federal funding agency for alcohol and other drug addiction treatment and

September 27, 2000 ~ 9 AM to 2:30 PM , The State House.

Breakfast and Lunch Sponsored by AdCare Hospital &

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership---Thank you!

Invitations and CEU Process, courtesy of AdCare Educational Institute—Thank you!

Energized by The Recovery Community, House Majority Leader William Nagle, Public Health Commissioner Howard Koh, BSAS Director Mayra Rodriguez- Howard,

Mayor’s Office, Helen Caulton! The celebration was made possible because of a grant through the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services! MOAR members thanked Neil Gaer for writing the grant –that made the celebration happen, and will miss him, as he received a promotion, as Phoenix Education and Training Development Manager in New York. We will miss him, and know that he can only succeed in his new position

.

MOAR Boston: - MAADAC Cosponsored,

Invited Guest speaker, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services Director, Mayra Rodriguez-,

Howard facilitated an energetic discussion , validated the significance- of the state

agencies communicating together about improving systems to best address the needs for

adolescent and their families in need of alcohol and drug addiction recovery services.

We discussed the major issue – the key is communication. Communication involves the

communication within the recovery community, too. We need to continue to outreach to

MOAR of the recovery community, so we- together- have a strong voice to be heard. A

heartfelt aside, Mayra will be MOAR missed, as she is leaving her position to take on

another position in Governor Cellucci’s administration.

Lowell House, MAADAC Sponsored September 21^st, City Hall,

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Mini Series, Four Separate Workshops-

Michael Ortiz JD, Assistant District Attorney in Martha Coakley’s office,

Dr. Jean Flatley McGuire, MA DPH HIV/AIDS Bureau Director,

Tony Winsor, Esquire, MA Law Reform Institute,

Mayra Rodriguez-Howard MSW, MA DPH BSAS Director,

All speakers shared the importance of a united recovery community – to take stands for

the important voice of the recovery community to make to address policies and treatment

enhancement. There’s MOAR- Pierre Descoteaux received an award for his

contributions to enhance MOAR in the northeast area. What MOAR?

Television Interview and 50 people from the community – not bad!

Introduced by Bureau of Substance Abuse Services Director, Mayra Rodriguez- Howard CSAT Director Westley Clark keynoted---

"Massachusetts is number one in the country with 12-17 year olds addicted to drugs.

These young people need and deserve treatment. Treatment options must get better, if

There is to be hope for these children. Nationally, substance abuse treatment expenditures

are insignificant , relative to the total societal costs of substance abuse in 1997. The

social costs added up to a whopping $283.6 billion in 1997, with only $11.9 billion

spent treating addiction. There is no other disease that takes such an economic toll in

which such a small treatment effort would be tolerated."

Substance Abuse – represented by Gloria Danziger- introduced local liaison,

Boston Coalition on Alcohol and Drugs, Jack Driscoll. He invited everyone to continue

to advocate for the necessary services to address adolescent drug addiction recovery.

played out the scenario of recovery, to the real life vignettes of their own recovery.

Recovery is a Process- Not a quick fix. Sonia, James and Suzanne,

young adults in recovery shared how it was the support of mentoring,treatment,community, self- help that gave them the hope to keep the pathways as adolescents to recovery open.

Diane Kurtz, a mother, who founded the W. MA Parent Support Group----shared her recovery experience, as a parent---paving the path of recovery, support, and detachment---as her son experienced addiction, treatment , recovery, relapse—and never giving up- now in recovery. George, a ‘Dad, shared with tears – that his son met with recovery, received treatment. Yet. he painfully- watches society give young people criminal records for drug use- he wants to honor addiction as a disease, not a crime.

House Speaker Thomas Finneran warmly embraced the importance of the recovery community to make their views known to him, Representative Kevin Fitzgerald, House Assistant Majority Whip emphasized the need of a unified recovery voice,Representative Gloria Fox spelled out her voice for recovery, Senator James Jajuga called for treatment initiatives to reduce crime, Senator Therese Murray validated the Governor’s Proclamation emphazing the impact of recovery to society. House Majority Leader William Nagle shared in the award presentation to The Western Massachusetts Parents Support Group – represented by Diane Kurtz, Tanyss Martula, and Diane Teta- for their relentless advocacy and education for parents and ---needless to say, a recovery home for adolescents- Phoenix Academy.He, also, shared in the presentation to Western MA School Substance Abuse Counselors Association- for their design of a perfect continuum of care – inclusive of a sober high school. Representative Martin Walsh validated the work of Helen Allix, South Boston Against Drugs Spokesperson, who helped facilitated the movement to create Cushing House, South Boston recovery Home, a Gavin Foundation Recovery Service for adolescent males.

Michael Kineavey, Building a Better Boston Neighborhood Administrator, was awarded for making sure the City of Boston address the teen drug and suicide crisis in South Boston with Recovery Supports System. Will Ostiguy, Boston Fire Department,

Employee Assistance Program Director, validated Mike’s beyond the call of duty.

The Harvard Street Neighborhood Youth Substance Abuse Task Force, facilitated by Bob Kinney and Leah Randolph, were awarded for aspiring recovery to their friends .

A young female adolescent reflected the experience of pain of losing friends,who have died as a result of drug use She shared how her peers hold candle light vigils, and will make a spiritual quilt, in their friends memories and inspire hope for others.

Department of Public Health Commissioner Howard Koh led the award

presentations to The Bureau of Substance Abuse Services Consumer Advisory Board members, Dana Moulton and Edward "Bubba" Greene for their long term dedication.

The Recovery medallion Ceremony with persons in recovery sharing their presence, as a present of hope for the hope of recovery to adolescents in need. Westfield High School students were awarded for designing the cover of MOAR’s Recovery Month Brochure!

