Lighthouse Network Offers Emotional Guidance, Support in the Aftermath of Sandy

Through the Storms of Life – and Nature – Lighthouse Offers Personalized Counseling and Referral Options for Those Seeking “The New Normal” SOURCE LIGHTHOUSE NETWORK

Key Facts:

Hurricane Sandy devastated the eastern United States last week, leaving entire communities destroyed.
Those most greatly impacted may have difficulty in the days, weeks, and months to come in processing their “new normal” and moving forward emotionally in healthy ways.
Lighthouse Network, the country’s premier Christian counseling and addiction referral service, offers hope, resources, and even customized treatment plans if needed, for victims struggling to make sense of the devastation from this latest storm or from other issues and circumstances from which they suffer.
PHILADELPHIA – The entire Eastern seaboard of the United States was ravaged last week as Hurricane Sandy barreled up the coast, making landfall in New Jersey and destroying towns in her wake throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. Citizens in the entire Mid-Atlantic region are struggling to return to a sense of normalcy, though many remain without power for basic needs. Estimated damages range from $20 to $50 billion dollars, making this storm one of the most destructive in our nation’s history.

Though repairs and restoration of homes and towns begins, restoration of battered spirits can take more time and assistance.

“People generally have a limit to the emotional burdens they can bear and once that limit is breached, people can explode, implode, or just melt down depending on their own coping mechanism,” said Karl Benzio, M.D., Founder and Executive Director of the Lighthouse Network. “Though this may seem a time when folks bearing the majority of the burden just have to keep going to restore a sense of normalcy to life after the storm, there is great need to proactively process what has happened, grieve any losses, and move forward effectively. Professional help can aid in that process when an event of this magnitude occurs.”

Lighthouse Network can help storm victims by providing compassionate, Christ-centered counseling and therapy or referrals to Christian counseling professionals that can help people affected by Hurricane Sandy to cope with their new realities and move on with the practical side of rebuilding. The organization promotes Christian counseling and therapy programs, recognizing that God has the ultimate power and ability to completely heal the whole person, no matter what storms life may bring.

“No matter what the storm in life, whether it’s a sudden natural disaster like this hurricane, something that builds over time like financial woes, or destructive habits, Lighthouse Network can offer a light in the storm to guide people to hope and healing,” said Benzio. “We offer all levels of assistance, from simple web resources like daily devotionals or articles to faith-based counseling or referrals through our Addiction and Counseling Helpline, all the way to customized curriculum development to help people or groups that can’t find the support they need through other programs.”

Through their free, 24-hour Lighthouse Network Addiction and Counseling Helpline at 877-562-2565, Lighthouse Network Care Guides talk with callers and can help determine the next best course of action for the caller’s needs, based on their current situation.

Lighthouse Network provides guidance through life’s storms for people who have a hard time defining their particular problem or have difficulty finding the right answers from other often-confusing sources. Care Guides will link patients or loved ones to a counseling, addiction, or psychiatric care facility through Lighthouse Network’s national database of treatment centers, counselors, and therapists. They successfully manage complicated cases, especially of acute addiction, and provide help from a holistic (spirit, mind, and body) perspective. Helping people of all faiths, our approach integrates cutting-edge science and spiritual truths as this approach produces the best chance of successful change in a person’s life. Being a faith-based organization has opened the doors to many hard-to-find Christian options producing powerful and lasting transformational experiences. Read stories of changed lives that have resulted from Lighthouse Network’s assistance.

Through its website, www.lighthousenetwork.org, Lighthouse Network offers several resources for those struggling with addiction, as well as for their families, including Stepping Stones, a free daily devotional for managing life’s stressors and storms and equipping readers with healthy decision-making skills, and Not Alone radio short features that help parents or grandparents of addicts cope with their situation and help their loved one. Visit http://lighthousenetwork.org/stepping-stones/ to read the devotionals and sign up to receive them daily via email. To listen to the radio short features, visit http://lighthousenetwork.org/ln-radio-short-features/. For more information on Lighthouse Network, visit www.LighthouseNetwork.org or call the Lighthouse Network Addiction and Counseling Helpline toll-free at 877-562-2565.

Commentary: What Foundations Can Do to Fight the Opiate Epidemic

By Ann Barnum | November 6, 2012 | 1 Comment | Filed in Community Related,Funding, Healthcare & Prescription Drugs


Foundations can play a vital role in battling the epidemic of opiate overdoses. Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States, while heroin use is also on the rise in communities around the country. In addition to funding, some foundations have the expertise to provide technical assistance and can bring together communities and policymakers to devise solutions to this devastating public health problem.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the increase in unintentional drug overdose death rates in recent years has been driven by increased use of opioid analgesics. Since 2003, more overdose deaths have involved opioid analgesics than heroin and cocaine combined. For every unintentional overdose death related to an opioid analgesic, nine persons are admitted for substance abuse treatment, 35 visit emergency departments, 161 report drug abuse or dependence, and 461 report nonmedical uses of opioid analgesics.

One of the major roles foundations can play in the opiate epidemic is to support grassroots prevention efforts. We can fund drug take-back programs, providing money for disposal units for hospitals and police stations and anywhere else communities feel they need such units. We can also sponsor education for patients about what do with unused medicines.

We can encourage prescribers to use their state’s prescription monitoring program, which are designed to prevent “doctor shopping” for opiates. These databases are used to monitor the prescription and disbursement of prescription drugs designated as controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The program allows physicians and pharmacists to log each filled prescription into a state database to help medical professionals prevent abusers from obtaining prescriptions from multiple doctors.

In addition, we can promote screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) programs. While basic SBIRT services may be funded by insurance, foundations can provide technical assistance, by educating physicians, medical staff and counselors about how to work together to implement these programs in a medical practice or a hospital.

Needle exchange programs are another area where foundations can have a large impact on opiate abuse. These programs are a powerful, yet relatively inexpensive, way to reduce harm from injection drug use. One of the most common health consequences of injection drug use is endocarditis, or inflammation of the inner lining of the heart chambers. One heart valve replacement costs at least $250,000, while an entire needle exchange program generally costs between $50,000 and $60,000 per year.

