Jack Simonds Center Dedication Ceremony

portrait by jimshawphoto.com

Back in 1984, when Jack Simonds first showed up at Caramore, uncertainty abounded. A disjointed staff, negative press, and shaky funding sources were just a few of the problems facing the small Caramore program as it forged its unique mission: to better the lives of those suffering with mental illness through vocational, residential, and clinical coordination services.

Chief among the uncertainties of those early days was the fact that the Caramore staff and clients never really knew for sure if they would be able to get to the office or not. Back in those days, rain showers often resulted in a flooded access bridge leading to Caramore. Facilities on loan from the University housed the Caramore administrative offices when Jack Simonds first accepted the challenge of leading as President.

In 1997, under Jack's leadership, Caramore moved its administrative and operations center to a beautiful, brand new, 10,000 square foot facility on Smith Level Road in Carrboro—a facility that is accessible and vibrant everyday, rain or shine! To this day, many Caramore staff refer to our building as "the house that Jack built."

On October 1, 2007, Caramore will dedicate its facility headquarters as the Jack Simonds Center. The center will continue to house the wonderful work that Caramore does, but it will also increasingly become a focal point for advocacy in alleviating the suffering and stigma of mental illness in this community.

Jack Simonds served as the Caramore President and Chief Executive Officer from 1984 to 2002. During those years, Caramore grew in significance and accomplishment. Jack's vision, passion, and leadership continue to inspire and sustain the dedicated group of men and women who now serve as Caramore staff. Today, Caramore leads our state in effectively providing comprehensive community-based support to adults with mental illness. Caramore is now nationally accredited and locally designated as a high-confidence provider of mental health support services.

For nearly twenty years, Jack Simonds demonstrated a unique ability to directly relate to and win over—with wit, wisdom, compassion, and kindness—all who came into contact with Caramore, from staff, to clients, board members, families, customers, colleagues, and salesmen.

Jack Simonds is a man of great leadership and charisma whose vision crafted today’s Caramore. The home of Caramore will forever be known as the Jack Simonds Center to honor his inspiring work and continue our mission for years to come.

Dedication Ceremony and Open House
Monday October 1, 2007 at 3:30
At Caramore (or rather The Jack Simonds Center)

David Chapman

Caramore President / CEO

Outcomes and Statistics for FY 2006-2007

In 1987-1988, the approximate cost per client for the State of North Carolina to rehabilitate an individual at Caramore was $22,000. Today, in 2007, that cost remains the same.

In 1987 Caramore served about 20 clients a year. In 2006 we served 77. In the past twenty years Caramore has grown 75% more efficient with no increase in cost. How?

Caramore’s approach to rehabilitation centers on responsibility, connectedness, and autonomy to achieve the best life possible for those suffering with psychiatric illnesses.

Caramore is a supportive program for adults with mental illness. Caramore promotes relationships, wellness, managing illness, and facilitates the skills needed to live and work in the community.

Caramore’s rehabilitative environment is one of safety and structure, but also freedom, respect, and trust. We believe that real rehabilitative progress and meaning comes from real accomplishments that result from real effort. And that’s the simple secret to Caramore’s remarkable success at clients achieving wellness. People don’t recover from this illness in isolation. They need the help of a lot of others and they need to be active—working and living with others. Caramore reintegrates individuals into a challenging and expectant social community that has immediate and meaningful relevancy to their lives and results in demonstrated recovery.

Mental illness is a unique illness in that it typically demands:

• Consistent psychiatric treatment
• Social rehabilitation to restore insight, and cognitive and behavioral functioning
• life-long management of the illness

Caramore provides what mental illness demands:

• coordinated psychiatric care
• normalized and challenging environment that requires direct effort and participation
• ongoing illness management

Year end statistics:

• clients served: 77
• number of new admissions: 35
• percentage of successfully secured community employment and residence for those new admissions: 69%
• Major Benefited (successful Vocational Rehabilitation contracted outcome): 71%
• 26ed (successful Vocational Rehabilitation contracted outcome): 57%

County of residence:

• 22% came from Orange County
• 19% came from Wake County
• 10% came from Granville

Male/female:

• 72% were male
• 28% were female

Living arrangement before coming to Caramore:

• 29% were living with their family
• 16% were in a hospital
• 12% were in John Umstead Hospital

Referral source:

• 17% were referred by John Umstead Hospital
• 10% were referred by family
• 10% were referred by Caring Family Network

• 81% had a high school diploma or equivalent

• 14% had a college degree

• 31% have learning difficulties

• 60% have had a criminal arrest in their past

• 67% have a history of substance abuse

• 21% had Medicaid and SSI at the time of their visit

• 7% had Social Security Disability at the time of their visit

• 90% did not have private insurance

• 76% of those visiting Caramore gained admission

• the average number of days that our clients stayed in our homes until moving out to our supervised apartments: 74

• number of clients who needed hospitalization: 2

• the average number of days that our clients stayed in our supervised apartments: 98

