Posts Tagged ‘hazelden’
New York State adds stronger drunk driving laws
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
As reported by the Associated Press yesterday (via the New York Times), New York State legislators agreed on tougher drunk driving laws.Basically, the law has created a stiffer penalty for those who drive under the influence with a child in the car, turning the DUI from a misdemeanor to a felony. The agreement will also cause offenders to have a breathalyzer installed in their car to stop offenders from starting a car while under the influence. Although some additional details have to be worked out, officials from both sides said that the any differences would be settled quickly. The law will be named after 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed when a station wagon full of children driven by a mother accused of drunken driving crashed in Manhattan on Oct. 11.
Her father, Lenny Rosado, had this to say: “Today I consider this a very glorious day and very victorious day for me. For my family, and for my daughter … this is what is going to save lives in her honor.Everyone who takes a drink and gets behind the wheel, is going to think twice about driving whether there are children in the car or outside of the car and taking a life, that my daughter’s name and her death will make a difference.”
On the heels of Diane Schuler, the mother who drove the wrong way down the Taconic State Thruway in New York earlier this year and killed multiple children, this law is a long time coming. We can only hope that those who choose to drink and drive are apprehended and given the help that they need. What we have found interesting in the past is that car insurance companies tend to give more “points,” or items that raise individuals’ insurance rates, to speeding tickets over DUIs. This needs to change. Driving under the influence is one of the most dangerous activities out there- one can only hope people learn to simply call a cab when necessary. Should drinking and driving be something a family member engages in, it’s the family’s responsibility to hold him or her accountable.
For help for yourself or a loved one, please call us at 877-320-0247 or visit us on the web at www.a-i-r.com.
Tags: addiction, addiction intervention, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcohol, alcoholism, assistance in recovery, drug addiction, DUI, hazelden, intervention, recovery, Recovery Assistance Program, substance abuse
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Addressing Substance Abuse Concerns
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
A Family Educational Series in partnership with Hazelden.
Join Hazelden and Assistance in Recovery in the first of a series of free educational events that will provide information to family members and loved ones of those struggling with addiction.
Most people are aware that drugs and alcohol cause problems in our society. Our media sources daily blare the news of violence, traffic fatalities and broken homes due to drug and alcohol use. The aftermath of addiction seems easy to spot once the addiction has spun so far out of control that it has become a media event. We wonder why the addiction wasn’t spotted earlier and if it was, why didn’t “those people” just quit or do something about it?
This presentation “What is addiction?” answers these questions and more. Attendees will gain a better understanding of drug addiction and how to begin to identify the signals of problematic use within themselves, their families, and community.
Monday, November 9, 2009
5:30 p.m. Registration
6-8 p.m. Presentation, “What is Addiction?”
Hazelden’s Fellowship Club
680 Stewart Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102-4199
Register online at hazelden.org/familyed by November 2. If you have any questions please give us a call at 877-320-0247.
Save the dates — more free educational events for family members and loved ones of those struggling with addiction:
December 14, 2009
Intervention
Presentation by AiR’s Gordon Brown. It’s not just about getting help for your loved one.
January 18, 2010
Families Living With Addiction
How to help loved ones get into treatment, how to work with insurance, and how to help ourselves.
February 8, 2010
Case Management with People in Recovery
Presentation by AiR’s James Stolz. Building resiliency and the management of substance dependence.
Tags: addiction education, alcoholism, assistac, drug addiction, hazelden, intervention, substance abuse education
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AiR joined Hazelden in celebrating 60 Years
Monday, October 5th, 2009
For 60 years, Hazelden has been the world leader and model of care for drug addiction and alcoholism treatment. We offer specialized rehab programs for women, health care professionals, and families suffering the effects of addiction. In addition to operating addiction treatment centers in Minnesota, Oregon, New York, and Illinois, we provide publishing, research, and professional education opportunities.
AiR’s CEO, Andrew Wainwright and COO, Jim Geckler joined Hazelden to celebrate.
AiR Co-Founders Andrew Wainwright & Bob Poznanovich
AiR COO Jim Geckler with Partner Peter Jackson along with CEO Andrew Wainwright with wife Jackie.
Tags: andrew wainwright, hazelden, hazelden 60 year dinner, hazelden treatment center, jim geckler
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The Problem with Pills
Friday, September 11th, 2009
After reading a couple of articles, one from the New York Daily News focusing on prescription sleep medication and another from Salon Magazine talking about the new book “This is Your Country on Drugs,” it was obvious that we needed to address the growing pill problem in America. We’ve talked before about pain killer addiction on the blog, especially addressing Michael Jackson and DJ AM’s recent passings. What we haven’t addressed is the problem in households across the country- that some of the most dangerous drugs in our world are kept in our medicine cabinets, accessible by even the most innocent children. This is a particularly hard problem to combat, as most of the drugs are prescribed legally.
