Parents Key in Fighting Synthetic Drugs, Experts Say

By Join Together Staff | February 16, 2012 | 2 Comments | Filed in Drugs,Parenting, Prevention & Youth

Parents are a key part of the fight against the emerging threat of synthetic drugs, said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy. He spoke at a working group session Thursday on synthetic drugs, which was co-hosted by The Partnership at Drugfree.org.

“Synthetic drugs like ‘Spice,’ ‘K2,’ and ‘bath salts’ are a serious threat to the health and safety of young people throughout America,” Kerlikowske said in a news release. “We will continue to coordinate a comprehensive government-wide response, but we cannot do this alone. Parents and adult influencers must understand the serious threat these drugs pose and act today to talk to teens about the serious health and safety consequences of drug use – in whichever form it may come.”

The session included high level officials from government agencies, as well as representatives from the private sector, who met to discuss how to coordinate the Federal, state and local response to these drugs.

The Partnership at Drugfree.org introduced a new information kit for parents and adult influencers, which contains tools to help them talk with teens about synthetic drugs, and how to recognize the warning signs of use. The kit includes a slidecast about these drugs and provides information on what to look for, their street names, and what their effects are.

The kit is available at The Partnership at Drugfree.org website and is part of a “Parents360″ community education program funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.

TUERK CONFERENCE ON ADDICTION TREATMENT

2012 Tuerk ConferenceTuesday, APRIL 17, 2012

"INTERVENTIONS IN 2012 ~CURRENT ADVANCEMENTS"

• Laurence Westreich, MD                            
• Joani Gammill, RN, BR1
• Judge Mark Farrell

Click here for 2012 Sponsor Form.Click here for 2012 Tuerk Brochure.Click here to register online for Tuerk.

Providence Ministries Dalton Ga.

Women seeking residential alcohol and drug rehab treatment may be surprised to hear that getting sober is not the hard part… it's staying clean, living in recovery, and healing from a past full of hurts and hang-ups that's the real challenge.

Unfortunately, people suffering from addiction often allow their pain, failures, and character defects to define their identity, or how they view themselves and what they in turn base their choices on. Spiritual transformation is at its roots, a process of healing by letting go of the illusion of control, discovering and uprooting the false beliefs that trap people in the addiction cycle, and replacing those lies with God's truth about their identity in Christ.

For this reason we proudly offer intensive in-house Christian faith-based addiction services which were developed to help women safely transition onto the challenging path of long-term recovery... and we offer it all at a cost people can afford, 90 Days for $3,900. That's only $300 per week. We know that the key to long term stand firm recovery is through Christ led spiritual transformation. Fly in to Chattanooga and Still Save!

The Providence Ministries' Women's Program is heavily subsidized by sales from our thrift stores, as well as through the charitable contributions of our donors, sponsorship cost has been reduced to just $3,900 for 90 days, which means you could literally fly in to Chattanooga Tennessee, (we're 20 minutes south in Northern Georgia) to attend our program, and still save money when compared to most other rehabilitation centers. And unlike those other recovery facilities, we are part of a large family of missions where we put Christ first. We are not driven by profits or investors, but rather by a calling to serve him.

What we are offering is an opportunity many people will never have. A chance to give yourself a break and take 90 days in exchange for the rest of your life.  To once and for all put an end to a life you know in your heart cannot continue the way it has. The end of the path of addiction is always prisons, institutions, and death, and the sad truth is that family and loved ones suffer just as much as anyone.

Our program works for those who have suffered enough and want to change for themselves. If you can admit that you have a problem and that you can't fix it alone, then you've already taken the first step. Now we're asking you for just a bit more courage to take the next, and to give us a call at (706)275-0268, and we'll guide you from there.

If you'd like more information about any aspect of our program, please visit the other pages of this site or send us a message from the box below and we'll be happy to return your call. Though we've never met, you are indeed in our prayers and we want you to realize that there is hope and recovery through Jesus and Providence Ministries.

If You're Tired of The Misery of Addiction, and you Are Ready to Find a New Better Way of Life, Click: I'm Ready to Begin the Admissions Process

TUERK CONFERENCE ON ADDICTION TREATMENT

2012 Tuerk ConferenceTuesday, APRIL 17, 2012"INTERVENTIONS IN 2012 ~
CURRENT ADVANCEMENTS"
Laurence Westreich, MD
Joani Gammill, RN, BR1
Judge Mark Farrell

Click here for 2012 Sponsor Form.Click here for 2012 Tuerk Brochure.Click here to register online for Tuerk.

Homelessness & Reentry Lobby Day

SAVE THE DATE!
Homelessness & Reentry Lobby Day

MARCH 1, 2012

Annapolis, Maryland

Join us as we urge legislators to provide increased services to individuals who are experiencing homelessness or are adversely affected by the consequences of a criminal record. 

This daylong event will feature a march to the capitol, rally on Lawyers’ Mall, visits with legislators, informative workshops and more.  Lunch will be provided.

Transportation will be provided for those traveling between Baltimore and Annapolis.  Buses will depart Health Care for the Homeless at 7:30am and return by 3pm.  A detailed agenda for the day will be available soon.  RSVPs are required. 

For more information or to RSVP, contact:

Caryn York / caryn@jotf.org / 443-692-9424 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            443-692-9424      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Adam Schneider / aschneider@hchmd.org / 410-215-8319 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            410-215-8319      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

                                                               

Sponsored by Health Care for the Homeless & Job Opportunities Task Force

Opioid Overdose Antidote Could Have Prevented Many Deaths: CDC

By Join Together Staff | February 17, 2012 | 4 Comments | Filed in Drugs &Treatment

Widely distributing the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, and training people in how to use it, could save many lives, suggests a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report.

Naloxone safely reverses the potentially fatal side effects of an opioid overdose, Time reports. It has successfully reversed more than 10,000 drug overdoses since 1996, according to the CDC report. The article notes naloxone is not effective in treating drug overdoses that do not involve opioids.

The medication is available by prescription only under the brand name Narcan. Only 17 states and the District of Columbia have programs to distribute naloxone in the community, the article states. The programs train people to identify signs of an overdose and provide naloxone to people who use drugs and their loved ones.

The CDC survey of 48 programs that distributed naloxone found the medication was given to about 53,000 people, who were trained in recognizing and treating an overdose. The programs received reports of 10,171 overdose reversals.

“To address the substantial increases in opioid-related drug overdose deaths, public health agencies could consider comprehensive measures that include teaching laypersons how to respond to overdoses and administer naloxone to those in need,” the researchers wrote.