Foundations can also advocate for the wider use of naloxone (Narcan). Naloxone is carried by ambulances to reverse overdoses. It saves lives. In some states it is available to be administered by trained members of the general public who might be present when an overdose occurs. We can fund community-based distribution programs and the advocacy and education efforts needed to change laws so that naloxone is more widely available.

In addition to backing new initiatives, foundations can foster effective implementation of laws such as the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). This federal law requires insurance companies to treat mental illness and substance use disorders no differently than other medical conditions. The law applies to employer-sponsored health plans with 50 or more employees and Medicaid managed care plans.

Under the law, plans are not mandated to offer addiction and mental health benefits, but if they offer such benefits, they must do so in a non-discriminatory manner. That means a plan must have the same co-pays, deductibles and annual and lifetime caps on medical/surgical benefits and mental health/addiction benefits covered by the plan. We can fund monitoring, public education and evaluation efforts to make sure this act is implemented in our states.

Finally, foundations are in a perfect position to assist existing treatment programs in implementing evidence-based treatment practices and to build their capacity. Many programs are interested in adding medication-assisted therapies to their current programs but do not have the processes, policies, or staff to do this work. Foundations can provide the needed start-up funds and sustainability technical assistance that these agencies need to embrace new practices and more clients.

With everyone focused on the economy, foundations have a powerful argument for focusing on substance use disorders. If we can prevent and treat substance use disorders, we help can get extraordinarily high substance-abuse related costs in the criminal justice, medical and foster care systems under control. Foundations cannot supplant government funding for these programs, but we can help our communities figure out the smartest ways to address these problems. We can bring issues into sharper focus and help our communities find new and different ways to fight the opiate abuse epidemic.

Ann Barnum is Senior Program Officer, Substance Use Disorders at The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. She works with organizations throughout the Foundation’s 20-county service area to develop innovative programs that deal with substance use disorders.

SERENITY HOUSE NJ

About
Residential Sober Living Houses
MissionThe Hansen Foundation's mission is to obtain and distribute funds for scientific, educational and charitable purposes, specifically to address substance abuse treatment, affordable sober-living housing and to encourage the continuum of care in the field of chemical addiction.
DescriptionThe Serenity Houses and The Randy Scarborough House provide a comfortable, affordable, drug and alcohol free environment for people who are transitioning back to the community and learning to live responsible lives.

Nearly 100% of Serenity House alumnae have successfully maintained sobriety. Parents who have lost their children due to addiction find the support they need to change their lives and regain custody of their children.

Serenity House is a division of The Hansen Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.



Basic Info
Opened 2007
Location P.O. Boc 1020, Cologne, New Jersey 08213


Contact Info
Email info@serenityhousenj.org
Website http://www.serenityhousenj.org

CHIP IN

"What do I do now?" I don't know how many times I've heard that question, Joseph. I run the Partnership at Drugfree.org's toll-free helpline for parents; and every single day, moms and dads call me when they have nowhere else to turn. Our helpline provides personal, tailored, non-judgemental support for parents in need. Since we launched the Medicine Abuse Project, we've had a huge spike in helpline calls about medicine abuse. But due to funding shortfalls, we can only keep it open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. We want to expand the hours of our vital parents' helpline. Can you chip in $25 to make sure every parent has somewhere to turn?  Parents call our helpline for many reasons. Some of them have found their kids' drugs. Some are worried because their kids are hanging with the wrong crowd. Some have kids who are about to go into treatment. But no matter what leads them to ask "What do I do now," I make sure they never have to answer that question alone. Help us reach more parents. Please donate $25 to help us expand our helpline: http://my.drugfree.org/expanded-hours  Jerry Otero Parent Support Specialist The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Recovery from the disease of addiction is possible!   Save the Date! But in the event you cannot attend, order your ornament now and we will place it on the tree for you

ORNAMENTS AND DEDICATIONS Think about those you know whose lives have been affected by alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. To honor them with an ornament and personal dedicationmessage click HERE, thenclick Store, Tree of Hope (above the calendar) and select from several options including        Note that one option is to  underwrite stars so those unable to afford them can dedicate an ornament on the tree. We will arrange that. Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. MUSIC MUSIC will be provided by Cordus Mundi  Cordus Mundi is an a cappella group that performs throughout the Bucks County region. Their widely varied and entertaining repertoire spans several centuries and musical styles. Click here for Cordus Mundi 22nd Annual Dedication Ceremony Wednesday, December 12 6:30 pm  Bucks County Courthouse Lobby 55 East Court Street, Doylestown (Park in the VIP Parking Lot at Court & Broad Streets  or use street parking)   Join us for an evening of hope and dignity. Enjoy fellowship, music, personal testimonials and light refreshments. The Tree of Hope CELEBRATES freedom from addiction, honoring persons successfully achieving recovery;DEDICATES rays of hope to those still struggling in the illness and those working in the field; and COMMEMORATESlives lost to this tragic and misunderstood disease.       Join us and members of the public to decorate the Tree of Hope with personalized ornaments bearing the names of people we wish to honor. Whether in commemoration and remembrance for a life lost, or in celebration and recognition for a life gained in recovery, each ornament placed on the 18-foot evergreen tree is a representation of the hope of recovery and a symbolic reminder that recovery benefits the entire community. Attendees will have special opportunities to place their dedicated ornaments on the tree during the ceremony and enjoy refreshments afterward.        If you are unable to attend, you may order an ornament and dedication and choose to have us place your ornament on the tree for you.   TO ORDER YOUR ORNAMENTS AND DEDICATION MESSAGES, PLEASE CLICK HERE, then click Store, Tree of Hope (above the calendar)  HOW WE USE PROCEEDS              Proceeds from the Tree of Hope will go toward providing Recovery Support Services to individuals and families and to supporting programs in our PRO-ACT Recovery Community Centers to help people access and sustain long-term recovery.         To make a cash donation to the Tree of Hope, please click HERE, then click Store, Tree of Hope (above the calendar) and you will see the red gift box. Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.  CONTACT     www.councilsepa.org www.councilsepa.org/programs/pro-act/

Colorado and Washington Approve Measures to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

By Join Together Staff | November 7, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related, Drugs & Legislation


Voters in Colorado and Washington approved measures to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana for recreational use, becoming the first U.S. states to do so. A similar measure in Oregon was defeated, Reuters reports. The measures allow personal possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for anyone at least 21 years old. They also permit marijuana to be sold and taxed at state-licensed stores.