Recently, a survey of 1,300 school nurses participated in a survey conducted by the National Association of School Nurses showed that an amazing 78 percent cited prescription drug abuse as a growing problem. According to the National Survey of Drug Use and Health, more than 2.1 MILLION teens abused prescription drugs in the past year- a startling figure. When we look at access to these drugs, it seems that it’s becoming easier for our kids to get their hands on these pills. We need to do something about it- be sure to talk to kids about the dangers of these pills- they can be deadly on even their first use. And just because they’ve been legally prescribed, it doesn’t make them any less dangerous OR addictive. As we just saw with DJ AM, even being prescribed pain medication for a reason can lead to addiction, and even death.
If you or your family member is struggling with a pill addiction, be sure to contact us today at 877-320-0247. We will be there to walk you through the process of getting help. For more information on prescription drug addiction, be sure to click on our main site and call us for additional information. We’re here to help.
Tags: addiction, addiction intervention, AiR Assistance in recovery, assistance in recovery, hazelden, intervention, Legalization of Drugs, michael jackson drug abuse, prescription pill addiction, vicodin addiction
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Turbulent Economic Times Don't Slow Expansion
Monday, August 31st, 2009
With the news today of Caron Foundation’s expansion into Dallas (an adult residential program) , we continue to see treatment centers continuing their growth process. Caron will add 40 beds in a facility outside of Dallas to their programs both in Pennsylvania and Florida. Last week, it was announced that Hazelden, one of the nation’s leading treatment centers, would be opening a new residential program in Naples, FL. With an additional 48 beds adding to their over 200 now, Hazelden will have a facility in each region, including Springbrook in Oregon, Hazelden Center For Youth And Families and Hazelden Center City in Minnesota, and the new Florida program. As we can see, during times of economic distress, there are more and more people needing, and seeking, help for their drug or alcohol problems.
In times of an economic downturn, more and more families are affected by alcoholism and drug abuse. We here at Assistance In Recovery have seen an upswing in families in crisis- and we’re here to help. Even in the economic downturn, there are many resources available via insurance and scholarships to help addicts who are in trouble. The biggest piece here is that, regardless of a family’s current economic status, there IS help available. As we’ve said before, the WORST thing a family can do is wait it out. Hoping someone gets better isn’t effective; taking action, providing resources, and being proactive is the way to get a loved one out of trouble. Waiting for an addict to get better is like waiting for a sinking ship to patch itself- it’s just not going to happen without outside help. We can be your lifeboat.
With the help of programs like Caron Foundation and Hazelden, we’ve been able to create plans of action for families around the world. Contact us at 877-320-0247 for help today.
Tags: addiction, addiction intervention, air, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcoholism, caron, caron foundation, chemical dependency, drug treatment expansion, hazelden, intervention, substance abuse, Treatment
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Intervening against an adult's will- a tough task
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
An article on the CNN website on Friday afternoon touched on how difficult it can be to intervene on an adult. This article, of course, was brought up by the death of Michael Jackson (details of his drug use can be found here, here and here) and the efforts of his sister to perform an intervention. However, Jackson had his security guards shut down the family and the entire process- eventually leading to his early demise. Could he have been saved if his family had a professional interventionist available to guide them through the process? We think yes. We believe that once you are aware that a problem exists, it is no longer an option to do nothing.
We feel that addicts, much of the time, have trouble asking for help for themselves. This leaves it to family, friends and coworkers to step in and create change- build a “soft bottom” for the addict/alcoholic, one that doesn’t end in prison or death. Through the intervention process, we at AiR can create a change in the family dynamic. By setting boundaries and removing the primary enabling behaviors, we can actually change the family system from one of enmeshment to one of healthy boundaries. This provides a path for a family to start the healing process.
Here’s an excerpt from the article, wherein Dr. Marvin Seppela, Chief Medical Officer of the Hazelden Foundation, talks about the intervention process:
‘A more formal, direct intervention involves family members confronting the person and encouraging the addict to seek help. Before this meeting, a professional interventionist typically meets with family members or friends of the addict to get a history of what’s happened, said Dr. Marvin Seppala, chief medical officer at Hazelden Foundation.
Letters are a typical component of a direct intervention: The family members or friends will explain in writing that they are doing the intervention because they love the addict, and that they have observed specific troubling behaviors, as described in the letter, Seppala said.
Beforehand, the professional interventionist will try to prepare for the possibility that the addict will run away and, along with the family, create specific consequences if the person does not agree to go into treatment, Seppala said.
For example, if the person is married, an addict’s spouse may not permit him or her back into the home, Seppala said.’
This is a simplified description of the intervention process; for more details, contact us at 877-320-0247.
Tags: addiction, assistance in recovery, cnn, hazelden, intervention, michael jackson intervention, recovery
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