MAY 1, 2012
All Rise America! It’s National Drug Court Month and NADCP’s All Rise America! National Motorcycle Relay for Recovery is officially underway. Over the next 24 days, Drug Court graduates, Drug Court professionals, veterans, and other concerned citizens will carry the All Rise Gavel over 3,000 miles coast-to-coast, stopping at 25 Adult Drug Court, DWI Court, Family Drug Court, Juvenile Drug Court, Tribal Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court events to honor individuals who have overcome their addictions and the dedicated justice and treatment professionals who help make it possible. At each stop, riders will pass the gavel to a new group of riders as a symbol of the collective impact of Drug Courts and a reminder that when one person rises out of addiction and finds recovery, we All Rise.
The All Rise America! Support Vehicle makes a stop by the Pacific Ocean before beginning the 3,000 mile journey across the country.
NADCP CEO West Huddleston and Judge Wendy Lindley pass the All Rise Gavel to Mike Jones, a combat veteran who served nine tours in Iraq and is now participating in Veterans Treatment Court.
All Rise America! began this morning with a graduation at the Orange County Combat Veterans Treatment Court. The success of Drug Courts has led to the establishment of special court dockets for veterans suffering from substance abuse and/ or mental illness. Judge Wendy Lindley’s Combat Veterans Treatment Court was one of the first in the nation and is designed specifically for veterans who have served in combat and whose troubles with the law can be linked to their war experiences. There are 97 Veterans Treatment Courts in the United States and hundreds more are being planned.
“It is an honor to be in a courtroom with people committed to keeping veterans out of prison and connected to the benefits and services they have earned,” said NADCP CEO West Huddleston before handing the official All Rise Gavel to Judge Lindley, officially commencing All Rise America! Judge Lindley then passed the gavel to Mike Jones, the relay’s first official gavel bearer. Mike is a combat veteran who served nine tours in Iraq. On his final tour he lost his leg but it has not kept him from his passion for riding motorcycles. When Judge Lindley asked for volunteers to be the official All Rise America! Gavel Bearer Mike was the first to volunteer. He is a father, a student, and a proud participant in the Orange County Combat Veterans Treatment Court.
The ceremony in Santa Ana was held to honor Juan, a graduate of the program who know owns his own business. He spoke about the tough lessons learned in a program that can sometimes feel very little like court. “When I first got here I looked around and was amazed this was even a court,” he said. “I had never seen anything like it.” Juan thanked Judge Lindley for her support throughout his time in Veterans Treatment Court and was presented with a special coin by one of the court’s fifteen volunteer veteran mentors.
Following honest, funny and heartfelt remarks from legendary composer Paul Williams, the court adjourned. We profiled Paul in our previous post, check it out to learn how the Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe winner came to support Drug Courts.
A group of riders including a couple of Sober Riders from San Diego joined veterans and friends of the court for the ride to Los Angeles for a special Gavel Hand-Off ceremony. We are currently cruising down the 405. Stay tuned.
By West Huddleston | May 1, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Addiction,Community Related, Legal & Recovery
A triumphant graduate completes Drug Court in Pinelles County, Florida.
All Rise America! National Motorcycle Relay for Recovery Gets Underway in California
All Rise America! Today marks the beginning of National Drug Court Month, an annual celebration of the most successful criminal justiceapproach in our nation’s history. By month’s end, thousands of addicted individuals who would otherwise be incarcerated will have completed drug court, ready to embark on a new life of recovery, stability and service. Amid the community events and graduations that will occur in hundreds of towns and cities throughout May, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) is pleased to announce the launch of All Rise America! The National Motorcycle Relay for Recovery: a first-of-its-kind, cross-country motorcycle relay celebrating the inspiring stories of transformation brought to bear every day in America’s drug courts.
During All Rise America!, Drug Court graduates, Drug Court professionals, veterans and other concerned citizens will carry the “All Rise Gavel” for over 3,000 miles coast to coast. They will stop at 25 adult drug court, DWI court, family drug court, juvenile drug court, tribal drug court and veterans treatment court events to honor individuals who have overcome their addictions and the dedicated justice and treatment professionals who help make it possible. At each stop, the gavel will be passed to a new group of riders as a symbol of the collective impact of Drug Courts and a reminder that when one person rises out of addiction and finds recovery, we All Rise.
NADCP CEO West Huddleston holds the "All Rise Gavel" on the Pacific coast.