The approval of the new state laws has set the stage for a potential showdown with the federal government, which classifies marijuana as an illegal narcotic, the article notes.

In Colorado, the recreational marijuana law received almost 53 percent of the vote. In Washington, early returns showed the measure was leading with 55 percent of the vote. Marijuana is already legal in Colorado and Washington for medical purposes.

In Colorado, marijuana cultivation will be limited to six plants per person. In Washington, personal marijuana plants will continue to be banned.

In September, nine former administrators of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) wrote a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, urging him to oppose the three state legalization measures. The letter stated that not opposing the measures would indicate acceptance. The former DEA officials said the measures would pose a direct conflict with federal law.

Three other states also voted on marijuana initiatives. According toCNN, a measure to legalize medical marijuana in Arkansas trailed narrowly with 89 percent of the vote in, while a medical marijuana initiative in Massachusetts was ahead by almost a two-to-one margin. In Montana, early returns showed voters agreed to make the state’s medical marijuana law more restrictive.

Half of Addiction Counselors Say It’s OK for Some Patients to Drink Occasionally

By Join Together Staff | November 5, 2012 | 4 Comments | Filed in Alcohol,Drugs & Treatment


A survey of addiction counselors finds almost half say it is acceptable for at least some of their patients to drink from time to time. The survey included 913 members of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Counselors.

About half of the counselors said they would not object if some of their clients who abuse alcohol wanted to limit their drinking, but not totally abstain, PsychCentral.com reports. That is double the number of counselors in a 1994 survey who said moderate drinking was acceptable for some clients.

The new survey found about half of counselors said moderate drug use was acceptable as an intermediate goal, while one-third said it was adequate as a final goal.

“Individuals with alcohol and drug problems who avoid treatment because they are ambivalent about abstinence should know that — depending on the severity of their condition, the finality of their outcome goal, and their drug of choice — their interest in moderating their consumption will be acceptable to many addiction professionals working in outpatient and independent practice settings,” the researchers from Bowling Green State University noted in a press release.

Counselors were less accepting of occasional substance use for clients diagnosed with alcohol or drug dependence, which is considered more severe than alcohol or drug abuse. At least three-fourths of the counselors said they would not approve of limited or moderate consumption for these clients.

“In light of this study, we suggest that clients ask about their counselor’s openness to limited or moderate consumption as an outcome goal, and that agencies acknowledge their policy regarding negotiation of outcome goals as part of informed consent,” said researcher Harold Rosenberg, PhD.

The study was published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

Ryan's Light of Hope

About
Ryan's Light of Hope is an informal non-profit organization to help people that are recovering from addiction.
MissionOur mission is to assist people in recovery from addiction with affordable housing and support after losing our son to a heroin overdose.
Company OverviewTo see more information on our organization go to, www.ryanslightofhope.org

General InformationWe bought our first Ryan House 8/2010.



Basic Info
Started June 2012


Contact Info
Phone (770) 633-5468
Email parkeraudrey13@aol.com
Website http://www.ryanslightofhope.org

Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse More Common in Boys: Study

By Join Together Staff | November 2, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs,Research & Youth


A new study suggests boys are more likely than girls to abuse over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. The study of middle school and high school students in 133 schools in Cincinnati found 10 percent said they abused over-the-counter drugs such as cough syrup or decongestants.

University of Cincinnati researchers noted this type of drug abuse can lead to accidental poisoning, seizures and physical and mental addictions.

HealthDay reports the researchers found high rates of over-the-counter drug abuse were found among both female and male middle school students, but boys had a higher risk of longtime use, compared with girls. Teens who admitted to abusing over-the-counter drugs were more likely to say they had gone to parties where the drugs were available, or had friends who abused the drugs.

Teens involved in school clubs, sports, community and church groups were less likely to report abusing over-the-counter drugs. “Findings from this study highlight and underscore OTC drugs as an increasing and significant health issue affecting young people,” Rebecca Vidourek, Assistant Professor of Health Promotion, said in a news release.
The study was presented at the American Public Health Association meeting.

Legacy Sober Living

Exclusive sober living environment in Los Angeles, with an addiction recovery program second to none.
Description
Why Legacy Sober Living

We’re often asked what sets us apart from other sober livings. We have the personal and professional experience to truly understand the issues and challenges that face someone during the "sober living" stage of recovery. We recognize that treatment is just the beginning of the journey and the willingness to continue developing sober living skills outside of treatment is cr
itical to successful recovery. There are usually external motivators in the form of consequences that lead to treatment. When the consequence motivation passes, many feel they are past the critical stage. This however isn’t the case. They need guidance, assistance and most importantly motivation to continue developing the coping skills and support systems that will ensure a productive recovery lifestyle.

We’re not part of a large corporation or treatment center. We are two individuals with recovery experience that is both personal and professional. Professional experience includes inpatient and outpatient programs, detoxes, sober coaching, relapse prevention and sober living.

We accept the disease concept of addiction and the recovery process as set forth in 12-step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. We work with addicts and alcoholics to ensure they develop a solid recovery foundation rooted in the principles and actions that have proven successful in these programs.

We believe that anyone can stay clean and sober. We have worked with many over the years and seen them embrace a recovery lifestyle and stay clean and sober. We have alumni who after multiple past attempts now have multiple years of recovery.

