DECACS, Inc. and all its Initiatives

Archive for the ‘Mental Heath Services’ Category

The men of the Fifth World (full documentary)

The Men of the Fifth World

NB Commentary:

All to often we forget about the vastness of this globe and its people who live in what we modernists call primitive. But in observing them, you find an ancient peace, a sacred wonder, an intense appreciation for the Earth.  Take a moment and view this video that shows us the almost extinct Ancient Aboriginals living in the land the white man calls Australia. Take a journey into the timelessness of  those who live in DreamTime. A must watch.

The men of the Fifth World (full documentary)
Published on Apr 19, 2013
The aboriginal culture of Australia, includes a large number of tribes inhabiting the oceanic continent before the arrival of the white man. But all that rich culture is doomed to survive in stocks in which its people are destined to extinction.
In this episode one of the elders that preserve aboriginal culture will show the most important elements of a culture that struggles not to disappear.
Know his rituals in which contacts the parallel world in which the gods, spirits and men live together. We will see the role exerted by the digeridu, a musical instrument employed in these rituals. We’ll see how it is manufactured by the musicians themselves, who will address the complex technique used to make it sound.
The cave paintings of Ubi Rock opened the door showing the spirituality of these villages that are sacred totems direct reference the natural world around them. Analyze the paintings today continue to make to represent their dreams and the importance of this painting.
Participate with them in making the famous boomerang and the banquet to which fishing leads a giant turtle. But the aboriginal community also show us the bitter side of life: the reserves in which its people seem destined to a slow extinction.

Category:

000 years, 50, aboriginal, Australia, crocodiles, digeridu, dreams, extinction, kangaroos, music, paintings, Spirituality, Sun god, Ubi Rock

The Truth About Black Religion and Spirituality & The Lies of Christianty, Islam Dr. Umar Johnson

The Truth About Black Religion and Spirituality and The Lies of Christianity, Islam

Dr. Umar Johnson, Revolutionary Psychologist

Dr. Umar Johnson, made some really good points particularly when it relates to spirituality. Having gone thru Christianity to Islam to African traditional spiritual belief systems. Clearly, they do entail a great deal of the culture from which they are derived or shall I say controlled by. I have a few points to add.

1. The yin/yang principle is within every one of us, having been born from both a male and female conjugal relationship. Each person has a male principal and female principle within them. Therefore, we are a manifestation of the “whole” in and of ourselves. Gender is a construct but not applicable in the spirit realm, that is, a person may be born with the physicality of a male, but have a strong principal within of a female and the same can apply to a female. Here is where my departure comes as it relates to his statement about homosexuality. All too often, the spiritual nature of same sex relationships is packaged in disdain, hatred, and much confusion as to its purpose and nature. If he reads, studies or observes Malidoma Some’s work he will find that there is a deeper, often hidden purpose for this than is commonly acknowledge. Dr. Some is from Dagara people of Upper Volta in West Africa. In Dr. Some’s culture the homosexual is held in high esteem and are called Gatekeepers.

2. Expanding on my above comment I would also include that in traditional African spirituality, particularly among those who have not been influenced by Western taboos, you will find the notion of re-incarnation. It is believed that we re-incarnate as male or female. With that being said, we may present more closely to our most previous gender in our present life time as we navigate through the sexes. The idea is to experience “spirit” through the physical. In order to do so, we come as male or female through our lifetimes and that in and of itself may have us gravitate to a person of the same sex whom we knew and loved in a past life. There is no so-called gender construct in the spirit realm only as it manifests in 3rd dimensional reality. African spirituality is keenly aware of this, that is, how, a person who is part of the Yoruba/Ifa spiritual system can have an opposite or same sex Orisha as their patron. The male may find himself very intrigued by the female principal of a particular Female Orisha and appear to be “effeminate” but the reality is that the female energy is very strong within him. The opposite is true with women.

