Recovery Connections Network

Friday, May 18, 2018

Thoughts from the CEO's Desk

Greetings Friends, Colleagues, and Fellow Professionals,

Welcome May!

What do we think of when we hear the term “May Day”?

For some, May Day is considered the official welcome of spring. As a kid, I remember looking forward to May as it meant the end of the school year and warm summer days were right around the corner.

For others, the term “mayday” has a different meaning. “Mayday” is used as an international radio distress signal for ships and aircraft. The origin of the word comes from the French verb “M’Aider!”, which translates into “Help Me!”.

With that in mind, how fitting is it that May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month? I welcome May with firm determination to spread the message of Mental Health Awareness to the community at large. Our culture has made incredible strides addressing Mental Health. We see progress with organizations funded and developed to focus on education, support, and community outreach. Focused research is creating growth in available resources, and we notice that more and more people are finding the strength to reach out their hands and ask for help.

As professionals answering those crisis calls, Hired Power remains committed to further education and specialized training for all staff. We are looking beyond "just" addiction treatment and we work to support a variety of our clients’ needs. With each case we have, we support clients and/or families by assessing and identifying area resources, including many of your own wonderful facilities. We have been fortunate in collaborating with so many of you.

One resource that we encourage all of you to become familiar with is www.NAMI.org (National Alliance on Mental Illness). You can find educational fact sheets (available in English and Spanish) that are useful training materials for you and your staff. There is also a comprehensive list of articles addressing the special populations that we serve. Please take a moment to explore their site today. How many of us are helping clients with dual-diagnosis? Probably most, if not all, of us. Are we as educated in mental health as we are in addiction?

At Hired Power, we support and empower our own staff across the country to further their professional development and education. As many of you know, our Personal Recovery Assistants (sober companions) must obtain specialized training and certification in order to be part of our team. We do our very best to serve our dual-diagnosis clients with an educated and qualified support team.

With many “maydays” still left this month, I challenge each of us to use our “maydays” to seek out further education or personal wellness. Let us continue to work to be our best selves so we are ready when the caller on the other line is saying “Help Me!”.

In service and thankfulness,

Nanette

Nanette Zumwalt, ICADC II-CS, ICCJP, CIP, CAI

CEO, Hired Power

Newsworthy...

"Preventing a Generation from Struggling in Silence"

By Laura Greenstein, May 07, 2018 NAMI.ORG

We all know that education is incredibly important for a child's development. But did you know that the time between toddlerhood and the teenage years (also known as "middle childhood") is actually the best period to learning? According to anthropologist Benjamin Campbell, the human brain during this time is "organized enough to attempt mastery, yet still fluid, elastic, neuronal gymnastic. "In other words, the brain is developed enough to understand information and absorbent enough to retain it - often for life."

Read More of this article...

"Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people aged 10-14 and the second leading cause of death for people 15-24. We cannot ignore these facts, so we much better equip students with the tools needed to ask for help."

#hiredpowerteamrocks

THE HIRED POWER DIFFERENCE!

"Hired Power created the Certified Personal Recovery Assistant (CPRA), also commonly termed "Sober Companion" to address the vital role of professional and ethical standards of excellence expected in working with individuals and families in early recovery."

One of the most significant Hired Power differences in the roster staff working with Hired Power is the selection and vetting process of each individual staff. Staff members also have met the minimum education/certification requirements, making them the best trained person for the important work they are doing.

Below is a partial list of details included in the vetting process:

Face to face interviews
Extensive personal/professional background checks, including:
National criminal searches
Sex offender searches
Personal and professional reference checks
Driving record
Random drug screening

Hired Power Certified Personal Recovery Assistants meet the minimum requirements of:

5 years continuous sobriety and or 5 years working in the addiction/mental health field.
PLUS (beginning in 2017) a bachelors degree in a related field and/or certification through an accredited source as CCAR or CRS.
Continuing education trainings on issues related to addiction/mental health topics.
CPR/First Aid certification.

INTERVENTION | PRA (COMPANION/COACH) | SAFE PASSAGE | MONITORING | CASE MANAGEMENT

Spreading Knowledge...

5 Ways to Heal Your Brain?

Alcohol and drugs can contribute to changes in your brain. Certain drugs affect areas of the brain related to feeling pleasure, sleep regulation, mood, concentration, and memory. The good news is that there are some things you can do to help the healing process.

1- Taking control of your sleep. Not getting quality rest at night can affect your mood and concentration the next day.