Alumni Participation in Legacy
"What is your success rate?" is another question we are often asked. Legacy is about community and a sense of belonging. The community continues on through our alumni. Legacy alumni, many with over five years clean and sober, are a big part of the Legacy story. The Legacy community doesn’t end when people leave. There is an open door policy so they always have a place to come back to. And they do come back. They come back to morning meditation, evening tenth step or just drop in to fellowship. We host an alumni meeting every Tuesday night where many who’ve gone through the house attend, celebrate their clean and sober milestones and share recovery with our current clients. They take the newer people out to meetings. We plan holiday parties and barbeques to ensure that not only those in our house have a clean and sober place to be, but our alumni do as well.

Our alumni have gone on to become successful, active members of society. They have gone to school, gotten jobs, reunited with family, started their own families and they come back and share their stories. They show others that it works. They bring hope and that’s what we consider success.





12079 jefferson blvd
Culver City, California 90230
Always open

Phone (310)-962-1776 or (310) 351-4990
Email contact@legacysoberlivng.com
Website http://www.LegacySoberLiving.com

Cirque Lodge

About
Cirque Lodge is a nationally recognized addiction treatment and drug rehab facility in Sundance Utah.

It offers the finest in a private and exclusive treatment experience for those struggling with addiction.
Company OverviewCirque Lodge is a private and exclusive alcohol treatment and drug rehab facility in Sundance Utah. For individuals and families seeking answers for problems with alcoholism, drug addiction or prescription drug abuse, Cirque Lodge provides a balanced and unique recovery experience.
DescriptionWe are dedicated to the effective treatment of individuals and families afflicted with the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions in a healing environment where spirituality, recovery and hope are offered in the privacy and serenity of the mountains.


General InformationFor individuals in need of care of recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction, we encourage you to call us at 1-877-99-REHAB.







Website http://www.cirquelodge.com/

Charging into Recovery – Is Cash Really a Gateway Drug?

By TRI David Festinger, PhD; Karen Dugosh, PhD; Ashley Harron | October 26, 2012 | 7 Comments | Filed in Addiction, Recovery & Treatment


A recent article published in numerous outlets announced the debut of a special credit card for recovering substance abusers.

The card, referred to as Next Step, purports to help addicts stay clean and sober by shielding them from the powerful cravings elicited by cash. The pre-paid credit card prevents the user from making purchases at liquor stores, bars, escort services, casinos, tattoo parlors, and piercing shops. It also restricts the user from making ATM cash withdrawals or receiving cash back when making purchases. The article extols the virtues of the card and refers to cash as a “gateway drug” and a trigger for substance use.

Although the field of addiction treatment is always in need of new ideas and helpful tools, it is critical that the ideas/tools be based upon sound research. The idea that “cash in hand” is a trigger for drug use has long been an area of critical debate. Common sense suggests that cash, which is used to purchase drugs, “must” be a precursor and trigger to substance use and relapse.

However, research has found limited support for this common belief. Although some research has linked the occasional receipt of large sums of money to relapse, most studies indicate that individuals who receive money while in addiction treatment use the cash for daily necessities such as bills, food, transportation and household items. Our own program of experimental research (Festinger et al., 2005; Festinger et al., 2008) as well as research conducted by Dempsey et al. (2008) and Vandrey et al. (2007) found no connection between cash payments as high as $160 and new drug use. In fact, this was true even for individuals who were no longer enrolled in treatment.

Addiction treatment, and relapse prevention more specifically, typically focus on avoiding triggers such as old neighborhoods, substance abusing friends and items associated with prior substance use. The use of cash in our society would make long-term avoidance of it highly unlikely. Even assuming that cash on hand is a threat, the use of these specialty credit cards in the short term means that recovering individuals would not be exposed to cash until they are potentially out of treatment and have less structure and support. Either way, use of these new “drug-free” cards has very real and substantial costs. Their fees, admittedly among the highest in the market, stand to cause more harm than good as they further an unfounded assumption based upon the overly paternalistic view that people who suffer from addiction cannot be trusted with money. Equally interesting are the behaviors that the card company chose to restrict. Tattoo parlors and piercing shops must also have a well-documented link to relapse. Surprisingly there was no mention of limiting card purchases on rock or rap music.

Policies and programs like this one are based upon isolated events, individual observations and broad generalizations rather than empirical data. There is no doubt that individuals who abuse drugs most often use cash to purchase drugs. But they also use their feet, bikes, cars and other forms of transportation to meet their dealers. Should we enforce transportation limits on them as well? Are cars a gateway drug? Research to date indicates that cash is not, despite case examples and anecdotal reports, a major trigger to relapse.

Learning how to live with and use cash responsibly should occur as part of treatment and not come at an additional cost to those already struggling to rebuild their lives.

The writers are members of the Section on Law & Ethics Research at the Treatment Research Institute (TRI). TRI is a non-profit research and development organization dedicated to developing and providing evidence-based solutions to the problems of substance use affecting families, schools, businesses, courts and healthcare. To learn more, visit the TRI website.

Florida Sees Drop in Deaths Caused by Prescription Drugs

By Join Together Staff | October 26, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related & Prescription Drugs

The number of prescription drug-related deaths decreased in Florida in 2011, according to a new report. Deaths related to oxycodone decreased more than 17 percent, according to The Miami Herald.

The number of deaths due to cocaine, heroin and the cancer pain medication Fentanyl increased last year, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced this week. The department released a report based on data from every medical examiner in the state.

Alcohol continued to be the most common substance found in drug-related deaths, the report found.

The decrease in prescription drug-related deaths comes as the state has worked to close down “pill mills,” pain clinics that sell pain medications to people shopping for narcotics.

Between 2010 and 2011, the number of people who died with a fatal amount of prescription drugs in their system decreased 6.37 percent. The number of people with prescription drugs in their system, which may or may not have led to their death, dropped 2.8 percent.

According to a Department of Law Enforcement news release, the drugs that caused the most deaths in Florida last year were benzodiazepines, oxycodone, methadone, cocaine, ethyl alcohol, morphine, hydrocodone and diazepam.

