Tuesday, June 3, 2014

2014 Masthead
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        The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's)Recovery Month is celebrating its 25th anniversary in September 2014. Its purpose is to raise awareness of mental and substance use disorders, celebrate individuals in long-term recovery, and acknowledge the work of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.
        This year's theme, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Speak Up, Reach Out,"encourages people to openly discuss and speak up about mental and substance use disorders and the reality of recovery. It aims toRecovery Month foster public understanding and acceptance of the benefits of prevention, treatment and recovery from behavioral health conditions. The observance also promotes ways policymakers, first responders, faith leaders, youth and young adults, can recognize these issues and reach out to help others, as well as themselves.

        Constituents in every jurisdiction across this nation are affected--either directly or indirectly--by mental and substance use disorders, raising difficult and expensive public policy matters for policymakers and taxpayers. Nearly 1 out of every 5 adults in the United States--about 43.7 million people--has a mental illness, such as depression, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia, and approximately 22 million have been classified with substance dependence or abuse.

StigmaWhy should those statistics be significant to policymakers? Because, as the voice of their constituents, policymakers are in a unique position to speak up about behavioral health conditions and influence policies that help people receive the support they need. Untreated mental and substance use disorders lead to costly social, physical, mental, and public health problems. They lead to increased spending for state and local governments and in various settings, such as hospitals, correctional facilities, schools, and homeless shelters.

        There are significant public policy and cost benefits to supporting prevention, treatment, and recovery support services and many treatments for behavioral health conditions that are highly effective. Most Americans believe that recovery from thesedisorders is possible and that we can counter these statistics by engaging our communities in making behavioral health a priority.
Learn more about what YOU can do:
        POLICYMAKERS: Click here
        FIRST RESPONDERS: Click here
        FAITH LEADERS: Click here
        YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS: Click here
 
And EVERYONE, please do this: Click here to support
PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! 2014
Register to walk, lead a team, sponsor the event or a walker, 
make a donation, join the Honor Guard, or volunteer to help 
Saturday, September 20, 2014 
Penn's Landing, Philadelphia
Registration begins 7:00 am; Walk begins 9:00 am
Click here to see the video from last year
Council Masthead
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Monday, June 2, 2014

JUNE 2 V 9 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB


Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.

Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over drugs and alcohol that our lives had become unmanageable.


It does not matter how long you have been caught up in addiction .The reasons we self medicate must be overlooked at first. Those reasons we use are most likely why we can not admit why or how we have become stuck in our self made hell on earth . Step one and two are the keys that will unlock the door to the Hell in which you live , the proverb is the promise and instruction to begin a new life. Only God can assist you on your plan of Exodus from your old life into a promised new life in Paradise .


2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
By Joseph Dickerson
cALL OUR ADDICTION & COUNSELING HELPLINE: 1-844-543-3242 (1-844-LIFE-CHANGE)
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As Students Return Home from College, Mental and Addiction Problems May Emerge

“Parents are joyful to welcome their children home from college, but that joy may fade when they realize the young adults they love are struggling with depression, anxiety or substance abuse,” said Dr. Karl Benzio, founder, executive director and a psychiatrist at Lighthouse Network. “Being away at college brings many new challenges, some positive and some negative. When spread thin by demands and stressors, young people may exchange thoughtful decision-making for impulsive or knee-jerk decision-making. Things like skipping sleep or a meal to pull an all-nighter for the 8 a.m. test may seem harmless, but these impulsive or short-sighted decisions will pile up, and for many, anxiety, depression, isolation, and self-doubt will follow. To cope, many will turn to caffeine, sex, alcohol, marijuana, a roommate’s Ritalin, or even harder drugs.”
I'm Struggling With Emotions
Guide yourself to safety through emotional storms: Click here
  • Regain control of your future.
  • Restore a positive outlook on your life.
  • Recover loving relationships with friends and family.
  • Have control over your negative feelings and celebrate your positive ones.
  • Be free from fear of what will happen next.
  • Be the person you once desired to be.
  • Enjoy life and have peace in how you live.
Resources from Lighthouse Network:

Decision Making 101

This introduces the principles and skills of effective decision-making and how it impacts all areas of life!

