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Making Change
Recovery Resource
A
free support group for young people (14-21) considering or committed to
getting and staying clean from substance abuse. St. David's Episcopal Church, 231 Main Street in Salem on Thursdays from 4:15 to 5:15 PM.
Alcoholics AnonymousFor individuals who think they have a problem with alcohol or a desire to stop drinking. www.nhaa.netOffice 603-622-6967Hotline 1-800-593-3330Al-Anon & AlateenFor families and friends of alcoholics or someone whose drinking is bothering you.www.nhal-anon.orgTel. 1-877-825-2666Narcotics AnonymousFor individuals who think they have a problem with drugs or a desire to stop using.www.gsana.orgHelpline 1-888-624-3578NH 2-1-1Just dial 2-1-1. It is an easy to remember telephone number that connects callers, at
no cost, to information about critical health and human services
available in their community1-800-662-HELP24/7 Treatment & Referral SAMHSA Hotline 1-800-273-TALKNational Suicide Prevention LifelineLooking out for friends and loved ones is an important part of
preventing suicide. You can call the Lifeline to speak with a crisis
worker on behalf of someone you are concerned about. The crisis workers
have access to local resources, and can help you identify ways to get
help to your loved ones. So call the Lifeline today to help save a
life.Current NewsRead these news stories bookmarked on CATS delicious. Visit the CATS website for news & events!Home Safety CouncilDecember newsletter
National Organizations for Youth SafetyCurrent newsletter |
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How
do you keep your kids busy during holiday break? There are wonderful
resources in the community for families and youth to explore that are
safe, enjoyable and a deterrent to risk-taking activities.
NH Event Calendarsnh365.org
NH.com
visitnh.gov
nhliving.com
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The Derry Friendship Center profile
45 East Broadway
Derry, NH
03038
603-432-9794
www.derryfriendshipcenter.org
The Derry Friendship Center is open from 9am
to 11pm, seven days a week. Along with scheduled peer support and recovery group meetings the
Center is open to the public as a drop -in center and encourages the community to enjoy the benefits of its services,
as well sharing the experience of helping people
initiate recovery.
In 2005 the Derry Friendship Center became a New
Hampshire State RADAR Affiliate, part of a Federally
Sponsored network of various community health
care services providers that promote alcohol and
other drug prevention and awareness through educational,
promotional events, and drug free recreation and
life style activities.
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COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR TEEN SAFETY
Happy Holidays! December 2009
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Dear Friend of the CATS Community,
The holidays are upon us and while they are typically a time for friends and family and joy, for many people suffering with addiction or in recovery the holidays can be a time of loneliness and depression. The director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske expressed his concerns on this issue and recommended three actions to support family and friends who are in recovery during the holidays:
1) Include non-alcoholic beverages on your holiday menu.
2) If invited, support a recovering loved one by attending a recovery related activity, like a support group or sober holiday party.
3) Don't hesitate to invite people in recovery to your family gathering. Being alone is tough for anyone during this season.
Director Kerlikowske also stressed the importance of preventing
drugged-driving. He warned that one in five nighttime weekend drivers
tested positive for illicit drugs in a recent study. "We all need to
take every precaution during this special time of the year to stay off
the road and to keep others off the road while under the influence of
any substance that has the potential to impair driving" says Director
Kerlikowske.
During this holiday season take some time to visit the CATS website and view the many resources - current news and feeds, conversation starters, data, local resources, and so much more. Let us all work together to support safe youth, families, and communities.
Best regards,
Sue Centner, Director
Contact Us
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ONDCP Launches Awareness Campaign on Holiday Challenges for Americans in Recovery from Addiction
(Washington, D.C.)-The holiday season, a time of joy and
celebration, also poses daunting challenges for over 10 million
Americans in recovery from addiction. As the season begins, the White
House Office of National Drug Control Policy is launching an awareness
campaign asking families, friends and communities to offer support and
encouragement to those in recovery.
 "Substance abuse affects millions of Americans, their families and
their communities, at all levels of our society," said ONDCP Director
Gil Kerlikowske. "Many who have struggled with addiction have made the
courageous decision to seek help and begin the promising path to
recovery.
