Kudos to CSBMG-Ogeechee Division’s Charlie Elliot for coordinating the Emanuel Recovery Event below. Charlie is a House Parent at Braswell House, a ten bed semi-independent residential facility for adults diagnosed with addictive disease(s) in Swainsboro.
Also, congratulations to Charlie for recently becoming a Georgia Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist (CARES). Come out and support Charlie and recovery on September 23.
Please join me in sending a rousing CSBMG “Shout Out” to Dustin Shropshire and Jenifer Shepard for their outstanding performance in meeting and going beyond the DBHDD and MTM productivity expectations! Great job!
Please join me in congratulating Maurice Hightower in 
receiving his Certified Peer Specialist credential! Way to go, Mo!
Please join me in congratulating Courtney Maddox as our Employee of the Month for June 2017. Courtney is a part of the support staff team in Building 1 where she works the front desk and is known for going the extra mile to make sure everything on the front end is running smoothly. She makes it a priority that clients are seen in a timely manner. Her coworkers state that she treats staff and consumers with respect and courtesy. She is also known for her contagious smile and positive attitude. If there is ever an issue at the front desk, Courtney is able to troubleshoot situations and get everything back on track in no time. Our “hats are off to a job well done” as we salute Courtney for the great customer service she provides to our staff as well as to those we serve!
Congratulations, Courtney!
Denise Forbes
ECHO, Inc. received a $5,000.00 grant from the Capital City Foundation to be used for repairs at building 2.
Larry has worked with the Maintenance Department at our agency since 2013, and is seen in just about all of our counties helping out in any way that he can. Larry works behind the scenes making sure our buildings are running smoothly and that everything is in proper working order at all times. Most recently, he played a major role in helping the CARF Team get ready for our accreditation visit. One thing that everyone knows is when something is in need of repair, all they have to do is call Larry. Larry is extremely dependable and displays a sense of urgency when things need to be handled quickly. Not only can Larry be depended on for maintenance reasons, but you also guaranteed a good laugh from hearing one of his witty remarks. He is our agency’s “Go-To” guy and someone who can always be counted on to assist with any project, large or small. Thanks, Larry, for a job well done and congratulations on being our May 2017 Employee of the Month! Denise ForbesThe John Williams Scholarship
The John Williams Scholarship is presented each year to a qualifying staff member from the CSB of Middle Georgia who is currently enrolled in a Master’s program in the Behavioral Health, Nursing, or Counseling field and whose life work revolves around working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. This scholarship is given by the John Williams Scholarship Foundation, in conjunction with Henry Memorial Presbyterian Church, and with support from the Carl and Mavis Williams Family in honor of their son, John Williams. This year marks the 18th year that the scholarship has been awarded.
The Vessel of Life Award
Dr. J. Roy Rowland received the President’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, The Vessel of Life Award, on April 28, 2017. Dr. Rowland was a member of the 1952 graduating class of the Medical College of Georgia.
He has also recently published his memoirs, House Call: A Doctor’s Time in Medicine and Government. When Congress passed a bill in 1997 to name the pre-World War II federal courthouse in Dublin, Georgia in honor of J. Roy Rowland, the measure said the former Congressman and longtime family physician set the standard for standing firm on conviction and choosing honorable compromise for the good of the country. A moderate conservative, Dr. Rowland spent his career in public service fighting to resolve political and ideological differences at a time when virulent partisanship was beginning to paralyze the governmental process.
Dr. Rowland’s story spans more than 90 years from his days growing up in a small Georgia town during the Great Depression, to his experiences at war, to his career as a primary care doctor and then a maverick political figure during a period of turbulent change. And his story is still ongoing. He continues to practice medicine and speak out for bipartisan solutions to critical issues, including health care reform, urging Americans to learn from the past so history won’t repeat itself in current attempts to address the system’s pervasive problems. The CSB of Middle Georgia is proud to call Dr. Rowland one of our own!
OBHS CSBMG Team Meet and Greet
Amy Tribble and OBHS hosted the CSBMG Team on April 13, 2017 for a “Meet and Greet” in Swainsboro in preparation of the forthcoming merger of the two agencies. The CSB of Middle Georgia and Ogeechee Behavioral Health Services embarked upon a collaborative partnership, which was strongly encouraged by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, in April of 2014. Both agencies have worked tirelessly on a number of important projects over the past three years, including implementation of the same Electronic Medical Record for both agencies, CARF accreditation surveys during 2016 and 2017, and blending the Billing, Accounting, and Human Resource operations for both agencies.
Denise Forbes, CEO of CSBMG, Amy Tribble, CEO of OBHS, and Judi Davis, CSGMB Board Chair, recently attended the CSB Association Meeting on February 23, 2017 in Atlanta, GA where they were able to meet with Commissioner Judy Fitzgerald, Jeff Minor, and David Sofferin of DBHDD to discuss the impending merger/acquisition. Following the meeting, the Department sent its letter of support for this collaboration with recommendations from the Department that the OBHS Board be dissolved and that the CSBMG Board remain under the current Board of Health Structure. Ogeechee’s Board members will become part of the CSB of Middle Georgia’s Advisory Board, which will allow for representation of Ogeechee’s six (6) counties.
