Thursday, July 23, 2015

 July 22, 2015
PRO-ACT Goes to Harrisburg
Advocating for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Budgets 
Call to Action

On July 1, Governor Wolf vetoed the 2015-16 budget the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed on June 30. The budget submitted to the Governor for his signaturecut $26 million to fight the epidemic of opioid-based overdoses and deaths in Pennsylvania. This includes $6 million from Governor Wolf's proposal (view here) and Representative DiGirolamos' (R-Bensalem) $20 million amendment (view here) to establish an Emergency Treatment Fund for opioid addiction and overdose.

Advocacy voices for education, pension reform, liquor store privatization, mental health and the environment budgets are strong. But voices for drug and alcohol prevention and recovery need more support!

Everyone who cares about access to drug and alcohol recovery services needs to call their Pennsylvania House and Senate Representatives (find your legislators here).

Tell them to restore the $6 million from the Wolf budget and the $20 million for the Emergency Addiction Treatment Fund.  Seven Pennsylvanians are dying every day from drug overdoses. 

Without a passed budget, funds for community organizations and non-profits are on hold and can limit resources for individuals needing services.

This is a health crisis!

When Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center invited Pro-Act Public Policy to speak at a press conference on the steps of the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg, we went. Tara Lawley-Bergey of Derik's Jedi Project, gave an impassioned speech.

"2,489 drug-related deaths occurred in Pennsylvania in 2014 and 800 heroin overdoses. My brother, Derik Lawley, is now part of the 2015 statistics, and the numbers are rising at an alarming rate.

My brother suffered on a daily basis for three years with his demon heroin. Sadly he lost his battle on May 7, 2015. Hel loved his family, his daughter but he did not love his life. Heroin helped Derik escape his reality; put him into a sleep that allowed him to forget. My brother suffered from a mental illness, not a moral failing. Had Governor Wolf's budget been in effect it would have increased access to life saving therapies and given Pennsylvanians, like my brother, access to the treatment they need. It was preventable!

Governor Wolf's proposed budget includes funds to provide mental health and drug and alcohol treatment. Funds that could prevent death!  Funds that have been cut!  We are asking you to reject the General Assembly budget, return to negotiations, restore the $26 million......"

View Tara's full speech here.

You can have a voice by calling your legislators.
National Recovery Night at the Baseball Game!
Phillies vs. Cubs
Saturday, September 12, 2015

6:00 pm Gathering - 7:05 pm Game Time
           Citizens Bank Park North Pattison Avenue,
                 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148

Amber Baughman will be Throwing Out the First Pitch! Amber won this prize by being Captain of the Minions of Chaos team who walked last year and raised the most donations for Recovery Walks! 2014.
Enjoy a fun night of Phillies baseball with about 500 other fans in recovery! See the Phillies take on the Chicago Cubs at home without everyone around you drinking beer! For the 10th consecutive year, PRO-ACT will participate in this annual baseball game, developed to gain national visibility for recovery in celebration of SAMHSA's National Recovery Month in September. Attendees are requested not to consume or purchase alcohol.

Would YOU like to know how YOU can throw the first pitch next year?

Become a Team Captain for Recovery Walks! 2015, September 19.  Read more about it at www.recoverywalks.org.

Form a team, sign up for Honor Guard, and more!

To order Phillies tickets and pay online go to www.councilsepa.org and click on the Phillies logo on the home page.  Tickets are $20, which includes a donation to PRO-ACT.

For further information contact PRO-ACT's Fred Martin at 215-923-1661 or email:   Fred Martin
PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! 2015
 Penn's Landing, Philadelphia
Saturday, September 19

Register Free . Form a Team . Volunteer . Donate . Sponsor
Join the Honor Guard (living in recovery 10+ years)
click link recoverywalks.org  
Team Captain Support

We have many tips learned over the years to help Team Captains. Come to one of our Team Captain Kick-Off meetings where you'll learn how to organize a team, sign up online, and get copies of helpful tools. We even have a contact in case you want to order customized t-shirts for your team.


Wednesday, July 22, 6 - 7 pm 
Main Line Office
1062 Lancaster Avenue, Suite 22-A
Rosemont, PA 19090
To register, please contact Rick Young here or call 484-383-0802.
  Thursday, July 23, 6 - 7 pm
Philadelphia Recovery Training Center
444 North 3rd Street, Suite 307
Philadelphia, PA 19123
To register for either, please contact John Carlson here or call 215-923-1661.


Another helpful resource is our Team Captain's Kit. However, if you have specific questions about organizing your team, call Steve Calderbank at 215-345-6644 or email him here
  
  
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to The Council.
  • Go to www.smile.amazon.com 
  • Log in with Amazon account info or register if you are a new member
  • Type in The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. and click SEARCH
  • We will come up, hit SELECT
  • Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Council.
   Our Mission 

To provide resources and opportunities to reduce the impact of addiction, trauma, and other health related issues.  

 
We offer prevention, intervention, assessment, counseling, education, advocacy, and recovery support services.

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