At the last Behavioral Health Board meeting, Anita Bruce
gave a presentation on Siskiyou County’s Senior Peer Counseling program. We are so
fortunate to have this program available here. The next closest program in vicinity is way
down south in Stockton.
The Senior Peer Counseling
program started in 1977 in Santa Monica. It
successfully demonstrated that troubled or homebound seniors could regain self-esteem and
learn new coping skills through counseling with trained peers of the same age. The
Counselor volunteers also gained a sense of their worth as valuable citizens in the
community. Suicide rates in the nation are highest among senior males. The program
addresses this need, as well as the isolation many homebound elders may feel. .
Seniors who are 60 years old
or older and residents of Siskiyou County may call 841-4868 if they would like to receive
counseling. They may also be referred to the program by a physician. The call is followed
with an evaluation by a mental health professional who decides whether the client would
benefit from the peer counseling program. All services are free of charge.
The volunteer counselors
receive 60 hours of training in supportive counseling. They also meet on a weekly basis to
network and problem solve. There are currently six volunteer counselors in the program.
Three are in south county and three in north county – including Happy Camp. Each
volunteer may work a maximum of 8 hours a week and counsel a maximum of three clients.
Mileage is reimbursable. Counselors must be 60 years of age or more and reside in Siskiyou County. Please call the above number if you are interested
in finding out more about volunteering.
On another note, this week
the Board will consider approval for the second reading of a County ordinance change to
exempt propane tanks less than 1,000 gallons and above ground petroleum tanks less than
500 gallons that are used for the sole purpose of heating and or cooking from prior
reporting requirements under CUPA. (This does not affect tanks that are handled to fill
other customer’s tanks.)
What had happened was that
some 65 businesses were reporting their tanks and the rest were not. Residences with
similar tanks do not report. When the public health inspection fee schedule was updated
last year, the businesses that reported were sent a bill for $99, ($74 to the County, $25
to the State.) Responding to complaints about inequity and fairness, Public Health
followed up with the Fire Chiefs Association to see how much
they relied on the reports. After determining that removing the reporting
requirement would not have a significant health or safety impact, Public Health proceeded
with the lengthy State process to get approval for an exemption. Chalk one up for limited
government!
On a final note, Siskiyou County
has received a grant to collect household hazardous waste at the Yreka landfill from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. on the third Saturday of every month through March of
2006. There is no fee for covered items brought in at that time. Household hazardous waste
includes computer monitors, TV's, CPU's, paints, poisons, pesticides, herbicides, paint
thinners, solvents, automotive fluids, oil, gasoline, antifreeze, household cleaners,
household polishes, batteries, fluorescent lamps, or basically any product labeled Danger,
Warning, Caution, Toxic, Flammable or Poison.
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