News Journal: New Map Shows Spread of HIV/AIDS Along I-95

The June 18, 2011 News Journal ran an informative article on how HIV/AIDS has spread along the I-95 corridor. A new map confirms the effect of easy access to intravenous drugs via the highway, as well as Wilmington's proximity to Philadelphia and Baltimore. However, the highway also contributes to the spread of the disease via unsafe sex:

Just like major roads are drug-trafficking arteries, they also enable people infected with HIV to travel, said Basha Silverman, prevention program director at Brandywine Counseling. That way, HIV-infected people can maintain sexual relationships and spread the disease from city to city.

"The freeways create access and give people more opportunity for sexual contact," she said. "When sexual contact is unprotected, [sexually transmitted diseases] are spread."

Click here to read the full article.

BCCS to Lead Prevention Campaigns to Safeguard Delawareans from Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Statewide Movements Aim to Reduce Consequences, Costs of Harmful Behaviors

Wilmington, Del. — Brandywine Counseling & Community Services (BCCS) has cemented its reputation as Delaware’s leading voice of alcohol and drug prevention, having been awarded two grants totaling $600,000 a year for three years, to create two statewide campaigns designed to prevent alcohol and drug abuse before any sign of a problem occur. The grants were awarded from the Delaware Division of Health & Social Services, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

“For decades, our prevention efforts have focused on giving people all the information and resources they need to recognize the signs of drug and alcohol abuse,” said Dr. Lynn Fahey, CEO of BCCS. “These two new grants will help us expand these efforts and prevent drug and alcohol abuse before the abuse even begins.”

The first of the two campaigns, You. Front and Center, targets alcohol and other drug abuse among adults 18 and over. Delaware law enforcement agencies reported 5,538 adult drug arrests during 2006, and 2,551 alcohol related arrests. In addition, Delaware is above the national average for marijuana use by young adults, with 10.45% of the population 12 and older reporting they have used marijuana in the past year.

You. Front and Center will have many dimensions, all building Delaware’s capacity to measurably demonstrate changes in attitude toward alcohol and other drugs. The campaign targets the entire state, with special emphasis in Wilmington and Kent County where state data indicators show significant need. The core prevention education activity is delivery of an evidence-based curriculum called Prime for Life in a multi-session ongoing small class format. More than 250 people are expected to attend the class per year. In addition, BCCS will host several job fairs that will introduce Prime for Life to participants, create enthusiasm and recruit participants for the full program. Social media, traditional print media and special events will also promote the educational classes, while creating prevention dialogue and promoting messages that have been proven effective in prevention.

The second campaign, BTU – Beat The Urge, targets alcohol abuse among young people (“Y” and “Millennial” generations). In Delaware, binge drinking increases from a rate of 10% among eighth graders, to 23% among 18 to 20 year olds and to 64% among college students. Delaware is significantly higher than the national average for individuals 18 to 25 with alcohol dependence or abuse. There are severe consequences, in the form of injuries from alcohol-related crashes, arrests of minors for DUI, and more than $200 million a year in costs to the citizens of Delaware for medical care, work loss, and pain and suffering resulting from the use of alcohol by youth.

The alcohol prevention campaign has a strong peer-led component. BCCS is partnering with middle schools, high schools, colleges, community organizations and faith-based organizations to reach the young adult audience. This campaign, which also is statewide, will be highly visible through social media, traditional media and special events. A new evidence-based curriculum will be developed in a peer-to-peer format, creating enthusiasm and encouraging participants to get involved with the alcohol-free movement, in order to exponentially increase the number of people who become involved. In our first year, we expect to present the curriculum to approximately 300 young people and to train 20 adult trainers (such as school nurses) and 150 adolescent and young adult peer leaders.

The two prevention campaigns and all of their components will be measured for outcomes and impact. BCCS expects to demonstrate changes in attitude toward alcohol, marijuana, prescription opiates and heroin among high-risk populations. In the long term, BCCS aims to produce measurable, statewide change and sustainable outcomes within Delaware communities related to alcohol and drug use, such as: a decrease in underage and binge drinking, a decrease in alcohol and drug related traffic crashes, and a decrease in costs associated with alcohol and drug-related violence and traffic crashes.

Achieving changed individual attitudes that prevent the onset of behaviors which are costly to personal health, to community health and to Delaware is an important step toward a healthier future. BCCS seeks to create dialogue about the shared responsibility we have to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones from alcohol and substance abuse.