Web-Based Recovery Study Runs Through October 31

By Join Together Staff | October 25, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inRecovery

A web-based survey for people in recovery from an alcohol or drug problem will be available until October 31. The “What is Recovery” study is funded by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers hope the study will help dispel the stigma that those in recovery face.

The goal of the “What is Recovery” study is to develop a definition of recovery that reflects the wide range of people who say they are in recovery, or recovered, or used to have a problem but do not now, or are in medication-assisted recovery. More than 8,700 people have completed the survey so far.

The first part of the study included 238 people who completed online surveys, and 54 who completed in-depth telephone interviews. The second phase of the study contains 47 possible definitions of recovery, which were developed based on the study’s first phase. The researchers hope to reach more than 10,000 people with Phase 2 of the study, to obtain as many perspectives on their definitions of recovery as possible.

The researchers hope to answer questions such as whether recovery requires abstinence, whether someone can be “in recovery” if they are still drinking or using, and if recovery is more than just being clean and sober.

People participating in the study, conducted by the Alcohol Research Group, do not have to provide any personal identifying information. The researchers will not be able to identify participants. Answers to the web survey are confidential. To participate, you must be at least 18, and consider yourself as being in recovery from an alcohol or drug problem. Visit the “What is Recovery” website to take the online survey.

Doctor Visits for Drug or Alcohol Use Increased 70% Between 2001 and 2009

By Join Together Staff | October 23, 2012 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol,Drugs, Healthcare, Prescription Drugs, Research & Treatment


The number of doctor visits for substance use disorders increased 70 percent among American adults between 2001 and 2009, according to a new study. The increase appears to be driven in large part by prescription drug abuse, the researchers said.

The availability of effective treatment also contributed to the increase, lead researcher Dr. Joseph W. Frank of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston told Reuters. Frank estimated that 22.5 million Americans are dependent on alcohol or drugs.

The researchers analyzed data from two national surveys of physician visits, and found the number of visits involving drug or alcohol abuse or addiction rose from 10.6 million between 2001 and 2003, to 18 million between 2007 and 2009. The number of visits involving a diagnosis of opioid abuse rose almost sixfold, from 772,000 to 4.4 million.

“This finding is consistent with trends in substance use disorder-related utilization at the nation’s community health centers and emergency departments and, sadly, use of its morgues,” the researchers wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study found the number of people prescribed medications to treat substance use disorders during doctors’ visits rose from 643,000 to 3.9 million during the study period. Buprenorphine and methadone were the most commonly prescribed medications. Talk therapy was used in about 25 million patients during the same period.

Hustlers Anonymous

Money, women, guns—these are what make a street drug dealer's life so addictive. But a ghetto version of a 12-step group is offering these young men a future other than death or prison.

By Jeff Deeney  The Fix

10/14/12

“Hustlers Anonymous is a fellowship of members whose lives have become unmanageable due to the choices they have made. The only requirement for membership is the desire for a better life and a willingness to take certain suggestions. Many of us have experienced negative consequences as a result of our hustler lifestyle: incarceration, broken families, police harassment, and near death experiences. Due to the lure of the streets we have time and again chosen the seemingly easy way out over our mothers, children and our own personal freedom. If you are tired of handing over control of your life to the system, missing your children grow up, or just ready to get out of the game, then you are ready to take certain steps. Some of these may seem hard but if you are ready to gain true respect for yourself, from your family and from your community, then you are well on your way.”

So goes the Hustlers Anonymous preamble—read, in traditional 12-step style, at the start of every meeting. Printed on unadorned white paper, blotted with fingerprints photocopied into the page, it looks a mess because it’s been passed around, copied and recopied so many times. In fact, since the group’s start early this year, copies of the original have circulated to most of the drug treatment sites in Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods. Following the preamble are 10 steps:

“1. We admitted that our values have become distorted and that the streets is a game you cannot win.

2. We came to believe that the power to change is within us.

3. Made a decision to embrace the concept of faith.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. We were entirely ready to give up our old behaviors and attitudes.

6. We admitted to ourselves the harm we caused others.

7. Made a decision to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

8. Made a commitment to be honest in all our affairs, except when to do so would cause injury to others.

9. Continued to work the concept of faith in our daily lives.

10. Having gotten out of the game and experienced a productive life we pass on what we have learned.”

The origins of Hustlers Anonymous are murky, but its use spread quickly across Philadelphia this year because it helps solve an increasingly common problem facing urban drug-treatment sites: What to do with drug dealers stipulated into the substance-abuse treatment system by the courts? As probation offices and diversion programs use the drug treatment system more heavily as a way to keep nonviolent offenders with drug arrests out of prison, counselors find themselves saddled with a growing number of clients who refuse to identify as addicts and insist on qualifying themselves as hustlers.

The reach of courts into the clinical realm of drug treatment is a long, hotly debated trend with armies of friends and foes. President Barack Obama strongly backs these initiatives, claiming that they improve public health while monitoring public safety. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Criminal Justice site details the broad array of pretrial and post-conviction drug treatment–related interventions it supports. On the opposing side, there’s a chorus of voices arguing, for example, that there’s little evidence for the efficacy of such interventions and that courts shouldn’t intervene in issues of public health. Some critics say that such tinkering with the justice system is another way to not admit defeat in the War on Drugs.

Regardless of its benefits or harms, the justice system’s change in focus from incarceration to treatment has inarguably—and drastically—altered the landscape of substance abuse treatment, as users who don’t fit a typical addict profile wind up in outpatient groups. In urban settings like Philadelphia, this new type of treatment consumer is a self-described “hustler.” He’s young and typically black or Latino, was caught selling drugs like heroin and crack, and reports using heavy daily amounts of marijuana and frequently other popular hustler drugs like Xanax (an anti-anxiety prescription drug), wet (the anesthetic PCP) or codeine cough syrup.

Hustling is his best opportunity to make a decent living, the sole job available that he finds appealing, and an essential part of his personal identity.

