Barnstable County Regional Substance
Abuse Council E-Newsletter 
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In This Issue
Barnstable County Department of Human Services
Barnstable County House of Corrections
Local News
New Support Group Forming
Research and Reports
News from MassTAPP
Gosnold Family Support Groups
Mutual Support Groups
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ISSUE: 015
    October 16, 2014

 
Welcome to the e-Newsletter from Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council. This newsletter is designed to provide timely information on substance abuse and other related topics for people living and working in Barnstable County. 
 
This publication will be sent out periodically to our mailing list.  Please forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues who may be interested in this information.  If you are not on our mailing list, you can join by clicking on the button to the left.

 

If you have information you would like included in future e-newsletters, please follow the submission instructions outlined at the bottom of this page. 
NEWS FROM THE BARNSTABLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Barnstable County Human Services Launches Behavioral Health Website & Service Directory 

Join the Barnstable County Department of Human Services on Thursday, October 23rd, 9:00 -10:00 AM in the Harborview Conference Room in the Barnstable County Complex, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable for a demonstration of this new website. Please RSVP to [email protected].


 
"The Barnstable County Behavioral Health website provides much needed information about behavioral health services in our region in a centralized and comprehensive way" said Beth Albert, Director of Barnstable County Human Services.

 

Key features of the web site include:

  • Comprehensive service directory that enables consumers to easily locate the local programs and services they need most
  • Quick reference to all local emergency and crisis intervention programs in the area
  • Access to more than 30,000 articles, fact sheets, and interactive tools
  • Up-to-date information on the latest developments in behavioral health via an online learning center, daily nationwide news updates, advocacy tools, and state and federal legislation tracing.
Click here to visit the new behavioral health website and service directory.
NEWS FROM THE BARNSTABLE COUNTY HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program featured in "virtual tour"

The Barnstable House of Correction RSAT program is based on a modified therapeutic community composed of specially training correctional officers, treatment counselors and inmates. 

The program features a robust aftercare program, including a Community Reentry Council consisting of community treatment and service providers and community corrections that meets to develop referrals and resources for each inmate six weeks before release. The program was also the first of its kind to provide injected naltrexone to inmates to facilitate drug free transition back to the community. 

 

Now, for the first time ever, learn more about this program in a virtual tour of a model jail RSAT program.  Click here to watch the video.
LOCAL NEWS
Cape police departments to carry the opiate overdose reversal drug Narcan

Due to recent changes in state regulations with Governor Deval Patrick's declaration of a public health emergency, police officers are now legally permitted to carry and administer the drug Naloxone, know commonly as Narcan.

With the help of the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department and the Cape and Island's District Attorney's Office, memorandums of understanding with each town police department have been signed and police officers from all Cape towns may immediately begin administering Narcan.  

To learn more, click here to view a Cape Cod Times article on this story.
NEW SUPPORT GROUP FORMING
New group for parents of children who have died from overdoses

Two Cape clinicians whose son died of an overdose in 2013 are looking for other parents who have lost children to drug overdoses to form a monthly group to support one another. The time and day will be determined by group consensus and will meet at Barnstable Counseling Associates on Route 6A in Dennis.

Please contact Jennifer Taylor, LMHC, at (508) 246-5972 if you or someone you know is interested in becoming part of this informal group. They would like to begin meeting before the end of this month.
RESEARCH AND REPORTS
New information about alcohol involvement in prescription drug-abuse related ED visits and drug related deaths

Based on data from a sample of emergency departments (ED) participating in the Drug Abuse Warning Network, alcohol was involved in an estimated 18.5% of opioid-related ED visits and 27.2% of benzodiazepine-related ED visits in the United States in 2010. 

The same year, based on medical examiner and coroner data from 13 states participating the Drug Abuse Warning Network (including Massachusetts), alcohol was involved in 22.1% of opioid-related deaths and 21.4% of benzodiazepine-related deaths.

According to the report, the fact that approximately one fifth of opioid pain reliever drug abuse-related ED visits and drug-related deaths involve alcohol suggests the need for stronger prevention measures to mitigate this significant public health problem. Only 16% of adults in the United States have discussed alcohol consumption with a health professional, and the percentage discussing other substance use is currently unknown. 

To learn more and read the full report, click here.

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Increases in heroin overdose deaths in 28 states from 2010 - 2012

 

In 28 selected states (including Massachusetts), representing 56% of the U.S. population, heroin overdose death rates doubled from 2010 to 2012. At the same time, opioid pain reliever overdose death rates declined 6.6%, and the death rate for drug overdose deaths overall rose 4.3%.


