Washington Senate Approves Bill Permitting Alcohol Tasting in College Classes

By Join Together Staff | March 12, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Community Related, Legislation, Young Adults & Youth

A bill that would allow college students under the legal drinking age to taste alcohol in classes was approved by the Washington state Senate, according to the Associated Press. The bill applies to culinary, beer technology and similar college programs.

Students have to be at least 18, and supervised by faculty or staff at a technical or community college. The bill states they can taste—but not consume—the alcohol, the AP reports.

The proposal would improve these educational programs, the bill’s supporters say. A senator who opposed it, Jim Hargrove, said he is concerned the measure is the first step on the road to lowering the drinking age and expanding access to alcohol.

The bill will now be considered by the state House.

EXPANDING YOUR RECOVERY TOOLKIT

Good Afternoon!

There has been a change on one of the topics for the next “Expanding Your Recovery Toolkit” program on:

Tuesday, March 19^th

7:00 – 8:30pm

At The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

252 W. Swamp Road, Bailiwick Unit 12, Doylestown, PA 18901

Please pass along the REVISED flyer attached here!!  Sorry for any confusion.

PLEASE REGISTER if you plan on attending by contacting me at 215-345-6644 x3122 or shooting me an email at jschwartz@councilsepa.org.  Also, if you do register ahead and your plans change and you are no longer able to attend, PLEASE contact me!!  We do plan for food and we are working with a very limited budget.  Thank you in advance for your respect and understanding! 

I look forward to seeing you all on the 19^th!

Jessica Schwartz

Community Development Coordinator

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

252 West Swamp Road, Unit 12

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901

Phone: (215) 345-6644 ext. 3122

Fax: (215) 348-3377

(800) 221-6333 - 24 Hour Information Line

jschwartz@councilsepa.org

Expanding Your Recovery Toolkit 3-19-13.doc 75K   View   Download

Money Matters for Women in Recovery program

The next cycle of sessions for the Money Matters for Women in Recovery program are listed below and the flyer attached.  Please pass along the information to any woman you know that might benefit from this program.

Wednesdays from 5:30-7:30

March 27th- Financial Decision Making – Identify and examine personal attitudes, beliefs, and values surrounding the role of money in life and how to use this info to make financial decisions that support  short and long term financial goals.

April 3rd - Budgeting for Women – Build a foundation for economic self-sufficiency by creating and working within a budget based on one’s resources.

April 10th – Building and Repairing Credit – The importance of credit will be examined.  Techniques to build or repair credit will be the focus.  See how budgeting and good financial decision making increases the likelihood of building good credit.

April 17th – Nutrition on a Budget – Proper nutrition is a large part of recovery and overall wellness. What a body needs in order to function at an ideal level will be examined.  Eating healthy on a budget will be the focus.

Location: The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania

252 W. Swamp Rd., Bailiwick Unit 12

Doylestown, PA 18901

There is no cost for this program!

Please Register

Jeanne McDermott, CRS

Volunteer Coordinator

Central Bucks Recovery Support Services

PRO-ACT, The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania

252 W. Swamp Rd, Bailiwick Unit 12

Doylestown, PA 18901

Phone: 215 345-6644 x 3120

Fax: 215 348-3377

E-mail: jmcdermott@councilsepa.org

 

PA Bill Aims to Prevent People From Other States Filling Painkiller Prescriptions

By Join Together Staff | March 8, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Legislation, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

A bill introduced in Pennsylvania is designed to prevent people from other states from filling painkiller prescriptions there.

State Representative Brandon Neuman wants to amend state law to help prevent people from using cash to obtain narcotics by visiting different doctors and pharmacies in the state, the Associated Press reports.

“The dealers are moving out. Now pharmacies are seeing these customers with all kinds of sob stories from Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee,” he told the AP.

The bill would set up a Pennsylvania Accountability Monitoring System database, which would alert doctors and pharmacies when patients who have already received an adequate supply of opioids try to obtain another prescription.

Advocacy Group: Push for Peer Recovery Support Services in Essential Health Benefits

By Celia Vimont | March 8, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed in Addiction, Healthcare, Insurance, Recovery & Treatment

Recovery groups should advocate for inclusion of peer recovery support services as part of essential health benefits that will be covered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to Faces & Voices of Recovery. Peer recovery support services are delivered by individuals who have “lived experience” with addiction and recovery.

Faces & Voices of Recovery, an advocacy group, has produced an issue brief that explains how recovery advocates can support inclusion of these non-clinical services that help people achieve long-term recovery from addiction.

The ACA requires states to set up state health insurance exchanges, which will act like marketplaces, where each person can choose a plan that suits them. Through these exchanges, states must offer a core of what are called essential health benefits–services that will be reimbursed or covered by the new exchanges. Services for mental and substance use disorders must be included.  Each state can decide what specific services will be offered.

If peer recovery support services are offered as an essential health benefit, they will be covered by insurance or Medicaid, and organizations that provide the services will be reimbursed for providing the services.

According to Faces & Voices of Recovery, scientific evidence is growing to support the beneficial effects of peer recovery support services. To find out more about how you and your organization can advocate for inclusion of peer recovery support services, visit the Faces & Voices of Recovery website.

Drug Testing of Middle-School Students May Help Prevent Substance Abuse: Study

By Join Together Staff | March 8, 2013 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol, Community Related, Drugs, Prevention, Research & Youth

Random drug testing of middle-school students may help prevent substance abuse, a six-year study of New Jersey students suggests.

Students who were randomly tested for drugs were less likely to use them in later years, according to the study, conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and Fairleigh Dickinson University. The researchers found drug use by students in grades 6-8 is relatively rare, Newsworks reports.

The study found that only about 1 percent of 8th graders say they have ever used illicit drugs, and only about 14 percent indicate that they have ever drunk alcohol, other than in circumstances where it’s allowed, such as religious ceremonies. Among students who were tested for drugs and alcohol, 6 percent said they had ever consumed alcohol.

Lead researcher Dan Cassino said when middle-school students are tested for drugs, they realize drug use can get them in trouble. He noted expanding random drug testing, while it might be effective, would be costly.

“We still see a spike around the junior year of high school,” Cassino said. “Once the kids get a car and get a job, all bets are off, and the rates of drug and alcohol use go through the roof; but that spike is much smaller among students who actually were randomly drug tested at some point.”

“These results show that student drug testing changes the environment of the school community and show they serve as an effective prevention strategy for the abuse of drugs and alcohol in their future,” Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, said in a news release. “This study proves random drug testing in New Jersey middle schools helps prevent substance abuse.”