According to treatment sites, hustlers meet the clinical definition of a substance abuser necessary to fit the criteria for placement in an outpatient group—low level, inexpensive care. And some hustlers do self-report consuming mind-boggling amounts of less harmful drugs like marijuana while working the corner: 20 or 30 blunts a day is not uncommon. But hustlers unequivocally do not see themselves as drug addicts; in fact, they find the “drug addict” description insulting. On the streets there is a social hierarchy, and those who run the corners are locally viewed as on top, those coming to the corner to cop drugs as on bottom. Hustlers resent even being near someone they used to serve.

This new mix of weed-smoking, pill-popping, crack-selling hustlers sent to groups mingling with hardcore addicts who came voluntarily off the streets has created other complications which in retrospect seem obvious and unavoidable.

“I ain’t real proud of this,” admits Fredo, a 24-year-old Latino from the Badlands barrio in North Philly who has since left the game. “I stood right outside the [drug treatment] place and served everyone in my group. I knew that wasn’t right—honestly, I regret that. Those people were trying to get help. But what was I supposed to do to eat?”

Fredo says that he was placed in drug treatment by the courts because he tested positive for Percocet and Xanax after being arrested for selling heroin. Taking pills was moderately problematic for him, he says, and impacted his hustling judgment in a way that led to his getting arrested (“I got sloppy”). But he doesn’t identify as an addict and had no difficulty abstaining from drugs in order to complete probation. But abstaining from selling drugs was another matter.

“My probation officer had me on house arrest so I was off the corner, out of the game,” Fredo says. “I was looking for work but I couldn’t find anything. How was I supposed to support my kids? So I worked where I could to make a little bread, which was on break outside [the treatment facility] during group.”

Treatment sites of course know about their potentially toxic new mix of sellers and users, and some have tried to use it as an opportunity to innovate. They are most often creating separate tracts of curriculum for court-stipulated participants, where the focus is less about drug addiction and more about the hustling lifestyle. While no hustler will admit to being a drug addict, nearly all will admit to being “addicted” to the lifestyle. Once the program is overhauled to become truly relevant to them, hustlers suddenly become very active in the treatment process.

Please Help Olivias Village

About

It takes a whole village to raise a child and it is time for my family to ask the village for help.

Description

Since December 1st my daughter Olivia has been in a long-term residential treatment center. The emotional and financial toll has been overwhelming and I am reaching out to ask everyone to help us through this!

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We will be planning a series of benefit fundraisers including some concerts and guest workshops. Please attend the events that interest you, and pass the word along.

I am still looking for anyone who can offer their creative talents or professional services, assist with planning or running events, or even prepare some catering or bake sale items to offer at them.

I am so grateful to the community for all the support and love you have given in so many forms (listening, rides to the airport, financial support, childcare for Elisha, dinners together). Thank you!!!

E-mail me at maryhart@msn.com

Keswick New Jersey

About
The purpose of America's Keswick is to model and teach Biblical victorious living in Christ Jesus, to provide an environment in which Biblical life transformation takes place and to foster active personal involvement in the local church.
Mission America's Keswick is multi-generational, cross-cultural ministry where biblical teaching leads to deeper personal relationships with Jesus Christ and transforms lives. We serve people with excellence through addiction recovery, conferences, retreats and outreach.
General InformationAmerica's Keswick is a ministry that teaches and models the Victorious Christian Life message through Addiction Recovery for men and their loved ones, through Christian Conferences, Concerts, and Events, through Training and Resources, and by providing rental facilities and service to other like-minded organizations.







601 Route 530
Whiting, New Jersey 08759-3599


Phone (800) 453-7942
Email info@americaskeswick.org
Website http://www.americaskeswick.org

“Love Hormone” Oxytocin May Block Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

By Join Together Staff | October 19, 2012 | 1 Comment | Filed in Alcohol,Research & Treatment


The hormone oxytoxin, known as the “love hormone” because of its role in social bonding, may help block symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, a new small study suggests.

Previous studies conducted in rodents have shown the hormone can block alcohol and heroin withdrawal symptoms, Time reports. If given before someone becomes addicted, oxytocin might prevent the development of tolerance and dependence, according to the magazine.

The new study, published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, included 11 people whose alcoholism produced withdrawal symptoms that were not severe enough to cause potentially life-threatening seizures.

During detox, people with alcoholism generally are given benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam) or Ativan (lorazepam), to relieve withdrawal symptoms, including seizures. People who do not suffer seizures are given the drugs as needed, so the amount of benzodiazepines they take can be used as a measure of how severe their withdrawal is.

The study found participants given oxytocin through a nasal spray needed almost five times less lorazepam, compared with those given a placebo medication. They also experienced less anxiety. Oxytocin itself is not addictive, the article notes.

The researchers say their study is the first evidence that oxytocin may block alcohol withdrawal symptoms in humans. They add the results should be considered very preliminary, because the study was so small.

NEXT G.R.A.S.P. (Grief Recovery after a substance passing) GROUP SUPPORT IN BUCKS COUNTY

NEXT G.R.A.S.P. (Grief Recovery after a substance passing) GROUP SUPPORT
meeting:

Thursday, OCTOBER 4, 2012.
Meetings: First (1) and Third (3) THURSDAY of each month

Location: Southern Bucks Community Center @ Pro Act facility 1286 Veterans Highway Bristol Pa 19007
Time: 7:OO - 8:30 pm
Dave Chairperson: Newcomers- Open Forum

Contact: Barbara Hentosh (C) 215-264-6768 H) 215-428-1637
Pro-Act 215-788-3738 dial 0 INFORMATION
e-mail: graspbuckscounty@gmail.com
FYI: Please forward to anyone who may have lost a loved one to USE, MISUSE OR ABUSE of addiction.

HOPE FOR ADDICTION IN BUCKS COUNTY RECOVERY EVENT

COACH BINGO!!

Mark your calendars for Coach Bingo to be held Friday, November 2, 2012. Doors open 6:00pm Bingo begins at 7:00pm. Tickets $30.00 (Proceeds benefit the Hope for Addiction Foundation and St. Joseph's the Worker)

Admission fee includes 1 game packet for entire night (15 games)

Additional cards and 50/50’s will be available for purchase throughout the evening. Desserts, coffee and tea provided. BYOB permitted. Additional refreshments available for purchase.

