Needle Exchange Program Bill Signing Reception

Tuesday July 5, 2011
4:00 to 6:00 PM

Kooma Delaware
400 Justison Street
Wilmington DE, 19801

On June 7, 2011, the Delaware Legislature passed a law to continue the needle exchange program without sunsetting. Senate Bill 13: An Act to Amend Title 29 of the Delaware Code Relating to Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange makes the original pilot status of the program permanent. This Act directs the Director of the Division of Public Health to maintain a sterile needle and syringe program to help prevent the spread of AIDS and other diseases. Brandywine Counseling and Community Services will continue to operate the program, which offers HIV testing, health counseling, hepatitis C testing, and referrals to substance abuse treatment.

Join us to celebrate permanent sterile needle and syringe exchange in Delaware. Please RSVP to Sara Grainger at sgrainger@brandywinecounseling.org.

Benefit for Mike Kriner and Chris Sturmfels

The family and friends of Mike Kriner and Chris Sturmfels are raising awareness for a benefit to be held in Wilmington on August 27th 2011 and would greatly appreciate your support! A 5K Walk/Run and post run “Fun Day” at Rockford Park are being organized to raise money for the education funds of 4 young children who lost their fathers on February 25, 2010 in a DUI traffic accident.

Chris Sturmfels and Mike Kriner were social workers employed by Connections, a non-profit organization offering community support programs. These devoted husbands and fathers were tragically killed by someone with the problems they specialized in treating.

Now, their friends and family are working hard to coordinate a day in honor of these two gentlemen who lived life to its fullest and truly gave back to their community in so many ways. Their fundraising efforts will raise money for the children’s education trusts. All net proceeds generated from the event will be donated in full to the trusts.

The Beck Sturmfels Educational Trust

Michael T. Kriner Education Fund

A committee has been established to coordinate the day’s events and we are hoping you may be able to help. Here are some ways you can help make the event a success:

• Become a Platinum Sponsor by donating $500 or more. Your organization’s name/logo will be printed on the event banner and t-shirts.
• Become a Gold Sponsor by donating $250 or more. Your organization’s name/logo will be printed on the event t-shirts.
• Become a Silver Sponsor by donating any amount.
• Donate raffle items or gift certificates.

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Kriner Sturmfels Education Fund

MAIL TO: P.O. Box 243, St. Georges, DE 19733

For all inquiries, contact Nicole Roy at nroy@ingdirect.com or Claire Callahan at ccallahan@ingdirect.com

Other ways you can help if you are unable to make a monetary donation:

• Post event details on your website, news letter or bulletin
• Offer event flyers to your customers
• Volunteer to help on event day (sign-ups, water stations, fun day activities, etc.)
• Spread the word to your family, friends and employees

Thank you in advance for any support you may be able to provide.

Summer Jam: Rick Van Story Center Event and Fundraiser

Our friends at the Rick Van Story Center are holding a Summer Hip Hop Jam Fundraiser Friday, May 27.

The mission of the Rick VanStory Resource Center (RVRC) is to be the premier peer support center promoting recovery, quality of life, advocacy, education, mutual support, peer directed services, and participation in mental health policy design for individuals throughout the state of Delaware (RVRC) also proudly accepts donations of all kinds. Please call (302) 691-7950 to support their cause.

We encourage you to come out and support this great organization! Click here to download a flyer.

"Dangers of Smoking" Dinner Presentation

Our friends at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center will be hosting a seminar on the “Dangers of Smoking” for adult smokers who want to quit and healthcare workers.

The Dangers of Smoking/Tobacco

Thursday April 28, 2011

Registration at 5:45PM – Program begins at 6PM

Henrietta Johnson Medical Center (GYM)

601 New Castle Avenue

Wilmington, DE 19801

LEARN tips on how to SAY NO and mean it!!

Did you know there are over 600 additives found in cigarette smoke?

Of the 600 additives, 69 are linked to cancer!!