About Brandywine Counseling & Community Services
For 25 years, Brandywine Counseling & Community Services, Inc. has been a trusted provider of outstanding substance abuse and behavioral treatment, HIV/AIDS prevention and education initiatives, mental health and advocacy services. BCCS is Delaware's most recognized provider of behavioral services with seven locations statewide. The core program offerings fall under one of four critical areas of care: Education, Advocacy, Prevention and Treatment. For more information about BCCS, visit www.brandywinecounseling.org. 

For more information, please contact Basha Silverman at (302) 655-9880 ext. 123 or
bsilverman@brandywinecounseling.org.

Video: AIDS Plus 30 in Delaware

This video from WHYY's "First" looks at HIV/AIDS in Delaware 30 years later. Despite prevention efforts like the needle exchange, new infections continue, and so does the stigma. The issue seems to have disappeared from the headlines, at a time when more education is needed.

Watch the video here (click Chapter 3).

Also, read the companion article from Delaware Today, The Fight Continues.

News Journal: Social Workers Gather Delaware Prostitutes' Stories

BCCS' outreach work with prostitutes was highlighted in yesterday's News Journal.

Prevention program director Basha Silverman discusses what we hope to gain by collecting data:

"We need to find out how many are the victims of sexual violence, how many need drug treatment and how many rely on sex work because they can't find other employment."
...
"Are we going to eradicate prostitution 100 percent? Probably not. I don't think we are going to create a magic bullet or pill to eradicate prostitution and that's not what we're claiming to do. But I think we're going to be able to reduce the reliance on sex work."

And outreach worker Rochelle Booker talks about her late night work in dangerous neighborhoods:

"Everyone judges them. Drugs have taken over their lives and they have no hope and they have no life and any dreams or self-esteem that they have is all shot. But deep down inside, all those women are some good women. They're somebody's mother, somebody's daughter, somebody's wife. ... I'm trying to help somebody."

Read the full article here, and see a video interview with the outreach workers below.



Photo: The News Journal/WILLIAM BRETZGER

Needle Exchange Credited with Reduced HIV Infection Rates in Delaware

The number of new HIV infections in Delaware has fallen from over 300 a year to about 155 in the past decade, and the state's pilot needle exchange program deserves some credit, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health.

Jim Dickinson of DPH made this statement at yesterday's meeting of the Delaware HIV Planning Council. As of September 30, there were 101 newly identified HIV cases in Delaware during 2010. In addition to needle exchange, improved education and outreach programs may also be contributing to the decrease, Dickinson said.

Also at Thursday's meeting, the Council heard from James Albino, senior program manager for the Office of National AIDS Policy, about the White House's national strategy to reduce new infections by 25% over the next 5 years. The strategy incorporates prevention, increased access to medical care, reduction of stigma, and increasing coordination.

Read the full article here.

Delaware Has Nation's 7th Highest Binge Drinking Rate

Today's News Journal reports that the CDC ranks Delaware as having the 7th highest binge drinking rate in the country, at 18.5%.

Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks within two hours for women, five or more for men.

Binge drinking and alcoholism are responsible for nearly 80,000 deaths each year. Binge drinkers, for the most part, are not addicts.

One reason that binge drinking has not fallen during the past 15 years is because it's not widely recognized as a "risky health behavior," said Tom Frieden, director of the CDC.

Prevention efforts therefore need to focus on awareness of the lifestyle risks, such as car crashes, as well as risky criminal or sexual behaviors. In addition, we should promote alternative choices in activities, so that binge drinking becomes a less attractive option.

Why the rate is so high in Delaware compared to other states is unknown, according to local counselors who have treated binge drinkers.

Why do you think Delaware's rate is so high? What else can be done about this serious public health issue?

Video Announcement on our Name Change

Here's a video announcement from our CEO Lynn Fahey on our new and expanded course for the future as BCCS!

We Are Now Brandywine Counseling & Community Services!

New Name, New Logo, New Service Offerings.

Dear Friends,

For 25 years, you've known Brandywine Counseling as a provider of outstanding substance abuse and mental health treatment, HIV/AIDS prevention and education initiatives, and advocacy services.

You've come to expect the best from us. The best possible care; the most compassionate and knowledgeable staff; the most services, for all areas of your life, all in one place. Your best chance at a new life. Now, the best is about to get even better.

Today, August 2nd, we become Brandywine Counseling & Community Services (BCCS).

We're setting a new and expanded course for the future by adding Community Services to our name. It's a distinction that acknowledges our wide range of existing services and successes, while also recognizing our growth and expertise as a community-focused behavioral health organization.

Our new look and logo is a true alignment of our heritage and vision. It's an authentic expression of BCCS' unique strength, values and goals - and the greater hope and life transformation we continue to bring you.

BCCS' expanded services in behavioral health will benefit the entire Delaware community, from our most vulnerable populations through to baby boomers heading towards retirement. Our focus will remain on 4 areas of care: prevention, education, treatment and advocacy, and soon we plan on including adolescence and primary care. Healthy behaviors result in healthy lives.

