24/7 access to mental health crisis intervention for VeteranS

The following article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Stearns, Maine State Representative for District 119.

As part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) efforts to provide the best mental health care access possible, VA is reminding Veterans that it offers all Veterans same-day access to emergency mental health care at any VA health care facility across the country.

“Providing same-day 24/7 access to mental health crisis intervention and support for Veterans, service members and their families is our top clinical priority,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “It’s important that all Veterans, their family and friends know that help is easily available.”

VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is the national leader in making high-quality mental health care and suicide prevention resources available to Veterans through a full spectrum of outpatient, inpatient, and telemental health services.

Additionally, VA has developed the National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide, which reflects the department’s vision for a coordinated effort to prevent suicide among all service members and Veterans. This strategy maintains VA’s focus on high-risk individuals in health care settings, while also adopting a broad public health approach to suicide prevention.

VA has supported numerous Veterans and has the capacity to assist more. In fiscal year (FY) 2018, 1.7 million Veterans received Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health services. These patients received more than 84,000 psychiatric hospital stays, about 41,700 residential stays and more than 21 million outpatient encounters.

Veterans in crisis – or those concerned about one – should call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255 and press 1, send a text message to 838255 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net.

Finding the right resource…

NAMI Maine provides some great resources for me as a Gatekeeper and Trainer for the Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program. I was recently reviewing their updated PowerPoint Presentation and noticed that, frankly, the numbers aren’t getting better.

The most recent data shows, for example, that Maine consistently has higher suicide death rates than both the U.S. and the Northeast. For 2016, the rate in Maine was over 50% higher than the rate in the U.S.

Rather than analyze that data, it is obvious that we each need to consider how we might contribute to decreasing this rate. One reality the data doesn’t always reveal is the complexity of the issue. Yes, we can generalize. But explaining the problem doesn’t resolve it.

Most people underestimate their ability to help. It starts with being able to recognize the risk factors and warning signs and continues with a simple intervention. In the workshop, we address a basic model that doesn’t require a lot of skill or knowledge of psychology. It’s a three-step process.

  • Show you care and are concerned
  • Ask questions including whether or not the person is considering self-harm or suicide
  • Get help and resources for the person.

Based on some of the conversations I’ve had recently with people who are trying to help others, that last step can actually be the most difficult. So this morning I spent a few minutes creating a guide to finding the right phone number to call. You can download a copy right here: Finding the Right Resource.

Many people do not realize that you do not have to be suicidal to use these resources. If you are trying to help someone you think is in danger, you can call 2-1-1 Maine, the “Warm Line,” and or the Crisis Line and ask for help getting help.

It also happens that I have a workshop coming up next week, sponsored by RSU 19 Adult Education at Nokomis Regional in Newport. There’s no charge to attend, all that’s required is a couple of hours of your time. Hope to see you there!

Here Comes the Judge! Again!

The first time was about six years ago in my book . In Chapter 13 I touched on the occasions when the kids at school try to enlist me as judge and jury to settle a dispute. I offer one example and admit that my solution to it was based on “a bit of laziness and lack of desire to don a judge’s robe.”

The kids tell me I have a pretty effective “teacher look.” I’m now working on my “judge’s look.”

Handing the case (problem or question) over to the judge can be alluring for many reasons and it’s not just the kids who do it. When I teach real estate courses I am often barraged with questions that start with “What if…?” With kids and adults, there are some obvious undercurrents. The kids’ questions are usually relative to what’s fair and sometimes are instructions. “Make her stop!” “He’s not playing fair!” The adults are looking for the right answer–usually to a subtle and sometimes legal question.

For at least as many years as the book’s been published, I have deflected many legal questions in real estate classes by including the observation, “If anyone finds a reasonably priced judge’s robe, buy it for me. I’ll reimburse you for it. Then I can slip it on when I’m asked these sort of questions and act all-knowing and certain while I pronounce my verdict.”

Well, it finally happened. At a recent Associate Broker Workshop a student showed up with a “surprise” for me, proudly presenting me with a black robe–and no expectation of reimbursement. I of course modeled it at the beginning of the workshop. It got a lot of laughs. It also reminded me of how thoughtful students often are. Most importantly, I now carry it in my “teaching kit” and plan to make it a visual aid.

See, I think acting as judge and teacher are actually often a conflict of interest. In a learning environment, when students give the teacher too much authority they may not think and all they really learn is the judge’s (teacher’s) opinion. I also have a rule in my adult classes that you’re not allowed to use the phrase “Walter said in class…” For one thing, I find I’m often misquoted. For another, you are suggesting you only learned what I said. I’d rather hear you say, “I learned in class…” I want to teach you to think, not quote the teacher.

The fact that things seem complicated or complex doesn’t mean we should let someone else do our thinking for us. I’m reasonably certain the world is round–or at least approximately so. But if a kid asks me I’m likely to reply with questions. “What do you think? How can we find out? What have you learned about that so far?”

While the power that goes with the judge’s robe is tempting, another thing I like about not wearing it is I can teach subjects I know almost nothing about. I once substituted for a second-year high school Spanish class. The kids knew me. As they were getting seated one called out, “Mr. Boomsma, do you even know Spanish?”

There was no hesitation when I answered, “No I do not. But I do know how to teach it. Let’s get started.”

So while I am profoundly grateful to Carole Scott Gartley of Brad Carter Real Estate for the robe and her thoughtfulness, I probably won’t be wearing it too much–just to get some laughs and make a point.

“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself 
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go… “


― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Last call!?

If you’ve been watching the weather forecast, you may think this is your last call to rush to the store for bread and milk. The forecast here at Abbot Village Press’s World Headquarters is calling for “10 to 15 inches” of snow.

But I’m actually making a last call for a couple of real estate courses I will be starting soon. Both will have workshops in Augusta.

The Sales Agent Course Workshops are held on four consecutive Saturdays beginning on March 2, 2019. This the course you need if you want to get started in real estate. Since there’s some online work you must complete prior to the first workshop, you’ll need to register PDQ (pretty darn quick). You can do that here!

The Associate Broker Course Workshops are held on four consecutive Fridays beginning on March 1, 2019. This is for those who are currently licensed as Sales Agents and it too includes some online work you must complete prior to the first workshop so register soon. You can do that here!

There are, of course, additional options and opportunities… you can always . And if you have questions you can always send me an email.

There’s life after real estate! Check the teaching schedule for Substitute Teacher and Suicide Prevention Workshops… Think spring! Think learning! Think!

Making Change and making change

You don’t have to know me too well to know that I have a great deal of respect and interest for Amish Folks. In fact, there’s a chapter in Small People, Big Brains based in part on my experience with a young Amish girl in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area. It’s about, well, “Making Change and Making Change.”

That chapter was recently posted (with permission, of course) on the website Amish America. Amish America is a great site for those who have an interest in the Amish. I’ve been visiting and commenting on the site for a few years now and have become acquainted with Erik Wesner, the site owner and manager. While sharing some thoughts recently on the value of tradition, he expressed some interest in posting the chapter.

So you have the opportunity for a twofer! You can read the chapter and explore some things about the Amish both in the chapter and on the site. It’s included in a post that starts with some interesting photos from an Amish clock shop and a William Penn Land Grant Document… just click this link and keep scrolling down.

Walter Boomsma (“Mr. Boomsma”) writes on a wide array of topics including personal development, teaching and learning. Course information is also available here!