Recovery Works

Treatment for non-violent offenders – Smart on crime at long last

2012-01-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

Governor Chris Christie deserves praise for making sentencing reform a central issue in his State of the State. Known for flexing his political muscle, the Republican governor put his bully pulpit to the best possible use in saying the time has come to be smart on crime.

The governor was both firm and caring in his call for providing treatment for non-violent drug offenders instead of putting them in prison. His speech on January 17 insisted that the lives of non-violent offenders are not to be discarded. He said, “We want to help you, not throw you away. We will require you to get treatment. Your life has value.” These lives, as all lives, he said, are worthy of redemption.

He demonstrated he understands addiction to be a disease that exempts no one, that “touches nearly every family” in the state. Denial of having a drug or alcohol problem, he said, has kept many offenders from entering drug court, so his proposal removes the possibility of their opting for a prison term, which would likely see them released only to return to the drug use, crime and re-arrest.

The proposal is large scale, with the governor urging a “transformation” of the way we deal with “drug abuse and incarceration in every corner of New Jersey.” It would expand drug courts to every county in the state, affecting approximately 7,000 non-violent drug offenders.

The governor noted that for many serving prison sentences, drug addiction was the “underlying” problem, the root of the crimes they committed. The numbers bear this out: Slightly less than 30 percent of New Jersey’s prisoners are incarcerated due to a base offense involving drugs and 81 percent have an addiction according to a report by the Urban Institute. Furthermore, the recidivism rates for drug court are very low when compared with the rates for people coming out of prison: 8 percent for drug court graduates as opposed to 67 percent for the general prison population. Studies show that treatment can cut addiction in half, reduce criminal activity by up to 80 percent, reduce arrests up to 64 percent, reduce recidivism by 53 percent and help reclaim thousands to live as responsible parents, taxpayers, and law-abiding citizens.

With the budget in mind, Gov. Christie noted that treating offenders with a drug problem is two-thirds less expensive than imprisoning them. At his town hall meeting in Irvington on January 19, he said the annual cost of incarcerating someone convicted of a non-violent drug crime was $39,000, whereas having that person treated through drug court for one year would be 12,000.

Recognizing the political challenges that will accompany this undertaking, the governor asked the Legislature and the Chief Justice to join him in making it a reality. He has a ready legislative partner in Senator Raymond Lesniak, a Democrat. The senator has a package of bills that would expand drug court, among other reforms, which he discussed at a State House press conference on January 23.

A related area of concern is what becomes of those who graduate from drug court. To complement drug court, the state must put in place reentry programs and policies that help offenders leave behind the circumstances that in many cases contributed to their involvement with drugs. It is crucial, therefore, to remove barriers to employment and education, and Christie and Lesniak have both considered these matters in their reentry proposals.

It was striking that Gov. Christie stressed the human cost of imprisoning people with alcohol or drug problems. He said that everyone deserves a “second chance” and maintained that “no life is disposable.” The governor, whose forceful demeanor is so often at the forefront, in this case showed strength of a different sort. It may well take a conservative of his standing to see sentencing reform through. For the thousands for whom treatment will help them break the cycle of drug use and crime, and for all New Jersey residents, it is surely heartening to see signs of sound policy carrying the day over partisan norms.

Dan Meara

NCADD-NJ Public Information Manager

Stigma alive and well...

2011-07-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

Twelve young adults from Hamilton Township were killed over the last two years by a deadly affliction. What disease did these individuals fall prey to? Was it HIV? Leukemia? Was it some rare form of cancer? Would it surprise you to know that it was none of the above, that in fact these individuals all died directly or indirectly from the disease of addiction? That’s 12 families who endured an irreparable loss, 12 lives cut short, their potential unfulfilled.

An opportunity to save some of these lives was lost last month when the Zoning Board in Lawrence Township denied a variance request that would have allowed Sunrise, LLC, to operate a drug and alcohol detoxification center on the property owned by developer John Simone. Lawrence had a chance to shine as a beacon of hope for those throughout the state with an addiction. Instead they were paralyzed by fear of something they didn’t understand.

According to a study by Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration (SAMSA), the number of deaths in New Jersey attributable to alcohol and drugs during a five year period of time was just shy of 14,000. This number averages out to approximately 2,750 deaths per year. New Jersey is one of eight sites nationally trying to reduce this number through the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap Campaign-NJ (for more information on this initiative, visit www.ncaddnj.org)

Until addiction is viewed as a “real” disease, not just in the medical profession or treatment and recovery communities but by society at large more of our young people will pay the ultimate price. Wasted assets, potential unrealized, futures lost- the impact on our communities has been devastating. Our next great doctor, lawyer, writer, musician or professional may be lost as a casualty to this disease. That’s right I said doctor or lawyer! The stereotype of a bum living under a bridge little resembles what an addict looks like, nor does the portrayal of the addict seen throughout these hearings, a caricature straight out of a horror film. To see what an addict looks like, all you need do is look around your office, your gym, your church or your child’s school. Better yet, you don’t even have to look that far, just look into a mirror - your reflection just may reveal the single greatest truth about this disease, which is that addiction can affect anyone.

Addiction is a public health crisis that impacts all of us in one way or another. The problem is that most view it as a criminal justice issue. It is this kind of mentality that was the genesis for the war on drugs. This war has gone on for 40 years and has failed miserably, coming at a great cost to our nation in both dollars and lives. National studies show that 1 in 10 are struggling with addiction. How many people do you know- family, friends, coworkers- that are impacted by it? It doesn’t discriminate based on color, gender, sex or where you live!

The case in Lawrence ultimately hinged on whether the detox center would be inherently beneficial to the community. The board ruled that it was not. New Jersey Legislation defines an “inherently beneficial use” as a use that is universally considered of value to the community because it fundamentally serves the public good and promotes the general welfare. It is hard to imagine anything that serves the public good and promotes the general welfare more than a facility whose main purpose it is to get people clean and sober. The positive impacts to the community are substantial because each recovering addict is one less person that the community has to support in the form of public assistance or other entitlement programs. A detox program is not merely inherently beneficial to its community, it is vitally necessary.

You may find abhorrent the behaviors that are associated with the disease of addiction. Many a crime has been committed in the procurement or distribution of narcotics, and without a doubt there needs to be an accounting by the addict for his/her actions. But these are human being who deserve a chance to get better and right the wrongs they have committed, and detox is the first step in that process.

You may be asking what can I do or how does any of this affect me? Simple, get armed with the facts. There are a lot of excellent resources out there. Educate yourself before you form an opinion or judgment about someone struggling with this malady. Contact your local municipal alliance. Talk to people that have knowledge on the subject.

One of the themes heard again and again at the eight months of hearings in Lawrence was “we don’t want ‘these people’ in our back yards … We would not feel safe nor would our children feel safe with ‘these people’ getting help in our backyards.” These people! What would happen if ‘these people’ included your husband, your mother or your sister? What would happen if it was your child who needed help? Wouldn’t you want them to be able to receive help as close to home as possible? If they broke a bone or suffered a heart attack, it would be ridiculous to expect them to drive to another county to receive help? Why should it be any different for someone suffering from the disease of addiction? Here is one final thought: if not in our backyard, than whose?

