News Post Category: News

Expertos en la salud mental les educaran sobre los cambios emocionales en los pacientes con cáncer

Opioid Crisis: Fighting Two Fronts

Yassir Mahgoub, MD, started his training through a residency program with Penn State and PPI. Once he finished his residency, he followed his wife to New York as she was finishing a program of her own. After three years working at a medical center in Brooklyn, they decided to return to their PA roots.

”The cost of living in New York was too high, and I had personal goals of being in academia” explains Dr. Mahgoub. ”Penn State and PPI offered an academic position with opportunity for research, clinical work and inpatient services. I was already familiar with their programs from residency and being back in an area with very solid and excellent schools with a reasonable cost of living for a family just made sense.”

Now back in the Hershey area, Dr. Mahgoub has been back at PPI for almost two years. Dr. Mahgoub is currently a staff psychiatrist at PPI, inpatient psychiatrist, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Penn State School of Medicine.

”I enjoy working at PPI because I get to balance clinical work with research and academic opportunities. I get to work with medical students and residents alongside my peers in a supportive and caring environment.”

Another one of our psychiatrists, Alison Swigart, MD, moved to central PA from out of state because of the advantages that PPI and this area offer. Dr. Swigart is an Attending Psychiatrist at PPI, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and the Program Director for Public & Community Psychiatry Fellowship at Penn State College of Medicine.

Following her residency and staying to work in Providence, RI, to work for five years, Dr. Swigart joined the team at PPI in 2018.

”I wanted to move somewhere that had an academic medical center, but that wasn’t in a big city.
Relocating back to central PA with our two sons, living on the West Shore just made sense. Housing is reasonable. We can have space in our backyard for our boys and the public schools are good. Not to mention we are much closer to family” mentions Dr. Swigart.

”What was appealing to me about working for PPI was that I could work in an academic institution and still perform clinical care while teaching and educating residents, fellows and medical students. And only having to be on call three weekends a year is a huge bonus!”

”PPI serves an important service in our community; it makes a big impact on a community that has needs. At PPI, we have the opportunity to make a real impact in the community where our help is needed.”

”There is strong teamwork and a collaborative attitude with the staff here. PPI has a collegial and supportive atmosphere among the physicians. We have each other’s backs and can go to one another for advice. There is a great interdisciplinary team of behavioral health professionals that provides our patients with excellent care.”

”We also have strong physician leadership. Our Chief Medical Officer, Elisabeth Kunkel, MD, is focused on quality improvement. She focuses on the quality and access to care for our patients and career development for physicians” notes Dr. Swigart.

Equally as enthused about her new peers, Dr. Kunkel notes ”The physicians we recruit to PPI and to the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health are intelligent, accomplished, creative, and enthusiastic about being part of our PPI academic-community team.”

”This year we wanted to provide additional faculty development support by recruiting in 3 new people to support faculty in their academic projects, academic career development, and research. All our faculty work well together as a team and garner mentorship and academic support from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Medical Center. The area has a lower cost of living, great schools, beautiful trails, and lots of activities to enjoy. People are friendly and there is a real sense of community. I would be delighted to speak to anyone interested in a position at Penn State Health and Psychiatry.”

If you are interested about joining the team at PPI, please contact Erica Geist at egeist@pennstatehealth.psu.edu for additional information.

Did you know?

• • 13 is the average age when children first experiment with drugs.
• • Alcohol is the most abused substance.
• • The most abused prescription drugs are pain killers, tranquilizers and stimulants.
• • The most abused illicit drugs are marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens.
• • Over 50% of all suicides and over 50% of all violent crimes are influenced by alcohol and/or drugs.
• • 35 of 36 alcoholics have never received treatment.

Drug and alcohol addiction, or a substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s behavior and brain and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication.

For some, addiction can start with socially with experimental use that gradually becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins with exposure to prescribed medications, or receiving medications from a friend or relative who has been prescribed the medication.

The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by the substance. As time passes, you may need larger doses of the substance to get the same effects. Soon you may need it just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it is increasingly difficult to go without it. Attempts to stop using the substance may cause intense cravings and cause you to feel physically ill and experience withdrawal symptoms.