Tickets are available at St. Joseph the Worker Rectory or call 215-547-5456

DEA Focuses on Drug Distributors in Fight Against Painkiller Abuse

By Join Together Staff | October 18, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inGovernment, Legal, Prescription Drugs & Prevention


The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is focusing on drug distributors in an effort to fight prescription painkiller abuse, The New York Times reports. In the past, the agency has tried tactics including arresting doctors and closing pharmacies.

Drug distributors are now trying to limit their liability by monitoring their distribution pipeline more closely, and refusing to supply some pharmacy customers.

Earlier this year, the DEA charged drug distributor Cardinal Healthand four pharmacies with violating their licenses to sell controlled drugs. The DEA said Cardinal had an unusually high number of shipments of controlled painkillers to four pharmacies. The agency suspended Cardinal’s controlled substance license at its distribution center in Lakeland, Florida. The center serves 2,500 pharmacies in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Cardinal no longer does business with a dozen pharmacies in at least four states, the article notes. Some of the drugstores unsuccessfully sued the company to resume shipments. Cardinal’s Chairman and Chief Executive, George S. Barrett, said the company has strengthened the criteria it uses in deciding whether to sell painkillers to a pharmacy. “We had a strong antidiversion system in place, but no system is perfect,” he told the newspaper. Cardinal has created a committee that evaluates pharmacies that order large amounts of narcotic drugs.

In August, Amerisource Bergen, the third-largest drug distributor in the United States, received subpoenas from the DEA and federal prosecutors seeking information on how the company monitors for possible diversions of opioids and other drugs with high potential for abuse.

Recovery Connections Reaching The World

You were part of something incredible this month, Joseph. More than 4,000 people pledged to do their part to end medicine abuse over the last month. Even more people had their eyes opened to this serious issue through our live events and online chats. In short, you helped us spark a movement to tackle one of the worst public health problems in America today. Don't waste this opportunity. We need to spread this campaign to the rest of your neighborhood. Download the Parents360 Rx Action Toolkit, part of our acclaimed PACT360 drug awareness program, and bring our movement to your community. Ever since we began PACT360, it's changed towns and cities nationwide. It's an integrated series of programs that bring together parents, police, community leaders and everyday citizens. The Rx Action Toolkit is one of PACT360's most successful features. The Toolkit is free, and it features everything you need to turn your concern into action. You can use it to make a short, effective presentation at your school, workplace, faith group or almost anywhere else. You've already shown how much you're willing to help. So be a leader -- you'll save lives, and we'll be here to help you do it. Get the Parents360 Rx Action Toolkit right now: http://my.drugfree.org/parents360-rx-action-toolkit Thank you for helping make The Medicine Abuse Project such a success. Best, Steve Pasierb President & CEO The Partnership at Drugfree.org

While Illicit Drug Use Decreases in Cities, Prescription Drug Abuse Climbs

By Join Together Staff | October 16, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related, Drugs & Prescription Drugs


While illicit drug use has decreased in most large American cities, prescription drug abuse has climbed, according to a new study.

The study evaluated emergency room visits related to drug abuse in 11 major metropolitan areas, and some smaller urban areas, from 2007 to 2009. The researchers found illicit drug use accounted for more emergency department visits than prescription drug abuse in 2007 (26 percent vs. 20 percent), for all metropolitan areas except Phoenix.

From 2007 to 2009, emergency departments reported an 8 percent drop in visits for illicit drug abuse, while visits for prescription drug abuse rose 2 percent, HealthDay reports. In 2009, illicit drug use accounted for 28 percent of ER visits, while prescription drug abuse accounted for 22 percent.

The findings were presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

“The harsh reality is prescription drug abuse has become a growing problem in our society,” study author Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said in a news release. “We hope the results of this study will aid physicians in effectively treating patients who struggle with prescription drug abuse, as well as encourage widespread patient education about the safe use, storage and disposal of medications.”

City of Angels of NJ upcoming events

Don't Miss These Events!

Annual COA Halloween Party Saturday, October 27, 8 pm - midnight Don't miss this ghoulishly great Halloween Bash! There will be music, dancing, food and tons of fun. Come in costume or just come as your scary self! All are welcome. To watch a video of last year's Halloween party, featuring Redneck rocking the dance floor in a print dress & high heels,click here.For more details, contact CityofAngelsNJ@Hotmail.com. COA Thanksgiving Dinner Sunday, November 18, 4 pm - 7 pm  Celebrate everything we have to be thankful for at this bountiful dinner at the Dwier Center with your COA family! COA will roast the turkeys....just bring a dish to share or a few good jokes to tell! There'll be plenty of food, fun and good cheer. Live music will be provided by Facedown, a local band that is quickly building a big following. All are welcome. For more details, contact CityofAngelsNJ@Hotmail.com.

Florida Needs More Resources to Help Babies Exposed to Opioids, Experts Say

By Join Together Staff | October 15, 2012 | 2 Comments | Filed in Addiction,Community Related, Drugs, Parenting & Youth

Florida needs more resources to help the many newborns exposed to opioids, experts told a statewide task force. They said the number of such babies far exceeds the number of treatment beds available for mothers addicted to prescription drugs, and their newborns.

For example, in Duval County, Florida, 113 babies were born with neonatal withdrawal syndrome in 2010, but only 13 treatment beds were available, the Sun-Sentinel reports. These babies suffer symptoms of withdrawal, including shaking, inconsolable crying, skin rashes, vomiting and diarrhea.

Florida’s Targeted Outreach for Pregnant Women Act is severely underfunded, with just $1 million allocated, according to state Representative Dana Young, a member of the Statewide Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse & Newborns. The task force was formed by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. It is charged with defining the severity of the problem and devising solutions.

“The task force will draft a recommended policy designed to address the problem that will be sent to the legislature after the first of the year and will hopefully serve as a model for the rest of the country,” Bondi said.

