BCCS to Host Challenge Day!

BCCS is excited to announce that we will be implementing a program modeled after the evidenced based program called Challenge Day.  Challenge Day’s mission is to provide youth and their communities with experiential workshops and programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth, and full expression.

BCCS is hosting a Challenge Day workshop on October 11-13, 2013 and it would like to invite the community to participate! We will be providing breakfast, lunch, and snacks.  The program runs from 9am-6:30pm on Friday and Saturday, and 9a-4p on Sunday.  The workshop venue is TBD.    

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Veronica Carroll at vcarroll@brandywinecounseling.org by Wednesday, September 25, 2013.  All participants will be selected on a first come, first served basis as space is limited.

September is Suicide Awareness Month

Suicide is the leading cause of violent death in the United States and accounts for approximately 34,000 deaths per year according to the Centers for Disease Control.  It’s important to know the risks, understand the warning signs, and take action if someone you know is considering suicide. 

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention lists the most frequently cited risk factors for suicide are:

• Some mental disorders
• Previous suicide attempt
• Family history of attempted or completed suicide
• Serious medical condition and/or pain

Warning Signs for Suicide

In many circumstances, people who commit suicide exhibit warning signs:

• Talking about wanting to kill themselves, or saying they wish they were dead
• Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as hoarding medicine or buying a gun
• Talking about a specific suicide plan
• Feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
• Feeling trapped, desperate, or needing to escape from an intolerable situation
• Having the feeling of being a burden to others
• Feeling humiliated
• Having intense anxiety and/or panic attacks
• Losing interest in things, or losing the ability to experience pleasure
• Insomnia
• Becoming socially isolated and withdrawn from friends, family, and others
• Acting irritable or agitated
• Showing rage, or talking about seeking revenge for being victimized or rejected, whether or not the situations the person describes seem real

What To Do When You Suspect Someone May Be at Risk for Suicide

• If the person is threatening, talking about, or making specific plans for suicide, this is a crisis requiring immediate attention. Do not leave the person alone.
• Remove any firearms, drugs, or sharp objects that could be used for suicide from the area.
• Take the person to a walk-in clinic at a psychiatric hospital or a hospital emergency room.
• If these options are not available, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for assistance.

National Preparedness Month Tips

September 2013 marks the tenth annual National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with the goal of educating the public about how to prepare for emergencies, including natural disasters such as hurricanes.  Below is information from FEMA about hurricanes and safety rules to help in a time of emergency.

Facts

• Hurricanes commonly occur during summer and fall.  They may bring high winds, heavy rains and flooding.
• A hurricane watch means there is a threat of hurricane conditions in the next 24-36 hours.
• A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected in less than 24 hours.

Tips to Take Precautions at Home

• Close and board up windows.
• Remove outside antennas.
• Bring in lawn furniture, toys, tools and garbage cans.   
• Tie down anything that can’t be brought in.
• Trim dead tree branches.
• Turn off propane tanks.

Be Ready to Evacuate

• Know safe routes inland.
• Be ready to drive inland 20-50 miles or more.
• Leave yourself plenty of time.  Traffic on evacuation routes may be backed up.

Keep Your Family Safe For more information about creating a disaster supply kit, click here.

BCCS Celebrates Recovery Month!

Recovery Month is held in September every year to promote the importance of prevention, treatment, and recovery from mental and substance use disorders. 

Recovery month is an opportunity for us to celebrate all of our clients and their efforts to make positive changes in their lives – and to show our support for all people in recovery.  One of the most important messages of Recovery Month is that recovery in all its forms is possible.

Additionally, Recovery Month offers hope to those affected by substance abuse and spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, that treatment is effective, and that people can and do recover.

There are numerous events being held in Delaware in honor of Recovery Month, including our Client BBQ on September 17^th and the Lighthouse’s Softball Tournament for staff, clients, residents and friends, held on 9/27 from 10-4 PM at Sports at the Beach in Georgetown.  Click here for BBQ information and here for more details about the softball game.

For more information on local events, visit www.recoverymonth.gov and click on Community Events.  

USA Today's Article "OxyContin: A Gateway to Heroin for Upper-Income Addicts"

Heroin seizures by authorities throughout the Northeast have been running at nearly twice the U.S. average for the past five years and it is projected to spike sharply, according to data collected by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.

According to USA Today’s article, “OxyContin: A Gateway to Heroin for Upper-Income Addicts,” part of the reasoning sited for the increasing heroin usage is the fact that powerful prescription painkillers have become pricier and harder to use. So addicts across the USA are turning to this more volatile drug. The new twist: heroin is no longer just an inner-city plague.

America arrived at this moment after a decades-long increase in the number of people using, and abusing, powerful pain pills. The narcotics had become easier to obtain — some pain clinics issued prescriptions by the thousands — and many found a quick path to the black market.

To stem the abuses, authorities over the past decade began cracking down on clinics, and drug companies began creating pill formulations that made them harder to crush and snort for a quick high. Thus, opiate addicts have found it more difficult, and expensive, to get their fix.

Additionally, the price is much higher for OxyContin. An 80 mg OxyContin can cost $60 to $100 a pill. In contrast, heroin costs about $45 to $60 for a multiple-dose supply.

In Delaware, heroin investigations have soared over the past two years, says Sgt. Paul Shavack. In 2011, Delaware State Police conducted 578 heroin investigations, which more than doubled in 2012 to 1,163. In 2013, heroin continues to be the top street drug, due to its inexpensive cost and easy availability.

To read the USA Today article and watch the video, click here.

Protect Yourself During this Bug Season

August is slated as the worst month for bug season this year. Not only are insects annoying, they can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease.  A report released last month by the Environmental Working Group, finds that no one bug repellent works against every insect, but your best bets are those products made with active ingredients registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus and DEET.

Despite DEET's reputation as a harmful substance, the EWG researchers found it to be one of the most effective chemicals against the risks of West Nile virus and Lyme disease.  The West Nile virus, which is carried by mosquitoes, infected more than 5,600 Americans last year, and 286 people died from the virus, according to the CDC, showing the importance of protecting yourself and staying safe.

In addition to applying insect repellent, other tips to stay safe this month include:

• Avoid outdoor activities around dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long-sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors.
• Keep tight-fitting screens on doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out.
• Eliminate all sources of standing water around their homes and properly maintain ornamental ponds, pools and spas.

Warning: Fentanyl Laced Heroin

In July, SAMHSA released an urgent warning for Physicians and Treatment Providers to be aware of the new risk of illicit fentanyl-laced heroin and cocaine on the drug market.

Recently, small clusters of overdoses and overdose fatalities in a variety of communities, mostly in the eastern United States have raised alarms.  

Some of the dangers of Fentanyl are:

·         Fentanyl amplifies the potency of heroin and cocaine, and even a small amount can result in overdose or death.

·         The appearance of fentanyl analogues occurs against the backdrop of increasing overdose fatalities due to high rates of opioid prescribing and misuse, as well as individuals transitioning to heroin as prescription-pharmaceuticals becomes more restricted. Whether the fentanyl analogues persist and spread or not, the situation with regard to opioid overdose and fatalities is desperate.  

·         The CDC Vital Signs released a July 2013 report that noted that although more men die from prescription painkiller overdoses nationally, the gap between men and women is closing. The number of prescription painkiller overdose deaths increased fivefold among women between 1999 and 2010.