If you are currently struggling with drug or alcohol addiction or know someone who is, now is the time for you to do something about it. You may need help from your doctor, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program to overcome your addiction and stay substance-free.

Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute’s Advancement in Recovery (AIR) Program offers a comprehensive Medication Assisted Treatment Program for individuals struggling with Opioid Use Disorder. The AIR team consists of medical doctors and clinicians, all of whom have expertise in dealing with opioid use disorders and the transition to Buprenorphine, Methadone, and Vivitrol. The team provides support for patients throughout all phases of treatment.

If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493  for more information.

One week each year, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) observes National Drug and  Alcohol Facts Week ®  (NDAFW). A health observance week for teens that aims to  SHATTER THE MYTHS ®  about drug and alcohol use. It links students with scientists and other experts to counteract the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the internet, social media, TV, movies, music, or from friends. Teens, scientists and other experts come together to discuss how drugs affect the brain, body, and behaviors, in community and school events all over America. This year, NDSFW will be held Monday, March 22 – Sunday, March 28. Chat Day for  2021  will be held Wednesday, March 24, 2021. Visit the NIDA website for more info.

Social workers are essential to the well-being of our community. They are trained to help people address personal and systemic barriers to optimal living. They are employed to effect positive change with individuals, families, groups and entire communities.

At PPI, our Social Services Department includes different disciplines: nurses, LPCs, recreation and expressive therapists and social workers. Not all our Social Services staff are social workers, but their jobs involve helping our patients beyond their time with PPI. Essentially, the role of our Social Services Department is acknowledging the needs our patients have and empowering them to succeed based on their strengths. They acknowledge everyone’s ability to recover as an individual.

The staff in our social work department provide clinical work for our patients such as:

• • Group and Individual therapy and family counseling
• • Discharge planning, assessing admission needs and how to meet needs.
• • Long term patient success planning
• ◦ Going above and beyond the traditional psychotherapy, we have certified art, music and movement therapists who provide programs to help patients on another level.
• • Recreational and expressive therapy
• ◦ A psychological disorder characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive.

”A large aspect of social work is being the voice for the patient. We are empowering them to speak up for their needs. We work with them to reach short goals and identify long-term goals for their personal recovery.” Explains Emily Vazquez, LSW, the new Care Coordination Supervisor in the Social Services Department.

Emily began her career at PPI in 2012 as a care coordinator and worked her way up to her current supervisor role. Previously performing assessments and discharge planning/ connecting with community services, her new role now includes managing the department’s three parts: care coordination, therapy and  certified peer specialists.  

Her previous counterpart, Karen Sandnes, LCSW, is retiring after serving PPI and our local community since the inception of PPI in 2008. ”The personality and the roles we each play in the Social Services Department was shaped by Karen’s work” acknowledged Emily. ”For example, she had a vision for creating a role for peer specialists, who have gone through our programs and can relate to our current patients. She started numerous programs and landed grants to help our department succeed.”

PPI is indebted to Karen and all she has done not only for our institute, but for our patients and our community during her time with us over the past thirteen years. We wish her the best in her retirement and will miss her dearly!  

During Social Work Month take time to learn more about the many positive contributions of the profession and celebrate all the social workers you know. PPI is grateful for our social workers and all our hardworking employees in our Social Services Department!  

If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493  for more information.

An eating disorder is a condition characterized by irregular or abnormal eating habits. Some common eating disorders are:

• • Anorexia Nervosa
• ◦ An eating disorder characterized by abnormally low body weight.
• • Binge Eating Disorder
• ◦ A disorder involving frequent consumption of large amounts of food without stopping.
• • Bulimia Nervosa
• ◦ Eating disorder characterized by binge eating, followed by methods to avoid weight gain.
• • Pica
• ◦ A psychological disorder characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive.

There are some alarming facts when it comes to eating disorders:

• The rate of children under 12 being admitted to a hospital for eating disorders rose 119 percent in less than a decade.
• Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, with nearly 1 person dying every hour as a direct result of an eating disorder.
• Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents, after asthma and obesity.

A huge supporter of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is the National Eating Disorders Association – the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. This year, they are inviting Every Body to Have a Seat at the Table.

”In a field where marginalized communities continue to be underrepresented, we welcome conversations on raising awareness, challenging systemic biases, and sharing stories from all backgrounds and experiences.”