By: Thomas D. Allen Jr.

2011-04-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

“You are on the right path”- A tribute to Carolyn Hadge

Many of us are saddened to hear of the recent passing of an amazing friend and advocate, Carolyn Hadge of Tom’s River NJ. Carolyn was part of NCADD-NJ’s inaugural leadership class and participated in the program as recently as a week before her passing.

Carolyn was the one of the best natural advocates I have ever met in terms of speaking out to better assist others in need of supports for their addiction. I say this because when she spoke, it was from the heart and the genuineness of her words was impossible to miss.

When I heard the news of her passing, naturally I began thinking of the impact she had made in my life over a relatively short amount of time. I offer a number of recent conversations I had with Carolyn so we may remember her work and be reminded of why we continue to help others as advocacy leaders. I called Carolyn on the phone three weeks ago. Always willing to help others, she would often begin our conversations with the same statement.

Carolyn: “Aaron! What can I do for you!?”

Aaron: “First, you can turn your music down! What’s all that racket in the background?” I joked.

Carolyn: “Oh Aaron, It’s my Jazz!”

Aaron: “Are you hosting the Great Gatsby tonight?”

Carolyn: “I’m not that old!”

It is true. Carolyn was the youngest 75 year old woman I had ever met. She was as encouraged and motivated by seeing younger people get involved in advocacy (as well as teaching her students) as I was by her own passion and drive to continue to fight for what she knew in her heart to be right at the age of 75.

She was always willing to help.

Just a few weeks ago I sat on a bench with Carolyn in the State House halls as she waited to tell her story to the General Assembly. Over 50 young people in treatment were there at the State House that day to visually show solidarity and relay a simple message. That people in recovery give back to their communities, families and others when given the support they need.

Carolyn: “I get so excited to see you younger folks get involved.” She said. “Riley Regan and I, we are part of the old school, so I get happy when I see you and all these people on the right path”

Aaron: “Don’t worry Carolyn, they still make them like they used to”

We talked briefly about treating addiction as a chronic disease and how recovery is a process that should be supported over time, and ultimately allows people the opportunity to give back in full to others.

Carolyn: “It is the way it should be isn’t it? But people are afraid of change sometimes. Don’t you find that to be true?”

Aaron: “I do. We need to build each individual’s recovery capital, everyone is so different. It is so hard to measure and I think people underestimate just how much people can give back once they are in recovery. That’s why we do what we do isn’t it?”

Carolyn: “I like how you talk”

Shortly after, while the elevator doors were closing, Carolyn gave me a wink and instead of saying good bye she simply repeated

“You are on the right path!”

Those were the last words I heard Carolyn say. How fitting.

Six simple words that offer the reassurance and hope that we all need to hear once in a while.

I share this story because I know a number of the NCADD-NJ leaders work tirelessly, and advocate even though they have busy lives. It is understood, and sometimes, we just need to be reminded that we are on the right path, and there will always be something to fight for as long as there is that feeling that something just isn’t right, and we are able to help.

You know that someone is leaving a legacy behind when their sudden passing motivates you to want to do more for others, and that is exactly what I think we will remember Carolyn for.

Aaron: “Thank you Carolyn.”

Aaron Kucharski is NCADD-NJ’s Advocacy Trainer

The Madness Had to Stop

2011-03-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie recently got to the crux of the issue of drug addiction and crime, one being inseparable from the other. Ms. Christie was compelled to try to so something. “This reentry thing is what grabbed me,"she said, "because the rate of recidivism was terrible. The fact that these kids – now adults, really – are going right back into a prison population – the madness had to stop.” Madness indeed. If insanity is doing the same thing time and again and expecting a different result, it would be hard to find a better example of it than what we have seen in two generations of drug war sentencing policies. These policies have left in their wake countless derailed lives and billions of misspent dollars.

It is maddening, and terribly sad, when you consider how many sentenced on drug-related crimes, often little more than children when they first got in trouble with the law, have had their youth devoured in prison. And once they have a criminal record and have drug problems that go unaddressed, many released from prison stand a strong chance of returning there. Data show the percentage of inmates whose crimes were related to drugs use is 81 percent, with 60 percent of inmates are rearrested within three years of their release, and half are re-incarcerated, each at a cost of just under $50,000 per year.

Ms. Christie’s husband said, “Anything that we can do to reclaim lives that can be lost to drug abuse and prison would be a great thing to do on a humanitarian level. Secondly, it’s certainly an economic factor. If we can turn these people from being economic drains into productive citizens, it’s great for the economy.” With his bully pulpit, the governor should consider putting the might of his office to help turn these words into action.

Expansion of drug courts and a new measure proposed in the New Jersey Legislature both take aim at drug use as the root of so much crime. Drug courts have already proved a great success in the state in referring certain offenders to treatment, which in turn has significantly reduced recidivism. Likewise, the legislative proposal deals with the core problem of drug use by cutting an inmate’s sentence by two years in exchange for participation in a program that begins six months before release and continues two years after. No one should regard either Drug Courts or the legislation as easy outs; they have demanding regimens that do not appeal to all eligible inmates.

Mary Pat Christie made no guarantee but said she would have her husband’s “ear on this” issue. We know the governor recognized the importance of addiction treatment from his having served on the board of directors of Day Top, a New Jersey treatment facility for youth. We also know that he has put the state’s fiscal health above all else. It happens that broadened use of drug courts and other measures to increase treatment of non-violent drug offenders would allow him to use public dollars in a far more productive way as he helps more citizens return to productive lives. On top of that, he can make his wife happy. It’s hard to imagine a more compelling set of circumstances.