3. One point of departure for the Ancients particularly in reference to the Khemetian Spiritual Science; like many other religions that we are familiar with today, it was kept from the masses and only the “Royals”, the Priests and Priestesses were initiated into it. They were set apart from the masses and often revered as God incarnated and here we see the objectification of the God source to something outside of the individual. The separation between the haves and the have-nots was profound and the magic, spiritual practices, etc. were delegated to the royal blood lines, and priests. This carried over into the more modern religions of our time. But even if you look at Ancient China, Mesopotamia, India, and other ancient cultures the same is true. Some how the idea of controlling and manipulating the masses became prevalent for political, social and economic reasons and this system was primarily responsible for the civilizations to thrive. That is not to say they wouldn’t have done so without this separation, but in doing so, the element of controlling the masses for gains of the few was much more manageable. So, when we speak of Empire we must be fair in our delineation of exactly what that meant then and what it means now.

4.  Finally, I would like to mention that modern constructs of traditional African spirituality has become more institutionalized and thus there is a chasm between the Knowledge of “God” and the actual imbibing with the God within. Because it has become another tool of control through rituals and sacrifice, those in these “systems” become imprisoned as do the others in institutionalized religious practices. that is, African traditional spirituality becomes the same bastion of mind control and manipulation as the other more popular “religions”. It has become an institution and like he mentioned, it has become a business. People have their finances scarfed from them under the guise of pleasing the Gods/Ancestors and are seldom lead to believe that they can achieve this without all the trappings, i.e., shrines, altars, sacrifices, etc.

We are all here to learn, evolve and develop and for the most part Dr. Umar is clearly on point, and even with admitting his own evolution and development, it is very refreshing to hear him mention that, if just for the sake of perspective.

Personally, I applaud Dr. Umar and his work. He is very intelligent and creative in his manner of educating us about the issues we face in this world as African descendant peoples.

Continue in your work, Dr. Umar, you are a blessing for those who have ears to hear.
Like he mentioned, there is no ONE AND ONLY WAY to connecting with the Divine within. In fact, the path may have many twists and turns, but if we remain vigilant we will succeed and the awakening will be all pervasive.

We Are The Change We Are Looking For! Ase’, Namaste

Category:

Africa, African Americans, Akan, Ancestors, Christianity, culture, Dagara, Islam, Malidoma Some, politics, reincarnation, religion, Spirituality, yin/yang, Yoruba/Ifa

FIRST PROJECT INITIATIVE

FIRST PROJECT INITIATIVE:

Outpatient counseling (general & drug and alcohol), learning therapy, group therapy, educational, cultural & creative workshops.

1. TYPE OF SERVICES PROVIDED:

D.E.C.A. Comprehensive Services, Inc. will provide individual and family outpatient counseling, tutorial services, educational, cultural and creative workshops and special projects. Counseling and learning therapy will be ongoing, while group therapy and workshops will cover a variety of topics and run for designated intervals.

2. STAFFING:

The Executive Office will hire appropriate Administrative Staff, Mental Health Professionals, Counselors and fee for service Consultants needed to conduct this program.

3. COMMUNITY OUTREACH – CLIENT RECRUITMENT

The Out Reach Coordinator who is an administrative staff member will conduct a Community OutReach Program that will recruit clients. Recruitment will be the major arm of this project in order to secure clients for the program.
The COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM will facilitate appropriate recruitment procedures outlined in the *RECRUITMENT PROCEDURAL TEXT.
PROJECT R.E.A.C.H. – Resources, Educational And Cultural Horizons any and all activities that target the outer community are executed under this initiative. The Out Reach Coordinator is primarily responsible for the following programs; four (4) annual programs;
Kwanzaa Celebration (Fall session),
Talent Search (Black History-Winter session),
Spring Festival (activities, vending, street festival – Spring session)
Culminating Event ( a symposium of activities (Summer session).
These activities are designed to add the Cultural Component along with bringing the Community together. In addition, there will be ongoing Out Reach to area schools, churches, community programs and agencies.

