Sunday, August 31, 2014
It's Back to School Time!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
International FASD Awareness Day September 9, 2014
At 9:09 a.m. on September 9,
1999, the first international Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Awareness Day was
observed. The date and time were chosen to mark the ninth minute of the ninth
hour of the ninth day of the ninth month, which serves as a reminder that FAS,
like all Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), is completely preventable. Yet,
alcohol-exposed pregnancies continue to be a leading cause of birth defects and
mental retardation in the United States, and children with an FASD often go
unrecognized or are misdiagnosed, even as adults. (SAMHSA)
“In the United States half of all
pregnancies are unplanned” per the CDC. This includes the unplanned pregnancies
of teenagers. 5 things you should know about Drinking Alcohol during Pregnancy:
- Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a baby to
be born with birth defects and have disabilities. These conditions, called fetal alcohol spectrum
disorders, or FASDs, are among the top preventable birth defects and
developmental disabilities. FASDs can cause problems in how a person
grows, learns, looks, and acts. FASDs can also cause birth defects of the
heart, brain, and other major organs. These problems last a lifetime.
- There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to
drink while pregnant. All drinks with alcohol can
hurt an unborn baby. A 12-ounce can of beer has as much alcohol as a
5-ounce glass of wine or a 1-ounce shot of liquor.
- There is no safe time to drink during pregnancy. Alcohol can harm a baby at any time during pregnancy.
It can cause problems in the early weeks of pregnancy, before a woman even
knows she is pregnant.
- Too many women continue to drink during pregnancy. About 1 in 8 pregnant women in the United States
reports alcohol use in the past 30 days. And about 1 in 50 pregnant women
in the United States reports binge drinking in the past 30 days (having five
or more drinks at one time).
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are 100% preventable. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant. (CDC)
Per the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Signs and Symptoms
of an FASD include: Abnormal facial features, such as a
smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum),
small head size, shorter-than-average height, low body weight, poor
coordination, hyperactive behavior, difficulty paying attention, poor memory, difficulty
in school (especially with math), learning disabilities, speech and language
delays, intellectual disability or low IQ, poor reasoning and judgment skills,
sleep and sucking problems as a baby, vision or hearing problems, problems with
the heart, kidneys, or bones.
A toll-free
inquiry line (1-866-STOPFAS) and email address (fasdcenter@samhsa.hhs.gov)
available for questions you may have. If
you are someone you know is struggling with alcohol and addiction, please call
the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies/Putnam for
information and referral services at (845) 225-4646.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
September is National Recovery Month: Recovery from Mental and/or Substance Use Disorders is Possible
The observance of National Recovery Month raises
awareness of substance use and mental disorders, celebrates individuals in
long-term recovery, and acknowledges the work of prevention, treatment and
recovery service providers.
Recovery Month spreads the message that
behavioral health is an essential part of health and one’s overall wellness,
and that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do
recover from substance use and mental disorders.
Mental and/or substance use disorders affect people of all
ethnicities, ages, genders, geographic regions, and socioeconomic levels.
They need to know that help is available. In fact, in 2012, 34.1 million
adults aged 18 or older received services for mental illness in the past year,
and 2.5 million people aged 12 or older who needed treatment for an illicit
drug or alcohol use problem received treatment at a specialty facility. In
addition, 20.6 million people were classified with substance dependence or
abuse in 2011, and 3.8 million people aged 12 or older received treatment for a
substance use disorder.
“It is critical that
people experiencing mental and/or substance use disorders receive the support
they need from the community. The reality is that behavioral health is
essential to health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people
recover” stated Joseph DeMarzo, Deputy Commissioner of the Putnam County Mental
Health/Social Services/Youth Bureau.
Recovery Month highlights the benefits of
treatment and recovery for not only the individual, but for their family,
friends, workplace, and society as a whole. By educating the public that
prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover from
these conditions, stigma associated with substance use and mental disorders and
treatment services can be eliminated.
Recovery Month can help people understand the
importance of supporting: 1. Individuals in long-term recovery; 2 Those in need
of treatment; 3.Those who work within the treatment field; and 4. Prevention,
treatment and recovery support services.
Alcohol and drug treatment services available in Putnam
County are:
www.armsacres.com
845-225-5202
Putnam Family & Community Services
www.pfcsinc.org
845-225-2700
St. Christopher's Inn
www.stchristophersinn-graymoor.org
1-800-424-0027
Walter Hoving Home
www.walterhovinghome.com
845-242-3674
For more information, or if you or family member need a
referral, please call the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug
Dependencies/Putnam at (845)225-4646 or visit www.putnamncadd.org
Monday, August 25, 2014
Results from the Putnam County Needs Assessment of Veterans and Military Families
Beginning
in May 2014, a needs assessment survey, conducted by the VetCorps Program and
the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition, was administered and
collected that targeted veterans and military families. The survey is intended
to help provide a more accurate picture of the needs of veterans and military
families in Putnam County. The results of the twenty-five question anonymous
survey will be used to guide development of
programs, outreach, and advocacy of current services available in order
to provide the best community support for this population.