Earlier this year, hospitals on the west coast of Florida reported a rise in the number of newborns exposed to opioids.

Last Door recovery Society

About
Join discussions or simply just let people know you support us, thanks
Company OverviewLAST DOOR RECOVERY SOCIETY has been providing addiction treatment and support services since 1984. Last Door has two core programs = Last Door Youth Program 14 - 18 years old and Last Door Adult Program 19 and over. as well as several adjunct programs including Last Door' Family Program.

Our core philosophy of providing abstinence based quality treatment has remained intact over the years. Level and types of services have increased over the years as we respond to community needs. Our programs continue to grow ever year, thank you for your support.

Description
LAST DOOR YOUTH PROGRAM provides long term residential treatment for male youth 14 to 18 years. We provide a healthy environment to halt the development of addictive behaviors and assist the youth to gain self esteem and a healthy peer support network.

LAST DOOR ADULT PROGRAM provides long term residential treatment for males 18 and older. We provide an opportunity for them to overcome unproducti
ve habits and gain new attitudes, better values and a renewed zest for life.

LAST DOOR FAMILY PROGRAMS help families get the knowledge, skills and and support that enables them to deal productively with their family members’ addiction and recovery. A sense of freedom and security is gained through interactions with other families who are dealing with the same dilemmas. Program provides services for couples, parents, co-parenting, women and peer support groups.

LAST DOOR TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAMS provides residents with transitional living residences and access to a large Alumni base that are part of a thriving recovery community. Giving residents the optimum opportunity to maintain long term recovery using a total abstinence model.

Please visit www.lastdoor.org for more information about Last Door and donate to the "Continuing our Legacy" Campaign.
Location 323 8th Street, New Westminster, British Columbia V3M 3R3


Contact Info
Phone (888) 525-9771
Email publicrelations@lastdoor.org
Website http://www.lastdoor.org

Injecting Painkiller Opana Can Lead to Serious Blood Disorder, FDA Warns

By Join Together Staff | October 12, 2012 | 1 Comment | Filed in Prescription Drugs


Injecting the painkiller Opana ER can lead to a serious blood disorder that can result in kidney failure or death, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday.

Opana is an opioid that contains the ingredient oxymorphone,Reuters reports. The drug is made by Endo Pharmaceuticals. Injecting Opana can cause thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, which causes clots to form in small blood vessels throughout the body. These clots limit or block blood flow to the organs, the article explains.

Opana ER is a pill meant to be taken orally. It causes the blood clotting disorder only when it is abused by being crushed and injected intravenously, according to the FDA. The pill has an extended-release design, but crushing it releases the drug all at once.

Law enforcement officials are alarmed by the rise of Opana abuse, which they said started after OxyContin was changed in late 2010 to make that drug more difficult to snort or inject for a heroin-like high. OxyContin is a brand of oxycodone.

Opana abuse can be deadly because it is more potent, per milligram, than OxyContin and users who are not familiar with how strong it is may be vulnerable to overdosing.

Endo Pharmaceuticals has announced it is reformulating the drug. The pill will be more difficult to crush, and will turn gooey if liquid is added to it. Opana is prescribed for chronic back pain, as well as pain related to cancer and osteoarthritis.

Tennessee Officials Study Drug-Testing Programs for Welfare Recipients in Other States

By Join Together Staff | October 11, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related, Drugs & Legislation

Tennessee state officials are studying drug-testing programs for welfare recipients in six other states, as they shape their own program, The Tennessean reports.

Earlier this year, the state legislature passed a law that mandates drug testing for welfare recipients. The state’s Department of Human Services has until January 2014 to finalize a plan. Department Commissioner Raquel Hatter reported to two legislative committees that her agency is studying similar programs in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma and Utah, to gain insight into how they have implemented their policy, and any obstacles they have faced.

The Tennessee law requires drug testing for any welfare applicant with a prior drug conviction or anyone who raises suspicion based on a screening. Human services officials must consult with drug treatment experts to set up a screening program to establish reasonable cause for drug testing of welfare applicants.

Arizona’s program, in place since 2009, requires adult applicants to fill out a three-question statement on illegal drug use. They must submit to drug testing if their answers provide a reasonable cause. In Florida, 108 adults out of 4,000 applying for welfare benefits who took a drug test failed. Florida’s law has been challenged in federal court.

Georgia has passed a drug-testing law for welfare recipients, but put implementation on hold until the Florida case has been resolved, the article notes.

Under all six state laws, a person who fails a drug test is ineligible for benefits for a defined period of time, between one month and three years. In most of the states there is a provision that reduces that period if the person enters a drug rehabilitation program, according to the newspaper.
By Join Together Staff | October 11, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed inCommunity Related, Drugs & Legislation

Tennessee state officials are studying drug-testing programs for welfare recipients in six other states, as they shape their own program, The Tennessean reports.

Earlier this year, the state legislature passed a law that mandates drug testing for welfare recipients. The state’s Department of Human Services has until January 2014 to finalize a plan. Department Commissioner Raquel Hatter reported to two legislative committees that her agency is studying similar programs in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma and Utah, to gain insight into how they have implemented their policy, and any obstacles they have faced.

The Tennessee law requires drug testing for any welfare applicant with a prior drug conviction or anyone who raises suspicion based on a screening. Human services officials must consult with drug treatment experts to set up a screening program to establish reasonable cause for drug testing of welfare applicants.

Arizona’s program, in place since 2009, requires adult applicants to fill out a three-question statement on illegal drug use. They must submit to drug testing if their answers provide a reasonable cause. In Florida, 108 adults out of 4,000 applying for welfare benefits who took a drug test failed. Florida’s law has been challenged in federal court.

Georgia has passed a drug-testing law for welfare recipients, but put implementation on hold until the Florida case has been resolved, the article notes.

Under all six state laws, a person who fails a drug test is ineligible for benefits for a defined period of time, between one month and three years. In most of the states there is a provision that reduces that period if the person enters a drug rehabilitation program, according to the newspaper.