The acquisition is slated for July 1st, 2017, and will bring the CSBMG’s catchment area to sixteen counties. In addition to Bleckley, Dodge, Laurens, Johnson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Telfair, Treutlen, Wheeler and Wilcox, the territory will include Burke, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, and Screven counties. The soon-to-be redrawn territory will stretch from the middle Georgia area to the border with South Carolina. The population of CSBMG’s current 10 counties is 151,493, while Ogeechee’s population in six (6) counties is 88,789; bringing the combined area population for the 16 counties to 240,282.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Tina Clements for being chosen as the Su Robinson Scholarship for Psychosocial Rehabilitation Association – Georgia.
Congratulations to Penny Ranger, Step One Recovery Center, for becoming the CSB of Middle Georgia’s newest C.A.R.E.S. Certified Peer Specialist — AD.
Congratulations to Jordan Gardner and Jakob Harper for becoming the CSB of Middle Georgia’s newest Certified Peer Specialists!
Please join me in congratulating Semone Houston and Christopher Shriver for being named the 2017 John Williams Scholarship recipients for the CSB of Middle Georgia. The formal presentation ceremony will be held at Henry Memorial Presbyterian Church in Dublin, Georgia on Sunday, April 30, 2017 at the 11:00 a.m. service. The award is given by the John Williams Scholarship Foundation and the Williams family in conjunction with Henry Memorial Presbyterian Church, and is awarded to staff from the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia who are working toward a Master’s degree in the social science and/or mental health field. Preference is given to staff who are working with the SPMI adult population.
We appreciate Semone and Christopher for their interest in this scholarship program, for their tenacity in working toward a Master’s degree, and for their commitment to the CSB of Middle Georgia and to those we serve. Their professionalism and dedication to this career path and field of study are appreciated by those who work with each of them.
Congratulations, again!
Denise Forbes
Please join me in congratulating Chris Shriver as the CSBMG Employee of the Month for April. Chris has worked with ICM since July of 2016. While working with this program, Chris has proven to be an asset to our agency and the true definition of a team player. Saying that Chris is a team player is an understatement. Chris not only has a “can do” spirit, but he has a “WILL DO” spirit. He has a passion for helping people that shows each and every day in his work with those we serve.
Chris is known for being energetic and passionate about his work. He works diligently to meet clients wherever they are, and assists them with attaining their goals. One of the things that stands out about Chris is that he shows enthusiasm for learning. He seeks guidance with challenging clients and when he faces an obstacle in his work with clients. He is resourceful and shares his knowledge of resources with other staff, and he assists them with working with their clients without hesitation. Congratulations to Chris for being named Employee of the Month for April 2017!
Please join me in congratulating Anthony Marion as the CSBMG Employee of the Month for March 2017. Anthony has worked many years in the substance abuse field. He is the counselor for the Day Reporting Center Lite (DRC) and provides group skills training for individuals on state probation with drug related charges. Anthony provides groups that meet DBHDD documentation guidelines and also documents in the Department of Corrections (DOC) electronic system.
Anthony also provides groups for men at the SA Night Group Program. Often men will come into the group not knowing what to expect. When they meet Anthony, they quickly learn that he is a man that conveys hope and teaches skills that can lead to an overall improvement in the quality of their lives.
Anthony is respectful, professional, a team player and strives to do his best. Anthony works full-time while going to school to earn his Bachelor’s degree and is currently working toward becoming a Certified Addiction Counselor. Congratulations on a job well done!
Please join me in congratulating Elizabeth Button Jones, on passing her test for Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner, CPRP. We applaud this achievement!
Denise Forbes
Please join me in congratulating Coretta Green, who recently passed her test for Licensed Professional Counselor. Coretta works at Quentin’s Place, and does an awesome job in completing biopsychosocial assessments and working with our individuals on their plan of care. Congratulations on this major accomplishment and a job well done! We are proud of you, and grateful for your contributions to our agency.
Denise Forbes
Please join me in congratulating two of our staff, Matt Rainey and Tina Clements, for their participation and graduation from the RESPECT Institute, held on the CSB of Middle Georgia’s Dublin campus from February 13, 2017 through February 17, 2017. The RESPECT Institute of Georgia is a collaborative effort between the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Mental Health America of Georgia, and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. RESPECT is a movement begun by international consultant Joel Slack, with a purpose to educate the public by telling personal accounts of the powerful impact that respect (and disrespect) has on a person recovering from a mental illness.
Congratulations on your graduation from the RESPECT Institute of Georgia! Your stories continue to inspire others on their journey in recovery as you readily spread the message that there is hope; that recovery is something that is worked towards and experienced; that recovery is an asset; and that recovery is for everyone. We are thankful for all you do for the CSB of Middle Georgia and to those we serve.
Denise Forbes