Field Manual for Parenting: Teenagers

Being a parent of teenagers can be frustrating, challenging, and exciting...

Are Our Emotions Good or Bad?

The body’s built-in warning system - do you know the signs?
New Lighthouse Network Radio Feature:
"Life Change with Dr. Karl

Lighthouse Network introduces its newest, life-changing radio short features that help you to grow in your parenting skills and cope with addiction issues in your family, while also helping you to support those you love. Lighthouse Network's "Life Change with Dr. Karl" radio feature airs every Monday through Friday on more than 420 radio stations nationwide.

 
Please click here to listen to “Life Change with Dr. Karl.”
Free Stepping Stones Devotional

Click here to receive The Stepping Stones Daily Devotional, which will encourage and challenge you while helping you grow in your daily walk with God.

If you or someone you love needs help, call our FREE 24/7 Lighthouse Network addiction and counseling helpline, 1-844-LIFE-CHANGE (1-844-543-3242).
About Lighthouse Network:

Lighthouse Network is a Christian-based, non-profit organization that offers an addiction and mental health counseling helpline providing treatment options and resources to equip people and organizations with the skills necessary to shine God's glory to the world, stand strong on a solid foundation in the storms of their own lives, and provide guidance and safety to others experiencing stormy times, thus impacting their lives, their families and the world.

Lighthouse Network offers help through two main service choices:
  • Lighthouse Life Change Helpline (1-844-LIFE-CHANGE1-844-543-3242), a 24-hour free, national crisis call center, where specialists (Care Guides) help callers understand and access customized treatment options.
  • Life Growth and self-help training resources for daily life, including online and DVD series and training events to help individuals achieve their potential
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myrecovery.com

Daily Quote

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." - "A Course In Miracles"

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Thursday, May 29, 2014


May 29 v 7 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB


The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.


STEP 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.


This one is easy for those of us who know a what it is like to be poor ,spiritually broken , and morally bankrupt . The scary part is when we are that low in life , good or bad don't mean nothing . Addiction has a uncanny way of given you tunnel vision . Steps one through five will help you discover the truth in the Proverb. Step five specifically will release you from living in a prison of regret and you will begin to care about yourself and others. 

John 15 : 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.



By : Joseph Dickerson

Doctors Should Talk With Teens About Drugs, 
Despite Questions of Effectiveness
May 28th, 2014/



Despite a government panel’s conclusion that there isn’t enough evidence about the best way for doctors to persuade children and teens not to use drugs, a leading expert on teen substance abuse says pediatricians should continue to talk to their patients about drug and alcohol use.

“I believe most pediatricians now think addressing substance use is part of good routine health care for adolescents,” said Sharon Levy, MD, Director of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Substance Abuse. “Given what we know about the impact of drugs, alcohol and tobacco on health and the developing teen brain, it’s hard to believe any pediatrician would say we shouldn’t address substance use in adolescent primary care.”

In March, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which issues guidelines for doctors, said they did not find enough reliable studies to make a firm recommendation on the effectiveness of “brief interventions.” They reviewed studies on brief counseling sessions during an office visit, which is sometimes combined with computer-based screening. They also looked at studies of computer-based programs that children or teens access at home. In the Annals of Internal Medicine, the panel concluded, “Studies on these interventions were limited and the findings on whether interventions significantly improved health outcomes were inconsistent.”

While the group did not find enough evidence to recommend brief interventions, Dr. Levy said “the task force is not in any way signaling physicians and the public that substance abuse is not an appropriate topic to discuss in medical care.”