FREE DINNER PROVIDED

Facilitated by: Frank Hawkins

Adults ages 18 and older PLEASE

Prizes, Raffles & Giveaways

Please Register to Ashia Cale (302) 655-6187 and leave your name, telephone # and which session you plan to attend.

Public Input Invited on How to Help At-Risk Women in Wilmington

Brandywine Counseling & Community Services (BCCS), Stand Up for What’s Right and Just (SURJ), and the University of Delaware are conducting focus groups at local community locations to find out how the public thinks the community, the police, the courts, and the prison system can provide better services and solutions to women who may have gotten in trouble with the law, particularly prostitution. Public feedback will help to shape services that may be funded through a federal grant. Refreshments will be provided.

The next focus group will take place Thursday April 14, 2011, at 7 PM, at Claymore Senior Center, 504 S. Clayton Street, Wilmington.

To RSVP, please call Basha Silverman at (302) 655-9880 x123 or email bsilverman@brandywinecounseling.org.

Comments will be collected anonymously for a research project approved by UD's Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research. The event is co-sponsored by West Side Crime Group.

The focus groups are made possible by a grant from the U.S. Office of Women’s Health, which created the Delaware Prostitution Diversion Project, a groundbreaking coalition of criminal justice, social service and public health systems. The overall goal of the project is to improve the health and welfare of female sex workers, reduce their cycling rate in the court system, and thereby reduce women’s reliance on sex work as a means of income.

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

April is Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month at BCCS. BCCS Lancaster will be hosting several events in an effort to raise awareness about child abuse and child abuse resources in Delaware.

April 5th – Child Abuse Awareness Kickoff!
BCCS Counselors will be in the lobby and dispensing areas, handing out resources for parents and kids, such as bookmarks, ribbons, and tattoos. Counselors will also provide clients with a schedule outlining the different activities that will take place throughout the month.

April 12th, 9 AM to Noon - Release for Recovery
BCCS Outreach Department will be hosting a "Release for Recovery" Day. Come in and pamper yourself. Paint your nails, give yourself a facial. Bring the kids and pamper them as well. All items will be provided by BCCS.

April 19th, 9 AM to 1 PM - Get Informed!
We will have educators from different agencies in Delaware come and present information on child abuse and how kids are affected. Please see a schedule.

April 26th, 10 AM to 1 PM - Children's Celebration: A blue ribbon day for kids
Luncheon sponsored by BCCS along with arts and crafts activities for clients and their children. We will have volunteers from various local agencies to assist.

Learn Job Skills with Our Career Curriculum Series

BCCS is offering a Career Curriculum Series for our clients, sponsored by Elwyn. Learn valuable skills to help you gain employment.

All classes begin promptly at 9:00 AM at the Lancaster Center in the IOP room.

Job Search Skills    Friday, February 25

Interviewing Skills    Friday, March 11

Social Skills    Friday, March 25

I Want a Career    Friday, April 8

Transportation    Friday, April 22

For more information, please contact Christine Czajkowski at 656-2348, extension 145.

Basha Silverman Honored for HIV/AIDS Work

BCCS congratulates Basha Silverman, Prevention Program Director, on two honors for her outstanding work in HIV/AIDS prevention.

On Saturday, February 12, Basha received the Community and Support Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Fight Against HIV, at the 10th Annual Do The Right Thing 4LIFE Banquet, presented by AIDS Delaware. Do the Right Thing 4LIFE is an educational prevention program that seeks to increase the awareness about HIV/AIDS/STDs within the African American community. Its efforts have resulted in numerous educational parties in barbershops, beauty salons, and private homes in New Castle County, reaching over 500 individuals.

“I am honored and excited to be a part of this,” Basha said, “as Frank [Hawkins, event organizer] and I started working in HIV the same year and have worked side by side for about a decade. I am grateful that he thought of me.”

