to. the mentally disturbed. Few people understand mental health. Nell Marshall realizes this and is aware that her recently acquired job as coordinator of Community Care's CIVP (Community Involvement and Volun- teer Program) puts her up against the brick wall of human under- standing. 'Mental illness 1s a really difficult illness to see. With a physical illness, you can accept it because you can see it. You can understand it a lot easier," she says. '"Mental health isn't so easy". Ms. Marshall started her job last spring after working for many years as a social worker with the Children's Aid Society in downtown Toronto. Buried in the heart of a big city, certain idiosyncracies and mental health pro- blems are ignored, even accepted. It's easy to lose yourself in the Toronto's hustle, but nearly impossible in a town the size of Port Perry. "We'd deal with strange-looking people in the city, where they were fine, but God forbid any of them should move to Scarbor- ough,' she says. "In a small community like Information on local events was not available at print time. Port Perry we should be more responsible and more accountable to these people'. But while community minded townsfolk read- ily volunteer for sections of Community Care like Meals on 'Wheels or driving, few people volunteer their services to CIVP, where those with mental health problems need the support of a volun- teer just as much as a physically handicapped person or a senior citizen. At the same time, professionals are reluct- ant to refer mental health patients to CIVP, afraid that the program impinges on their job. "Some doctors will ask themselves, 'How can this person do my job?' Well, the volunteer isn't doing his or her job", she stresses. 'I mean, they (profession- als) aren't going to go shopping with patients, teach them how to cook a meal for the kids or go out for a coffee with them. ~ "As much as we want volunteers for CIVP, we want professionals to start referring patients. We're not duplicating : their service and we're certainly not going to replace them'. What CIVP does accomplish is providing volunteers who work on a one-to-one basis with people who have either been hospitalized for mental health problems and sent back to the community, or people who have never been hospitalized but suffer from problems such as: depression or isolation. In a bigger centre such as Toronto, a myriad of agencies are at a person's fingertips to offer support. "Because we basic- ally live in a rural area, we don't have the same services available," Ms. interest. Coming soon, |LA.P.A.'s 'Safety Line'. 24 hours, 7 days a week . . . (Not available until announced) This feature will return next month. Participate To reduce injury experience in the Ontario workplace by 25% over five years. All the safety information required by Ontario industry. and the retail trades Watch out for the announcement, which will tell you how to telephone Toronto for safety information only -- toll free on our new 800 line. The safety line. INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION ASSOCIATION Nell Marshall, co-ordinator of the Community Involvement and Volunteer Program, is looking for a unique brand of volunteer ---- as well as more referrals from mental health professionals. For more on what has to be Community Care's lowest-profile program , see story. Marshall points out. In the area for which she is responsible, basically Scugog and Uxbridge Townships, Ms. Marshall says only a few agencies are on hand to help people with mental health prob- lems. Doctors, social workers, family coun- sellors, relatives and public health nurses are the ones who usually deal with such problems in this area. They're alos the same people who refer cases to the CIVP. Unfortunately, Ms. Marshall says both volunteers and referrals are few and far between these days. Which is why the program has been changed, with more emphasis on work- ing relationships bet- ween Whitby Psychia- tric Hospital and a closer look at the comm- unity's needs. While referrals should not be too hard to come by, Ms. Marshall is anticipating more prob- lems signing up volun- teers, mainly because she is being so picky about them. '"The caliber of volun- teer has to be greater than in any other pro- gram because we're starting to get calls from people with a lot of serious problems", she says. "The type of volunteer we want must be supportive, not detri- mental to a client. He or she must have a healthy attitude towards mental health. '""A volunteer is a volunteer for different reasons. Some people volunteer because they have their own prob- lems they want help with, without saying so. Although there isn't any cut and dried answer to who we pick, we don't want someone who thinks they're a social worker'. She points out that the program needs volun- teers who can take direction without question and who are willing to take on the mandatory 27-hour training course. During the course all volunteers are taught how to listen to clients without being judge- mental, how to accept a client on his own merits and how to help a client follow through on his goals. The goals are an integral part of CIVP. Before even signing up for the program, a client must be willing to help himself. He's got to know what he want to change in his life -- whether it's to get out of his room more often or to go to the library without being deathly afraid. Whatever the goal, the CIVP volunteer helps the client work towards it with regular visits and a time commitment of 10 hours a week for six months. "You're not just going to visit someone," Ms. Marshall says. "There are goals'. The service, which is funded by the Ministry of Health and free to clients, is completely confidential. - The next CIVP train- ing program is slated to begin October 11. For more information, call Nell Marshall at 985- 8461 or 852-7445. RUSTY Ba SAVE YOUR BODY CAMP CONTRACTING LT. 90 Vanedward Drive, Port Perry (416) 985-8469 to all those who supported me in the recent election. DARCE CAMPBELL Authorized by C B Lynch. Official Agent for Darce Campbell