Direct care workers have a special combination of courage, compassion, and patience, which at times makes them seem invincible. However, administrators, directors, and managers cannot forget that their staff is human beings who are often exposed to unusually high levels of stress. When this stress builds there are huge impacts on staff, clients, and agencies. This session reviews approaches that administrators/directors/managers can use to decrease stress levels and improve the services that their agencies provide.

W36 - Growing Pains: Accountable Program Development, Implementation, and Operation
Matthew Weinstein, Managed Networks of America, Inc.
Pete Rubel, Children's Service Center of Wyoming Valley, Inc.
Sunburst

Leaders, program directors, and managers find themselves faced with tightening dollars and increased regulatory control along with continuing managed care organization and consumer demands. Managing behavioral health service programs under these pressures becomes very difficult and, at times, appears to be impossible. From the consumers’ and clinicians’ perspective, one often thinks that increased emphasis on cost containment, revenues, and meeting regulatory standards will obscure the real needs of the consumer. In light of these pressures, this workshop presentation is designed to help leaders and managers in three major ways: in the design and implementation of clinical services focusing on consumers, service costs, and revenues; in the design and use of techniques and technology for documenting and evaluating clinical efficacy and consumer outcomes; and in complying with governmental, professional standards, and regulations in a non-intrusive model so as not to lose sight of consumer clinical needs.

W37 - Physical Management of Clients: Responding to the Changing Culture and Law
Michael Britcher, Wordsworth Academy
Dave Herold, Wordsworth Academy
Snowflake

With “restraint free initiatives” and changing regulations, it is important that programs make modifications in the overall culture of the use of restraints. This presentation outlines the efforts Wordsworth has made to reduce restraints by more than 75 percent and to eliminate the use of the “prone” restraint. Additionally, the workshop will provide an introduction to the “Standing Two Person Modified,” a hold developed by the program to prevent clients from being restrained on the ground.

W38 - Addressing Polypharmacy in the Elderly: Safer Use of Psychotropic Medications
Tanya J. Fabian, PharmD, PhD, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
Seasons 1

This presentation will discuss a systematic approach to assessing and managing polypharmacy in the elderly. Persons aged 65 and older comprise approximately 12 percent of the population, yet consume nearly one-third of all prescription medications. Multiple chronic illnesses and complex drug regimens increase risk for non-adherence and adverse drug events. Managing polypharmacy in the community presents a challenge as individuals may have multiple physicians and pharmacies and often take over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements without their physician or pharmacist’s knowledge.

W25/W32/W39 - Ethics in Substance Abuse Counseling
Victoria Lahey, MSEd, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs
Seasons 3

This course – which covers three sessions – addresses ethics in the context of substance abuse counseling. Special focus is placed upon the principles underlying codes of ethics and how these codes address issues relating to the counseling relationship, confidentiality, counselor competence, supervision, and dual relationships. In addition, an ethical decision making model will be presented and discussed. Case studies will be used throughout the workshop to provide participants with experience in applying ethical and professional standards. Completion of all three sessions meets requirements of the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs mandated ethics training.

W40 - Don't Be Ambushed by the 2008 IRS Form 990
Thomas E. Sweeney, Esq., Tsoules, Sweeney, Martin & Orr, LLC
Seasons 5

This workshop will focus on the final updated version of Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt Form Income Tax. For years, most non-profit exempt organizations completed and submitted Form 990 at the last minute. The new Form 990 changes this and serves to highlight other key developments impacting a non-profit such as governance and charity care requirements. The program will take an in-depth look at the new Form 990 and how it relates to social service agencies.