(Lewiston/Auburn, Maine) Health Affiliates Maine (HAM) a statewide substance abuse and mental health agency announced the hiring of Melissa M. Bowker-Kinley, MD, PhD. Dr. Bowker-Kinley joins HAM as the new Medical Director, expanding and overseeing the Medication Management program, satellite office locations and providing psychiatric care to patients in the L/A and Portland areas.

Dr. Bowker-Kinley brings to HAM extensive professional experience, which includes inpatient child and adolescent psychiatry, assessment and diagnosis, psychopharmacologic treatment, and psychotherapy.  She is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, short-term solution-focused therapy, and treatment of adolescent eating disorders.

Currently living in Falmouth, Maine, Dr. Bowker-Kinley is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine and did her psychiatry residency at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, while completing a public psychiatry fellowship at Columbia University.

Dr. Bowker-Kinley comes to HAM from Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook, as Medical Director of the integrated Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service.

To make a referral, an appointment or for more information call 1-877-888-4304 or visit www.healthaffiliatesmaine.com/referral/

Posted on November 4, 2014by Author Danielle Beckwithin Categories News

AUGUSTA – Health Affiliates Maine (HAM), a growing mental health and substance abuse agency based in Auburn, is opening a new clinical office in Augusta.   HAM is hosting an open house on Wednesday, November 5^th from 2:00-4:00 PM at the new facility, located at 85 Stone Street in Augusta. The agency, which specializes in Medication Management, Outpatient Therapy, and Case Management, is excited to be expanding to the Augusta area.  Due to interest in their services and to meet the growing need for Medication Management, the new space has additional office space, which will allow for better access and provide a comfortable and confidential environment.

To make a referral, an appointment or for more information call 1-877-888-4304 or visit www.healthaffiliatesmaine.com

Posted on October 24, 2014by Author Danielle Beckwithin Categories News

Back to school can be both a blessing and hardship for families.  Anxiety about going back to school, financial strains, peer pressure, and changes in routine can all impact student performance.  Now more than ever it is important for educators to have an open line of communications with parents or caregivers.  Teachers, support staff and administrators must also recognize, intervene and provide guidance on a host of issues.

Cindy Mailhot, LCSW and Mary Gagnon, LMFT of Health Affiliates Maine (pictured) are regular guests at schools across the state talking with educators about a host of topics facing schools, students and staff.  These free school trainings cover relevant subjects like “Children & Social Media”, “Responding to Tragedy” and “Bullying: The Victim & the Perpetrator”.

Denise Whitehead, School Counselor at HB Emery Jr. Memorial School and Steep Falls Elementary recently shared her enthusiasm for their training, “Thank you for the wonderfully relevant presentation yesterday on Social Media and The Impact on Children.    It is a topic of high interest as we navigate through  digital space and time as educators and parents. Your ideas of “finding balance” , while keeping lines of home/school communication open were right on and were great take-aways.  Thank you again for taking the time to come out to Limington and share your expertise with us.”

If you are interested in learning more about Health Affiliate Maine’s School Based Trainings or are interested in scheduling a training, please contact Mary Gagnon, LMFT at 207-333-3278 ext. 222 or mary.gagnon@healthaffiliatesmaine.com

Posted on September 8, 2014by Author Danielle Beckwithin Categories News

I, like many of you, have spent this week going about my daily tasks with Robin Williams and the tragedy that occurred Monday constantly in my thoughts.  I have thought about the hopelessness and the exhaustion he must have felt after struggling for more than 30 years with clinical depression and addiction.  And while suicide is never the answer, to demonize the act does no one any good.  Rather than blaming and shaming, we need to have sensitivity and empathy.  Not one of us knows what it is like to be another person.

I have also spent quite a lot of time thinking about the mission of Health Affiliates Maine, and how very true and real it is that all people struggle, at one time or another in their life, with mental health and/or substance abuse issues.  Even people who seem to have it all, like Robin Williams, can suffer.  This is because, just like cancer or other medical conditions, mental illness is a disease.  It is not anything that someone has control over.  To say to Robin Williams, “what do you have to be depressed about, you have it all?” is a clear indication that mental illness is still an enigma to most people.  Likewise, substance abuse is seen often times in the same light, where it is easier to tell someone to “just stop” not understanding how the brain has been affected, and that in fact, has a disease.

In remembrance of Robin Williams, and in tribute to him, I want to thank all of our staff and providers for the work that you do every day with people who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse.  After a couple of days of feeling frozen with sadness, I am now feeling a renewed energy about our mission and vision.  We must robustly continue our efforts in educating our families, neighborhoods, co-workers, and the general community that it is normal to experience times when we feel less mental wellness, when we feel vulnerable psychologically, and when we need the support of others, including professionals.  We all have a part in this, whether in the “field” or not, we have resources at our fingertips.  We need to accept people for their reality and offer hope through our knowledge and connections.  Let’s reduce the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse by talking about it openly, and providing education and resources.

If a loved one came to you and said they had cancer, would you ask them if they had an oncologist?  If a loved one comes to you and says they are struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues, ask them if they have a provider.  If they don’t, help them find one.

Andrea Krebs, LCSW
Executive Director
Health Affiliates Maine

Posted on August 15, 2014by Author Danielle Beckwithin Categories News

(Auburn/Lewiston, Maine) Health Affiliates Maine (HAM) a statewide provider of outpatient therapy, case management and medication management services have announced the hiring of Kati DeRevere, PMHNP-BC. DeRevere joins HAM’s team of Affiliates and will be practicing from her new office in Somesville on Mount Desert Island. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, her primary responsibility will be to provide coordinated medication management care for older adolescent and adult patients in and around the Mount Desert Island area. DeRevere will also be accepting patients interested in Tele-Psychiatry.

Currently living on Mount Desert Island, Maine, she is a graduate of University of Maine at Orono, and brings to HAM 10 years of clinical/technical experience working with patients in both agencies and hospital settings.

To make a referral, an appointment or for more information call 1-877-888-4304 or visit www.healthaffiliatesmaine.com/referral

Posted on August 13, 2014by Author Danielle Beckwithin Categories News

Thanks to the support of Health Affiliates Maine, 21 young people from Tree Street Youth participated in the 2014 Bands on the Run Fitness Run. For the third consecutive year, Auburn based Health Affiliates Maine took care of the entry fees for area youth to participate in the event. “Bands on the Run is a great event that supports Museum L-A.   By sponsoring area youth to participate it benefits both the area children, but also Museum L-A.,” said Andrea Krebs, Executive Director of Health Affiliates Maine. Pictured are fun run participants from Tree Street Youth, volunteers and Janet Verrill and Sadik Lag from Health Affiliates Maine.

Posted on June 30, 2014by Author Danielle Beckwithin Categories News