Change is good. That's something we often tell our clients. Now, Brandywine is changing, to be even better at meeting your needs. We know this change will be good for you, for us, and for the community.

As always, we thank you for your support and for helping make our work possible. Together, we help people get better.

Sincerely,

Lynn M. Fahey, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer


P.S. - Please visit brandywinecounseling.org for continued updates from BCCS, and to learn what you can do to help!

Write Your State Legislator: Maintain Funding to BCI

BCI clients, family members, and friends, you can help ensure that Delaware will continue to fund services for people served by behavioral health agencies. Here is a sample letter you can personalize and send to your State Representative or Senator.

We know the State of Delaware is facing a huge budget deficit for next year. If we make our voices heard, we may prevent a possible reduction or elimination of services for addicted persons and their families. If BCI has saved your life or the life of a loved one, please tell your story!

If you don't know who your legislators are, you can call the numbers listed here.

Your voice matters. Write today and give people affected by addiction hope for the future. Thank you!

3 Years of Needle Exchange in Delaware: Saving Lives and Saving Dollars

The pilot Delaware Needle Exchange Program has had three very successful years. Over 700 people are enrolled, and over 38,654 needles have been exchanged. These potentially infectious syringes have been incinerated and destroyed. Not only have new infections been prevented, but participants have been successfully connected to substance abuse and HIV treatment services. Here are some more highlights, which we are also sharing with legislators today at the Joint Finance Committee budget hearings.

• 150 people have been referred to drug treatment, with an incredible follow up/success rate of 60%. Referrals have been made to methadone treatment, outpatient and inpatient drug treatment, and detoxification.


• Over 1200 people have been tested for HIV on the van. More than half were not needle exchange participants, but took advantage of the service being brought to their neighborhood. Testing has identified new HIV positive infections, as well as positives who know their status but are not in treatment. We are linking them to medical care and case management, which further reduces their risk of transmitting the virus.


• We have begun Pregnancy Screening on our van. Our goal is to reduce the infant mortality rate in Delaware by connecting drug abusing pregnant women to treatment immediately. This will ultimately save both the mother and the baby’s life. Delaware has an extremely successful record of preventing HIV infection among infants born to HIV infected mothers, with only one HIV-positive birth in the last 4 years. Expectant mothers with HIV in Delaware have access to comprehensive, high-quality care; yet, it remains imperative that we encourage them to be tested for HIV and to seek drug treatment.


• The needle exchange has made a difference for so many individuals in the past three years. Here is just one of those stories:
  
  "Cecilia" is a 24 year old Hispanic female who joined the needle exchange a little more than a year ago. She was an active drug user but was not ready for treatment. One day, after she had been with us about 6 months, Cecilia came on the van, tired and crying. She had finally had enough of the drug using lifestyle. We made her an appointment at the methadone clinic. She was having trouble signing up for Medicaid to handle her payments, so we helped her with that, and she was successfully admitted. At time of admission, she had a pregnancy test and found out she was 4 months pregnant. She stayed in treatment and gave birth to a healthy baby. Today Cecilia is still active in treatment and is also employed.


• Lastly, we would like to share with you the cost benefit of needle exchange. Delaware’s program receives $211,000 from the Division of Public Health each year. We know from a recent CDC study that preventing one new HIV infection saves $221,365 in treatment costs. So, the prevention of one new HIV infection pays for the Needle Exchange Program for one year. In three years, Delaware’s needle exchange has prevented an estimated 10-12 new infections by connecting nearly 20 people to HIV care. Therefore, we saved an estimated $2 million that would have been spent on treating those individuals - and that is a modest approximation that does not include the infections prevented when someone is admitted to substance abuse treatment.

The success of the needle exchange is thanks to the inclusive and considerate work of our program staff at Brandywine Counseling, along with incredible support from the City of Wilmington, neighborhood associations, the Faith Community, the Division of Public Health and the Wilmington Police. This is an excellent example of what can happen when a community mobilizes.

We must keep up the work we’re doing. This epidemic remains a challenge, but we are making progress. 3,489 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Delaware. The Black community accounts for 20.9% of the state’s population, but 66% of our HIV/AIDS cases. While the number of new infections each year has declined, in Delaware, 1 in every 83 Blacks has HIV/AIDS.

Delaware’s Needle Exchange remains dedicated to the following goals:

• We must encourage HIV testing for all those who are at risk.
• We must encourage all of those that are infected to seek treatment.
• We must encourage those not infected to take measures to ensure they remain uninfected. Until then, many will continue to pass the virus without knowing it.

