For All Seasons kicked off its 3rd Annual NO MATTER WHAT . . . YOU MATTER Suicide Prevention Campaign on Friday, October 4, 2018, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the Bartlett Pear Inn at 28 South Harrison Street in Easton. The free event included champagne, hors d’oeuvres, live music by Black Dog Alley, and street chalking. Over 100 people gathered to kick off the campaign. This year, 25 Easton businesses participated in the Shop and Dine part of the weeklong event, donating a portion of sales on specific dates during the campaign week. There were also 28 business sponsors for the event. Two businesses, Frugalicious and Shabby Chic donated a portion of their sales every day of the Shop and Dine week.  Through guest bartending at Doc’s Downtown Grille, an additional $1000 was raised to support same-day crisis appointments for clients at For All Seasons. Rise Up Coffee staff wore the No Matter What . . .  You Matter tee-shirts while serving Rise Up coffee with No Matter What . . .  You Matter coffee sleeves to create awareness during the Suicide Prevention Campaign.

L-R: Delegate Johnny Mautz, Beth Anne Langrell, Executive Director of For All Seasons, Senator Addie Eckardt, and Mayor Robert Willey. (Photo courtesy of Joe James of J. J. Photography)

Local artist Josepha Price created chalk art on Harrison Street as part of the international “Let’s chalk about mental health movement (#letschalkaboutmentalhealth),” which aims to raise awareness for suicide prevention and reduce stigma by encouraging the public to write messages of hope in chalk to let others know they are not alone. The street was fully chalked by the end of the evening.

Throughout the year, For All Seasons brings awareness to the community about such issues as suicide, sexual assault, trauma, human trafficking, and mental health needs. To request Mental Health First Aid training through the For All Seasons Center for Learning, contact Katie Pittsinger at 410-822-1018, email kpittsinger@forallseasonsinc.org.

For All Seasons serves Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, and Talbot counties. For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center offers certified sexual assault victim advocates; counseling and support groups, free and confidential services in English and Spanish, support in the hospital, police department, and court, and referrals to social and legal services. For All Seasons English Hotline is 1-800-310-RAPE (7273) and Spanish Hotline is 410-829-6143.

Along with Maryland’s ACE Interface Cohort, For All Seasons and CASA of the Mid-Shore are partnering to train residents on the Mid Shore about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in hopes of helping communities to understand how trauma in young children may affect their physical, emotional, and mental health later in life. The trainings also bring awareness to how to build resiliency in children to help mitigate the trauma that they may have experienced.

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration (SAMHSA), Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events, including physical, sexual, or emotional abuse; physical or emotional neglect; household dysfunction like domestic violence, growing up with family members who have substance use disorders or who are incarcerated, or even experiencing a separation or divorce. ACEs are strongly related to the development and prevalence of a wide range of health problems throughout a person’s lifespan, including those associated with substance misuse.

Beth Anne Langrell, Executive Director of For All Seasons and a Master Presenter for ACEs, comments, “We want people to know that ACEs isn’t about looking at what is ‘wrong’ with you, but rather about ‘what happened’ to you.”

Beth Anne, along with Alisha Saulsbury, For All Seasons Clinician; Latrice Gay, Salisbury University; and Jonathan Williams, of Shore Community Music Center, were trained as master presenters in 2018 by Maryland’s ACE Interface Cohort. They joined Robin Davenport, Executive Director of CASA of the Mid-Shore and Teresa Simmons of Salisbury University, the only two people from the Eastern Shore to be trained in 2017 as Master Trainers by Dr. Robert Anda, one of the scientists who developed the ACE Study.  The other Mid-Shore ACEs presenter is Jonathan Williams from Talbot County.

Beth Anne Langrell, Executive Director of For All Seasons, and Robin Davenport, Executive Director of CASA of the Mid-Shore

According to Robin, “Information about the ACE Study and its ramifications for predicting a community’s public health issues is both ground-breaking and hopeful. As Dr. Anda says, ‘What is predictable is preventable.’ Therein lies the hope for mitigating the impact of ACEs.”

To date, free trainings have been done for a variety of schools, nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and churches, including the staff at CASA of the Mid-Shore and Channel Marker, the professional staff and counselors at the Kent County Public Schools, and the staff at Caroline County Parks and Recreation, among others.