Speaking of the City of Boston, no Recovery Day would be possible without representation from the Mayor’s Office a’ la Kattie Portis – nobody speaks from the

heart of recovery like Kattie. We could not have a Recovery Day without Leroy Kelly.

MOAR President. A Boston Neighborhood Network Recovery Month Interview scheduled by Tracey Williams Wright- made everything right!

Join Together’s Executive Director, David Rosenbloom, PhD, announced their just received Robert Wood Johnson Demand Treatment Grant ---- applicants –municipal grantees are to develop an organizational strategy to successfully advocate for treatment services. Public Health Commissioner Howard Koh broadened the supposition to a the beginning of strategic communication with his Youth Interagency Task Force Members of the task force present included: Department of Mental Health- Joan Mikula, Education- John Bynoe, Medical Assistance- Michael Norton, Youth Service- Richard Rombeletti, Juvenile Court-The Honorable Martha Grace. Added to that list – providers and parents -Rebound Adolescent Residential-Earl Dandy, South Boston Collaborative- Andy Ward, Western MA School Counselors- Peter Crumb, Western MA Parents Support Group Tanyss Martula and George Thorn. Each person shared from their perspective- and the afternoon was really an awareness of the presence of a need for "MOAR" sharing. Denise Devlin, NEAAR Community Relations Coordinator, emphasized the meaning of recovery community collaboration, as people willing to collaborate and communicate to build a continuum from personal experience, clinical, legal, and family viewpoint. Be it an adolescent can get help – but recovery is amiss, if the family, is not included in the recovery plan. This was the beginning of MOAR ‘s recovery community dialogue that needs to keep on going - to enhance the theme of

Special thanks to Our MOAR Extraordinary Sponsors – for their financial support-

ADCARE Hospital, American Bar Association, Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, Sameem Associates, Recovery Homes Collaborative,ADCARE Educational Institute, The Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Department of Public Health,

Recovery Day Brochure Sponsors, The MOAR Board, --and the NEAAR CSAT Recovery Community Grantee Affiliation – without which today’s MOAR would not exist. We thank Cushing House residents for sharing their recovery in writing in our Recovery Month Brochure. Speaking of that – the Recovery Month Brochure would not be possible without its designers- Matt Green and Dee Graham of Sameem Associates.

Of course, CSAT’s External Communications Director, Yvette Torres, who facilitates the

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month Planning Partners meeting deserves much applause. Thanks to everyone, who by their contributions made the Recovery Month Brochure and the celebration- like your recovery- a reality!

John McPeake, Louise Sutherland, Ruth Reibstein. Joe Kelleher, Amos Marshall,Bobbie Whiting, Jim Carroll, Leroy Kelly, Lisa Clark, Daniel Lynch, Kathy Mckean, Susan Decolaines, John MacIsaac, Harvey Fleishman, Greg Arsenault, Pierre Descoreaux,

Janice Archer, Lona Demers, Cheryl Lonegan, Kim Carrucci, Diane Kurtz, Diane Gahres, Tanyss Martula, Diane Teta,Neil Gaer,Victoria Buckley, James Gorske, Denise Henry, Tom Delaney, Elaine Clark, Ray Hoitt, and Tracey Williams Wright!

The above and attendees from recent Springfield, Lowell, Boston and Board meetings ----as Paul Landry, Tricia Wood, Terry Prew, Kim Fontes, Michelle Glen, Jerry Buckley, Jerry Cormier, Linda Estrem, Karen Wheeler, Ivelisse Alvarado,Nicole Walsh, Andrea Canty. Lisa Twente, Andrea Canty, Lynn Sousa, Carol Wright, Sam Sniff, Flossie Carpino,Kim Nedosterok, Carol Carey, James Gronvold, Ruth Kelley, John Avery, Rosemary Bonchez, Florence Harris, Kim Johnson, John MacIsaac, Harvey Fleishman

All states held exciting forums. In fact, Connecticut sponsored a "Recovery Walks"- very successful with 700 people! So—the "Recovery is Possible and Valuable" message is spreading! Thank you!

Springfield- Monday, October 30^th, 5:30 to 7 PM, Phoenix House, 5 Madison Avenue

Jamaica Plain-Wednesday, November 1^st, 3:30 PM, Atrium II, The Faulkner Hospital

Lowell- Thursday, November 16^th, 10:30 to 12 PM, Middlesex Community College

Lowell- Friday-December 1^st, 10:30 to 12 PM, to be announced!

National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Observed in Lowell, and MOAR will be there!

Members will schedule a video recording on "Why we do MOAR"!

MOAR members- Victoria Buckley, Janice Archer, Susan Decolaines, Louise Sutherland attended the September 23^rd CSAT TA – as to how we might learn to become MOAR welcoming to persons in recovery from addiction, and have co-occurring disorders or disabilities. All agreed- that developing a format based on asking respectful questions to recommending necessary provisions would be in order. Locally- Pierre Descoteaux and Victoria Buckley will facilitate that committee.

On October 3^rd-and 14^th MOAR members- Bobbie Whiting, Lona Demers, Janice Archer, and Bill Sciturro attended a Sustainability and Leadership Board Meeting of NEAAR. As we are in Year 3 of the Federal Grant- time staying alive time, ---means ascertaining charitable status, grant writer or writing skills, infrastructure, a dedicated membership, a demonstration of the capacity to continue-are necessary viable commodities to any funder. MOAR, as well as, the other states and NEAAR are valuing our recovery community mission, to be valued by the community and funding sources.

In the meantime- "Think Globally, Act Locally"---help continue the momentum of Recovery Month and Day- Please bring your recovery to a MOAR Meeting!

Thank you MOAR for your support!