Author: Evelyn

Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency

The Butterfly Bulletin

Recovery Wellness Empowerment

64 Beaver Street, PO Box 258, Keene, NH 03431
Phone hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Phone: (603) 352-5093, (603) 352-5094 or Toll Free (866)-352-5093/FAX: (603) 355-8211
Monadnock Peer Respite (Temporarily Closed): (802) 387-0269
Warm Line Hours: 4:00-9:00 pm, 7 Nights a Week, 365 Days a Year
Warm Line Numbers: (603) 352-5093 or try our Toll Free Number (866) 352-5093
Check www.monadnockpsa.org for Online Peer Support Groups! We may be closed, but our Community is always open and here for each other <3
The Newsletter of Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency, Created by Our Members.
This program is funded in part by a SAMHSA Block Grant and the NH Department of Health and Human Services.

64 Beaver Street PO Box 258
Keene NH 03431

Stamp

This poster is available for purchase on the IPS website: https://www.intentionalpeersupport.org/product/poster/?v=b8a74b2fbcbb

The Newsletter of Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency, Created by Our Members

Vol.20 No.8

This program is funded in part by a SAMHSA Block Grant and the NH Department of Health and Human Services

August 2020

64 Beaver Street, PO Box 258, Keene, NH, 03431
Phone hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 am—4:00 pm
Phone: (603) 352-5093, (603) 352-5094 or Toll Free (866)-352-5093
Warm Line Hours: 4:00 pm-9:00 pm, 7 Nights a Week, 365 Days a Year
Warm Line Numbers: (603) 352-5093 or try our Toll Free Number (866) 352-5093
Check www.monadnockpsa.org for Online Peer Support Groups! Our doors may be
temporarily closed due to COVID-19, but our community is always open and here for support.
Contact us on Facebook at Monadnock Peer Support Agency, or on our group at
Monadnock Peer Support Community Group, or on Instagram Monadnock_Peer_Support

Phase 1 of reopening began in July! This is a partial reopening for specific groups that have been voted on by members. Women's Group, Depression/Bipolar, and Trauma Survivors happen on property as well as online; those who cannot attend in person will still be able to attend online during the same time slot. The rest of our groups will run as scheduled online. Please read our Reopening Information and Waiver before arriving on the property.
Community Meeting is the second Tuesday of the month and will be held via ZOOM on August 11th at 1:15 (Zoom ID: 603-352-5093)
Consumer Council is the second Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will be on the August 11th. Contact Greg Burdwood at Greg@connectionspeersupport.org for call in info
Board meetings are held the 3rd Monday of the month and will be held on August 17th at 5:30 PM; the board is discussing holding this meeting at a different time, so there may be updates (Zoom ID: 603-352-5093)
FEP/ESMI Stakeholder work group meeting is the third Thursday of every month. The next meeting will be August 20th. Contact Michelle Wagner at MWagner@NAMINH.org for meeting info.
Newsletters will no longer be mailed once we reopen our center! If you would like a copy, please visit us in person in order to obtain one. While at our center, please follow our reopening guidelines.

Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency & Monadnock Peer Respite
Mission Statement
As a peer driven organization, it is the
mission of Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency (MPS) to promote wellness and
recovery, as defined by the individual, through Intentional Peer Support, and to provide advocacy, educational,
vocational, interpersonal, social and
spiritual opportunities to adults who utilize mental health services. Together, we learn wellness strategies, develop mutually
beneficial relationships, and support
each other in attaining increased capacities for self-determination, independence
and personal growth.

What is Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency?
Have you ever felt like no one understands or knows what it’s like to struggle with mental health
challenges?
Do you self-identify as someone with mental health
challenges or with a mental health issue?
Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency (MPS) is a place where anyone with lived experiences of
mental illness can come, enjoy and participate in an atmosphere of mutual peer support. The members of MPS are respectful, accepting and nonjudgmental. We strive to utilize Intentional Peer Support (IPS) in our interactions and aim for recovery and wellness in our current life choices. We offer each other inspiration and empathy and encourage each other to achieve our dreams. We benefit from participation in FREE groups, activities and events that promote recovery and wellness.
You might have used mental health services in the past or you might be using mental health services now or maybe you’re new at this—whatever your story,
we hope you will join us.
MPS is a safe place to rediscover and maintain hope—it’s a safe place to be you.