Beth Anne explains, “These trainings are shifting the community lens for children and adults alike, helping frame how trauma is seen in the community. By providing folks with the knowledge of how trauma affects the brain, we will be able to create a community where children can thrive.”

Robin adds, “That is such an important point! We can alleviate, or lessen, the impact of ACEs by boosting resiliency in people of all ages, but particularly in our children. Resilient people are more likely to overcome ACEs and live healthy lives. Our job is to present information about what we can do help people build caring, protective communities.”

Robin states, “It will be interesting to see over the next 20 years what happens with the information we are learning about ACEs. The ACE Study provides evidence-based research that validates many people’s gut feelings about the potential impact of adverse experiences, and it connects to CASA’s work. We know that relationships matter with children. With our Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers, we are helping them to understand their role in the resiliency of their appointed children.”

Beth Anne adds, “And we certainly echo that at For All Seasons. We are working in the community to build resilience. Helping those we serve and interact with to integrate resilience factors – asking for help, developing trusting relationships, forming positive attitudes, and listening to feelings. These are really important pieces of the training.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, (CDC), the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, conducted from 1995 to 1997, is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and household challenges and later-life health and well-being. In Maryland, Maryland’s State Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, the Maryland Essentials for Childhood program, and The Family Tree Maryland work on ACEs projects. The Family Tree funded the ACE Interface training program, which held its first master trainers’ workshop in November 2017.

For further information about how your organization can have a free presentation on ACEs, contact Beth Anne Langrell at For All Seasons at 410-822-1018 or Robin Davenport at CASA of the Mid-Shore at 410-822-2866.

Suicide does not discriminate, affecting people of all genders, ages, and ethnicities. Many different factors may contribute to someone making a suicide attempt, depression being one of the lead reasons. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34, and the fourth leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 35 and 54.

This fall, to help create awareness about this community mental health issue, For All Seasons kicks off its 3rd Annual NO MATTER WHAT . . . YOU MATTER Suicide Prevention Campaign the week of October 4 through 12, 2019. The Campaign kicks off on Friday, October 4, 2018, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the Bartlett Pear Inn at 28 South Harrison Street in Easton. The free event will include champagne, hors d’oeuvres and live music. The event is part of the First Friday stroll through the local galleries and shops in Easton and provides the opportunity to learn more about what For All Seasons is doing to help those in crisis. Local artist Josepha Price will create chalk art on Harrison Street as part of the international “Let’s chalk about mental health movement (#letschalkaboutmentalhealth),” which aims to raise awareness for suicide prevention and reduce stigma by encouraging the public to write messages of hope in chalk to let others know they are not alone.

In 2018, the campaign raised $20,000 from 21 participating Easton businesses which helped to support same-day mental health crisis appointments offered by the agency. This year, 24 Easton businesses are participating in the weeklong event, donating a portion of sales on specific dates during the campaign week, along with 26 business sponsors. Participating businesses include Shabby Chic Salon (30% of hair products everyday), Frugalicious (10% everyday), La De Da (10% on 10/5), Justamere Trading Post (10% on 10/7), Hot off the Coals (10% on 10/7), Dragonfly Boutique (10% on 10/8), Crackerjacks (10% on 10/8), Ebbtide Wellness (50% on 10/8), Levity (10% on 10/8), BBQ Joint (10% on 10/8), Krave Courtyard (10% on 10/9), Shearer the Jeweler (10% on 10/9), Hills Café and Juice Bar (10% on 10/9), Mama Italia (10% on 10/9), Lizzy Dee (10% on 10/9), Curlique (10% on 10/9), Prim Salon(10% on 10/10), Dairy Queen (10% on 10/10), Doc’s Downtown Grille (15% on 10/10 from 5 to 8 with For All Seasons Guest Bartenders), Marc │ Randall (10% on 10/10), Vintage Books and Fine Art (10% on 10/11), Trade Whims (10 % on 10/12), Piazza Italian Market (10% on 10/12), and Foremost Massage and Spa (10% on 10/5, 10/7, 10/10, and 10/12).