Identity to one's cause

2010-11-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

After hosting the NCADD-NJ 2010 Advocacy Leadership Conference, which was held on October 1st and 2nd, I couldn’t stop thinking about all of the different reasons of why this year’s class decided to apply and come together for a weekend of educational value and skill building.
I remember going through the selection process for this year’s leadership class and thinking how impressive this group was on paper, and being eager to meet the 2010 leaders in person. After the conference, getting to know the new leaders was a pleasure and I was even more impressed with everyone.
The diversity in background was tremendous.
Professionals looking to further their education on the issues most affecting the lives in their communities. Nurses, educators, providers, prevention specialists were among the professionals in this year’s class.
Some were there as people in recovery, looking to find a way to give others what they had attained through a life in recovery. Others were family members who lost loved ones to addiction, looking to fill a void and speak for those who are unable to do so themselves.
When introducing myself to this year’s leaders during the welcoming remarks on October 1st, I made a point to talk about looking at this as a growing grassroots advocacy movement.
I reminded this year’s participants that all advocacy movements share two defining characteristics. Leaders involved with civil rights, women’s rights, gay equality rights, voting rights, and environmental rights, for example, share a commonality that each:
1. Took progress and patience while winning step by step, and
2. Required those who were being discriminated against, or socially oppressed to speak out about injustice and inequality.
The 2008-2010 leader classes, who total 80 members, are at the core of the movement for addiction treatment and the fight against stigma.
One of the first things we did at the conference was give the attendees an opportunity to share with the other leaders why they were there. We talked about identity to a cause as I shared a quote from President Woodrow Wilson:
“Absolute identity with one's cause is the first and great condition of successful leadership.”
While the diversity of the conference was impressive, all of these leaders had something in common. They were motivated to be there.
Listening to the leaders’ reasons for why applying to the program, I was reminded of a story from my past that was instrumental in my own work as an advocate for a number of causes over the years.
When I was just 17 years old, I met a woman by the name of Lois Gibb. I met Lois at a conference being held in Elmer, New Jersey. At the time, I had been working for an environmental cause going door to door through rain and winter conditions in New England for several years on environmental issues. The work was tiring, and I needed a reminder of why I chose to do the work I was doing at the time.
Lois Gibb is an environmental activist who gained national attention in the late 70s and early 80s when she discovered that her 7 year old son’s elementary school had been built over a toxic waste dump. Upon further investigation, it was found that her entire community, known as Love Canal, in New York had been built over the toxic dump. The illnesses within the community and rate of learning disabilities in children in her community were staggering.
She talked to the conference I was attending about the challenges she had to overcome. The fear of speaking out, standing up for what is right, and having the courage to knock on her neighbors doors to discuss her concerns and organize her community.
In fact, Lois Gibb explained that the first time she thought she had the courage to go up to that first neighbor’s door she did not have the strength to see it through - she went to go and knock on the door, but fear overcame her, she hesitated and walked away.
She tried again, unsuccessfully.
After a number of failed attempts to make that first step, she brought her son with her to knock on that first door, which was the first step to leading her neighbors into a battle with local, state, and the federal officials that led to 833 families eventually being evacuated and the area beginning to be cleaned up. This led to the creation of the national Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund, which is used to locate and clean up toxic waste sites throughout the country.
Lois Gibb knocked on a door, and then another.
All of this was a result of Lois’s identity with her cause and willingness to stand up for her son, herself, and her community members. This story is one I often think of when I stop to think about why I personally have continued to do work that supports the needs of others.
The initial feeling of being alone in your cause is common in all. That feeling, that something just isn’t right, but what can I really do about it. I can’t possibly have enough impact.
The Advocacy Leadership Program continues to prove that we are not alone in the fight for others.
We know that people continue to die from addiction, crime is committed as a result of addiction that strains communities, non-violent drug offenders are receiving prison sentences with no help for the root cause, putting an enormous burden on tax payers and our prison system, and only 55,000 of the estimated 805,000 residents in New Jersey seeking treatment actually received it. Of the 805,000 residents in need of treatment only 7% we able to get help. The other 93% also need to be fought for, and the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap-NJ Advocacy Leaders know that.
Nearly 80 leaders have taken part in the Advocacy Leadership Program in the past three years, which now has trained leaders in 33 out of New Jersey’s 40 Legislative Districts. This has been a process that will continue to till the soil for leader and legislative successes in years to come.
It is through the leaders’ collective strength that the Advocacy Leadership Program has been and will continue to be a driving grassroots force to put a face and a voice on New Jersey’s most pressing addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery issues.
Each leader has the same driving passion that Lois Gibb had, and the accomplishments and success of the Advocacy Leadership Program will be the result of this motivation and courage.
Leaders are currently broken down into Regional Advocacy Teams that will meet regularly to educate their communities, elected officials and policy decision makers. For more on the Advocacy Leadership Program, go to the Advocacy Leadership Page on NCADD-NJ’s website linked below.
http://ncaddnj.org/page/Advocacy-Leader-Program.aspx
-Aaron Kucharski is NCADD-NJ’s Advocate Trainer and can be reached at akucharski@ncaddnj.org

The greats are no different when it comes to addiction

2010-10-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

A recent column by New York Times Sports Columnist George Vecsey (Home runs and demons for Hamilton and Mantle) examines the lives of Mickey Mantle and the Texas Rangers Josh Hamilton. The article looks at how each of their lives and careers were marked by addiction (Mantle’s with alcohol, Hamilton’s with cocaine) and contrasts the attitudes of the times in which they lived and played.

Certainly, much has changed with respect to addiction in both attitudes and science. Yet some telling slips of language reveal that while much has changed in the nearly half century that separates their careers, much has not: Vecsey writes of Hamilton’s “raging weaknesses” that nearly took him “all the way down.” He adds that Hamilton was given “the ammunition to stave off the desires.” Later in the article, Vecsey writes of the bad company Mantle kept, namely teammate Billy Martin, but he then adds, “Mantle knew he had himself to blame.”

In calling Hamilton’s cocaine problem a weakness and a desire and in saying Mantle was to blame, Vecsey reinforces the idea that addiction is a matter of choice and that one’s will can overcome it. Anyone who has been addicted or has had a family member in the grips of alcohol knows too well that a person cannot will himself/herself out of addiction.

With the help of faith, Hamilton appears now to be in stable recovery. A combination of faith and friendship helped Mantle ultimately become sober. But Vecsey notes that Mantle carried “shame and sadness” to the end of his life in the public eye. Mantle may have felt shame until his final days, but by emphasizing that rather than the possibility that he may have gained some measure of peace in his sobriety, the column suggests humiliation is an inescapeable albatross for people in active addiction and in recovery.

Vecsey’s article is meant as a sympathetic portrayal of the similarities as well as the differences in the lives of two outstanding players, two men whose athletic prowess offered no immunity to addiction. In fact, their stature and celebrity clearly played a part in making them feel invincible, which in turn began their problems with alcohol and drugs. Before long, they were in the hold of something they were not going to break free of on their own. Personal weakness was not at the root of their problems, nor was individual strength or determination the source of their recovery.

2010 Recovery Walk and Rally

2010-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

The City of Brotherly Love most certainly lived up to its name the weekend of September 25. I had the privilege of attending the national recovery walk and rally held at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, Pa. Recovery Walk 2010 was part of the National Recovery Month’s celebration of recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs, held each September. The greater Philly walk was the national hub for all Recovery month events around the nation. The weather was perfect - bright and, sunny, which seemed to reflect the mood of most in attendance-- the currency of the day being primarily hugs and smiles and a spirit of celebration. Before and after the walk there was a rally where dignitaries and a few celebrities gave speeches to a captivated audience. Among the key speakers were Mayor Nutter (Philadelphia), Gil Kerlikowske (National Director Office of Drug Control Policy), who read a proclamation from President Obama , and famous actor Christopher Kennedy Lawford, to name just a few. The number of people who came together to celebrate was awe -inspiring. In attendance were persons in long-term recovery, their family members and allies in addiction treatment and prevention fields, faith-based community members, and mutual support fellowships. It was the perfect demonstration of the collaborative effort that has become an integral part of the national growing recovery movement. It was amazing to see so many people come together from so many different paths to celebrate recovery. I spent most of the day listening to messages of hope, inspiration and love. It truly was a celebration of recovery. The announced number of those in attendance was upwards of 11,000. What follows is a sampling of viewpoints about the day and recovery in general. After all that’s what the recovery movement is all about, the people whose lives have been affected by addiction and recovery.

Helen Maloney is the owner of Freedom House, a halfway house for women, located in Levittown Pa. Maloney, in recovery for 12 years, had this to say about the event, “This is such a positive reinforcement that recovery is possible…it shows how prevalent this thing is, everybody knows someone affected by it — we come here from all walks of life and we do succeed in our recovery.” Through her work, Maloney sees firsthand that recovery is a reality and still keeps in touch with some of her former clients who now have eight and nine years sober.