PPI wants to help spread this information to help our community get better and stay healthy. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, reach out for help today.

If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493  for more information.

Today we are highlighting the first Black male and female to receive their PhD in psychology. Francis Cecil Sumner, PhD, and Inez Beverly Prosser, PhD.

America’s first black female psychologist, Inez Beverly Prosser, PhD, was born around 1897 to Samuel Andrew and Veola Hamilton Beverly in the small town of Yoakum, Texas. Not much is known about her early years besides the fact she was the oldest daughter of 11 children. A bright student, she graduated valedictorian from Yoakum Colored High School in 1912 and then went on to receive a degree in teacher training from Prairie View Normal College where she was also valedictorian. Though common today, in her time, education beyond high school was not common, especially for a woman. Even more unheard of was an African American woman with a college degree.

After receiving her degree, she went back to Yoakum and taught for a short time at their segregated schools, before accepting a teaching position in Austin, where she took up classes at Samuel Huston College. In around 1924, she graduated with distinction from Samuel Huston with a major in education. Shortly after her graduation she married Rufus A. Prosser. Unable to stay away from academia, Inez decided to continue her education obtained a Master of Arts degree in educational psychology from the University of Colorado. She then accepted a position at Tillotson College teaching education, where she was recognized as an excellent teacher and leader. Then from 1921 to 1930 Inez served as dean and registrar at Tillotson College. In 1931 Inez was awarded the Rockefeller Foundation General Education Board Fellowship because of her excellent and well-known work as a teacher.

In 1933 she received a PhD, one of the first African American women to accomplish this in the United States, in educational psychology from the University of Cincinnati. Her dissertation, which received a huge amount of recognition, was on The Non-Academic Development of Negro Children in Mixed and Segregated Schools. It was also one of the earliest treatises on the social domain of elementary school children.

During Inez’s lifetime she established a fund, while completing her own education, that enabled her sisters and brothers to obtain a college education. Of the eleven brothers and sisters, all completed high school and six further completed a college education. Then in 1934, tragedy struck as Inez Beverly Prosser was killed in an automobile accident near Shreveport, Louisiana.

Inez Beverly Prosser, PhD, was a strong-willed individual who beat the odds, and if not for a terrible accident, would have been able to make even more contributions to psychology as we know it.

Francis Cecil Sumner is called ”the Father of Black Psychology,” because he was the first Black man to earn his PhD in psychology.

Francis Cecil Sumner was born in Arkansas in 1895. As a teenager without a high school education, Francis was self-taught after his elementary school years and was able to pass an entrance exam to Lincoln University, at the age of 15, and graduate magna cum laude with honors.

He later enrolled at Clark University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1916. Although he was approved as a PhD candidate, he could not begin his doctoral dissertation because he was drafted into the army during World War I. Upon returning from the war, he reenrolled in the doctoral program and in 1920, his dissertation titled “Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler” was accepted.

Francis’ focus in psychology was on ”race psychology” where he was interested in understanding racial bias and supporting educational justice. Besides ”race psychology,” he also studied color and vision, as well as the psychology of religion. He was one of the first people in academia to contribute to the fields of psychology, religion and the administration of justice together.

Francis became a professor at various universities and managed to publish several articles despite the refusal of research agencies to provide funding for him because of his color. He worked with the Journal of Social Psychology and the Psychological Bulletin, writing abstracts. His students described him as motivating and encouraging.

Francis Sumner is credited as one of the founders of the psychology department at Howard University, which he chaired from 1928 until his death in 1954. Under the leadership of Francis and his colleagues, Howard University became a major force in the education of African American psychology students. Though the psychology department at Howard did not offer the PhD degree in psychology until 1972, nevertheless, by 1972, 300 African Americans had earned PhDs in psychology from U.S. colleges and universities. 60 of which had previously received a bachelor’s or master’s degree from the Department of Psychology at Howard. One of Francis’ students, Kenneth Bancroft Clark, would emerge as the most successful and influential African American psychologist of the 20th century.

If you would like to speak to someone about better managing your stress and anxiety, or to make an appointment, please call (717) 782-6493  for more information.

Penn State Health: Monitoring children’s mental health