"However, at this time of year, those in recovery often face many of
the same stresses and emotions that once contributed to their substance
abuse. But with the help of family, friends and community, those in
recovery can win the daily struggle to remain clean and sober and
emerge from the holidays on course for a continuing recovery,"
Kerlikowske said.
In 2008, an estimated 23.1 million people age 12 and older were in
need of treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem. Of those
people, 2.3 million received treatment at a specialty facility. Experts
believe that the holiday period often brings special stresses to bear
on recovering people that can trigger relapse.
ONDCP Deputy Director Dr. Thomas McLellan, a respected expert on
addiction and treatment, said there are several reasons the holidays
pose particular challenges to people recovering from addiction.
At holiday parties and celebrations, often there is substantial
substance use and abuse, with accompanying social pressure to join in,
he said.
"That's tough: you have all the cues there, the substance is
accessible, and its use is encouraged," said Dr. McLellan. "It's a
triple threat for someone trying to sustain a recovery."
Also, many people feel lonely and depressed around the holidays,
often more than at other times of the year, Dr. McLellan said. Holiday
reunions of family and friends often bring the joys of love and
companionship, but can also create stress and tension for some people.
"Those can be triggers to slide back into substance abusing behavior," Dr. McLellan said.
Recovery Information
Recovery Resources: www.Facesandvoicesofrecovery.org
SAMSHA 24-hour toll-free Treatment and Referral Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
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ONDCP Guest Blog: Stop DUI "Caring Enough to Make a Difference!"
December
is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Alcohol and drug
impaired driving fatalities rise significantly between Christmas and
New Years due to the combination of the volume of holiday gatherings
and increased alcohol and drug consumption. Sadly, this combination
too often leads to deaths and injuries caused by driving under the
influence.
For many Americans, the holiday season is a time for cherishing time
with loved ones. Unfortunately, for many, the holiday season is
painful because of the family is not intact due to the loss of loved
ones at the hands of drunk and drugged drivers. A DUI Death occurs
nearly every 40 minutes and an injury every 60 seconds.
The good news is that drunk and drugged driving is easily prevented
by following a few simple actions that will make a difference:
- Using the designated driver - keeping in mind the designated driver
is the sober person, not the person who ingested the least amount of
alcohol or other drug!
- Taking public transportation or calling a friend for a ride
- Being a responsible party host
- Following prescription dosage and heeding their warnings
- Reporting suspected drunk drivers
There is no excuse in for driving under the influence. And always
buckle up - it's your only defense against drunk and drugged-drivers.
Sandy Heverly
Executive Director, Stop DUI
Stop
DUI is grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to stopping driving
under the influence and assisting victims of this violent crime.
Posted Wednesday, December 09, 2009 9:27 AM
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FIRST Team wants to Stop Texting While Driving
(reprinted from 12/11/09 NH Union Leader)
Teenage text-messaging addicts beware: The Inventioneers,
Londonderry's home-schooled FIRST Lego League Robotics Team, have a new
prototype for cars that parents will love and teens are likely going to
hate. "We feel texting and driving is the new driving under the
influence; that is why we are calling it driving under the influence of
texting," said 14-year-old Tristan "TJ" Evarts, a senior member of the
team. "Our machine offers immediate reinforcement not to do it." The
invention, built from the ground up by the team, relies on the same
sort of technology that reminds drivers to fasten seatbelts,
Inventioneer Paige Balcom said. Slip the prototype on the steering
wheel, and pressure sensors measure where a driver's hands are located.
If the hands get close enough to one another for thumbs to cover a mini
keyboard, a loud alarm sounds. Removing one hand to adjust the radio or
signal a turn is allowed, thanks to a three-second delay. The
alarm sounds only if the car is moving, meaning drivers can have a sip
of coffee or bite of a burger at a stoplight, Evarts said. "The wheel helps correct a variety of bad driving habits, not just texting," Evarts said. The
team's approach is twofold: an awareness campaign -- "Don't DUIT (Drive
Under the Influence of Texting)" -- and the new invention, which the
team has dubbed the SMARTwheel.
