Tuesday, July 30, 2013

3 Tips on How to Keep Your Teen out of Trouble this Summer

Preparing for Summer with Teens

By: Amity Chandler, former DFCC: Executive Director

With summer vacation in full swing for students, the Prevention Team at Preferred Family Healthcare would like to take a moment to share some insights that we've recently read from Amity Chandler, former Executive Director with Drug Free Charlotte County in Florida. Here are Amity's tips to navigate summer with your teens

Tip 1: Throw out the left-over liquor bottles that are sitting around from the holiday parties 

Many Bottles Of Alcohol Royalty Free Stock Photography - Image: 7501087Your teens were not hatched yesterday. If they're going to experiment, it will be with the stuff your least likely to look at or touch. This also means old prescriptions and the cigarettes you might have quit a month ago. Also consider most Florida teens say when they drink they do so at another friend's home. There is a parent somewhere that hasn't gotten the memo... it's time for us to start talking to the parents of our teens friends and asking direct questions, such as, does my teen have access to alcohol in your home? Worst - case scenario is you'll embarrass your teen. Let's just say it won't be the first or last time.

Tip 2: A summer job is not a barrier to experimentation 

In fact, it can be a gateway. Summer jobs are great for teaching responsibility, earning money and other life lessons. Summer jobs can also result in relationships between your teen and older, legal drinking-age individuals. Plan on talking to your teen about work relationships, new friends and your expectations of them while they are working for the summer, including curfews and work hours.

Tip 3: Prepare for boredom

Don't fall victim to the "I'm bored" routine. Before you know it, they'll be calling you on the phone while your at work asking to go to place A, with friend B, whom you've actually never met, but is a friend of friend C, whom you know quite well. Don't get me wrong, I believe most teens are inherently honest and good, but I've noticed they can smell weakness. Insist on a 24-hour notice for plans of activity outside the home. If friend B is really that important to your teen, they'll make plans within your guidelines.

Drug Trends: Desmethyl Fentanyl

There's a new illegally produced synthetic drug floating around that can cause serious harm if you come into contact with it. Desmethyl Fentanyl is a chemically modified derivative of the powerful prescription painkiller Fentanyl - reportedly "40 times more potent than heroin and 80 times stronger than morphine."
Four Montreal, Canada cops were made ill by handling some amount seized even while taking safety precautions like wearing a masks and gloves.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates on drugs and mental health information.

To find out more important information from the Prevention Team, click here for the full Newsletter

Friday, July 5, 2013

Achieving Recovery Through Creativity


  Art is used in addiction recovery                services across the country and around the world because addiction is a global problem. Art prevails where words fail in expressing the dark world of addiction and triumphs in overcoming the stigma associated with this disease.







In a booklet published by the Innovators Program at John Hopkins University, the executive board explains that, “Where science analyzes and explains addiction with images of data displayed in pie charts and bar graphs, art reveals the gangled complexity of addiction with images of paint and other materials to enhance our understanding of this treatable, chronic illness.”

ARTC - Achieving Recovery Through Creativity (Wentzville)
http://pinterest.com/preferredfamily/ 
Art's importance to the individual in the recovery process cannot be understated and its role in raising awareness to communities is invaluable. In fact, the Innovators Program also says that "the growing consensus among substance abuse professionals confirms that addiction art complements addiction science and is a 'remarkable contribution to the field of substance abuse prevention and treatment.'"
ARTC - Achieving Recovery Through Creativity (St. Louis)
http://pinterest.com/preferredfamily/
The art created by the consumers of Preferred Family Healthcare in the “Achieving Recovery Through Creativity”, or ARTC, provides a creative opportunity to engage the community in the mission to assist others in achieving their potential. Through anecdotal observation and testimonial based evidence we can see that the ARTC program is making a profound impact.


$20 will fund supplies for a person working on recovery through the ARTC program for an entire month. Your gift will help change lives. To see more art and what $20 can create, visit our Facebook or Pinterest page. Click here to donate today. 

Don't miss our ARTC exhibit presented at the Fraser Leonard Gallery!
Click here for more information.
                                                                                                                                                                           

ARTC Outcomes Surveys July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012
1657 surveys completed over past two years
67% youth (18 and under)
33% adult (19 and over)
Introduced me to new activities that I enjoy.
90%
Helped me to express my thoughts and feelings.
91%
Gave me an opportunity to learn activities I can do instead of using drugs and or drinking.
93%
Gave me a sense of accomplishment.
92%
Helped me improve my ability to work with others.
87%
Helped me discover new skills I can use in the future at school or work.
87%
Helped me feel better about myself.
89%$20 will fund supplies for a person working on recovery to be involved in the ARTC program for one month. Your gift will help change lives, to learn more watch, Face of Recovery.






























Works Cited


Santora, Patricia B., Dr, Margaret R. Dowell, Dr, and Jack E. Henningway, Dr. "Guidelines for Organizing Art Exhibitions on Addiction and Recovery." Policyarchive.com. The John Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2008. Web. 3 July 2013. <http://www.policyarchive.org/handle/10207/bitstreams/21307.pdf>.

"Addiction Science: From Molecules to Managed Care." Drug Abuse Is a Global Problem.National Institute on Drug Abuse, July 2008. Web. 03 July 2013. <http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/addiction-science/international-program-conclusion/drug-abuse-global-problem>.