Also, on Friday, May 6, Basha will receive the Ally Award at the 2011 WOW Awards Celebration, hosted by the Delaware HIV Consortium. This annual awards event recognizes corporate and individual excellence for philanthropy, volunteerism, fundraising, and community leadership in the field on HIV/AIDS. Visit delawarehiv.org for more information.

Congratulations Basha on these well-deserved honors!

Clients Honor Their Peers in Ribbon and Recovery Award Ceremony

Clients at the BCCS Lancaster Center gathered at the Grand Opera House December 10, 2010 to honor their peers for success in treatment. The event was called the Ribbon and Recovery Award Ceremony. Staff selected the honorees, and clients also voted in two categories during the previous month. The honorees were:

1) Most Improved: Betsy Hernandez. For showing growth or gross improvement in treatment for six months to a year, at counselor’s discretion.

2) Continued Maintained Abstinence: Kristin Boulden. For entering the Late Recovery phase of treatment with no history of relapse for the past 6 months to a year.

3) Most Gained from Treatment/Therapeutic Services: Pedro Rivera. For active engagement during session and applying the techniques and strategies discussed to daily endeavors.

4) Most active in recovery, outstanding sober support: Joseph Gardner and Kathleen Joyce. For actively attending recovery based meetings such as NA, AA, or Alanon.

5) Most likely to succeed in treatment: April Zeller and Laverne Crawford. For entering the Orientation and/or Stabilization phase of treatment and putting processes and changes in place for a successful sober lifestyle.

6) Most engaged in group: Kathleen Piunti. For active involvement and participation during group therapy, and actively attending group sessions.

Honoree Kathleen Joyce had this to say about her award:

“It's a fantastic feeling to be going on the right road. I have found my way back with the help of BCCS and many others who have put their hands out to lift me up and to show me the way to freedom. How wonderful at my age to learn something new everyday, and to be able to go forward as a new and productive citizen.

“I like the person who I am now, and look forward to every day with a renewed spirit, knowing that by the grace of God and my own strength and knowledge, I am going to be a positive force to be reckoned with.”

Also honored at the ceremony were the clients’ choice for Favorite Nurse, Sharon Kozlowski; Favorite Counselor, Silver Debrick; Favorite Lancaster Program, Women In Transition; and Honorable Mention, Joyce Lewis and Brenda Harris.

BCCS hopes to continue the Ribbon and Recovery Awards as an annual celebration. Congratulations to all the honorees on this well-deserved recognition!

The 2nd Annual BCCS Giving Tree

BCCS hosted our 2nd Annual Giving Tree Monday December 20, 2010, bringing gifts and holiday cheer to families in need. All BCCS clients with children were invited to the Outreach Center to choose a gift for their child and wrap it. Holiday music, food, and an impromptu sing-along led by Brandywine’s own Rochelle Booker made for a very festive atmosphere!

Parents and grandparents lined up starting at 9 AM for a chance to choose from a roomful of toys for all ages. Many were in the process of starting a new life, free of drug addiction or mental illness. One guest expressed his gratitude to simply enjoy the holiday with his son, stay home, and “just do the best I can.”

The Giving Tree would not have been possible without our generous donors. We especially wish to thank our partners, Widener University School of Law, and Bryn Mawr College, who held toy drives on campus. Students took tags from the Giving Tree and bought toys matching the age and gender of the child. In addition to collecting toys, Widener Law held a raffle under the leadership of student Sara Alsaleh, which raised an amazing $662!

We are so grateful to all of you for your generosity and support of our clients at the holidays. You made it a wonderful day of gift-giving. At BCCS, we work to give Delawareans the best chance at meaningful, long-term recovery. Your support helps them to overcome mental illness and substance abuse, to restore themselves, and to give back to a society that gave to them.

You can see all the holiday magic of the Giving Tree in our photo album and in the video below.

In the words of a grandmother of two, “I wish everybody in the universe a blessed and safe holiday!” Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from BCCS!

One Week Left In Giving Tree Toy Drive!