Contact: Douglass Robertson, Respite Coordinator
drobertson@monadnockpsa.org
www.monadnockpsa.org (603) 352-5093 (available 9 AM - 4 PM)
(802) 387-0269 (all other hours)
Transforming ‘crisis’ into opportunities ; to learn, heal, and grow.
WE ARE SAD TO ANNOUNCE THAT MONADNOCK PEER RESPITE IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE
TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR STAFF, MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID-
19 PANDEMIC. WE WILL BE SHARING PERSPECTIVES AND IDEAS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-QUARANTINE AND RESPITE WITH THE INTENTION OF TURNING PHYSICAL DIS-
TANCING INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH, HOPE, AND TRANSFORMATION.
Thank you for your continued support!

MONADNOCK

PEER RESPITE

Online Support Groups and Activity Descriptions

Check-In: Mondays - Fridays @ 9:15 AM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5093
Join us at the beginning of each day for Check-In, a time where we gather and each share how we feel about the upcoming day or anything that happened the night before. It is always acceptable to say pass if you don’t have anything you would like to say. Join with us as we create a supportive community!
Check Out: Mondays - Fridays @ 4:00 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5093
Join us at the end of each day for Check-Out, a time where we gather and each share how the day went and what our hopes are for the evening or weekend. It is always acceptable to say pass if you don’t have anything you would like to say. Join with us as we create a supportive community!
Feelings of Anger:
Mondays @ 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
The purpose of this group is to provide us with the opportunity to talk honestly and openly about our experiences with anger, rage, frustration, and related topics. It is a place where we can find connection and understanding by talking about our common experiences.
LGBTQ+ Support Group:
Tuesdays @ 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
This group is for people who self identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community. Those attending this group will gain the benefit of giving and receiving support in a stigma-free, peer facilitated group with people who share similar emotional and life challenges.
Women’s Group:
*In Person and Online*
Tuesdays @ 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
This is a member run space for women, or anyone who identifies as a woman, to come together and discuss issues pertaining to women in today’s society.
Isolation Support Group:
Wednesdays @ 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
Isolation Support is a group designed to support each other from home. This space will allow us to come together virtually, and through the phone as we address our concerns around feelings of isolation, that may bring us sadness, fear, etc. This space will be confidential.

Depression/Bipolar Support:
*In Person and Online*
Wednesdays @ 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
Get support from others who have personal experience with feelings of depression, anxiety and/or bipolar in a safe and confidential environment. We are not a diagnosis, we are human beings. For the time being, there is no sign up and spots are not limited.
Hearing Voices Network:
Thursdays @ 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
If you hear voices, see, smell, feel or taste things that others don’t, our Hearing Voices Network-USA group might be helpful to you. This group is connected to the national Hearing Voices Network-USA and Intervoice, the International Hearing Voices Movement, and is a safe place where people can meet and talk about their experiences without being judged or diagnosed. Please note: at this time, this group is for individuals who self-identify as having experiences of voice hearing, visions, etc. We ask that if you do not have these experiences, please be willing to explain why you want to attend. Please go to www.hearingvoicesusa.org for more information.
Trauma Survivors:
*In Person and Online*
Thursdays @ 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
Trauma survivors is a place where individuals affected by trauma can talk openly about the effects of trauma without judgement or criticism in a confidential environment.
Men’s Group:
Fridays @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
The Men’s Group is a member run group for men to get together to talk about issues pertaining to males in today’s society.
Anxiety/Depression Support:
Fridays @ 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Zoom Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099
Zoom Meeting ID: 603-352-5094
The purpose of this group is to provide us with the opportunity to talk honestly and openly about our experiences with anxiety, depression, and related topics. It is a place where we can find connection and understanding by talking about our common experiences.