 
The authors suggest that prevention, treatment, and response strategies that help reduce both heroin and OPR overdose deaths are indicated as a result of this analysis, including clinical interventions that focus on opioid prescribing, such as screening for substance abuse history and urine testing for drug use that can prevent opioid misuse, particularly for those at high risk.

 

To view the full report from the CDC, click here.

NEWS FROM MASSTAPP

Statewide Substance Abuse Prevention Conference

Thursday, October 30, 2014

 

On October 30, 2014, the Massachusetts Technical Partnership for Prevention (MassTAPP) will host a Statewide Substance Abuse Prevention Conference for coalitions and community representatives. 

 

Our keynote speaker, Dr. Rodney Wambeam of the University of Wyoming, will address the complexities of evaluating environmental strategies, and the lunch plenary session will address the issue of stigma. There will also be a number of breakout sessions on topics such as opioid overdose prevention, prescription drug misuse prevention, policy and practice change, evaluation and data collection, cultural and linguistic responsiveness, partnerships and sustainability, youth development, and many more.

 

Registration is now open, please click here to register for this event.

GOSNOLD FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS
The Gosnold Reaching Out program is a resource for family members and loved ones affected by addiction. It assists the family at all stages of addiction through education, intervention, and support. 

Information and Education Forums help family members gain a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of addiction, treatment options, and stages of recovery. An educated and supportive family has a positive impact on treatment outcomes.

To learn more about these groups, view the Weekly Family Support Group flyer.
MUTUAL SUPPORT GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
Learn to Cope  
Learn to Cope is a support group for parents, family members, spouses, and caregivers who have a family member who is addicted to opiates, alcohol, or other drugs.

Learn to Cope offers experienced facilitators, resources, informational material, guest speakers (in long term recovery or professionals in the field), overdose education, and Narcan enrollment at all weekly meetings.  

Weekly meetings are held on Tuesdays 7:00-8:30 PM at the Yarmouth Police Station, One Brad Erickson Way. For more information call (508) 738-5148 or visit their website.

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Parents Helping Parents 
Parents Supporting Parents is a group of people who have come together as parents and family members coping and dealing with children/loved one's addiction.

Their mission is to support, strengthen, and educate one another as they share their lives.  Their goal is to help their loved ones find and live in recovery, and for all members to live a healthy lifestyle.

Weekly meetings are held on Monday 6:30-8:30 PM upstairs at the Ballymeade Country Club in East Falmouth. To learn more, view the Parents Supporting Parents Facebook page.
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Mothers Helping Mothers
Mothers Helping Mothers is a support group for women struggling with the emotional difficulties associated with addiction and recovery during the pregnant and postpartum phases of life.

Free childcare is provided during the meetings by The Children's Study Home.  Anyone planning on attending the meeting and needing childcare is asked to call ahead.  All ages are welcome. 

Weekly meetings are held every
Tuesday 7:30-9:00 PM at the John Wesley Methodist Church in Falmouth at 270 Gifford Street.  For more information, contact Deborah at (774) 392-0446 or Danielle at (508) 209-7533.
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Alateen
Alateen is a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking.  
 
There are two regular meetings run by Cape Cod Alateen: 
 
Wednesday - 7:00-8:00 PM in S. Dennis:  Church of the Nazarene, 209 Upper County Rd.
Friday - 7:30 - 8:45 PM in Cataumet: Cataumet Methodist Church, 1091 County Rd. 

For more information, call 508-394-4555 (M-F 10AM - 3PM) or visit their website at www.capeteens.com.
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Nar-Anon
Nar-Anon Family Groups is a twelve step fellowship that offers a recovery program for those affected by someone's addiction.  The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend.

Nar-Anon is adapted from Narcotics Anonymous and uses Nar-Anon's Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts.  Weekly meetings are held Friday nights 6:00-7:00 PM at St. David's Episcopal Church in South Yarmouth.  For more information, visit the Nar-Anon website.
MASSACHUSETTS SUBSTANCE ABUSE HELPLINE

Massachusetts Substance Abuse Helpline Connects People with Services:  For tens of thousands of Massachusetts resident struggling with alcohol and other drug related issues, 

(800) 327-5050 is an important number.   Read more ... 

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Posting of articles submitted for publication in the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council E-Newsletter is at the discretion of the Department.  All articles must be submitted in text format to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  To request this newsletter in alternate formats, please call Kathie Callahan at (508) 375-6628 or TDD at (508) 362-5885.