Our Giving Tree toy drive is in full swing! We're partnering with Widener University, Bryn Mawr College, and others to give our clients the opportunity to shop and wrap gifts for their kids. Already, Widener Law students have raised over $600 in support of the drive - thank you!

If you would like to donate a toy for our Giving Tree, please bring in your donation by Wednesday December 15. The Giving Tree event will take place Monday December 20 at the Outreach Center at 2814 Lancaster Avenue. All BCCS clients with children are invited to come shop and wrap their gift.

We are seeking new unwrapped toys for all ages.

Thank you for helping us brighten the holidays for our clients and their families!

Staff Cooks and Serves Clients' Thanksgiving Lunch in Annual Tradition

Each Thanksgiving, BCCS staff expresses thanks to our clients by preparing and serving a traditional holiday meal. More than 100 guests and their children enjoyed this year's feast, which included home cooked turkey, macaroni and cheese, veal Parmesan, sweet potatoes, greens, cranberry sauce, salad, rolls, and a variety of desserts.

One guest expressed her gratitude for the Thanksgiving basket she received earlier this week. "I am so grateful, so thankful, for the baskets that you guys give out every year. I am so pleased that you all do that for us."

Visit our Thanksgiving album to see more photos from this wonderful Brandywine tradition.

World AIDS Day Service and Candlelight Vigil

Dear Friends,

So much of what we do at BCCS is focused on preventing and alleviating suffering, and restoring health and dignity.

We know how much these things matter to you, which is why we're extending this personal invitation to you.

Please join us on Wednesday December 1st for a candlelight vigil recognizing World AIDS Day. We will remember those who are living with HIV/AIDS, and those who have lost their battle with AIDS.

As of October 31, 2010, 3,547 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Delaware. Approximately one out of every 247 people in the First State are HIV-positive. Delaware consistently ranks among the top 10 states for per-capita HIV infections and for per capita AIDS cases. As of 2006, over a half a million Americans have lost their battle with AIDS, including 1,867 Delawareans.

The Vigil will be on Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 6:00 PM, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 West 13th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806. Parking is available in the church’s parking lot.

The service will be interdenominational, with representatives from different faiths, and music from the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware. This event is sponsored by AIDS Delaware, BCCS, Connections Community Support Programs, and the Delaware HIV Consortium.

Thank you, and we hope to see you at the vigil.

Donate a Toy for Our Holiday Giving Tree

The holidays are nearly here, and BCCS is planning something special for our clients who are recovering from addiction and mental illness. Last year we held our first-ever Giving Tree toy drive, which was a huge success. It allowed individuals who could not afford to buy gifts to go shopping for their kids, and wrap their own gifts, without spending money. This year, we will run the event again.

Our partners, including Bryn Mawr College and Widener University, are collecting donations of new toys during November-December. We are supplying small X-mas trees, with tags with descriptions like “Girl Age 6” or “Boy Age 3 Months” for donors to remove and buy an appropriate gift.

Trees have also been placed at BCCS Lancaster and Alpha, where our staff are participating in the drive. We will accept donations of new toys at either location during regular operating hours. The goal is to collect hundreds of gifts. If your business would like to join our drive as a partner, please send us an email!

On the day of the event, we will put all the gifts in one large room, organized by age and gender. Then we offer our clients (with children) an opportunity to go shopping for their kids. We provide a gift wrapping station for them to wrap the gifts with staff assistance. This is empowering to the clients because it gives them an opportunity to do it all, except spend money, for their children.

The Giving Tree is a special opportunity to help those in need this holiday season, and in a more personal way than simply donating money. We look forward to making a little holiday magic and spreading some cheer once again this year.

Turkey Giveaway Monday November 22

Brandywine's annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway will take place Monday, November 22!

Every year, families in need have the opportunity to sign up to receive a basket from the Basket Brigade of Delaware, filled with turkey, stuffing, and other holiday staples. Brandywine hands out baskets to around 150 of our clients each year. We are truly thankful to be able to help those who could not otherwise host Thanksgiving for their family.

