Monday, July 24th

 Russ' submission to our monthly ward newsletter at home:

"What happens in Mental Health in the Europe East Area?" sounded like a good question and something I had no idea how to answer six months ago. Here is a short summary of highlights:

1. The volunteers who serve here are a wonderful and dedicated young people. They work hard and care deeply about the people here. Some leaders say the “best of the best” young people are assigned to labor here. This Area is classified as a hardship assignment so in general, only the most capable and high achieving youth are sent here.

2. In this difficult environment, some suffer emotional problems and others have a combination of intertwined emotional and physical concerns. However, by comparison, they are substantially more emotionally healthy than the average young person in the same age group in the US. In fact, they are even better off than the most directly comparable groups found in the US: the five military services academies.

3. Unlike some areas of the Church, we are blessed with two Area Medical Advisors (AMA). These medical doctors and their companions do not practice medicine themselves, but provide advice to all the volunteers and couples on what to do for minor concerns. They are also tasked with identifying and working with local medical provides that can handle any major issues health issues. 

In my role as Area Mental Health Advisor (AMHA), the three of us work closely together when physical and mental problems are intertwined. They also advise me on matters that will require psychotropic medication for the best results. (We decided to call ourselves the A Team ).

4. All of us have specialist consultants available 24/7 to assist in complex situations if required. Of course, these consultants are also available to any mission President, Mission President Wife, AMHA or AMA throughout the world.

Your loved ones have the support of many of the best professional people I know about and we do everything (while sparing no expense) to make sure they are safe and well looked-after.