Education, Advocacy, Prevention, and Treatment

It’s hard to believe that 2010 is almost over and 2011 is just around the corner. Every year brings the promise of new beginnings, but this year ends with some big changes. 2011 will be the first full year we operate under the name Brandywine Counseling and Community Services, and we know it will be a good one.

Our new branding is designed to help you better understand who we are, what we do, and how you can utilize our services. By streamlining our services and programs into four simple and clearly defined areas of care, we have demystified our program menu.

The four areas of care at BCCS are: Education, Advocacy, Prevention, and Treatment. Every program we have now falls under one of these categories, and sometimes more than one.

Education means teaching clients the tools to recover from addiction and mental illness, and reduce their Hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV risk. We introduce life skills to new and expectant mothers, coach clients through job training exercises, and provide outreach and education to thousands of individuals each year who are not active in treatment. Education helps save lives, and each life saved touches other lives, families, and communities in the Delaware region.

Advocacy means “watching our clients’ back.” How do we do this? We do this by having case managers develop an individualized plan to prioritize our clients’ needs. We actively assist clients with:

• Accessing eligibility for housing
• Providing linkage to community services such as shelter, food, clothing and employment possibilities
• Standing up for our clients’ rights with the courts, probation, or Division of Family Services
• Helping clients navigate treatment options

BCCS ensures that our clients have all the support and guidance they need to break through the red tape that so often accompanies drug abuse and mental health issues. We have their back.

Prevention means giving people all the information and resources they need to recognize the signs of drug and alcohol abuse or mental health issues. Our scientifically-based interventions help individuals to recognize HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) risk, learn their HIV and HCV status, and develop and manage their own reduction and prevention plan.

Treatment means addressing substance abuse and mental illness (behavioral health) directly, but also the side effects, such as family dysfunction and violence, child neglect and abuse, infant mortality, poverty, Hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV/AIDS and criminal activity. Our programs provide intervention and treatment through the use of medication, counseling, therapy and education. Appropriate aftercare referrals provide continuing support for recovery.

Please visit brandywinecounseling.org to learn more about the services and programs under our four areas of care, or stop by one of our locations to pick up a color-coded brochure.

Do you need a presentation for your community on one of these areas of care? The BCCS Prevention and Education Department will tailor any presentation to meet the needs of your community. We will provide accurate, useful information surrounding a broad range of topics, as they relate to substance use/abuse, and/or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Please contact us for more information.

These are exciting times for BCCS. You know where we have been. Now let’s look forward together to where we are heading!

Happy New Year, everyone!