There was so much positive energy at the walk that it was palpable. It really was a feel-good day. One of those contributing to this energy was Brenda Hicks, 21 years in recovery. Ms Hicks thinks that “society has a certain way that they see addicts…but here you see all these clean, bright, happy faces, strong faces ready to walk- it’s a wonderful thing. There is so much positive energy here.”

Another person who had an inspiring message was Elves Rosato. Mr. Rosato, is 18 years in recovery, and works at a counselor at CADE kids. He pointed out that at this rally we were in fact “celebrating change” and conveyed to me a story about a child he once worked with who told him “you still saw me as a human being even when I was at my worst.” Rosato believes it is his mission and job to “take the ugliness out of the disease and to see the addicted individual as a person.” What a testament to the love and compassion of the dedicated professionals who work in this field.

The idea of change seemed to be another recurring message echoing throughout the day. Dave from Trenton, 17 years in recovery, has been attending the Philadelphia Recovery celebration for years. “Seeing this many people together in recovery is awesome…the public gets to see all these people here today…the same people who used to rob and steal from them, they get to see them as changed human beings who deserve a chance, it shows that we do recover!”

Unfortunately, the concept of change and recovery is ellusive for some and the consequences are dire. One of the tragic stories that I heard was of Anthony Ditullio. Anthony died from an overdose in 2006. Mike and Stacy from Folcroft, Pa., were attending the rally and walking in honor of Anthony. Mike was amazed at how big the event was and thought “more awareness will definitely reduce the stigma attached to addiction.” He believes Anthony’s legacy will live on through those affected by his tragic death, people who continue to support the cause of recovery.

That the challenge of stigma towards addiction remains is hardly in dispute. It was embodied at the Rally by one attendee’s reservations about choice in use of illicit drugs. The view was expressed by Brian Cassidy , who attended the event in support of his sister, Laurie, who has been in recovery for 28 months after becoming addicted to prescription drugs. During his sister’s active addiction, Brian felt a great deal of resentment towards her, largely stemming from how her actions had disrupted their family. As she entered treatment and recovery, she gradually won back his trust. Brian said he could forgive Laurie’s addiction to prescription drugs, but could not imagine how anyone could use cocaine or heroin and not expect to become addicted. There is still a long way to go in removing this type of thinking, but events like these will certainly further that cause.

These are just a few of the voices from the many individuals that make up the recovery movement. Some of their messages were tragic, some inspiring, all real. Saturday was their day, the day was about them, each and every beautiful one of them. It was their day to celebrate life and to celebrate recovery. Their voices could be heard in unity screaming loud and clear: ”We do count and we do recover!”

By: Tom Allen

Where the Recovery Community Stands in the Obama Administration

2008-12-24T06:49:00.000-08:00

What does the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America mean for the recovery community and the issues we support? What kind of effect will the state of the economy have on the priorities of the incoming Obama administration and on the goals of the new Congress? These are all valid questions worth following in the coming weeks, months and years.

Where does the recovery community stand? As many of you know, the ‘Paul Wellstone/Pete Domenici Parity Bill’ was attached to the ‘Financial Bailout Bill’ Congress passed earlier this fall and the President signed. It was a major victory for our community and the many people who need help, but what now? How will the Obama administration implement the law? Will the Obama administration be friendlier to the recovery community in terms of funding and support programs? It seems as though ‘yes’ is the answer, but the economy and the fiscal crisis in general may have something to say about it and other new ideas President-elect Obama has.

Our country faces the possibility of losing our ‘AAA’ bond rating. This would significantly impair future spending, borrowing, and basically all types of commerce and economy. It does not take much to realize what it means for the recovery community and other groups and interests vying for funds and support. The government: federal, state, and local would have to begin serious prioritizing of where, how and when to spend money.

California, like many of the states, is battling a major revenue shortfall and a budget deficit. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a series of spending cuts coupled with tax increases, among them a temporary increase in the state sales tax and an increase in the alcohol tax: a nickel per drink on beer, wine and spirits. The increase in the alcohol tax would generate $878 million to combat budget woes. The political climate in California has been tepid towards any tax increases: the governor failed to garner any Republican support for his tax increase package over the summer. The silver lining in this proposal is some of the funds will be dedicated to alcohol related issues, according to the Marin Institute.

NCADD-NJ was at the forefront of a similar policy debate, here in New Jersey, in the spring of 2006. A strong grassroots movement, the Just a Nickel campaign, was instituted to advocate for raising New Jersey’s alcohol tax to raise revenue for treatment and addiction services. This movement resulted in Governor Jon Corzine putting something more than “just a nickel” in his first budget. The Governor proposed a five cents per gallon increase on beer and a ten cents per gallon increase on wine and spirits. Ultimately, the proposal failed in the legislature, but the groundwork was laid for future endeavors.

Fast forward to today. A policy window for our issues has opened up in New Jersey. Recently, the New Jersey Senate held a hearing to look into the alcohol polices on New Jersey’s college campuses. Members of the Amethyst Initiative testified about their goals. College and university officials from across the state testified about their alcohol policies and the behaviors of their student bodies in relation to those policies.

The only thing we can be certain of as a community is that we are in a waiting game, much like the rest of the political community and America in general. As President-elect Obama formulates his cabinet and staff and as new members arrive on Capitol Hill, new policy ideas will be formulated along with new questions and the general unknown as to what will happen come January 20, 2009 and beyond.

How will the financial crisis be handled? How will the two-fronted war be resolved? Will an era of bipartisanship be ushered in like President-elect Obama campaigned for? These are questions we can ask ourselves in the coming months and years. But we do not have to sit on the sidelines and ponder this. We can be active in our local, state, and national arenas advocating and championing our causes. We can be the forefront for shaping the new American policy arena in this time.

Delighted Diners

2008-12-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

It was that time of year again: Gratitude Dinner for Friends of Addiction Recovery – New Jersey. After five consecutive years of celebrating our volunteers, it is still invigorating to do so. This year’s crowd included new leaders, a “friend” that became an employee of NCADD-NJ and the faithful that we depend on to carry the message of Friends. We were glad to entertain a group of 40 on November 22, 2008.
This year’s Recovery Month Recovery Cruise & Rally video captured Saturday, September 27 from New Jersey to New York and back to New Jersey. The film was well-received by the group. Ovations were given to those who were in the video from our group. It was good to know that one of our own, Mr. Rich Stabp was the National Delegate representing New Jersey at the New York event. We remain grateful to those who give of their time year-round to contribute to this valuable work.

Public Hearings: Stop the Incarceration Cycle

2008-11-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

ASSEMBLY MAJORITY LEADER BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN
COUNTING THE COST HEARINGS

Upcoming "Counting the Cost" hearings will be examining the cycle of arrest, incarceration, reintegration & re-entry. New Jersey Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman will host a series of public hearings aimed at the pervasive cycle of arrest, incarceration, release and re-incarceration and its impact on our economy, our families and our communities.