Drug Courts refer more people to treatment than any other system in America; treating over 120,000 individuals each year and leading the vast majority of them into a life-long recovery. Each of them is a reminder that every American deserves a shot at freedom from addiction. All Rise America! will tell their stories. From small towns to big cities, over mountains and across Midwestern plains, we will expose America to the fact that people can and do recover from addiction. Nationally, over 75 percent of drug court graduates are never arrested again, and drug courts save up to $13,000 for every individual they serve.
There is no better testament to the success of drug courts than the events held today in California to kick-off All Rise America! In Orange County, California, a young combat Marine who entered the criminal justice system a shell of the soldier who fought in Iraq, graduated the Orange County Combat Veterans Treatment Court to the applause of a community of justice and treatment leaders who fought as hard for him as he did for us.
Following the ceremony, we fired up the motorcycles and cruised up to Los Angeles, another participant in the Orange County Combat Veterans Treatment Court leading the way and carrying the All Rise Gavel. In LA, we were met by a massive crowd of drug court graduates, drug court professionals, bikers, veterans, media and citizen supporters. The event was held to pass the gavel to a new group of riders. During the ceremony we heard from a Mark, who told the crowd that he had attempted treatment over 50 times before finding recovery in the LAX Drug Court.
“My addiction to drugs and alcohol threatened to rob me of everything, including my freedom,” he said. “Drug Court gave me a deeper freedom; freedom from my unrelenting addiction. What better way to honor the profound impact Drug Court had on my life and the lives of my friends and family than to get on our bikes and ride for All Rise America! For me this is more than a cause to raise awareness, this is a cause for celebration!”
Whether you are familiar with Drug Courts or new to the concept,All Rise America! will teach you about the incredible capacity for human beings to change, and give you hope that there is a part of our criminal justice system that not only works to reduce substance abuse and crime, but saves lives. But All Rise America! is also a call to action. It demonstrates that our justice system can compel people to change, but only if we All Rise and demand reform that is more sensible, cost-effective and humane.
As you read this, we are riding through the night to the Arizona border with miles to go before we sleep. You can follow all of our progress over the next 24 days and the inspiring stories we come across on the All Rise America! Blog.
West Huddleston, CEO of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals
Rockers In Recovery Music Festival
Dear RIR Friends,
THE RIR MUSIC FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 2-4,2012
Venue Location: CB Smith Park - Pembroke Pines,Florida
It's a Recovery Palooza , minus the drugs and alcohol, but add meetings and fellowship! RIR Music Fest is a campout for ALL people in recovery or supporters of recovery.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Early Bird Ticket Sales
Save $10.00 Per Ticket!! Order by July 1, 2012
$60.00 Click To Order 3 Day Ticket- after July 1, 2012 - $70.00
$40.00 Click To Order 2 Day Ticket - after July 1, 2012 - $50.00
No Tickets Will Be Sold At Gate
If You Wish To Campout At The RIR Music Fest
*Separate Camping Reservations are Needed:
Camping at CB Smith Park: This 299-acre site is one of Broward County Parks and Recreation's most diverse parks, as well as one of its most popular. The park offers a large campground, a tennis complex, a family golfing center, and many other amenities.
View Map
View Prices
Please contact C.B. Smith Park 900 N. Flamingo Rd. Pembroke Pines, FL 33028 Phone: 954-357-5170 or click here.
3 Days of Sober and Clean Fun
Mark Stein, Liberty Devitto ,Christine Ohlman,Ricky Byrd, Kasim Sulton, and Richie Sup
RIR Music Festival Schedule
9am- 10pm Friday November 2, 2012:
Recovery Speaker -
Full Range
Jimmy Stowe & the Stowaways
Johnny B. and The Road Dogs
Sooner or Later
RIR JAM
9am- 10pm Saturday November 3, 2012:
Recovery Speaker -
Keep Coming Back
Thrown Alive
Black Finger
The Chillbillies
Selfish Steam
RIR Band - Mark Stein(Vanilla Fudge), Liberty Devitto(Billy Joel) , Christine Ohlman(Saturday Night Live Band), Ricky Byrd(Joan Jett and the Blackhearts), Kasim Sulton(Todd Rundgren and Utopia), Richie Supa
(Aerosmith and Richie Sambora) and special guests.
9am - 12pm- Sunday November 4, 2012:
Recovery Speaker -
Richie Supa
Ricky Byrd
Kasim Sulton
Count Down
Closing Ceremonies
We will be adding more bands to the lineup over the next month.
Rockers In Recovery (RIR) In The News
Sponsors and Vendors: If your interested in becoming a sponsor or a vendor call954-826-4920 or Email john@rockersinrecovery.com no later then July 1st ,2012.
Dear Joseph,
My name is Amy and I direct the Parents Toll-Free Helpline for The Partnership at Drugfree.org.