Advocating for Recovery at Legislative Hall

Delaware's Joint Finance Committee is holding its annual hearing this week on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, in preparation for making difficult decisions for this year's State budget. BCI Counselor Silver Debrick is testifying today to bring to their attention the needs of Delaware's citizens regarding treatment and recovery. Here is what she had to say.

Good afternoon and thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of addiction services in Delaware. I am Silver Debrick, and I am a Dual Disorder Counselor of Brandywine Counseling, Inc., an addiction, mental health treatment and prevention agency celebrating 25 years of service to addicted persons and their families in the State of Delaware. I would like to thank you for your support in the past and to remind you why funding for these services remains essential.

Brandywine Counseling offers “Same Day Intake” for heroin addiction. We provide a patient their first dose of potentially life-saving methadone treatment the same day they walk in the door, with no wait time or waiting list. Many people have admitted that same day medication enabled them to stick with treatment rather than be back on the streets seeking heroin. Today, 40% of our methadone patients, nearly 450 people, have at least 90 days abstinence. We do not turn anyone away who needs our services.

Brandywine partners with other Delaware service providers, including Christiana Care, Detoxification, and community-based peer support. We strive for consistency, efficiency, and nonduplication of efforts to serve our common population. One successful collaboration is our on-site outreach at Wilmington Hospital, which has enabled us to reach a population that was previously “falling through the cracks.” In just over a year, 114 people have entered treatment thanks to this partnership. Drug use is known to increase one’s risk of chronic disease, including heart disease, cancer, or kidney damage. By helping these people enter treatment earlier, we help them avoid these health problems, while decreasing costs to hospitals and taxpayers.

Brandywine also continues to partner with the State of Delaware to better serve Delawareans with co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness. Co-occurring disorders are becoming more the rule than the exception for drug-dependent people. Nearly 4 in 10 people who come through our door have a Co-Occurring Disorder. Our team is prepared to provide them individualized, person-centered, culturally competent assessment and treatment, with minimal wait time. This includes our clinical staff, many of whom have obtained our Co-Occurring Professional Certification; as well as our physicians, psychologists, and psychiatrist Dr. Carol Tavani.

Another vulnerable population Brandywine serves is women with children. Our residential program, the Lighthouse, is filled to its 10 bed capacity. We have 2 moms who have been awarded regular visitation with their children, and another mom who has regained custody of her children while at the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is keeping these families together. It helps women find the courage to break the generational cycle of addiction and transform their lives to become productive citizens and good mothers. That is why we welcome them upon arrival with a big hug and a smile and say "Welcome to the Light!"

Treatment produces so many individual success stories. We help each person set goals, work toward them, and celebrate when they reach them. Here are just a few examples.

• One gentleman from Georgetown entered our vocational program. He just got employed with a cellphone company. When he came in to see his counselor, he was in a suit and tie and was beaming with pride!
  
  
• Another young lady named Dawn was living on the streets in Wilmington one year ago. She was addicted to heroin and was sleeping on a bus stop bench in the middle of winter. Today, she has one year clean, she has a place to live, and she is the mom of healthy 9 month old twins.
  
  
• A young man named Kevin took part in our recovery coaching program. He received peer support that helped him build a strong support network, stay clean, and reconnect with his family. He says, “I feel like a productive member of society today. I feel like a normal human being. Most of all, I have my family back today, and just 8 months ago, they wouldn’t even want me in their house.”

Lastly, I would like to remind you that when we treat and prevent addiction, we reduce the consequences of addiction, which often receive much more attention. Addiction is the leading factor in 40% of homelessness, 38% of child abuse and neglect, 50% of domestic violence disputes, 50% of auto accidents and 62% of aggravated assaults. If we as a society recognize addiction as the underlying cause of these concerns, we will see how necessary treatment and prevention are. I ask that you continue to support addiction treatment and prevention services.

Thank you.

Expanded Oxford Houses Promote Recovery in Delaware

Today's News Journal gives us an update on the expansion of Oxford Houses in Delaware. Over the past year, the number of the houses has risen from 9 to 28. Jim Martin is the man behind the expansion and a success story himself. The houses are addressing a great need for recovery housing in our state, and yet still not meeting all the demand. And generally, the residents make good neighbors, too.

If you are interested in moving to an Oxford House, click here for a directory of locations, vacancies, and contact information.

"Philanthropy in the First State": A Report on Delaware's Social Safety Net

Today, the Delaware Philanthropy Forum presented a report titled "Philanthropy in the First State: Delaware's Nonprofits, Individual Donors, and Grantmaking Organizations." It's a look at what comprises the social safety net in our state and how we compare to the rest of the nation.