She noted, “While the evidence for reducing high-risk alcohol use in adults with brief interventions is very good, there have been few studies looking at the same interventions with kids in primary care. The task force didn’t say brief interventions aren’t effective, we just said we don’t have enough evidence to make that judgment yet, and we still have questions that need to be answered. It may be that brief interventions aren’t the answer, and we need more intensive interventions.

Even if brief interventions are not found to be effective for teen substance abuse, screening will always be important, she added. “Drug and alcohol use impacts a patient’s health in many ways, and a pediatrician needs to know about it, because it can impact treatment or other recommendations. For example, a doctor will think about inattention differently if he or she knows the teen is smoking marijuana several times a day.” Drinking can affect a teen’s management of chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, and can be dangerous for a young person prescribed a number of medications.

In 2011, the AAP produced a policy statement recommending routine screening for alcohol and other drug use with a validated tool as part of routine health care for adolescents. The AAP also recommends that physicians provide medical advice, a “brief intervention” to decrease use or a referral for specialty treatment based on the screen response.

The AAP reviewed many of the same studies as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and concluded that brief interventions, which are effective at reducing heavy drinking with adults and promising when used with adolescents to come to the emergency department, may be useful in primary care as well, Dr. Levy said. “The AAP points out that discussing alcohol and drug use in primary care is a real opportunity, and it’s critical that it’s done,” she said. “We haven’t resolved the best way to do it, but we’re using the best information we have available.”


Ways of Destroying Drug Evidence Vary Across the Country
May 28th, 2014/


Methods for destroying drug evidence vary across the country, according to The Wall Street Journal. Law enforcement officials use facilities including hospital incinerators, foundries and crematories.

There are no uniform rules for burning evidence. Some local governments allow more flexibility than others, the article notes. Waste incinerators that burn pharmaceuticals are covered by federal standards, but those used only to burn illegal drugs are exempt. Many local governments have environmental and safety rules that can apply to destroying drug evidence.

In Ohio, troopers used to destroy thousands of pounds of seized drugs at factories, where they were vaporized in molten steel. That practice ended when companies became concerned the drugs could potentially affect the quality of their product and produce emissions. “If we’re throwing 940 pounds of marijuana into the vat, you know, it flares up,” said Captain David Dicken, of the State Highway Patrol’s Ohio crime laboratory. The agency switched to a paid contract with a company that handles hazardous materials.

Contractors destroy illegal drugs seized by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, or turn them over to other agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which destroys marijuana at incinerators approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DEA burns other illegal drugs at its labs.

Because of strict environmental regulations in California, law enforcement is supposed to burn illegal drugs at EPA-approved energy plant incinerators. In the Detroit area, state police use a metal forging plant’s furnace. In Pennsylvania, state police burn their own evidence, while in New York, police use an outside contractor. Some authorities in West Virginia use fire pits.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

MAY 28 v 24 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB


Anyone who steals from his father and mother
and says, “What’s wrong with that?”
is no better than a murderer.


STEP 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.


First of all asking mom and dad once a day to float you a loan with no intention of paying it back is not a loan it is stealing . As our parents get older they lose their ability too work . This is especially true with Grandparents ! Moms and Dads who exercise tough love and throw your lazy butts out of the house ,does not mean I am moving in with Mom Mom and pop Pop so you can continue getting high . Your parents and Grand parents are the only people on this planet who truly give a crap about you ,but even they can get to the point of no more of your addictive behaviors . Parents and Grand Parents ,cut em off ! Step eight was an opportunity for me to make it right with Mom and Dad , I could never pay back all the money I have taken , but I can be their for them . They are both in their eighties now and I must be there for them ,not because I owe it to them but because they never gave up on me and I am the luckiest guy in the world too still have them here and I can make it up to them. For those of you unlucky enough not too have them here can still give back by volunteering at a nursing home . There are many Moms and Dads who are dropped off and forgotten about 



Deutoronomy 21-18;21

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

By Joseph Dickerson




    

Football Players Would Face Suspension for First DUI Offense Under New Policy
May 27th, 2014/


Under a new policy of the National Football League (NFL), players would face a one-game suspension and a fine of one game check after their first DUI offense, CBS Sports reports. Currently, players face a fine of two game checks, but no suspension for a first offense.