When a mom or dad has hit a crisis point with their kid, I'm here with expert ideas and helpful steps. It's a tough job, but I know the parents struggling with their kids' substance abuse have it even tougher. I have a simple rule for myself: answer every single call I can.
But it takes resources to do that. The helpline needs staffing and training -- and that means we need to turn to our community to help keep this lifeline open.
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Help me be there for every mother and father in need. Today we're asking 100 people to make a contribution of $5. Joseph, can I count on you to chip in?
A one-on-one conversation can make a huge difference. A little while ago, I got a call from a mom whose son was abusing cocaine and marijuana. I can still remember the desperation in her voice. She'd tried so hard to get through to him -- she'd even taken away his car. Nothing was working.
But I knew there was still plenty of hope. I told her that together we could make a plan to deal with his substance abuse. I sent her some expert advice on how to get her son clean. And a few days later, she got in touch with me.
"I read the info you sent me and boy, has it helped," she said. "Thank you for your help and support. This means a lot to me."
Help me be there for every mother and father in need. Make a contribution today:
http://my.drugfree.org/donate-today
I wish you and your family good health. And if you need me, I promise I'll be here for you.
Best,
Amy Bloustine
Deputy Director, Community Education Programs and Helpline Director
The Partnership at Drugfree.org
April 30, 2012|Lindsey Tanner, AP Medical Write
Less than a month old, Savannah Dannelley scrunches her tiny face into a scowl as a nursegently squirts a dose of methadone into her mouth.
The infant is going through drug withdrawal and is being treated with the same narcotic prescribed for her mother to fight addiction to powerful prescription painkillers.
Disturbing new research says the number of U.S. babies born with signs of opiate drug withdrawal has tripled in a decade because of a surge in pregnant women’s use of legal and illegal narcotics, including Vicodin, OxyContin and heroin, researchers say. It is the first national study of the problem
The number of newborns with withdrawal symptoms increased from a little more than 1 per 1,000 babies sent home from the hospital in 2000 to more than 3 per 1,000 in 2009, the study found. More than 13,000 U.S. infants were affected in 2009, the researchers estimated.
The newborns include babies like Savannah, whose mother stopped abusing painkillers and switched to prescription methadone early in pregnancy, and those whose mothers are still abusing legal or illegal drugs.
Weaning infants from these drugs can take weeks or months and often requires a lengthy stay in intensive care units. Hospital charges for treating these newborns soared from $190 million to $720 million between 2000 and 2009, the study found.
The study was released online Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Savannah is hooked up to heart and oxygen monitors in an Oak Lawn, Ill., newborn intensive care unit. In a pink crib, she sleeps fitfully, sometimes cries all night, and has had diarrhea and trouble feeding — typical signs of withdrawal. Some affected babies also have breathing problems, low birth weights and seizures.
It nearly breaks her young mother’s heart.
“It’s really hard, every day, emotionally and physically,’’ said Aileen Dannelley, 25. “It’s really hard when your daughter is born addicted.’’
Doctors say newborns aren’t really addicted, but their bodies are dependent on methadone or other opiates because of their mothers’ use during pregnancy. Small methadone doses to wean them off these drugs is safer than cutting them off altogether, which can cause dangerous seizures and even death, said Dr. Mark Brown, chief of pediatrics at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
Newborn drug withdrawal is rampant in Maine, Florida, West Virginia, parts of the Midwest and other sections of the country.
Dr. Stephen Patrick, the lead author of the study and a newborn specialist at the University of Michigan health system in Ann Arbor, called the problem a “public health epidemic’’ that demands attention from policymakers, as well as from researchers to clarify what long-term problems these infants may face.
By Join Together Staff | April 27, 2012 | 5 Comments | Filed in Drugs &Treatment
The opioid-overdose antidote naloxone is being more widely distributed to people who use drugs, according to the Associated Press. While many public health officials say it saves lives, critics argue that making the antidote easily available could make people less likely to seek treatment.
Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, safely reverses the potentially fatal side effects of an overdose of oxycodone, heroin and other opioids. It has been routinely used by emergency rooms and ambulance crews for decades, the AP notes. In the past few years, Naloxone has been distributed free to opioid users and their loved ones, in a growing number of sites around the country.
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that widely distributing Naloxone, and training people in how to use it, could save many lives. It has successfully reversed more than 10,000 drug overdoses since 1996, according to the CDC report. Naloxone is not effective in treating drug overdoses that do not involve opioids.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have programs to distribute naloxone in the community. The programs train people to identify signs of an overdose and provide naloxone to people who use drugs and their loved ones.