The Delaware Philanthropy Forum is a group of donor leaders from Delaware’s corporate, private foundation and federated business and nonprofit communities. The primary objective of the Forum is to support Delaware's nonprofit sector.

Here are some of the report's findings:

• Delaware's nonprofits are, as a group, financially fragile. More than 35% of Delaware nonprofits operated in the red each year from 2002-2007.
• Delaware is home to 390 private independent foundations, which awarded $333 million in grants in 2007; however, only $60 million of these dollars went to support Delaware-based organizations, and the majority of this came from only 8 foundations.
• Delawareans give to charity at a higher rate than the national average; however, the amount we give is 9% lower than average.
• Corporate giving may provide less support than imagined. Documented corporate giving from Delaware-based entities comprised less than 2% of the state's organized philanthropy in 2007.

These are very interesting stats at a time when more and more people need services and non-profits are having to do more with less. You can find a copy of the full report here for more details on these findings.

Brandywine Counseling Awarded Federal Funds for Homeless Program

Brandywine Counseling Awarded $1.75 Million in Federal Funds
5 Year Project Will Expand Treatment for Delaware’s Homeless

WILMINGTON, DE – (September 18, 2009) – Brandywine Counseling, Inc. (BCI), a non-profit provider of addiction, mental health, and HIV/AIDS services, today announced they have been awarded a five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (SAMHSA/CSAT) to serve homeless substance abusers in Sussex County, Delaware.

The program will be called STEP, Support, Treatment, Engagement, and Prevention. It will admit 200 homeless substance abusers and conduct 400 assessments annually in rural Sussex County. The target population has an average substance abuse history of over 8 years, with 3 or more treatment failures and dependence on more than one substance. The average client has co-occurring addiction and mental illness; primary health care needs; and is involved in the criminal justice and/or child welfare system. STEP will address the system and clinical barriers that currently hinder their long-term stability and health; specifically, uncoordinated services that frequently have incompatible service requirements, lack of affordable permanent housing, and no public transportation in an area where services are geographically dispersed.

STEP will provide evidence-based interventions through an integrated nested services approach, including substance abuse, mental health and primary healthcare treatment in conjunction with intensive case management and ancillary services. BCI will partner with a network of affiliated agencies, including La Red Health Center, Crisis House, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The primary goal of STEP is to improve stability, health, and quality of life by facilitating sobriety, treating mental health symptoms, treating health issues, stabilizing and improving housing and employment, and reducing criminal activity.

Sen. Edward E. Kaufman (D-Del.) said of the award, “The grant that Brandywine Counseling was awarded will provide proven services to those most in need. Groups like La Red and Crisis House, along with the Department of Veterans Affairs, have turned around countless lives through the years, and this funding will allow them to expand their ability to help in Sussex County. My hope is that this opens hopeful and recuperative doors to the downtrodden who have nowhere left to turn.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). SAMHSA’s vision, “A Life in the Community for Everyone,” is based on the premise that people of all ages, with or at risk for mental or substance use disorders, should have the opportunity for a fulfilling life that includes a job/education, a home, and meaningful personal relationships with friends and family. SAMHSA works to achieve this vision through an action-oriented, measurable mission of “Building Resilience and Facilitating Recovery.”

Brandywine Counseling, Inc. is a community organization that provides holistic care to persons and their families living with addiction, mental health, and HIV-related challenges. BCI is Delaware’s largest provider of addiction services, serving over 2,000 clients age 18 and over at seven locations statewide. For more information, please visit brandywinecounseling.org.

For more information on STEP, please contact Sheera Lipshitz, Director of Sussex County Services at 302-856-4700.

Support BCI in the 2009 United Way Campaign

United Way of Delaware kicked off its 2009 campaign yesterday with a cheer by school students on South Market Street. The state's largest charitable campaign announced a goal of $20.5 million this year to benefit more than 100 member agencies including BCI.

Brandywine Counseling thanks you for supporting this year's campaign. There is no wrong way to give, whether your donation is large or small, whether you designate it to one agency or spread it around to many. We also know in this economy, it's not easy to be charitable, but it makes a difference for our clients.

What do United Way funds mean to member agencies? At BCI they support one full time position on our outreach team that goes out to do education, testing, and make referrals. We like to think of outreach as "opening windows of trust." Our clients are reluctant at first. It takes a friendly face, maybe a cup of coffee, bringing the services to them, and most of all, persevering and having patience. Because eventually, the light bulb will go on, and when someone is ready for help, we are ready to give it.