Players would receive the suspension and fine if they were deemed legally responsible for their DUI offense, the article notes. The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) also backs the new policy, according to CBS Sports.

The policy would only be implemented as part of an agreement that included testing for human growth hormone (HGH). There is disagreement about who would handle player appeals of HGH testing.

New York Senator Requests $100 Million in Federal Funding to Curb Heroin Trade
May 27th, 2014/


U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is asking the federal government to allocate $100 million to curb the heroin trade in his state. Seizures of heroin in New York this year have already surpassed those of any previous year since 1991.

Schumer wants the money to be given to the federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, according to the New York Daily News. The program will help law enforcement authorities in New York and New Jersey better assess the region’s heroin trafficking patterns, he said. Schumer also hopes the funds will help local and federal agencies to share information.

“Now everyone saw what happened with the crack epidemic. Our society ignored it for too long. It’s got its tentacles deeply into our young people, and took a decade to get rid of it,” Schumer said. “We cannot wait that long for heroin. We cannot wait till the heroin problem becomes an epidemic.”

The funds would be part of an upcoming Senate Appropriations bill, Newsday reports. Schumer said the money will help fight against Mexican and South American drug cartels, which are supplying heroin to the New York area. The Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor in New York City seized 288 pounds of heroin in the first four months of 2014. “For a while we thought the heroin scourge had ended, but it’s back and it’s stronger than ever,” he said.

New York City has become a hub for the heroin market along the East Coast, according to law enforcement officials. It is sold in New York to users all along the East Coast, in glassine envelopes costing between $6 and $10. About one-third of heroin seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration nationwide since October was found in New York State. In previous years, New York heroin seizures have accounted for about one-fifth of the total.



While Many Doctors Voice Zohydro Concerns, Some Say it Has Benefits
May 27th, 2014/



While many addiction medicine experts say they are concerned the new long-acting painkiller Zohydro will worsen the prescription drug abuse epidemic, some doctors say the drug has benefits, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Only about 1,000 doctors have prescribed Zohydro so far, according to the newspaper.

Doctors who have started prescribing Zohydro say it provides long hours of pain relief and a steadier level of medication in the bloodstream, compared with short-acting painkillers. The drug is a pure form of the painkiller hydrocodone. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zohydro ER (extended release) in October for patients with pain that requires daily, around-the-clock, long-term treatment that cannot be treated with other drugs. Drugs such as Vicodin contain a combination of hydrocodone and other painkillers such as acetaminophen. Zohydro ER became available in March.

In December 2012, a panel of experts assembled by the FDA voted against recommending approval of Zohydro ER. The panel cited concerns over the potential for addiction. Zohydro is designed to be released over time, and can be crushed and snorted by people seeking a strong, quick high. The opioid drug OxyContin has been reformulated to make it harder to crush or dissolve, but Zohydro does not include similar tamper-resistant features.

Some doctors say that while short-acting painkillers can be helpful for acute pain from procedures such as dental extractions, they have drawbacks. They may wear off after three or four hours, even though they are often prescribed to be taken every four to six hours. Some patients may become over-sedated after they take a short-acting painkiller, but are undertreated for pain as it wears off.

