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Celebrating 40 Years! August 20, 2015 Quick Links Recovery Walks Registration Donate to The Council Information Help Line Recovery Night at the Baseball Game Employment Opportunities Recovery Center Calendars Professional Trainings CRS Training Program Save the Date! National Recovery Night at the Baseball Game 9/12/15:  6pm Tickets $20 Recovery Walks! 20159/19/15: 9am Registration is FREE! CRS Training ProgramOctober 19-29, 2015 40th Anniversary Gala5/5/2016 Family ProgramRegister:  215-345-6644 Chester County 9/2, 9/9, 9/16: 7-9pm Colmar9/3, 9/10, 9/17: 7-9pm Pottstown9/1, 9/8, 9/15:   6:30-8:30pm Media9/1, 9/8, 9/15: 7-9pm Perkasie9/14, 9/21, 9/28: 7-9pm Bristol9/3, 9/10, 9/17: 7-9pm Volunteer for The Council/PRO-ACT !! Central Bucks:      Email or call Steve at215-345-6644 x3006 Southern Bucks:   Email or call Karen at215-788-3738 x100 Philadelphia, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County:         Email John or call 215-923-1661                     PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! Committees:  Email  or call John at215-923-1661 PHILLIES  vs CUBS It's Recovery Night at the Baseball Game!!! Saturday, September 12, 2015 Enjoy a a fun night of baseball with 500 other fans in an alcohol-free section! Tickets:  $20 Purchase Here   Stigma Must End For years, The Council has been working to reduce stigma associated with alcohol and other drug addiction.  Accepting that stigma is a significant barrier for those in need seeking help, The Council has changed its stance and is now working to eliminate stigma! Merriam-Webster defines stigma as "a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something."  The google definition states, "a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person."   The stigma associated with substance use disorder often results in shame and guilt for individuals and families and leads to a delay in treatment which too often ends with premature loss of life.  During a National Survey in 2013, it was found that 22.7 million people aged 12 and older (8.6% of the population) needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol problem.  Of those, 2.5 million (10.9%) actually received treatment.   A major reason so few actually receive treatment is stigma.  People are ashamed to ask for help.  Families are embarrassed to talk about how addiction is affecting their lives, and legislators and health care decision makers react to stigma by discriminating against those with substance use disorder through limiting availability of care and support for recovery services. Given the widespread impact and societal cost of substance use disorders, it's important for communities to end stigma, to make prevention, treatment, and recovery support available and accessible for all who need them.  "There are millions of people in recovery in the U.S. leading meaningful and productive lives full of joy, love, and laughter-and I am one of them."  Michael Botticelli is the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.  He is open about his long-term recovery of over 25 years and will participate in Recovery Walks! 2015.  Like Director Botticelli, The Council offers hope and healing to individuals and families working toward long-term recovery.   The voice of 22 million Americans living in recovery needs to be heard!  Join us to end stigma and to give millions more the opportunity to receive treatment for substance use disorder.  Everyone knows someone in recovery.  Walk with them and celebrate their efforts to fight this disease.  We pay taxes, we vote, and we each contribute to our community's well-being.  Together we can eliminate the shame and embarrassment associated with this disease and save lives!  Together we can show decision makers that the individuals, families and communities want to end stigma!  We can't afford to be silent anymore.  Register to walk at www.recoverywalks.org.   Anger Management The Council's Criminal Justice Department is happy to announce that we are running Anger Management groups in upper, middle and lower Bucks County.  The SAHMSA based curriculum is designed to help participants gain insight into the source of their anger and implement positive changes.  The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy based curriculum is presented weekly over a 6-week period which gives participants the opportunity to utilize tools outside of the class and review their experiences with a professional and peers in a supportive setting.  Participants learn how their anger negatively impacts their interpersonal relationships and can possibly lead to substance abuse.   Recovery Walks! 2015 Last year, 23,000 people joined Recovery Walks! to celebrate recovery, making it the largest recovery activity in the nation.  With support, we can show an even larger constituency of consequence (an organized voice of people in recovery) to elected officials.   Recovery Walks! highlights the positive impact of recovery and gives hope to those struggling with addiction that thriving in recovery is possible.  Individuals can participate by forming a team, sponsoring a team, walking, or by sponsoring a walker.  At Recovery Walks! 2015, PRO-ACT will be providing free Naloxone education to reduce the number of premature loss of life due to overdose, and there will be a voter registration booth.  We each have a voice and the power to shape the future of our community and the nation.  Together we can clear the barriers to treatment and long term recovery, end stigma, end discrimination, and celebrate those thriving in recovery.   Participation in Recovery Walks! 