This year there are 26 business sponsors of the Suicide Prevention Campaign, including A Time to Heal Physical Therapy, Allison Szczukowski, Ashley Insurance, Avalon Foundation, Avery Hall Insurance Group, Baird Wealth Management, Bartlett Pear, Bay Imprint, Berrier Limited, Chesapeake Culinary Center, Chuck Mangold Jr. Associate Broker, Computers of Easton , Diane Flagler, Discover Easton, Easton Eye Care, Fitness Rx, Hill’s Drug Store, In Memory of Julius H. George, Jr., Kevertin Pet Resort, Lorri Wilson Clarke, Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Old Mill Deli, Rise Up Coffee, Talbot County Free Library, The BBQ Joint, The Trippe Gallery, the Star Democrat, and WCEI and WINX Radio.

For All Seasons hopes that by discussing the signs and symptoms associated with suicide that it can raise awareness about the issue in our community.  Because family and friends are often the first to recognize the warning signs of suicide, they can be critical to helping an individual find treatment with a provider who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), for every suicide, 25 suicide attempts are made. For All Seasons wants people to know that if they think a friend or family member is considering suicide, they should reach out and start a conversation. Talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life. The following are three steps to help people begin the conversation:

1) Ask directly – “Are you having suicidal thoughts?” – Let them know you care.

2) Stay and Listen – Let them share their thoughts and feelings.

3) Get help – Connect them with a friend, family member or a therapist at For All Seasons.

Beth Anne Langrell, Director of For All Seasons, comments, “For All Seasons hopes through this campaign to engage the community in ways that it can help with suicide prevention. This year, our campaign coincides with a new community offering by our staff – our Mental Health First Aid training. This community training prepares individuals to interact with a person experiencing a mental health crisis.”

Starting October 1, For All Seasons staff will provide an eight-hour training course which provides the tools for members of the community to identify when someone might be struggling with a mental health or substance use problem and connect them with the appropriate care. The training is available to churches, businesses, coaches, and civic organizations.

Just as CPR helps even those without clinical training assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person experiencing a mental health crisis. A 5-step action plan guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support. In just 10 years, Mental Health First Aid has become a full-blown movement in the United States – more than one million people are certified Mental Health First Aides.

Throughout the year, For All Seasons brings awareness to the community about such issues as suicide, sexual assault, trauma, human trafficking, and mental health needs. To find out how to get involved with the NO MATTER WHAT . . . YOU MATTER Suicide Prevention Campaign contact Denae Spiering at 410-822-1018, email dspiering@forallseasonsinc.org. To request Mental Health First Aid training through the For All Seasons Center for Learning, contact Katie Pittsinger at 410-822-1018, email kpittsinger@forallseasonsinc.org. For further information about participating businesses in the Shop and Dine event, visit forallseasonsinc.org/youmatter.

For All Seasons serves Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, and Talbot counties. For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center offers certified sexual assault victim advocates; counseling and support groups, free and confidential services in English and Spanish, support in the hospital, police department, and court, and referrals to social and legal services. For All Seasons English Hotline is 1-800-310-RAPE (7273) and Spanish Hotline is 410-829-6143.

Lesa Lee, LCSW-C, and Clinical Director at For All Seasons

For All Seasons received a grant from the Queen Anne’s County Local Management Board that will provide a four-day training in Theraplay for over 35 members of For All Seasons clinical team. Theraplay is a child and family therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement. It is based on the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child and is personal, physical, and fun.

Theraplay interactions focus on four essential qualities found in parent-child relationships: Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge. In treatment, the Theraplay Practitioner guides the parent and child through playful, fun games, developmentally challenging activities, and tender, nurturing activities in each of the four dimensions.

According to Lesa Lee, LCSW-C, and Clinical Director at For All Seasons, who was the first to be trained in Theraplay, “The most common use of Theraplay is to build on the attachment between child and caregiver. It can also be used in individual therapy, especially in assessing and building a child’s capacity to manage challenges and tolerance for structure.”

Lee adds, “It assesses the strengths and vulnerabilities of child and family and can be used from a state of pre-pregnancy through adolescence. For at-risk mothers, it can help how a mother feels about her baby – creating an early attachment to her child.”