This year, we're also thankful to have the support of Widener Law students, who are raising funds and volunteering to benefit BCCS. Already, students have raised over $500 through a raffle! Many will join us to help out at the turkey giveaway. And, Widener students are also partnering with us on our holiday toy drive and Giving Tree. Thank you, Widener!

If your business or school would like to help out BCCS this holiday season, please send us an email. We would love to have your support for the toy drive. Together, we can make the holidays joyful for those who most need it.

Anchor Program to Host Open House October 18

Brandywine Counseling & Community Services, Inc. (BCCS), continuing along in our new name, look and direction, will host an open house to celebrate the launch of the Anchor Program, a mental health initiative for adults suffering from mental illness or mental illness coupled with substance abuse or dependency issues. We invite you to stop in Monday, October 18, 2010 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Anchor Program, 2500 West 4th Street, Suite 1 in Wilmington.

“We are excited with the introduction of the Anchor Program,” said Dr. Lynn Fahey, CEO of BCCS. “It will speak to the growing and complex behavioral health concerns of our community, particularly of those who don’t know where to go or recognize that they are struggling with issues, but are unsure how to move forward.”

The Anchor Program offers counseling and treatment for mental health concerns such as but not limited to, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), substance abuse, and eating disorders. Short term and group counseling are also offered. Program Director Denise Hartrick holds distinctions as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Internationally Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor, Internationally Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional Diplomate, and Internationally Certified Clinical Supervisor. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Wayne State University.

Official hours of operation for the Anchor Program are Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. A variety of insurance providers, including Medicaid, are accepted. Download a flyer here. For more information or to make an appointment, call (302) 472-0381.

Brandywine Counseling & Community Services, Inc. is a community organization that provides holistic care to persons and their families living with addiction, mental health, and HIV-related challenges. BCCS 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.

AIDS Walk Delaware Is This Sunday Sept. 26

The 2010 Delaware AIDS Walk takes place this Sunday, September 26 at Rockford Park in Wilmington. There's still time to make your contribution and support our own Team NSAFE!

The funds we raise go directly to assist the funding for the Thanksgiving turkeys and meals we provide to BCCS clients. Donate online through our fundraising page, or register to walk.

For more information, contact Edna Maldonado or Christine Czajkowski at 656-2348.

Photos from Client Appreciation Day

It was a day of food, music, and family fun at the Outreach Center!

View photo album

Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims - September 22

The Delaware Victims’ Rights Task Force will host a Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims in the state of Delaware, September 22nd, 2010.

The location is the Delaware Center for Horticulture, 1810 N. Dupont Street, Wilmington DE 19806.

Doors open at 6:00 PM,
Event Starts at 7:00 PM


We would like to come together to honor those who have lost their lives to violence. We invite family and loved ones to be a part of this event by decorating memorial bags, posting writings and artwork on the memorial wall, adding a photo to the memorial video played at the event. To receive a bag ahead of time to decorate, or to provide a photo for the video please contact the VRTF below. Bags and wall space will be available the night of the event.


For more information:
Email: DelVRTF@gmail.com
Visit the website: http://sites.google.com/site/delawarevrtf
Call: The Delaware Department of Justice at 1-800-870-1790

Join Us for Client Appreciation Day September 17

Friday September 17 is shaping up as a full day of Recovery Month celebration at BCCS. In Sussex County, we're holding our softball tournament, and in New Castle County, we're hosting a Client Appreciation Day!

In recognition of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, BCCS will host an all-day event that will include recovery sessions, fun, and food, at the Lancaster Avenue Center from 8 AM to 4 PM. Free and open to clients, their families, and staff members of Brandywine, Client Appreciation Day seeks to provide support to BCCS clients in their recovery efforts. Come on out and bring the kids!

• Barbecue
• Talent/art showcase
• Carnival games and prizes
• Face painting
• Kids' activities
• Hair and beauty treatments
• Topic-focused groups running for most of the day.

We hope to see you there to celebrate recovery!!!