Schedule of Hearings

November 21, 2008
Middlesex County Hearing -"Families and Incarceration"
Date: November 21, 2008
Location: First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens
771 Somerset Street, Somerset
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Mercer County Hearing - "A Second Look at Sentencing."
December 8, 2008
Location: Shiloh Baptist Church
340 S. Howard Woodson Jr. Way, Trenton
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Essex County Hearing - "Training & Treatment"
December 11, 2008
Location: Rutgers University Newark- Paul Robeson Center
350 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. Newark
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For more information, or to testify at one of the hearings listed. Please call (609) 292-0500

Video Documents Journey from Liberty State Park to Brooklyn Bridge and Back for Addiction Recovery Month

2008-11-17T11:57:00.001-08:00

Supported by the Recovery Project and the A&E Network, this year's Recovery Cruise and Rally was extraordinary in a number of ways. Most obvious was the human bridge of recovery that spanned the Brooklyn Bridge and led into Manhattan. With the crowd of 5,000 and the spectacle of those many individuals acting in unison to demonstrate the strength of recovery, the Rally embodied the determined advocacy to have addiction accepted and treated as a disease. This video documents the journey including national, NYC metro and Friends of Addiction Recovery-New Jersey participants who made their way from Liberty State Park in Jersey City to the Brooklyn Bridge and back on Saturday, September 27, 2008.

See other highlights of the day

Rider has had one too many...

2008-10-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Another day, another news story about Rider University and its rowdy student body. This time the fireworks took place at an off campus party hosted by former members of the now defunct fraternity Zeta Beta Tau. But does it even matter? Do the details even matter? This time the police responded to an off campus event, the time before it was on campus, the time before that the same. Does it matter that a student was rushed to the hospital with a broken jaw, broken teeth and bleeding in the brain? When is enough, well, enough? As a current Rider student I wonder about this daily.

Does the school care there were around 150 students there, many of them drinking underage? Does the school care that over the last year and a half two students have died from drug and alcohol related incidents? I would hope yes, but in reality I have to say no. Sure the school made “changes.” They hired people to handle alcohol and drug related incidents. A “good Samaritan” policy was instituted to protect students when they seek medical attention for a friend who has had one too many. There is now more “university presence” in the Greek houses. They may advertise their anti-alcohol policies a little more, but nothing has really changed. I’m sorry if I sound caustic, bitter, or jaded, but the actions of these students and the subsequent responses from the University are a reflection of what I feel my Rider University degree will mean come this May, and what a degree from this so called institution of higher learning will mean for all students past and present.

Let me give you a perfect example. What do I hear when I walk into class on an average day? I hear fellow students talking about “how wasted they got the night before” or how “wicked” a party was. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the goal of higher education is not to master funneling beer or doing the most shots, it is to give you a well rounded education, concentrated on a core area. Students should be rewarded for working hard on and off campus. It should mean something to the University when students land prestigious internships or careers with Fortune 500 companies. The University should strive to foster an educational arena that isn’t competing with “Greek life” bacchanals. After all, Rider is an institution of higher learning.The campus mentality should not be “D for Degree.” Academics should be Rider University’s core focus. I have worked hard for the past three and half years to maintain a pretty respectable GPA. I have worked hard to become politically active and build a well-rounded rolodex. Not only that, but I have had a job during my entire Rider career to pay for my education. And what reward do I and my like-minded colleagues who strived to make themselves and Rider a better place get: news stories about drunken fights at house parties, blurbs in the Rider news about intoxicated guests becoming personas non grata, stories about drunken students driving across campus walkways, and repeated property damage which affects all students.

I strongly urge the administration at Rider to rethink current policy and to reprioritize and refocus the core mission of the University to make it more responsive to academic needs. Serious thought needs to be given to eliminating Greek life altogether. It may sound harsh, but there is a strong connection between the negative events that have transpired over the past year and a half and their activities on and off campus. Serious thought should be given to zero tolerance policies for violating existing alcohol and drug policies on campus.

Rider needs to do a lot to restore its academic integrity and I know that as a community, we can meet this challenge; however I do not want my degree from Rider to amount to a beer-soaked flyer announcing yet another keg party. I am sure the administration does not want such a reputation for the school. It is time school officials deal with this problem openly and firmly, that the university be known for the books and not the beer its student body consumes.

New Drug in Schools

2008-10-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

This is a new drug known as 'strawberry quick '.

There is a very scary thing going on in the schools right now that we all need to be aware of.

There is a type of crystal meth going around that looks like strawberry pop rocks (the candy that sizzles and 'pops' in your mouth). It also smells like strawberry and it is being handed out to kids in school yards. They are calling it strawberry meth or strawberry quick.

Kids are ingesting this thinking that it is candy and being rushed off to the hospital in dire condition. It also comes in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry, grape and orange.

Please instruct your children not to accept candy from strangers and even not to accept candy that looks like this from a friend (who may have been given it and believed it is candy) and to take any that they may have to a teacher, principal, etc. immediately.

Pass this information on to as many people as you can (even if they don't have kids) so that we can raise awareness and hopefully prevent any tragedies from occurring.

More information at the Juvenile Justice Commission

18 to Drink? College Presidents Stir the Pot

2008-09-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

A surprisingly hot topic lately on college campuses, and in the halls of New Jersey’s State House has been the legal drinking age. Recently, a group of college and university presidents have banded together to form the “Amethyst Initiative,” which seeks to discuss the legal drinking age in the U.S. Three college presidents in New Jersey have signed onto the initiative. While the group has been harshly criticized for its subtle advocacy of lowering the drinking age to 18, it continues to foster discussion of alcohol policy on America’s college campuses and beyond.

New Jersey Senate President Dick Codey has been the vocal leader opposed to this movement in the state. He, along with State Senator Shirley Turner, sent letters to all of New Jersey’s institutions of higher education seeking copies of their current alcohol policies. Committee hearings are planned in the fall legislative sessions.

The blogosphere in recent weeks has been on both sides of the issue. Advocates for stricter alcohol policies have been out in full force, but so have others who would like to see a substantive policy debate. The age old argument of “if I’m old enough to die for my country in a war…” has resurfaced in this discussion, for better or worse.

Don't Miss Day of Celebration in Essex County

2008-09-09T06:07:00.001-07:00

This Saturday, September 13, the Essex County Chapter of Friends of Addiction Recovery will host the 2nd annual Day of Celebration for Recovery. Starting off at 11:00 am in Irvington and sponsored in part by Irvington Mayor, Wayne Smith and the Irvington Municipal Alliance, the day will full of music and fun. Join community leaders, gospel choirs, praise dancers and other musicians in Orange Park.

Advocacy Leader Questions Candidates at Town Hall Meeting

2008-08-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

August has been a successful month for the Recovery Voices Count campaign. Among other things, Recovery Voices Count seeks to bring addiction related issues to the attention of candidates for public office here in New Jersey and around the country by asking them a series of five questions.