Like all member agencies, we measure outcomes. We report to United Way on the number of HIV tests we do, how many outreach contacts we make, and how many people reduce their risk. Results matter, and as a donor, you know your donation is going to a program that really works.
Your workplace probably runs a United Way campaign. If it doesn't, it’s easy to start! Contact United Way at (302) 573-3700 and they will set you up with everything you need. You can request guest speakers from member agencies for your campaign rally. There are many options to give, including payroll deduction or a one-time gift.

You can help not only through donating, but by spreading the word to others about BCI. The more we raise, the more we can help those in need. How can you spread the word? Here are some easy ways. Use email to send a post from our blog that will inspire people. Send friends to our Facebook page to see our photos, become Fans, and join the conversation. Or, just talk about us! When you're excited about BCI's work, other people will get excited, and they'll want to donate.

Thank you very much for your support this year. It saves lives, and it is really appreciated.

BCI Reaches Reluctant Clients by Creating "Windows of Trust"

BCI’s Safety Net Services is featured in this month’s CSAT Grantee Spotlight. We’re pleased to reprint it for you here. Pictured from left: Case Manager Sharon Brown, Nurse Joyce Bunkley, Nurse Practioner Chris Zebley, and NSAFE Manager Rhonda Swanson.

Basha Silverman is the Director of HIV Prevention Services at Brandywine Counseling in Wilmington, Delaware, and is the Project Coordinator of its Safety Net Services project. Sharon Brown is the Case Manager for the Safety Net Services project. We spoke with Basha and Sharon about this TCE/HIV grant and discussed their challenges, solutions, and lessons learned.

Grantee Profile
Brandywine Counseling provides behavioral health services to individuals with substance abuse problems and their families. It is Delaware’s largest provider of outpatient addiction treatment services.

Brandywine provides opioid treatment, drug-free treatment, mental health treatment, and case management. It includes pregnant and parenting women’s services, a drug court program, an infectious diseases clinic, and an HIV prevention unit.

Safety Net Services is a multicomponent project offering integrated addiction pretreatment, treatment, and HIV/AIDS services. It incorporates outreach, HIV education and testing, medication management, and co-occurring disorders treatment. This grant targets women and ex-offenders and creates a safety net for at-risk and HIV-positive substance abusers at various stages of readiness to enter addiction treatment.

What are your unique challenges?
Clients have unique patterns of willingness, readiness, and commitment to treatment. They become interested, engaged, and disinterested, and leave, return, and cycle back and forth.

When engaged, clients visit us often, bring their babies, visit our clothes closet, and use our dropin services. We view these as special windows of opportunity to make use of clients’ motivation to change. But these windows can close quickly, challenging our ability to remain engaged.

Co-occurring mental health issues are notable challenges. When clients don’t have rapid access to mental health medications or professionals, their windows of opportunity can rapidly close and their treatment needs may be left unmet.

How do you address these challenges?
Since client willingness and readiness are dynamic processes, we make engagement methods flexible and dynamic. We meet clients where they are, not where we want them to be.

When clients stop coming to us, we reach out to them. But they shy away if outreach is coercive or pushy. Thus, we use gentle motivational interviewing techniques during outreach. We meet clients at times convenient to them. They are often on the street in the early mornings.

Our Case Manager will conduct outreach between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. At such times, clients are often tired and willing to talk and join the Case Manager for coffee and donuts and discuss treatment. Many clients are willing to enter treatment on the spot. Since our program accepts intakes at 5:30 a.m., the Case Manager can take advantage of windows of opportunity and help admit clients immediately.

To enhance outreach effectiveness, our Case Manager has multiple roles. All of our clients are assigned a counselor and a Case Manager. Our Case Manager is an active part of the counseling team and conducts follow-up locating and outreach. Thus, clients already have a relationship with her. She is a friendly face.

We promote treatment-on-demand to address mental health challenges. CSAT funding helped us expand the roles and hours for our nurse and nurse practitioners. They previously worked only with HIV clients but now work with HIV clients and those with co-occurring disorders. We were also able to increase physician and psychiatrist time. These changes increased access to psychiatric evaluations and medication management. Having our Case Manager coordinate appointments further increased access and reduced waiting lists.

What lessons would you like to share?
Program and client goals can be at odds. A program may seek to achieve 80 percent abstinence, which is commendable. But clients may have such goals as getting a home or a job, leaving an abusing spouse, or reuniting with their children. They may want to be better spouses or parents.

We can improve the lives of our clients best if we use goals and milestones that are client-centered, realistic to each client, and take into consideration the resources in the community and clients’ lives.

We implemented several process improvements that resulted in reduced waiting time and increased admissions. To do so, we had someone anonymously walk through the admission process and experience it from a client’s perspective. This revealed delays to make appointments, complete the intake and assessment paperwork, enter treatment, and receive lab tests.