4. SERVICE PROVIDER METHODOLOGY & ACCOUNTABILITY:

Service Providers (Consultants, Mental Health Professionals, Workshop Facilitators, etc.) will be required to seek creative methods to explore counseling and workshop materials and be directly responsible for their clients once they have been assigned. They will also be required to safeguard client confidentiality, inform each client their civil rights, monitor client(s) progress by submitting the appropriate forms, i.e., log sheet, sign in sheet, session notes and treatment plans whenever indicated. Service provider must work with the utmost of integrity in facility and with clients, staff and administration.

5. POPULATION TO BE SERVICED:

While there is emphasis on the disadvantage community of African Americans, programs are available to anyone who wishes to participate without regards to race, color, religious creed, handicap, ancestry, national origin, age, sex or sexual orientation. Any client whom projects can not service will be referred to the other appropriate agencies.

6. FEES FOR SERVICE:

Some services are free to clients. Medical Services will be billed to appropriate Medical Insurance companies when applicable. Cultural and creative activities may entail a minimal fee. There is the possibility of scholarships, sponsorships and awards for these programs. The Executive Office will constantly seek alternative funding sources so that many of these services may remain free.

7. INTAKE & REGISTRATION PROCEDURES:

INTAKE PROCEDURE – every client seeking medical services, i.e. outpatient psychological and/or psychiatric services will undergo a comprehensive intake process in which pertinent information will be retrieved by the Intake Officer. All information given will be held in the strictest confidence and each client will be assured of this. Clients will be asked to provide appropriate proof of Medical coverage for verification. Clients will also be asked to sign mandatory documents, i.e., application, civil right compliance/bill of rights, confidentiality, release of information, initial treatment plans and any applications for group or workshop enrollment.

8. REGISTRATION PROCEDURE: The Case Manager, who will be in close contact with all Services Providers, will determine the appropriate service needs for each client after the Initial Intake. The Case Manager in consultation with the Program Director will assign each client to the appropriate service provider(s) for individual and/or group counseling; learning therapy, educational, cultural and/or creative workshop(s). Registration will remain open pending each Services Provider’s request, allowing clients to receive services at any time. The Case Manager will also be responsible for follow up of all assignments and when necessary refer clients to designated outside services.

9. FUNDING

D.E.C.A. Comprehensive Services, Inc. will receive some of its funding from fee for service psychiatric and psychological consultation services by billing appropriate Medical insurance companies. It will also seek outside funding sources and contracts for educational, cultural and creative services.

Category:

Education, Mental Heath Services, Multi-Cultural, Non-Profit Organization

DECACS, Inc. – Project Overview

DECACS, Inc.

Department of Educational & Cultural Awareness Comprehensive Services, Inc.

MISSION STATEMENT: To use a multi-disciplinarian approach to mental health for children and their families by using the comprehensive tools of counseling, education, creativity and cultural enrichment.

PURPOSE:
To provide supportive and preventive services of counseling, cultural enrichment, education and creativity to children and their families adding a comprehensive component to the traditional services offered by mental health. Through the utilization of the many skills and talents of a multi-disciplinarian team of professionals, this program will foster learning and healing more effectively because the participants will be using other creative as well as cognitive abilities to understand their inner and outer worlds. This will stimulate growth on many levels, provide hope and help to facilitate fuller, wholer responsible human beings.

GOAL:
To establish a mental health model for African Americans where counseling, learning and healing are in a synergistic relationship with educational and cultural awareness. In addition, this model will have the creative component needed to enhance the interaction between the mental health professional and client as they will each explore and develop (jointly and individually) their educational and cultural awareness.

D.E.C.A. Comprehensive Services, Inc.