On August 4, 2008, Advocacy Leader Carolyn Hadge attended a town hall meeting in Ocean County with U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer and Congressional candidate for New Jersey’s third district, Chris Myers; and again attended a town hall meeting with third district candidate John Adler on August 19. Ms. Hadge was able to ask a question in front of the crowd during the first meeting, comparing spending $40 billon per year on the ‘War on Drugs’ to the savings in Ocean County from “the Ocean County Drug Court and Intensive Supervision Program.” While unable to ask a public question in the Adler town hall, Hadge was able to corral him for a moment afterwards. Adler expressed his support for treatment over the ‘War on Drugs’, as well as having a good understanding and support for enacting parity legislation.

It should be noted that advocacy leaders in and around New Jersey’s two most competitive congressional districts, the 3rd and the 7th, are in the planning stages of holding town hall meetings to brings candidates together to discuss the important issues of the recovery community and to emphasize the growing voice of the recovery community on local, state, and national issues.

For more information, return to the NCADD-NJ Election Guide web page for updated news and events.

Talk Show Host Enlightens on Addiction Recovery

2008-08-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

Talk show host Craig Ferguson speaks on his past problems as an alcoholic and gives a fresh perspective on recovery, handling the serious subject matter in an entertaining manner. He begins to speak about his recovery about 3 minutes into the video.

Sober Siblings, How to Help your Alcoholic Brother or Sister -and Not Lose Yourself

2008-07-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

I received a very nice postcard with a handwritten message today, and when it comes to direct mail, this is always a smart way to capture someone's attention. The clean and understated image of two cups of coffee with the title Sober Siblings, How to Help your Alcoholic Brother or Sister‑-and Not Lose Yourself intrigued me, and also happens to be audience appropriate. I was quite curious to go online and find out more about the book. Sober Siblings is written by New Jersey author, Patricia Olsen and is told through her personal experience, along with stories from other siblings of alcoholics, aided by the wisdom of addiction specialist Dr. Petros Levounis. Sober Siblings explores the effects of alcoholism on sibling relationships and offers practical advice on: the nature of alcoholism; feelings of shame, frustration, hopelessness, and anger; the difference between helping and enabling; setting and maintaining boundaries; co-addictions and dual diagnoses; pros and cons of family interventions; treatment options for your sibling and therapy options for you.

Hear Pat’s memories of a sobering childhood ( I found out Pat grew up in the area I live in today)

Read the Q&A

Order the Book

Real People, Real Recovery: Effectively Delivering Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care

2008-07-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

In 2006, an estimated 22.6 million persons aged 12 or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year. Of these, only 4.0 million received some kind of treatment for a problem related to the use of alcohol or illicit drugs. Luckily, a host of services exists for those who need them. From 12-step programs to in-patient and out-patient treatment, from recovery-oriented housing to sober recreational activities like those celebrated each September during Recovery Month, there's an entire network of treatment and support services available for those dealing with substance abuse and mental health disorders.

A Webcast program developed by the the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) examines some of those services, and explores ways to increase awareness and better deliver services to those who need them. Watch Webcast

My Day in Drug Court

2008-06-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

Photo: Superior Court Judge Paul Armstrong, who presides over the drug court in Somerset County and is chairman of the Statewide Committee of Drug Court Judges, addresses the conference of the National Association for Drug Court Professionals after New Jersey was awarded the organization’s Leadership Award. Carol Venditto, statewide drug court manager, is to the left looking on.

I had the privilege of sharing Friends information with over 100 drug court participants back in May which was Drug Court month. I traveled to Cape May and Atlantic County Drug Courts to give presentations and was afforded a captive audience before they were to stand in front of the judge. I consider the work of Friends a great honor. As the judge said after my presentation, “We need all the Friends we can get,” and he thanked me for giving the presentation. Wow, a judge thanking me? I’ve only had experience with a judge fining me and then I take the checkbook to the window to pay. My life has changed too.

I knew I wasn’t going to stand before the judge but I still felt nervous being in the courtroom. Perhaps I need to stop ‘judging.’ To my surprise the judge was pleasant and showed genuine concern toward the drug court participants. It was an experience I will cherish. Recently, New Jersey Drug Courts were honored nationally by the National Association for Drug Courts. New Jersey even has a committee of Drug Court Judges. Kudos to all the drug court workers and participants!

Imprisoned By Addiction | Surviving the County Jail

2008-06-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

A new memoir, Imprisoned By Addiction was written by Dennis Brew, a survivor of a 20 year battle with addiction. The book answers common questions the average citizen might have about the experience of being in jail due to addiction. He shares his real life experiences with overcoming a daily heroin and cocaine habit and the life of deceit and crime that is often the result of chronic drug use.

Topics such as committing the crime, getting caught red-handed, experiencing the horrors of heroin withdrawal, finding out what it's like to be a minority, gambling, the legal system, public defenders and much more are covered in the book. "The disease of addiction is a worldwide epidemic, everyone knows somebody affected by addiction" says Brew.

Read more about Dennis Brew

DUI Initiative Assists Poor with Access to Care

2008-05-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

In 2005 the State of New Jersey set aside $7.5 million for the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) initiative to support the treatment of impoverished New Jersey residents convicted of driving while intoxicated. The fund is administered through the Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services/Intoxicated Driving Program (DAS/IDP) and covers the full range of care for addiction treatment.

Residents of New Jersey convicted of driving while intoxicated after October 17, 2000, are eligible to access these funds if they are determined to be financially eligible based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Drivers who were recently arrested for intoxicated driving also are considered eligible for the initiative provided they can verify their intoxicated driving arrest and meet the financial eligibility requirements.

The DAS/IDP staff involved with the DUII includes Ann Wanamaker, acting chief, IDP, and George Mladenetz, DUII coordinator,IDP, both of whom have extensive experience in the field of substance abuse. In its role as the DUII’s lead agency, NCADD-NJ is responsible for verifying client information, obligating DUII funding, paying DUII eligible providers for services rendered and reporting to the IDP and IDRCs on client activities. NCADD-NJ staff involved in the DUII include Maryann Diaz, DUII/ATR Program Manager, Steve Remley, the agency’s Director of Operations, Laura Videtti, Controller, and Rob Kocher, Director of Information Technology. Treatment providers can electronically submit client information for billing encumbrance, report progress, update services and bill for services. The transfer of funds for approved services provided is often accomplished within 24-48 hours.

“The experience that I have had, working on the DUI Initiative for the past 2 ½ years, has been both professionally and personally gratifying. I am continually impressed with the commitment the treatment providers in our network have made to this initiative. Their dedication to providing treatment services that were once not readily available to these clients is to be commended and it has been very rewarding to know that our combined efforts are truly making a difference in our communities,” says Maryann Diaz.

Questions regarding billing submissions and payments should be directed to Maryann Diaz at (609) 689-0599 x7019 or by email.

For more information about the Intoxicated Driving Program go to the Division of Addiction Services Web site.

Appalling

2008-05-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

“I was appalled,” Lodi Mayor Karen Viscana said on hearing the news. Her reaction suggested she had learned of some recent calamity. Perhaps Mayor Viscana was reacting to the Myanmar government’s continued refusal to admit aid workers to the country to assist cyclone victims? But no, that was not it. She was not responding to a disaster on that scale or, for that matter, on any scale. What the mayor found so repellent was that the town’s zoning officer, Joel Lavin, had approved an application for a methadone clinic within the town.