Zoom Etiquette

Hey y’all, we know transition is tough. That’s why we’ve created some etiquette tips that you might find helpful as you use the Zoom software and website so you can continue to give & receive support from the MPS community.
Mute your own voice/phone and turn off your video in the event that you know you will be making a lot of noise. The facilitator may need to mute you because of background noise and it is nothing against you. It’s only because the background noise takes over. Facilitators will un-mute you as soon as they can and will let you know that they had to mute you.
Zoom picks up all background noises including pets so please turn off TV’s, music, if you are using a keyboard, you can press and hold the spacebar to unmute yourself… etc.
One voice at a time! It’s okay for there to be silence. Multiple voices at a time means that the sound becomes unintelligible for everyone.
Confidentiality is very important to our community. We ask that you be in a private space. If you can't be by yourself, we ask that you use earbuds/headphones and try to find a private space. Please avoid saying anyone’s name or any identifying facts about people in the group. If you are around children, please be aware that what you say could be traumatizing for young ears.
When technology breaks up, feel free to ask people to repeat themselves. Sometimes it is helpful to raise your hand if you are using video.
Please be on time as it saves the group from having to repeat important information.
Not everyone that uses Zoom does so via the internet. It can be helpful to let folks who use the phone know who is present. If there are any visual things that are happening, as well as to read what’s been written in the chat box.
We ask that any smoking or alcohol happen off camera as it can be activating for others.

To join a Zoom group, enter the Zoom meeting ID into the "join a meeting"
box on either their web browser or the Zoom application.
To call into a Zoom meeting, please dial 1-929-205-6099 and, when prompted, enter in the corresponding meeting ID found on page 7. For any clarification, please call us directly at 603-352-5093/5094, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM –4:00 PM.

What kind of Legislation has passed in Cheshire County lately?

New Hampshire has an unprecedented level of accessibility to political representatives. However, finding that information can be difficult, especially if you don’t have access to internet. Here is a list of all state and local representatives; we encourage you to be active and advocate for yourselves on the issues that matter to you! The roots of Peer Support are tied to the social justice movements and a connection with local politics and legislators is a way to influence change in our communities. For more information, please visit http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/default.aspx

In July, Keene’s mayor called for the formation of a Racial Justice and Community Safety AdHoc Committee. The purpose of the committee is to, “develop recommendations to prevent or correct systemic and cultural inequities in Keene,” according to the City of Keene website. The committee was founded due to civil unrest across the country. The committee was founded after peaceful Black Lives Matter protests were held in Keene’s central square.
In July, members of our local community advocated for the release of the Keene Police Department’s Use of Force policy. Up until this summer, the policy had been redacted and was only available via subpoena. The policy was released by the police chief in order to improve and strengthen relationships between officers and the community they serve. To find the information, it can be found on the City of Keene website.
Keene’s City Council approved a resolution that encourages people to wear masks in places where it is difficult to physically distance from others. This resolution had been proposed originally as an ordinance but the councilor who had proposed it had decided to rescind it after a large amount of negative feedback. It is now being brought up again in Keene as an ordinance after a similar law was passed and upheld in nearby Nashua.

Local Representatives

George Hansel—Mayor of Keene, NH (Office phone: 603-357-9805; 3 Washington Street, Keene, NH, 03431; mayor@ci.keene.nh.us)
Ward 1—Janise O. Manwaring (jmanwaring@ci.keene.nh.us), Raleigh C. Ormerod (rormerod@ci.keene.nh.us)
Ward 2—Mitchell H. Greenwald (mgreenwald@ci.keene.nh.us), Robert C. Williams (rwilliams@ci.keene.nh.us)
Ward 3—Michael Giacomo (mgiacomo@ci.keene.nh.us), Terry M. Clark (tmclark@ci.keene.nh.us)
Ward 4—Gladys Johnsen (gjohnsen@ci.keene.nh.us), Catherine Workman (cworkman@ci.keene.nh.us)
Ward 5—Philip M. Jones (pjones@ci.keene.nh.us), Thomas F. Powers (tpowers@ci.keene.nh.us)
At Large Committee—Randy L. Filiault (rfiliault@ci.keene.nh.us), Bettina A. Chadbourne (bchadbourne@ci.keene.nh.us), Kate M. Bosley (kbosley@ci.keene.nh.us), Michael J. Remy (mremy@ci.keene.nh.us), Stephen L. Hooper (shooper@ci.keene.nh.us)