However, it was the patent-pending SMARTwheel, short for Safe
Motorist Alert Restricting Texting, that caught the eye of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology's New England University
Transportation Center. The Inventioneers have been invited to
the school in January to conduct a pilot study of the technology in
action on a university driving simulator, said Jarrod Orszulak, a
research engineer at the university. "What this team is working
on really matches up well with what we are trying to study here,"
Orszulak said. "These kids have yet to disappoint me in any way." The
Inventioneers, coached by Lisa Evarts, includes TJ Evarts and Paige
Balcom, along with teammates and siblings Emily Balcom, Kate Balcom,
Jaiden Evarts and Breyton Evarts. Team members said in a
perfect world, the SMARTwheel would become standard in all vehicles.
But a retail option that gives parents a choice to install one on a new
driver's car is a more likely possibility, Paige Balcom said. Another
hope is to partner with an auto insurance provider and get teens a
discount for using the wheel, or for signing a "Don't DUIT" pledge. The
Inventioneers picked up their fourth consecutive win at the state FIRST
Lego League finals in Bedford last weekend and will head to the global
competition in Atlanta in April.
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New! Medicine Disposal Information
The state of New Hampshire is working with stakeholders to develop
information and tools to assist people with safely disposing medicine
in various settings. Improper handling, storage or disposal of medicine
can lead to drug abuse, accidental poisonings and environmental
pollution. Click on the link above to go to the NH DES website for medicine disposal information.
Federal Guidelines for the Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs
(ONDCP 10/20089)
Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet or drain unless the label or
accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to do so.
To dispose of prescription drugs not labeled to be flushed, you may be able to
take advantage of community drug take-back programs or other programs, such
as household hazardous waste collection events, that collect drugs at a central
location for proper disposal. Call your city or county government's household
trash and recycling service and ask if a drug take-back program is available in your
community.
If a drug take-back or collection program is not available:
1. Take your prescription drugs out of their original containers.
2.Mix drugs with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds.
3.Put the mixture into a disposable container with a lid, such as an empty margarine tub, or into a sealable bag.
4.Conceal or remove any personal information, including Rx number, on the empty containers by covering it with black permanent marker or duct tape,
or by scratching it off.
5. Place the sealed container with the mixture, and the empty drug containers,
in the trash.
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Get Involved with Safe Homes Network
 1. Can you spare one to two hours a month to serve as a member of an advisory committee?
2. Have you invited a friend to join Safe Homes Network?
Safe Homes Network
is a nationally recognized voluntary peer parent/guardian support
network with the goal of enhancing the safety net for youth and
reducing the toll of underage drinking and use of drugs. In signing a
voluntary pledge, participating parents elect to take an active role in
minimizing the influence of alcohol and drugs on youth in their homes
and to be available to other parents via a Safe Homes Network
directory.
In addition to enhancing youth safety CATS Safe Homes
Network is also committed to educating parents about current laws and
policy such as the State of New Hampshire's party host liability law,
RSA 644:18 Facilitating a Drug or Underage Alcohol House Party. This
law holds "hosts" of parties responsible for the actions of underage
participants and can result in fines and/or jail time. Safe Homes
Network is currently offered to residents of Chester, Derry and
Hampstead. Go to www.catsnh.org/safehomesnetwork.html for more information and the pledge!
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Join CATS on Facebook
CATS
has joined a growing number of non-profits, organizations, businesses,
and individuals by creating a page on the social networking website
Facebook. Our goals are to increase the opportunities people have to
access timely information about issues affecting families and
communities, provide a discussion forum for our members to share their
voice as well as a resource for local events.
The
CATS page on Facebook and the CATS website are intended to complement
each other as part of an overall effort to improve our communications
with members of the CATS community in an informed and manageable way.
Helpful Links to Get Started
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Community Alliance for Teen Safety is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Our
mission is to promote safe habits for all youth by increasing awareness
of high-risk behaviors, encouraging healthy choices, and fostering
community alliances in Chester, Derry, Hampstead, Londonderry, Salem
and Windham.
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