June 2008
Matters of Substance 
Executive Director's Corner
Greetings to all of our friends of recovery! RICAODD has been in existence for 39 years this year!It started off in 1969 as the “Hope Council,” an agency whose mission was to bring hope and dignity to those suffering from alcoholism.At its inception, during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, alcoholism wasn’t even recognized as a disease and there were very few agencies or places where those suffering from alcoholism or addiction could go to get assistance. This spring RICAODD is printing our 2008 Provider Directory which contains hundreds of agencies and organizations where Rhode Islanders can go to get assistance for substance abuse.The directories are $6.00 each and $2.00 for shipping per directory. Please download an order form here! Our 24 Hour Confidential Referral Helpline has assisted hundreds of thousands of callers over these 39 years—connecting people in need with the appropriate place where they can go to get the help they need. How times have changed since 1969! One wonders if those who had the courage to start the Hope Council could have even envisioned a time where help could be just a phone call away, on a website, or that society would even accept alcoholism and addiction as treatable illnesses. Unfortunately, the fiscal problems in the state which have affected us all have especially affected substance abuse treatment and prevention programs. RICAODD strives to make real the dreams of the Hope Council today and in the future.But, cuts and reductions to funding have put those dreams in danger. However, there are some things that you can do to help the present situation.You can be the supportive voice on the Helpline by giving your time as a volunteer here at RICAODD. You can also be a part of RICAODD’s mission by becoming a member or you can make a donation of your choice to our agency which will help to offset some of the cuts we have experienced. Lastly, you can call, email or write your local legislator and ask him or her to refrain from the reduction of funding to substance abuse treatment and prevention programs in the state. Warmest Regards,
David E. Walsh
Executive Director
 Recovery Housing Update
In our last Newsletter the question was posed, “What is the difference between a “Sober” house and a “Recovery” House.That lead to many asking the question:“Who lives in a Recovery House?”Yet another good question. Just as alcoholism and addiction do not discriminate, neither does our Recovery Housing program.There are female and male residents, 18 years to almost 80 years old.Every race, creed, nationality, and sexual orientation are accepted regardless of the person’s profession, level of education, or disability status. As long as a person meets the program’s admission guidelines then where a person comes from or what they have done does not matter.Our guidelines are:18 years or older, at least 30 days clean and sober; willingness to be an active participant in their recovery by attending 12 step recovery fellowship meetings; obtaining a home group and sponsor and having a source of income to pay weekly rent and willingness to sign a contract stating that they will follow program rules and regulation. So, just as Recovery has many faces, so does the Recovery Housing Program. For more information about RICAODD’s Recovery Housing program please click here.You can also call our office Monday through Friday 9am—4pm at 401-725-0410 and request an application or a program pamphlet.
24 Hour Helpline for problems with ALCOHOL and OTHER DRUGS.
1-866-ALC-DRUG
1-866-252-3784
Helpline News Calling all volunteers! The RICAODD is always looking for more volunteers for our Confidential 24-Hour Helpline. We have shifts available from 9am - Midnight. The Helpline can be answered from the comfort of your own home after you attend trainings at our location in Pawtucket. If you are interested in volunteering on the Helpline please download an application. Fill out the application and fax it back to 401-725-0768.
If you do not have access to a fax machine, the application may be mailed to RICAODD, 500 Prospect Street, Suite 306, Pawtucket, RI 02860.
If you do not have access to a computer , please contact me at 401-725-0410. Thank You!
Heather MacPherson
 39th Annual Community Service Awards
The Rhode Island Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependence is excited to announce our 39th Annual Community Service Awards to be held on September 18, 2008. We are now preparing our Program Book.Please consider this means of support as a way to advertise your business while contributing to our vital mission.The deadline is July 31, 2008. You may also purchase individual tickets for the event without placing an ad at $60.00 per ticket.
