The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.                                                   and           Pennsylvania Recovery Organization --      Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT)  Recovery in Our Communities January 27, 2015   www.councilsepa.org Information and Recovery Support Line 24/7: 800-221-6333 Family Turns Tragic Loss Into Help for Others   The following article "Education initiative aims to shed the stigma of addiction, save lives" was published in The Intelligencer detailing the motivation behind The Family Education Program's launch at The Deep Run Presbyterian Church in Perkasie, PA. By Marion Callihan STAFF WRITER    O ne Perkasie family is determined to save lives. Jane and Stephen Straw lost their 19-year-old daughter, Anna, to a heroin overdose Nov. 9, 2012, but refused to give in to the stigma that shames so many families into silence when a loved one loses the battle with drugs. In crafting their daughter's obituary, they were candid about her death. Now they are allowing their church, The Presbyterian Church of Deep Run, to use their daughter's name for a free community education program aimed at shedding the stigma of drug addiction and battling heroin use, a crisis that keeps growing in Bucks and Montgomery counties. The Anna Straw Initiative, led by parishioner Jim Kosa, is working with The Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania to address the growing problem of addiction to drugs and alcohol in Upper Bucks County. The initiative, which begins Feb. 2, is an extension of the council's Family Education Program, which is offered in other Bucks locations and surrounding counties, too. "We want to tap into resources that are already in the community and make them more available to people," said Kosa.   Kosa said the Anna Straw Initiative will be an ongoing education program aimed at making people who are experiencing addiction feel less alone about stepping forward and reaching for help, family support and information that could save lives. The four two-hour sessions will include an orientation to addiction and how to deal with it.   The Doylestown-based Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania is offering its expertise and support for the sessions, which will be held at the Bedminster church. The council's education program has been offered across the region for the past 15 years. The training at the church will incorporate the most updated information about the drug crisis, its impact on families, rehabilitation and life-saving drugs, such as Naloxone, which is available in the state and counters the effects of opiods. (Click here to continue reading)   Overdose Prevention, Education and Naloxone Response Training An overdose can leave family and friends feeling hopeless and helpless. But families and community members now have a tool to save lives with the recently enacted Good Samaritan Law. If you want to learn what to do in case of an overdose and how to administer the life-saving overdose-reversal agent called Naloxone, please join us for this important community training.Email or call David Fialko at 215-230-8218 x3162 for questions or to register.     Presented by The Council and Hosted by Penn Foundation  700 S Main Street Sellersville PA  Wednesday, January 28, 2015  7:00 - 8:00 pm Support The Council with EScrip! Now there is a convenient way to contribute to The Council just by registering your credit/debit/rewards card! Participating merchants will make contributions to The Council based on purchases made by you, just by using the cards you have registered. It's that easy!  Click here to find out how it works!  Volunteer for The Council/PRO-ACT !! Contact one of our Volunteer Coordinators: Central Bucks:  Email or call Rick at 215-345-6644 Southern Bucks:  Email or call Karen at 215-788-3738 x100 Philadelphia: Email or call She-Ria at 215-233-7700 or Email John or call 215-923-1661  Chester, Delaware and Montco: Email or call John at 215-923-1661 PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! Committees: Email  or call John at 215-923-1661 AT OUR CENTERS Planning to Sustain Recovery - every Tuesday 7 - 8:30 pm and every Thursday 10 - 11:30 am at CBRCC, 252 W Swamp Road, Unit 12, Doylestown.  Educational support group to help individuals in all stages of recovery plan goals and action steps to sustain recovery. To registeremail or call Jeanne at 215-345-6644.   Gateway to Work every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am at SBRCC, 1286, Veterans Highway, Unit D-6, Bristol; 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at 1:00 pm at CBRCC, 252 W Swamp Road, Doylestown. Get help with resume building, barriers to employment and motivation. Contact Rick at 215-345-6644 or email for more information. Click here for January calendars!    Employment Opportunities: Click here

DONATE Donations help us to reduce the impact of addiction for more individuals and families. The Council is a 501(c)(3) organization.