We convened a committee to analyze the processes. We took steps to reduce appointment times, shortened the admission process by eliminating duplicate admission and assessment paperwork, and reduced lab delays from weeks to hours by using same-day lab tests.

How has GPRA data collection helped you?
Asking the GPRA tool questions fosters thoughtful and probing discussions with clients. It helps to create relationships with clients and opens up windows of trust and intimacy. Asking the GPRA questions helps us to better understand clients’ lives, experiences, treatment needs, and resources.

This article is reprinted with permission from CSAT Discretionary Grantee News, July 2009.

We Did It!

Delaware passed the FY10 budget early this morning with no cuts in program contracts to disability providers. We are so excited! It seemed inevitable there would be cuts this year that would force us to reduce services. But with your help, we wrote to the legislators and spoke with them directly about the value of addiction treatment. They heard us!

As we celebrate this victory, we want to say thanks to all of you who wrote letters and shared your stories. We want to thank DelARF for their work on our behalf. And we want to thank the officials and legislators, particularly the Joint Finance Committee, for their support.

Though we won this battle, we’ll continue to need your support in the future, so stay tuned to brandwinecounseling.org to see what you can do and when you can do it. Thank you again for making a difference!

A Dedication and Celebration, BCI Style (Complete with Water Guns)

BCI staff past and present, and our friends outside the organization, gathered June 24, 2009 for a twofold purpose. We dedicated our Outreach Center in honor of our first Outreach Director Linda DeShields, and we took time to pay tribute to our retiring Executive Director Sally Allshouse. In true BCI fashion, it was an afternoon of fellowship, recovery, and fun.

The afternoon began with a proclamation by Board President David Oppold dedicating the Linda DeShields Outreach Center. To the sounds of cheers, the ribbon was cut and a plaque was unveiled inside. Lunch was served, including dishes home cooked by staff, and tours were given of the renovated facility. Guest speakers then reminisced about Linda and honored her legacy.

James Harrison shared the story of how Linda recruited him as the first BCI employee to be previously a consumer on the methadone program. He also tells the story here. James recalled Linda’s work ethic, how she didn’t have a watch, or understand the concept of 8 hours and you were done. He recalled Linda sending him into a crack house to find a person. “I can’t go in there, I’m a recovering addict,” he said. Linda answered, “That’s why I hired you, go in there and get ‘em!” So James went in, because you don’t say no to Linda DeShields, and that person is doing well in treatment today.

Jack Booker, Linda’s oldest son, noted her unconditional love for her children. “When I think of my mom, I think about God, and to me, God is loving, caring, sharing, and helping.” In an emotional tribute, he thanked her for giving him the skills to be successful in life and for never giving up on her family. Her legacy includes daughter Rochelle who’s following in her footsteps as supervisor of the Needle Exchange.

Laurie Dyer, a past employee of BCI, recalled running a women’s group with Linda, and getting them makeovers at Wannamaker’s. Another time, they attended a workshop on African American heritage that ended with Linda initiating Laurie as an African American woman. “I was honored! I came back and told everyone, ‘I’m a black woman!’ and I am proud to say that today!” Finally, she recollected what it was like to take a trip with Linda as your backseat driver, pretending to be asleep, but somehow awakening at the moment you start to talk about her.

Shay Lipshitz said she is forever indebted to Linda, who hired her at BCI. Having been called away for a presentation and nearly missing today’s event, Shay recalled Linda’s words, “You always have to give something back to the house, and I hope I did that today.”

Sally Allshouse told of meeting Linda on her second day at work. “She looked at me, looked me up and down, and said, ‘Time will tell.’ She was the most amazing, strong, black woman. She loved her family, she loved God, and she loved working. She knew by giving back to her community, she would be rewarded. She adopted us. She would go eat anywhere. Every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, if she knew where you lived, she would show up. She was a Delawarean, she knew what it meant to live in Wilmington, to be raised in Wilmington, to have trouble in Wilmington, but she believed in Wilmington.”

Rochelle Booker, Linda’s daughter, thanked everyone for coming to celebrate her mom. She then introduced Sally and informed her this was a surprise going away party. (Actually it was not that surprising, as Sally found out a day before.) Rochelle noted that it was Sally who gave her her start. “I know when she saw my application, she probably said uh-uh. Another Booker? When you’re introducing someone this good, you can’t write nothin’ down. All I can say is thank you from my heart and I love you.”

Rochelle presented Sally with a baton to symbolically pass the torch to her successor, Lynn Fahey. Sally, in turn, brought some gifts for her staff. Explaining she was cleaning out her office and returning confiscated materials, she presented each manager with a toy water gun, to much laughter and applause. “If you know my staff, they can be a little raucous, and some of them have criminal histories!”