2015 is a time to unite and to show support for recovery as a solution.   Be sure to register!  It's free and it is essential for bringing attention to addiction and recovery. Let's make our voices heard to end stigma and to end discrimination!  www.recoverywalks.org What is the Recovery Toolkit Program?  People transitioning into recovery are often shown very limited sets of tools. Tools which may be working for others around them, but which they themselves may struggle with for a variety of reasons.  This may lead them to conclude they are missing the mark.   Building off the Guiding Principles of Recovery, this program seeks to offer a place where people from many pathways of recovery can share their recovery journey under the Universal Principles of the 12 Guiding Principles of Recovery.   These Principles are: There are many pathways to Recovery Recovery is self-directed and empowering Recovery involves a personal recognition of the need for change and transformation Recovery is holistic Recovery has cultural dimensions Recovery exists on a continuum of improved health and wellness Recovery is supported by peers and allies Recovery emerges from hope and gratitude Recovery involves a process of healing and self-redefinition Recovery involves addressing discrimination and transcending shame and stigma Recovery involves (re) joining and (re)building a life in the community Recovery is a reality, it can and does happen   The program typically involves two speakers who will speak briefly on one of the above Principles, followed by a question & answer session. This gives the participants an opportunity to learn about the many pathways available to them directly from others in recovery.   Join us! We meet the third Tuesday of every month from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM.   Location: The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. 252 West Swamp Rd., Unit 12 Doylestown PA 18901. To register, email or call Steve at 215-345-6644 Ext. 3006.  (registration is preferred but not required) Center Program Highlights Central Bucks Recovery Community Center 252 W Swamp Road, Unit 12, Doylestown, PA  18901 Planning to Sustain Recovery:   Educational support group to help individuals in all stages of recovery plan goals and action steps to sustain recovery. To register email or call Jeanne at 215-345-6644 ext. 3120. 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tuesdays of each month,  7:00pm - 8:30pm Every Thursday 10:00am - 11:30am Recovery Toolkit Educational peer support group to help individuals in recovery and provides tools for continuous sobriety. To register email or call Steve C. at 215-345-6644 ext. 3006. 3rd Tuesday each month, 7:00pm - 8:30pm   Gateway to Work: Workshop with tips and tools for resume building, overcoming barriers to employment such as overcoming criminal background and gaps in employment, and motivation. To register email or call Steve C. at 215-345-6644 ext. 3006. 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, 1:00 pm  SMART Recovery© Open recovery meeting focused on self-empowerment, abstinent-based recovery support.  Email or call Stephen Osborne for more information. Every Thursday, 6:00pm Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center 1286 Veterans Highway, Unit D-6, Bristol, PA  19007 Gateway to Work: Workshop with tips and tools for resume building, overcoming barriers to employment such as overcoming criminal background and gaps in employment, and motivation. To register email or call Karen at 215-788-3738 ext. 100. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11:00am Give to The Council While You Shop!  AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support The Council every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to The Council. Go to www.smile.amazon.com  Log in with Amazon account info or register if you are a new member Type in The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. and click SEARCH We will come up, hit SELECT Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Council. Contact Us Information and Resource Line:  1-800-221-6333 252 W. Swamp Rd., Unit 12                    1701 W. Lehigh Ave, #6 Doylestown, PA  18901                           Philadelphia, PA  19132 215-345-6644                                       215-223-7700 252 W. Swamp Rd., Unit 33                    444 N. 3rd St., Ste. 307 Doylestown, PA  18901                          Philadelphia, PA  19123 215-230-8723 (DUI)                              215-923-1661 215-230-8218 (Prevention) 1286 Veterans Hwy                               1062 E. Lancaster Ave., Ste 22-A Bristol, PA  19007                                 Rosemont, PA  19010        215-788-3738                                       484-383-0802

Getting ready for the upcoming school year isn’t all about notebooks, brand-new clothes and lunchboxes. It’s also about laying the foundation for good communication with your child and preparing them for a new transition. Questions about drugs and alcohol will inevitably come up during the school year. Need some help? Check out the items in our back-to-school survival guide, designed to help you talk, listen and improve your overall communication with your child: Prevent drug use at every age. From preschool to young adulthood, find out what to say.   Learn about the drugs in your teen’s world.   Our Drug Guide will give you the facts to keep your teen safe (PDF).   Download our free mobile app for Android phones and iPhones for easy access to information on drugs most commonly abused by teens ‒ including photos, slang terms and short- and long-term effects.   