Patients taking short-acting hydrocodone products and additional acetaminophen may end up with liver damage from excess acetaminophen, the article notes.
      The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.PRO-ACT
                                                  and
          Pennsylvania Recovery Organization --
     Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT) 
Recovery in Our Communities
May 27, 2014
    
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Information and Recovery Support Line 24/7: 800-221-6333
 
 
When one door closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.   
Helen Keller
RAYS OF HOPE  
VOLUNTEER PROFILE
Janie M: "Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining"

Janie is a woman in recovery who seeks a spiritual path. She came to volunteer at PRO-ACT in April 2013 and has stayed ever since. Initially, Janie came to volunteer in order to stay at a recovery house. Gradually, Janie adopted PRO-ACT as family.  She has expanded her volunteer commitment by designing a discussion group entitled, "Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining." Her group promotes positive thinking, optimism, and hope. Most days you will find Janie as a welcoming face at the front desk of our Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center in Bristol.  
IMPROVE ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR VETS AND OTHERS
Speak Up and Change The Culture

The VA Health System's delays in treating chronic illnesses has been a problem for decades.  According to Veteran Nick McCormick of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,  "There really seems to be a system-wide culture that accepts this substandard efficiency in terms of [delay in] care."  So why is Washington finally taking notice? Because it is alleged that Vets have died due to the delays
in treatment, and people are speaking up.  Read more. 

There is a strong similarity between delays in the VA Healthcare System and how our Nation treats the chronic disease of addiction.  Despite enactment of parity laws in 43 states including Pennsylvania, many individuals and families suffering from addiction cannot access the treatment they are entitled to by law and their health insurance policy.  This is because there are financial incentives to deny coverage, and enforcement of state parity laws is difficult due to stigma. 

It is time to speak up for recovery and change a culture that accepts substandard care.  Those who suffer from the disease of addiction and their families deserve better.  To file a complaint for unfair denial of coverage under a health insurance policy, contact the PA Insurance Dept. at 877-881-6388, ext. 2 or file a complaint online by clicking here.  You can also read this article for some practical tips on how to advocate with your insurance provider. 
THE COUNCIL'S INFORMATION/RECOVERY SUPPORT LINE    
Problem with Addiction?  
Call The Council For Information, Recovery Support or Interventions.

The Council's free confidential service connects you to a live Alcohol and Other Drug Information Specialist 24/7.  The Council can answer your questions and direct you to reliable resources.  It is still up to you to advocate with your owninsurance provider.  However, The Council will help you understand the problem and navigate the system to access the care and support you need.  Whether you need information, recovery support or an intervention, call The Council.  To learn more call 800-221-6333 24/7, or read about this great free resource here. 
  
Some Upcoming Events
Events
June 6, 2014:  Volunteer Orientation for Central Bucks RCC1-4pm  Contact Rick at 215-345-6644, x 3151 or email him at petrolawicz@councilsepa.org
June 11, 2014Hope, Help & Healing Fundraising Breakfast, Spring Mill Manor, Ivyland, PA 18974. For more information about our Campaign to raise community support for Prevention, Recovery Supports and Advocacy, visit our website Hope, Help and Healing Fundraising Breakfast  or contact Michael here.
September 12, 20147:05 pm. Recovery Night at the Baseball Game, Phillies vs. Marlins, Citizens Bank Park. Click here for tickets. 
September 20, 2014PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! 2014, Great Plaza, Penn's Landing, Philadelphia. Click here to register and get more information.
Employment OpportunitiesPlease click here
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DONATEDonations help us to reduce the impact of addiction for more individuals and families. The Council is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

MAY 27 v 21 TWELVE STEPPING WITH POWER IN THE PROVERB

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.


STEP 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.


The verse from the Proverb is a tight rope ! What i mean is we have to be careful in listening to what others have to say about us. Criticism can be a good thing as long as it used to help and not hurt or tear someone down. Growing up in a home with negative criticism about yourself and everything around you will shape you into a Doomsday preacher. For along time my life was directed by whatever everyone else had to say .My everyday was lived with everything will go wrong everyone is out to get me and life will not get any better than this. When working step eight you must include yourself first . For along time my thinking was I am ok and everybody else was screwed up ! Honesty with yourself will start the healing process and eventually folks around you will eventually have only good things too say about you . Do not let your negative thoughts or someone else s thoughts about you determine your destiny . Your life can and will get better ,you gotta have faith and be willing to work your butt off to make change.



Proverbs 12 v 18

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
By Joseph Dickerson