The mayor was not alone in her umbrage. According to newspaper reports, more than a hundred residents packed two recent council meetings to demand his immediate ouster. Perhaps they wanted to exact a greater penalty for his transgression. After all, property values were sure to plummet and children and the senior residents would be exposed to people being treated for an addiction to drugs.

Mr. Lavin had explained his rationale for issuing a certificate of occupancy to Pathways to Health to operate an outpatient clinic for heroin addicts. The section of town in question, he noted, allows doctor and dentist offices, so it seemed clear to him that a facility treating patients with an addiction certainly would be an appropriate use. That line of reasoning appears sound enough. Or it would if addiction were truly understood and accepted as a disease.

Such understanding does not exist, not even close. The” appalling” act was promptly undone by the borough council. And not only did the governing body reverse Mr. Lavin’s use approval, it also suspended him and is reviewing whether to eliminate his position altogether. It seems that Lodi found the idea of treating addicts in its midst so revolting that it wanted to erase any trace of the episode.

Client-Directed, Outcome-Informed (CDOI) Treatment Conference

2008-05-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-New Jersey (NCADD-NJ) serves as the lead agency of the Client-Directed, Outcome-Informed (CDOI) treatment improvement project, a New Jersey Health Initiatives award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to implement a state-of-the-art model of improving addiction treatment outcomes.

In continuing the effort, a one day conference is planned on Wednesday June 11, 2008 with two leaders in the addictions field, Dr. David Mee-Lee and Dr. Scott Miller. In addition New Hope Foundation staff members will also speak about engaging people in collaborative and participatory treatment.

The conference which takes place from 8:30 to 4:00 concludes with a panel discussion on how the CDOI approach has resulted in lower drop-out rates and higher-than-average success rates. Event to be held at the Crowne Plaza, 390 Forsgate Drive Jamesburg, NJ.

Download the conference brochure for agenda and registration.

For More Information:
609-689-0599 ext 7002

To register: PLEASE MAIL A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM and your payment to:
NCADD-NJ, 360 Corporate Boulevard, Robbinsville, NJ 08691
Attention: CDOI

Count yourself in

2008-04-30T06:48:00.000-07:00

The extraordinary degree of interest stirred by the upcoming presidential election has presented the recovery community with an unprecedented opportunity to amass a voting block that lawmakers will be hard pressed to ignore. Here in New Jersey an effort is already under way to build this constituency. The state was chosen with nine others as part of Faces and Voices of Recovery’s project, Recovery Voices Count. The project has three goals: register voters, educate them, and be sure they cast their votes on November 4.

The effort here in the state is being shepherded by NCADD-NJ and Friends of Addiction Recovery-New Jersey. Faces and Voices of Recovery chose these organizations because they have already taken the lead in these areas, including registering voters at last September’s Recovery Rally and producing an array of educational materials on numerous issues and, for the past eight years, an annual election guide. This guide gives an overview of issues before state and Congressional legislators and surveys them to determine their attitudes regarding addiction policies.

Whether electing a candidate or advancing a cause, numbers are all. It is time for New Jersey’s thousands of individual recovery voices to resound collectively as one, the first step being to register to vote. To join this effort, call 609-477-7012 or email jgrimes @ncaddnj.org.

Recovery Support | Kudos from Prison

2008-04-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

We’ve been to prison! Yes, Friends has established a prison chapter at New Jersey State Prison that has been going strong for over 5 years. The prison chapter began as an advocacy for recovery meeting. The meeting then became a ‘circle’ of recovery support for inmates to gain and share information on topics of interests. This monthly gathering is now a chapter that is facilitated by the inmates. We are pleased to have received another correspondence from the prison. JMG

I thank the “Friends of Addiction Recovery” staff for the determination and dedication they have in showing the positive aspects of addiction recovery. All of your visits to the prison are very much appreciated. Friends has shared so much with me and I will pass on the information to my fellow prisoners, family and friends. I am sure they will attend future meetings and support your strengthening of communities.

I am still striving to stay sober and stress free. My case is still on appeal and I am awaiting a decision for a custody change to a long-term residential drug treatment program. I will keep you posted on the outcome. Please take care and give everyone my thanks for such great work.

Yours Truly,
Corey

2008- April is Alcohol Awareness Month- Impact of Youth Alcohol Use

2008-04-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

Youth use of alcohol in New Jersey is a pervasive and critical public health problem. The problem is epidemic by any public health standard. It begins in middle (and even elementary) schools and erupts in high school and on college campuses. No other drug threatens as many of New Jersey’s youth as alcohol. The 2005 New Jersey Student Health Survey of Middle School and High School Students found that almost half of the students drank alcohol within the past 30 days. Given their age and inexperience, many youth consume alcohol in ways that are very dangerous and result in serious medical issues or alcohol overdoses.

Each year in April, Town Hall Meetings taking place as an opportunity for community-based organizations to bring communities together to help raise awareness about the issue of underage drinking. Some upcoming meetings and events include:

4/14- Town Hall meeting Middlesex NCADD Contact: Mara@ncadd-middlesex.org 732-254-3344 North Brunswick Town Hall

4/17- Senate Legislative Oversight Committee
Issues last year with underage drinking at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ has led to a state Senate Legislative Oversight Committee hearing on April 17th at 10 a.m. at the PNC Bank Arts Center. The issue of underage drinking and tailgating before concerts will be discussed further. Meeting at 10:00 Am

4/23- Town Hall meeting, Milltown Municipal Alliance, contact bluevelvetsea@msn.com 732-565-9402 Borough Hall Court Room

Rude Awakening 2008
Programs will be running from April to JuneAssemblies will feature talks by the Middletown Police, a Jersey Shore Medical Center trauma nurse, a municipal court judge, representatives from Crossroads, township’s substance abuse program, a social worker, physical therapist, dental reconstructionist, and those who have lost loved ones in DWI collisions.
Contact Cpl. James Roese Middletown Police Department Traffic Safety Bureau 732-615-2049

NCADD-NJ Sobering Facts Campaign
Previously NCADD-NJ has released primers on youth drinking as part of its series on Stop Youth Alcohol Use. For sobering facts and more information about drinking on private property or enacting town ordinances for beer keg registration visit the NCADD-NJ ‘Sobering Facts’ website.

The online Alcohol Screening Tool is available year-round.

Consumers Connect

2008-03-19T13:57:00.001-07:00

The Friends of Addiction Recovery-New Jersey Consumer Advisory Committee has met for the third time. This group of ‘Friends’ decided that collectively they have a message they would like to convey to the State Division of Addiction Services that would assist in serving clients. This group is concerned about a client centered recovery oriented system of care. They came together as a group and developed a working definition of recovery. This group is exciting to watch because of the various representations. This group is comprised of individuals including those in recovery, family members, counselors, teachers, and more. Within the group are folks from other groups that advocate for and/or support recovery. We welcome them all with open arms. It is exciting to watch the group work because they have passion and voice it freely. I have seen them come to compromises about delicate issues. They have decided that in this work the ‘big picture’ is more important than the close-up snapshot. It will be exciting to witness the next chapter of the journey towards creating a system of care that is client-centered and recovery-oriented.