• the average number of days that our clients worked on our cleaning crew and lawn crew: 62
  
  
• average starting wage for first community job: $8.07
  
  
• Percentage of clients who work part time: 100%
  
  

Diagnosed illness:

• 37% had a diagnosis of Schizophrenia
• 16% had a diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder
• 3% had a diagnosis of Bipolar
• 3% had a diagnosis of Major Depression
• 13% had multi diagnoses
• 28% had a Dual Diagnosis
• 10% had Personality Disorders

Psychiatric provider:

• 44% from UNC Hospital
• 28% from The Caring Family Network
• 13% from Dorothea Dix Hospital
• 13% from Duke Hospital

Living arrangement at the time of program completion:

• 37% went on to live in their own independent residence
• 27% chose to stay with us and participate in our long-term Tier 3 program

D. Cooley

Caramore’s Top Ten Goals

Counselor and peer relationships at Caramore work to facilitate ten practical skills or traits that can really help someone be terrifically positioned in life.

1. In our homes and apartments, we stress being an empathetic, compassionate, and considerate housemate that can live well with other people. This includes contributing to every aspect of a functioning house (chores, cleaning (house and yourself), being helpful, and being a full-group-contributor).
2. We teach the basics of food, nutrition, and portions. This includes having the knowledge and ability to buy, prepare, and consume appropriate foods.
3. We stress the development of leisure activities—like exercise, going to the YMCA, reading, hobbies, education, art, classes, etc.
4. We teach and counsel on how to constantly improve on managing illness. This includes everything from medication compliance and awareness, following doctor's orders, attending all appointments and therapies, and gaining continued insight into the nature of the disorder.
5. We work hard to get everyone understanding their money—how much they have, and where and why they spend it—to always have a budget.
6. From that budget, saving an appropriate amount is mandated and we do this by making it uncomplicated and easy.
7. We work hard on facilitating organization of receipts, wage stubs, bank statements, job start dates, and employment information for the myriad of agencies that constantly need information.
8. We teach the behaviors that employers most desire—like being on-board, eager, cooperative, communicative, and having follow-through and being responsible.
9. We assist in the paying of close attention to appearance—grooming and properly fitting clothes.
10. We need people who want to help us and other people—we orientate individuals to think of themselves as peers who specialize in relationships.

D. Cooley

Brushes With Life Reception

Bill Wyatt

Panzanella, Carrboro's Community-Owned Italian Eatery, presents

Brushes with Life: Art, Artists, & Mental Illness
May 22, 2007 through July 29
Public Reception: Monday, June 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm

The name of this exhibit is also the name of a patient art gallery located on the 3rd floor of the UNC Neurosciences Hospital outside of the Psychotic disorders inpatient unit. It is part of the Schizophrenia Treatment and Evaluation Program (STEP) at UNC, which provides inpatient and outpatient care of people dealing with psychotic symptoms or illnesses such as Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder. The gallery features artwork and poetry from STEP inpatients, clinic outpatients, and clients from Club Nova, a local clubhouse for the mentally ill. The initial goal of the gallery was to give our artists a permanent art space to display their creativity and art to a wider audience. Additionally we hoped to promote art and healing. We also target stigma associated with mental illness demonstrating people with serious mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, and Bipolar disorder can be productive and creative.

"Brushes With Life" has also had numerous traveling shows around the state over the years including the NC Museum of Art and the RDU International Airport. This August the gallery is slated for an exhibit at the Carrboro Art Center. The permanent collection is on display on the 1st floor of UNC Neuroscience Hospital.

This exhibit will also include Peer Tree mirror frames handcrafted by artisans using the traditional techniques of genuine gold leafing and painted finishes. Each frame is a work of art uniquely designed, crafted, and signed by the artist.

The website is www.brusheswithlife.org and the email is stepart@med.unc.edu.

Environment, Health, and Relationships

“Love is the selfless promotion of the growth of the other.”

Milton Mayeroff

Caramore exists specifically to aide those attempting to recover from psychiatric diseases. Our program is entirely centered on our clients, as individuals, and tailored specifically to meet the unique challenges that each requires beginning recovery. Our program centers on the value of relationships.

At Caramore, recovery means the process of gaining control over one’s illness and life and reshaping one’s own future.

It can happen at Caramore. It can happen when you are surrounded by others who care and strive for your success.

Over the past year Caramore has focused on the following key elements of our client’s lives:

Environment. We’re out to change and improve our environment to order to change the way people think about themselves (photos from program-wide renovations coming soon).

Health. We’ve increased our resources and initiatives surrounding smoking cessation, nutrition, and exercise—all essential to one’s total health and battling mental illness.

Peers. New this year will be peer orientation trainings for clients who begin to work for us. Peers play an invaluable and unique role at Caramore; they are employees who work for us, and at the same time they are friends to all. They are role models who form relationships with other clients—to mentor and guide. They are responsible for nothing short of the success of the others, and take pride in themselves according to the relationships they form.

D. Cooley