But this was only the beginning, as more toys were bestowed upon Lynn. Juggling balls, which every Executive Director needs. Punching bags for the days you get really angry. “Character In a Jar” for dealing with funding agencies who never play fair. “Whack a Mole” for dealing with all the BCI sites. “There's Alpha! There's Outreach! There's Lancaster! There's Newark! They keep poppin’ up!” “Grow a Therapist.” (Self-explanatory.) A foam sword to cut through the bull. Last but not least, the biggest water gun of all, because “When you have staff who are criminals, you need a really big gun. This thing will squirt, and Lynn, you’re gonna need to squirt!” All joking aside, Sally said she’s had the best 21 years at BCI, and 39 years in the addiction field, and it’s been a moment of joy every single day because she gets to see miracles.

Lynn Fahey thanked Sally for her caring over the years, for the opportunities and the life lessons, saying, “I will be doing everything in my power to continue what you’ve created and built.” She then presented gifts to Sally from the staff, reading a letter of gratitude for her leadership and dedication. Since Sally would not allow us to buy her anything, the staff made a donation of $600 to Brandywine Counseling in her name. Lynn also announced we will rededicate the Sara Allshouse Tree of Excellence, noting the tree trunk is a fitting symbol of her stable and strong leadership that enabled BCI to achieve such growth. Sally was also presented with a real, potted tree.

David Oppold read a letter from Senator Carper’s office thanking Sally for her dedication that has touched thousands of lives. The floor was then opened up to all the guests to share their stories, thoughts, and gratitude.

Steve Burns was given his start at BCI by both Linda and Sally. He recalled working as a counselor in Riverside, and one day Linda came and got everyone to go do outreach. Steve said, “I’m a counselor, not an outreach worker.” Linda replied, “Everybody’s an outreach worker today. Get your a** outside!” Steve thanked Sally for encouraging him to go back to school, and for her longtime support of the 1212 Club.

James Harrison described Sally as someone “to take a nobody and say you’re a somebody.” He also remembered spiritual experiences, like the time a Joint Commission challenge resolved itself not even an hour after Sally’s words, “Let’s pray!” Marge Flynn gave thanks for Sally’s support after her relapse after years of recovery, and eventually rehiring her. “That’s love! That’s recovery!” Laurie Dyer recalled how Sally made work pleasurable to come to every day, complete with pranks at the office and staff retreats.

Former staff member Joanne Coston noted Linda’s and Sally’s personal influence on her and on how she raised her kids. Consultant Dorothy Dillard presented Sally with the “Nth Chance Award,” after all those she gave a first, second, 50th, and 100th chance. Sally thanked us all and left us with these words: “If you don’t believe in recovery, and if you don’t believe people get better, then get out of the tent, because this tent is about recovery!”

What a day it was. Many more of us could have spoken yesterday if time permitted. Since I did not get my chance, I’ll do so now. It’s well known that Sally took a chance in hiring people new to recovery. But she also took a chance in hiring me to be her assistant. I came in with no non-profit experience, some grant writing ability, and a degree in chemical engineering, of all things. I knew nothing of addiction, and was dead set against working with “those addicts.” So much so, that I even turned down my second interview at first. But something stuck with me and eventually made me change my mind. I had interviewed at many non-profits, but this one was different. BCI was more rough around the edges, but behind that I saw passion, potential, and a refreshing frankness. Without meeting any other staff, I knew this attitude came from Sally, and I decided I wanted to work for her. And so it was that I got my big break in the non-profit sector, and also learned to open my mind to the unfamiliar and the exciting.

As yesterday’s celebration shows, that spirit is still here at Brandywine. It started with Linda DeShields and with Sally Allshouse, but will remain even after they’ve left. Thanks Linda, and thanks Sally.

It's Not Too Late to Write Your Legislator

We're still awaiting the 2010 budget for the State of Delaware, and what it will mean for BCI's services. Cuts will be coming, how much is still yet to be determined. Many of our staff are taking time out of our schedule to meet with legislators and advocate as much as we can. We need your help!

If you believe addiction services are important, there's still time to make your voice heard. Use our sample letter to send to your State Representative or Senator. It takes hardly any time at all. When I sent mine, I even got a response back. If you don't know who your legislators are, you can call the numbers listed here. Thank you for your support!

Suboxone in Sussex County

Suboxone treatment is now available in Sussex County, Delaware.

Are you addicted to opiates, heroin, percocets, or oxycodone,
and not using cocaine, marijuana, benzodiazepines, or alcohol?

Want help?

Call:
J.A. Glick, M.D., 302-540-5437
For phone assessment and treatment recommendation