INTRODUCTION:
Minorities, in particular, the impoverished members of the African American community, reflect the epitome of the misfortunate consequences of untapped or misused resources. Poverty, which is greatly influenced by racism and classism, finds its expression in the inner and outer environment of these disenfranchised people. The impact can be felt in the families, educational systems, employment opportunities, and mental and physical health of these people. As a result, high rates of crime, disease, dysfunction, ignorance and mental illness permeate throughout their communities and alter the total structure of American society.
These impoverished members of humanity house a wealth of creative and constructive energy. This energy is entrapped at best and misused at worst. Unaware of their hidden and/or misused talents they are frustrated and release destructive energy into their individual worlds and outer environment. By tapping into this well of resources then channeling these resources into meaningful and constructive expressions, these members of humanity begin to create within themselves a healthier reality which brings benefit to the larger community.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for skilled culturally sensitive mental health care professionals who provide culturally sensitive mental health services to minorities, in particular, the African American community in the Philadelphia area. D.E.C.A. Comprehensive Services, Inc. is a program that will direct itself to this need and through its professional staff, endeavor to fulfill its responsibility as a mental health provider for this community.
D.E.C.A. Comprehensive Services, Inc. will offer comprehensive programming that enhances the psychological healing and learning abilities of its clients who are in need of diverse approaches to mental healing and learning that cannot be readily obtained through conventional means.

PHILOSOPHY:

Traditional mental health services are feared at best and ineffective at worst for the inner city disenfranchised population. In spite of the alarming rise in the rate of socially and emotionally disturbed individuals in our society, many of the individuals in this population are reticent to seek professional help. However, these same individuals are in sore need of this service and are, in many instances, provided this service as a last resort or when circumstances they are in crisis.
focusing on children and their families, will provide an outlet for disturbing and destructive emotional energies through service to the whole person. It will use a holistic approach to mental healing through the compatible tools of counseling, cultural awareness, education and creativity. It will provide support for their social, emotional, health and educational concerns (to name a few). The course of this service will be primarily preventive however it will be available during and after these concerns become problematic.
This program is a partnership. The service provider and client are partners with one another. The provider will be able to express some of his/her other talents as workshop facilitators and clients will be able to evaluate themselves in a broader arena where other opinions are being heard. Mutual appreciation is heightened and deepened as individuals become more than a means to an end but are an integral part of the creative process.
In addition, where clients are engaging in counseling, educational, creative and cultural activities, subtly self-esteem improves and they are able to see more of their own worth and value as human beings. They will feel more capable and thus make a positive contribution to humanity.
Mental healing is a process and it affects all aspects of health in our world today. By designing a program whose target is to creatively foster mental healing; clients will be afforded an alternative that will provide therapeutic assistance in a deeper sense thus averting many other illnesses.

Category:

Education, Mental Heath Services, Multi-Cultural, Non-Profit Organization, Uncategorized

Welcome to DECACS, Inc.

WHAT WE DO:

Several Culturally Enriching programs are the backbone of DECACS, Inc. programming. These programs can be enjoyed locally and globally. Through extensive travel, networking and researching, it is clear that Culture programs spearhead the closing of the cultural divide, fosters understanding between peoples and encourages exchange on a broad level.

MISSION STATEMENT:

To use a multi-disciplinarian approach to mental health for children and their families by using the comprehensive tools of counseling, education, creativity and cultural enrichment. We reach out to others who are less fortunate year round. And especially to our seniors, and young children in schools around our country and the world. All too often these populations are not able to participate in fine cultural enrichment programming that we offer due to financial constraints.

PURPOSE:

To provide supportive and preventive services of counseling, cultural enrichment, education and creativity to children and their families adding a comprehensive component to the traditional services offered by mental health professionals. Through the utilization of the many skills and talents of a multi-disciplinarian team of professionals, this program will foster learning and healing more effectively because the participants will be using other creative as well as cognitive abilities to understand their inner and outer worlds. This will stimulate growth on many levels, provide hope and help to facilitate fuller, more prosperous and responsible human beings.

Category:

Education, Entertainment, Family Counseling, Mental Heath Services, Multi-Cultural, Non-Profit Organization, Performing Arts, Relationship Counseling, Spirituality, Tutoring, West African Traditional Culture, Workshops