FAQ for Reopening

Q: When will we reopen?
A: We will reopen when its safer for our community again. We don’t want to contract or circulate the virus so we will follow CDC and State guidelines until we feel that we can operate without putting our community at risk.
Q: When will Peer Respite be available?
A: As previously stated, when it is safer for our community to be together in person. We made the difficult decision to temporarily close our peer respite program because we didn’t want to spread the virus, so until we are able to open our center to our community, we will be taking as many precautions as possible, including suspending our respite until it is safer to do so.
Q: When will the van be running again?
A: Transportation will be one of the last piece of our programming to resume. Due to the close quarters of our van, we didn’t feel that it is safe to provide transportation. Personal transportation to our center is the only option currently.
Q: Is MPS open to hangout and get one on one support?
A: We are not open to hang out yet. We offer one on one support via phone throughout the day and our warm line operates 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM 365 days a year. No one except staff are allowed inside yet beyond the bathroom during groups. Our computers, phones, showers, and laundry machines are not open to the community yet. Use of our kitchen is also not available at this time, nor will we be providing food.

Q: What does the waiver mean?
A: By signing the waiver, it means that you won’t find MPS responsible if you get sick. It also states that you must follow our procedures while on property or you will be asked to leave. Our procedures are non-negotiable for everyone’s safety. If you refuse to sign the waiver, you cannot be on the property.
Q: When can I come inside?
A: Currently, we are only allowing people inside to use our restroom during group. As for the rest of the property, it is unclear when members can be back inside the building.
Q: What do I have to do to attend a group?
A: First, you must sign up for the group ahead of time. Parking is not allowed on the property so please park nearby. Upon arriving at MPS, please be on time, wear a mask, and maintain six feet distance from staff and other members; wearing a mask is a non-negotiable part of our procedures that must be followed until further notice. Your temperature will be taken by a staff member multiple times and you must sign the waiver using a clean pen that we provide. After, you will be asked to make your way up the driveway to where the group will take place. We ask that you bring your own tissues so as to reduce any possible exposure, but bottled water is provided. On breaks, you will be given the option to use the bathroom if needed and you will be asked to sanitize it after use. A staff member will be required to sanitize it after you to be thorough. If you smoke cigarettes, you will be asked to smoke off property. When group concludes, you will be asked to leave as we are only open for facilitated groups and are not allowing hangout time.

Central square, Ashuelot River Park, Elm City, Monadnock, schools, Keene State, Winchester, Swanzey, Hiking, Goose Pond, Cheshire, Hospital, Beaver Street, New Hampshire

Monday 3:00 PM—4:00 PM

August 2020

Find us on Facebook at Monadnock Peer Support Agency or Monadnock Peer Support Community Group or on Instagram at Monadnock_PeerSupport. All of our groups are currently being run exclusively online for the time being (see page 7 for more info).

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Check In / 9:15 AM—9:45 AM / Feelings of Anger / 1:00 PM—2:30 PM / Check Out / 4:00 PM—4:45 PM	Check In / 9:15 AM—9:45 AM / LGBTQ+ Support / 11:30 AM—1:00 PM / Women’s Group / 3:00PM—4:00 PM / Check Out / 4:00 PM—4:45 PM	Check In / 9:15 AM—9:45 AM / Isolation Support Group / 1:00 PM—2:30 PM / Check Out / 4:00 PM—4:45 PM / Depression/Bipolar Support / 5:30PM—7:00 PM	Check In / 9:15 AM—9:45 AM / Hearing Voices / Network-USA / 12:00 PM—1:30 PM / Trauma Survivors Group / 2:00 PM—3:30 PM / Check Out / 4:00 PM—4:45 PM	Check In / 9:15 AM—9:45 AM / Men’s Group / 10:00 AM—11:30 AM / Anxiety/Depression Group / 2:00 PM—3:30 PM / Check Out / 4:00 PM—4:45 PM

Dates to Remember

August 11—Community Meeting @ 1:15 PM
August 11—Consumer Council Meeting
August 17—Board Meeting (tentative date)
August 20—FEP/ESMI Stakeholder Meeting
Date for total reopening—TBD

PRIDE

For other perspectives on Metal Health Awareness month, please check out these articles:
“Mental Health Awareness Month: Seven Things to Be Aware Of” by Dr. Noel Hunter
https://truthout.org/articles/mental-health-awareness-month-seven-things-to-be-aware-of/
“May is Power Threat Meaning Month” by Sarah Knutson
https://www.madinamerica.com/2018/05/may-power-threat-meaning/

Check www.monadnockpsa.org for Online Peer Support Groups! We may be temporarily closed due to COVID-19, but our community is always open and here for support.

Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency

July 2020 Page #