Theraplay sessions create an active, emotional connection between the child and parent or caregiver, resulting in a changed view of the self as worthy and lovable and of relationships as positive and rewarding.

For All Seasons serves Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, and Talbot counties. For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center offers certified sexual assault victim advocates; counseling and support groups, free and confidential services in English and Spanish, support in the hospital, police department, and court, and referrals to social and legal services. For All Seasons English Hotline is 1-800-310-RAPE (7273) and Spanish Hotline is 410-829-6143.

On Tuesday, May 14, Governor Hogan signed House Bill 829, which will change the way that mental health services are provided in the state of Maryland. The bill prohibits private insurance carriers from rejecting an accredited community-based health care provider solely because the provider is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW) or a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). Public assistance has long been recognizing LGSWs and LMSWs as billable providers. Now, under HB 829, private carriers must follow suit.

For All Seasons Executive Director, Beth Anne Langrell, Delegate Jeff Ghrist (Caroline County), and the Mid Shore Behavioral Health Consortium worked on the bill for over two years. Langrell testified before the Senate, the House of Delegates Committees, and the Eastern Shore Delegation to help others understand the insurance billing challenges and how they affect individuals and families who need services.

(Back row, from left) Caroline County Delegate Jeff Ghrist, For All Seasons Executive Director, Beth Anne Langrell, and Legislative Assistant, Lois Dustin look on as Governor Hogan signs HB829.

According to Langrell, “People in need of care should not have to worry about whether they carry public or private insurance when scheduling a visit. HB 829 eliminates a long-standing discrepancy and simplifies getting more individuals the mental health services they need.”

Delegate Jeff Ghrist comments, “For so long private insurance holders have not received equal treatment in the ways their mental health services are billed. This bill helps to streamline access for people who need care, rather than complicate the process.”

The bill will go into effect on October 1, 2019.

For All Seasons offers individual and group therapy, general, child and adolescent therapy, marriage and couples’ counseling, grief counseling, school-based mental health therapy, urgent care services, Rape Crisis Response, Rape Crisis Counseling and Support, 24-Hour English and Spanish Hotlines, and education and outreach programming. For further information about For All Seasons or to donate, call 410-822-1018 or visit forallseasonsinc.org.

For All Seasons hosted its first community Denim Day event at the Talbot County Court House in Easton, MD. Denim Day was created 20 years ago after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Participants wore denim with a purpose on this day to show their support in ending sexual violence and to protest the misconceptions and victim-blaming around sexual violence.

Photo: Proclamations were read by Senator Addie Eckardt and Mayor Bob Willey for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. They are pictured with For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center and Hotline staff. Pictured back row L-R are Katharine Petzold, Alberto Ardaya, Melissa Cardoso, Royshonda Boulden, and Lauren Kirby. Pictured front row L-R are Dawn Wilson, Fabiola Marquez, Michely Valentin, Yeslee Olivo-Martinez, Senator Addie Eckardt, Beth Anne Langrell, Ivy Garcia, Stella Lee Coulbourne, and Mayor Bob Willey. (Photo courtesy of Amy Blades Steward)

Senator Addie Eckardt and Mayor Bob Willey presented proclamations and Don McPherson, former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, activist and feminist spoke about the importance of ending sexual violence.  “Today we have the opportunity to start a conversation that is essential to the community.  Denim Day isn’t just about a day, it’s about bringing awareness to an issue and using that awareness to make the commitment to continue the conversation and to join For All Seasons and its partners in ending sexual violence.”  For All Seasons’ 2019 sexual assault campaign focuses on the message “#metoo. We believe you.” The campaign is targeted at helping both men and women talk about this issue and to not be afraid to tell their stories about sexual assault.

Participants enjoyed a special teal-colored ice for Sexual Assault Awareness Month provided by Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard in Easton as they from signed denim quilts to be given to victims of sexual assault.

For All Seasons serves Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, and Talbot counties. For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center offers certified sexual assault victim advocates; counseling and support groups, free and confidential services in English and Spanish, support in the hospital, police department, and court, and referrals to social and legal services. For All Seasons English Hotline is 1-800-310-RAPE (7273) and Spanish Hotline is 410-829-6143.