Please click here for an order form. September 18, 2008 West Valley Inn
44 Blossom Street
West Warwick, RI Reception 6pm
Dinner 7pm
 Grade school kids need early alcohol-use prevention When it comes to preventing underage alcohol use, research suggests that early education is best. A recent study that surveyed 4,150 sixth-graders from Chicago-area schools suggests that primary prevention programs for alcohol use should occur prior to the sixth grade, particularly for youth identified at high risk for early use. The study found that 17.2 percent of the sixth-graders surveyed had used alcohol in the previous year. The alcohol user group scored high in nearly every at-risk factor that was measured. The study, led by researchers from the University of Minnesota, concluded that prevention efforts need to begin early--by at least fourth grade--in order to address those at risk and to promote protective factors against alcohol use. What's more, we know that early-onset drinking is a strong predictor of alcoholism or alcohol abuse later in life, according to several studies. A 2006 study by the Boston University School of Public Health and Youth Alcohol Prevention Center found that among those who started drinking before age 14, 47 percent became alcoholics at some point in their lives, compared with 9 percent for people who waited until age 21 or later to begin drinking. The earlier one drinks, the greater the chance of alcohol-use problems. In addition, underage drinking is linked to an increased risk of alcohol-related injuries and suicides, risky sexual behavior, physical fights, tobacco use, illegal drug use, and other delinquent behavior. Alcohol is the No. 1 drug of choice for young people and adults. Yet, as the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes, youth and adults are not equal when it comes to alcohol use. For one thing, adolescents need only drink half as much to suffer the same negative effects that alcohol has on adults. The brain goes through dynamic changes during adolescence, and alcohol can seriously damage long- and short-term growth processes. Frontal lobe development and the refinement of pathways and connections continue into the middle 20s. Damage from alcohol at this time can be long-term and irreversible. Until recently, school prevention curricula did not take brain development into account and presented the dangers of alcohol use as if they pertained equally to adults and children. To fill this void, the non-profit Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) developed "Protecting You/Protecting Me" (PY/PM), an alcohol-use prevention program for grades 1-5 that can be integrated into a school's core curriculum. The lessons in PY/PM cover a variety of life skills, including media awareness, communication, and vehicle safety. PY/PM teaches children how to stay safe if riding in a car with an impaired driver, specific ways to handle unsafe situations, ways to resist peer pressure, how rules and laws protect us, and how to talk to parents and other adults. "'Protecting You/Protecting Me' is one of the most effective curricula I have ever taught," said Brenda Taylor-Hines, a primary trainer for PY/PM. "The information is integrated into the lessons for students and includes opportunities for parents or family caregivers to become informed and involved. People listen when they hear the curriculum is research based and focuses on alcohol and the developing brain. People listen when they hear how alcohol affects adolescents differently than adults." PY/PM's interactive and effective teaching processes include role-play, small group and classroom discussion, reading, writing, storytelling, surveys, art, and music. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has named PY/PM a model program, which means it has been scientifically tested to demonstrate its effectiveness. The National Association of Elementary School Principals, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association have also endorsed the program. Since 2004, MADD has trained close to 1,000 school personnel in over 100 schools. In New Mexico, for example, close to 25,000 children have benefited from PY/PM. When underage alcohol use is prevented, the entire community benefits from a decrease in vandalism, theft, traffic accidents and violence. Students who don't drink alcohol enjoy a greater degree of mental and physical health, attend school more regularly, and do better academically. "It's so important to reach kids before they start making choices about alcohol use," said Taylor-Hines. "My hope is that we will be able to provide PY/PM to every school district in the United States, because people will recognize the benefits it will have on our future generations." For more information on "Protecting You/Protecting Me," visit www.hazelden.org/pypm or call 800-328-9000. Originally Published March 17, 2008 Alive & Free is a health column that offers information to help prevent and address addiction and substance abuse problems. It is provided by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction and recovery. For more resources, call Hazelden at 1-800-257-7800 or check its Web site at www.hazelden.org. For more on Alive & Free, visit www.hazelden.org/aliveandfree. Direct your inquiries to mduda@hazelden.org.
Did You Know...
The Facts About Oxycontin - OxyContin is the brand name for an opioid analgesic containing the active ingredient Oxycodone(also found in Percoset and Percodan). OxyContin is a legal narcotic (or a controlled substance) thatis available, by prescription, to treat severe pain. OxyContin is a controlled-release medication that,when used correctly, provides extended relief of pain associated with cancer, back pain, or arthritis. However, often when the drug is abused, the tablets are crushed and snorted, chewed, or mixed withwater and injected- eliminating the time-release factor and allowing for a quick and intense rush to thebrain. This practice can lead to overdosing on OxyContin's active ingredient, oxycodone, by releasingtoo much of the medication into the bloodstream too quickly. OxyContin is highly addictive - so higherdoses of the drug must be taken when a tolerance develops. Illicit users of the drug have risendrastically and steadily over the last few years. OxyContin is also known as Oxy, OxyCotton, Oxy 80 (for the 80mg dose), or OC
- OxyContin most commonly exists in tablet form. These round pills come in 10mg, 20mg, 40mg,and 80mg dosages. OxyContin also comes in capsule or liquid form.
- The most serious risk associated with OxyContin, is respiratory depression. Othercommon side effects include constipation, nausea, sedation, dizziness, vomiting, headache, drymouth, sweating, and weakness. Toxic overdose and/or death can occur by taking the tablet broken,chewed, or crushed. People who abuse the drug (by removing the time-release coating) willexperience effects for up to 5 hours. The high that is felt is opiate-like - a sedate, euphoric feeling.
*Information obtained from http://www.acde.org/
|