Of
the seventy-two respondents, the demographic results depicted that:
·
71% of the respondents were males and 29% females.
·
81% between the ages of forty-five and sixty-five or older.
The
assessment was open for veterans, active duty/reserve military personnel, and
military families to complete. As such,
·
66% served in the branch of the United States military and
31% were assumed an affiliated military family member.
·
Of those who served in the military, 62% served over seas
with 71% having returned more than six months ago.
Of
this particular sample, 63% of respondents returned more than nineteen months ago,
but no less than sixteen months. It is also important to make note that 33%
served during the ‘Vietnam Era,’ 16% served post-9/11, 14% served during the
‘Gulf War,’ 8% served during the Korean War, and the remained served during
other ‘non-war’ periods. These percentages will help provide generalized
representation of the respondents in order to successfully tailor the
improvements within the community.
Respondents
revealed that assistance and enhancements within the VA healthcare system, job
training, and education benefits would help provide the most support of
veterans and their families. There have
been changes within the VA healthcare system that veterans and military
families may be unaware of, therefore education and outreach is critical. For
example, the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 is working
to improve the access to and quality of care for veterans, expand VA’s internal
capacity to provide timely care to veterans, provide real accountability for
incompetent or corrupt senior managers, and improve education benefits for
veterans and dependents.1
Based
on the survey responses, another service that is in need of expansion is for
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can occur after enduring a
traumatic experience. Traumatic events are something that is emotionally
traumatizing that you hear about, visually witness, or physically endure. For
example, combat exposure or a victim of a terrorist attack can lead to PTSD and
often times can lead to substance abuse.2
Moreover, it was reported that 93%
respondents felt alcohol is the most abused and prescription drugs is the
second most abuse (44%) substance among veterans and active duty/reserve
personnel, and/or military family members. According to Healthy Alcohol
Market Place, “drinking has long been part of the culture of the
military. Being in very stressful situations, being away from family and
home for long periods, being a young adult-- all of these factors contribute
to, and booster an environment where heavy drinking is commonplace.” 3 According to a study in 2010,veterans aged 21 to 39
were more likely than nonveterans to report alcohol as their primary substance
of abuse (50.7 vs. 34.4 percent) and less likely to report heroin as the
primary substance of abuse (9.0 vs. 16.8 percent).4
A
current initiative that has been successful addressing alcoholism in the
military community, is California’s ‘Responsible Beverage Service Program,’
which trains servers to understand how alcohol is consumes, its affects among
patrons, and suggested responsible sales practices and training for providers.2
The Putnam County Communities Than Care Coalition sponsored an identical training
held on June 10, 2014; in which there were 30 attendees from local establishments that sell alcohol and/or
alcoholic beverages.
In
addition to this initiative, the Putnam County CTC Coalition, Putnam County
Health Department, and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office co-sponsors a ‘Medication
Take Back’ day event bi-annually. The next event being held September 20th
at the American Legion in Cold Spring. This is an opportunity for residents to
dispose of old prescriptions in efforts to limit its tendency for abuse. Prescription
drug drop off containers are also located at Kent and Carmel Police Departments.
The
aforementioned information was only a summarization of the survey results. If
you would like a more detailed report please visit the VetCorps’s website at http://www.putnamncadd.org/html/vetcorp.html. If you have
any questions about substance abuse preventative services in Putnam County,
would like to become a volunteer, and/or suggestions of how to improve current
services please contact VetCorps Prevention Coordinator, Chauntel Wright, at putnamvetcorp@gmail.com or VetCorps Supervisor, Elaine
Santos, at putnamdfcgrantee@gmail.com. Both can be
reached by phone at 845-225-4646.
Thank
you to all service members, veterans and military families for their
participation!
1 House
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. (2014). The veterans access, choice, and
accountability act of 2014 highlights. Retrieved from the House Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs Website: https://veterans.house.gov/the-veterans-access-choice-and-accountability-act-of-2014-highlights
2 U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs. (2014). What
is PTSD? Retrieved from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Website: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/basics/what-is-ptsd.asp
3 Gervaise, L. (2014). Alcohol in the military…a deadly foe!. Retrieved from the Campaign
for a Healthy Alcohol Marketplace
Website: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=3d5a148a-01ac-4a0b-a053-0c63b07e2d0d&c=8fc2eda0-7d71-11e3-ac95-d4ae529ce48a&ch=90e4b150-7d71-11e3-acbd-d4ae529ce48a
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)