Friends 2008 Retreat --Communication, education, and unity

2008-02-14T08:41:00.000-08:00

Friends of Addiction Recovery- New Jersey (Friends) convened a two-day meeting to strengthen its five existing county chapters and explore inroads into counties that have yet to establish chapters. The retreat, which took place Feb. 8-9 in Perth Amboy, was facilitated by Dona Dmitrovic of who previously worked with the Johnson Institute in Washington, D.C., whose advocacy recruitment and engagement model has been integral to Friends since 2005.

The working group of 14 people gathered on the cold Friday night for dinner and followed that up with an inspiring opening session. Toward the end of the night, eyes were growing weary but the dialogue was alluring. It was concluded that Friends has met many objectives, but there’s still more to be accomplished through joint organizing efforts. Members of the Friends county chapters were joined by the Friends Steering Committee in an attempt to build stronger recovering communities and to work on honing advocacy skills throughout the state. Eric Arauz of North Brunswick, one of five recovery speakers at the 2007 Rally for Recovery, said the chapters held great promise for providing advocacy that was “statewide and zealous.” Among the topics the group explored was Advocacy with Anonymity, a critical hurdle in building an addictions issues constituency. The debate over anonymity has been a thorn in the side of the addictions issues advocacy effort for years as members of 12-Step groups hold the traditions sacrosanct.

Essex County Chapter Member Kevin Bullock said what he wanted from the meeting was a clear and strategic approach for the Friends chapters. He said that “uniformity of language” by the RCO’s was important to their advocacy work. Consistent use of language has been the focus of other advocacy trainings conducted by Faces and Voices of Recovery and Join Together.

The working group also agreed that Friends has capable and power-filled volunteers and that these dynamic people should be dubbed ‘recovery ambassadors’ because the word ‘volunteers’ just doesn’t do justice to their efforts. “Increased visibility,” was the goal Friends Community Organizer Jeanette Grimes said was needed for the recovery community. Grimes said there needed to be periodic assessments of chapters to determine their progress in making themselves known to the community at large.

Other Recovery advocates who took part in the retreat had this to say:

“The passionate enthusiasm of everyone who attended helps to strengthen my recovery advocacy work.”
Judy Fuqua, Friends Steering Committee Member

“This organization can really make a huge difference in a lot of people’s lives. Lifting the stigma of addiction will help so many people in so many ways. I am clearer about what our mission is and hope that we can find a way to spread the message and educate a lot of people.”
Cindi Caponegro, Union County Chapter

“We’re all on the same track—end stigma, strengthen treatment and recovery and unity of both for client and family.”
Pat Craven, Burlington County Chapter

“I have a better scope on how I can get training, as well as more information that I can pass on to others.”
Katherine Woodley, Union County Chapter

“The understanding and direction from other county chapters will help to advocate in our chapter as well.”
Cynthia Bullock, Essex County Chapter

“Knowing that a chapter is going to be started in the southern part of the state helps my recovery by being able to be with people who are also in recovery.”
Patricia Dennis, Friends Steering Committee Co-Chair

“There’s hope for recovery communities when we harness the energy, organize and stay within guidelines.”
Lisa Gladwell, Friends Steering Committee Co-Chair

“The sharing is so important. Sometimes it seems like recovery is a big secret. Just being with people who are willing to work for this goal is so encouraging. Personal stories are so empowering because you know it is possible.”
Bob Craven, Burlington County Chapter

“Proms and Alcohol Don’t Mix” Contest--Students to Produce PSAs

2008-02-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

Attorney General Anne Milgram and Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Jerry Fischer today announced the kickoff of the second-annual program for high school seniors designed to increase their awareness about the dangers of underage drinking during the upcoming prom and graduation seasons.

Entitled “Proms and Alcohol Don’t Mix,” this innovative initiative asks high school seniors to create scripts for 30-second television public service announcements. The winning spot will be produced and distributed to local television stations. The winning school’s students will have a chance to appear in the spot or assist in its production or editing. A number of additional entries will also be chosen as runner-ups. Students who participate in developing the winning entry and the runner-up entries will be invited to a special party in their honor at Drumthwacket, the Governor’s residence, in Princeton.

“The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is working to combat underage alcohol use on many different fronts,” Director Fischer said. “By using public education programs, community awareness efforts and law enforcement initiatives, we can create an environment that keeps young people free from the tragedies often associated with underage drinking.”

Scripts must be submitted to the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control no later then Friday, March 28. The winning entry will be selected in April, and production will begin immediately. Program criteria are available on the Division’s website, at http://www.nj.gov/oag/abc/index.html.

Recovery Voices Count

2008-02-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

Faces and Voices of Recovery recently launched their Recovery Voices Count campaign to educate the public about the myriad of ways that they can get involved in nonpartisan civic engagement activities so that their voices can be heard in the local, state and national arenas. Recovery community organizations and recovery advocates across the country are conducting voter registration and Get-Out-the-Vote activities, sponsoring candidate forums and getting candidates for political office on record about critical policies that will make recovery a reality for even more Americans.

With that in mind, along with a number of excellent materials, Faces and Voices of Recovery is also hosting one hour phone-in Recovery Advocacy teleconferences. The topic of the first teleconference/webinar in the 2008 series supports the Recovery Voices Count campaign. In this webinar, experts in the field talk about how you can get involved in the Recovery Voices Count campaign. Pat Taylor, Executive Director of Faces and Voices of Recovery introduces the campaign, Tom Coderre, National Field Director of Faces and Voices of Recovery gives an overview of why you should get more civically engaged, Gwen Henderson, Women in New Recovery speaks about voter registration success at her organization, NCADD-NJ’s Lori McDaniel discussed building relationships and the process of educating the public, candidates and elected officials about drug and alcohol addiction issues and sound public policies, and Jeff Blodgett, Wellstone Action spoke about how to organize and mobilize a successful Get-out-the-Vote campaign.

Take a look at the informative materials
Download the Guide to Civic Engagement
Listen to the teleconference
Download the Recovery Voices Count PowerPoint presentation
Find out more about the Campaign
Go to NCADD-NJ's Election Guide

Non-vote on parity is inexcusable, inexplicable

2008-01-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

That legislation (S-807/A-2512) requiring health insurers to cover mentally ill and addicted residents of the state was not put on the agenda for a vote by the NJ Assembly defies both logic and compassion. The measure had been put under the microscope by nine state panels charged with assessing its value and its affordability. All concluded that it should be enacted.

The New Jersey Senate passed parity legislation and state Assembly was poised to do the same, with 40 co-sponsors signed on in support. For some reason, Speaker Joseph Roberts did not see fit to put the bill up for a vote. It was suggested that supporters would not compromise on it, but that was not the case - amendments were offered. It is true that some points were inviolate. The American Society of Addiction Medicine's Patient Placement Criteria, which the measure included, guaranteed that patients would receive the proper type and proper amount of treatment. That component made the bill one of the most comprehensive in the country, and so was non-negotiable. Opponents wanted more stringent utilization management for the mentally ill or addicted than is allowed for other patients. A parity bill means equality, so having different standards of management was not something that made any sense.

The tentacles of addiction reach far and wide - one in three families in the state are affected by it. Mental illness affects many lives as well. The entire state loses because this bill was not allowed to come for a vote.