Listen to what these moms have to say. Partnership moms give their 10 best back-to-school tips.   Set limits. While your teen’s judgment skills are developing, she needs you to keep her safe by setting clear limits backed up with firm consequences.   Become a better listener. Learn how to listen. Take this quiz (PDF) about active listening, and learn how it can help improve parent/teen conversations.   Starting a new school?  Help your child make good choices during this critical time.   Talk about marijuana. Find out how to have meaningful, productive conversations with your teen about marijuana.   Help end medicine abuse. More teens are abusing prescription medicine than ever. Here’s what you can do to help.   Encourage healthy competition. Help your student athlete embrace healthy, drug-free competition.   Write a contract. Establish rules (in writing) about drugs and alcohol that you both agree to (PDF). Still have questions? The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is where families find answers. Visit our website, drugfree.org, year-round for more tips, tools and resources.             We're here to help. Call our Parents Toll-Free Helpline 1-855-DRUGFREE (1-855-378-4373)            DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. Messages sent to this email address are not read. If you have a question or comment, please use our interactive online help system. Subscribe to our RSS feeds. To prevent mailbox filters from deleting mailings from Drugfree.org, add thepartnership@drugfree.org to your address book. Partnership for Drug-Free Kids | 352 Park Avenue South | Ninth Floor | New York, NY 10010 unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

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This Saturday: COA Angels in League Finals   The COA Angels are one win away from the New Jersey Amateur Baseball League (NJABL) South Championship after defeating the Perth Amboy A's last Sunday 7-2! Pat Migliaccio scored the Angels' first run, with the team celebrating at the plate. David "Miracle Man" Mericle pitched a complete game in the 95 degree heat, as the team pulled together once again to move themselves closer to the NJABL Commissioner's Cup. In this Finals series, two winning games of three will move a team forward to the Commissioner's Cup Playoffs; last Sunday's win was the first, so another win will put the Angels into the Playoffs.  Please join COA at the Angel's next Finals game to show your support! The next game will be this Saturday, August  22, 6:00 pm at Rudyk Park, 500 Valley Place in Perth Amboy. The Angels will again face the A's, this time on the A's home field. Immediately before the game, the Angels and A's will share burgers & dogs on the field....all are welcome, so if you can, come early and get to know the exceptional young men on both teams! Sat., Oct 10: Join COA to Remember Davey Gold Davey Gold was a talented DJ as well as a friend & mentor to many. His life ended this summer, far too soon.  Please support COA and honor Davey's life on Sat., Oct. 10 at Cedar Gardens, Rt. 33 in Hamilton. This fundraiser will celebrate Davey's life with the music he loved. There will also be photos and videos, so if you didn't know Davey before, you will by the end of the evening! This man will be missed....Come to support Davey's friends and family, come because you want to help, or just come because it'll be a good time!  Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. To buy tickets, click here.  To learn more about Davey, click here. New on COA Recovery Radio! Let's Talk About Recovery! COA Recovery Radio is the only radio station anywhere that plays recovery talk 24/7/365! All shows are original, uplifting and available on any Internet-enabled device at www.coaradio.com or thru the free smartphone app. A recent report from the Task Force on Heroin and Other Opiate Use by New Jersey's Youth and Young Adults identifies heroin and opiate abuse as "the number one health care crisis" confronting the State. Yet, two new State laws that could provide major assistance to students battling addiction have been crippled.  On the latest episode of "Solutions" an original COA Recovery Radio show, host Michael DeLeon gives details.  To listen to this show, and learn about legislative action - or inaction - in New Jersey, click here. To listen to all "Solutions" episodes on demand, click here and to sign an online petition asking Gov. Christie to re-consider his veto of the bill establishing 3 new recovery high schools in New Jersey, click here. Education, education, education! A few short years ago, Joel Pomales was a high school dropout in active addiction. He is now clean & sober, holds a GED, and has set his sights on a PhD. Find out how he did it on this week's "Prosperity in Recovery". To listen to the show, click here. Joel is also Chairman of Young People in Recovery-NJ and a certified Recovery Coach. To listen to other "Prosperity in Recovery" episodes on demand, click here.  All COARR shows are online, on demand:    For "Stop Feeding the Predators" with  Lynn McClain, click here.  For "Wellness in Recovery" with life coach Nancy Tilelli, click here.  For "Journey Thru the 12 Steps with the Life Recovery Bible," click here. For "Share Your Scars!" with Vicki, click here. For "Wings Over Water: Creativity in Recovery" with recovery musician Kathy Moser,click here. For "Families and Recovery" with Cathy and Bill,   click here. For "Prosperity in Recovery" with Rich Alexander, click here  . For "Living Clean & Sober" with Johnny Raggs & Ken MacDonald, click here  . For "Solutions" with Michael DeLeon, click here. For "Your Legal Recovery" with Saul Segan, Esq., click here.