Regis House

REGIS HOUSE

MAGAZINE

Link The Missing

Generational BRAIN Damage MISSION Our

Media bullying

Guidelines for

prevention

R E G I S H O U S E

TOC Table of C CON ENTS

ABOUT US

About us; Our History 06 Regis House Staff 08

Dr. Jeremy Willis; When It Comes to Our Health, Knowledge is Power 28 Community Engagement 36 Media Guidelines for Bullying Prevention 38 Regis House Testimonials 46

REGIS HOUSE STAFF

OUR MISSION DR. JEREMY WILL S

R E G I S H O U S E . O R G

C Contents

LOCATIONS MAIN OFFICE: 1250 NW 7TH ST SUITE 209 MIAMI FLORIDA 33125 2ND LOCATION 9245 SW 157TH ST SUITE 203 MIAMI FLORIDA 33157

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

BULLYING PREVENTION

TESTIMONIALS 46

R E G I S H O U S E

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CALL 305.642.7600 1250 NW 7th St Suite 209 Miami, FL 33125

ABOUT US

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D uring the late 80s and early 90s Fr. Francisco Pérez-Lerena was doing everything he could to address the drug epidemic consuming the City of Miami. In 1984, as a parish priest in Downtown Miami, he was moved by the plight of Kelvin Minnick who came to confession. The priest struggled to find a drug treatment for the young man, but before he could, Kelvin committed suicide. He realized he had to do something to helpMiami’s drug-addicted youth. Finding few resources, he decided to build his own center. From the rectory of Gesu Catholic Church he began organizing; he called on volunteers to help him and together, they began to build Regis House, a drug prevention and treatment center. Slowly, they raised money, awareness and more volunteers to grow the organization. They built community, life and gathered for weekly masses and potlucks. Then organized working sessions to plan radio marathons, raffles, galas, and luncheons. OUR HISTORY

He knitted together friends, parishioners, theBelencommunity, concernedcitizens, politicians, parents, students and anyone who would listen to work together to help care for our community’s children. People listened and responded. Finally together, he led them in building Regis House. Today Regis House continues to serve the community with the same intensity and courage that Fr. Francisco Pérez-Lerena started with. Father Pedro Suarez continues to practice the same values as his predecessor as our city grows into a cosmopolitan center in which we are constantly helping those in need such as immigrants, children, and low income families.

1250 NW 7th St Suite 209 Miami, FL 33125

REGIS HOUSE ANDRES

REV. PEDRO

NATALIE

CASTILLO

HERRADON LMHC

A. SUAREZ PHD

STAFF

IRIS

SANTIAGO

MARI

MONTALVO

KEMBER LMHC

FAJARDO LCSW

REGIS HOUSE

CLARA

ANA

ARTURO

DUHARTE

GUERRERO MS

DUHARTE

STAFF

JUAN C.

SERVICES WE PROVIDE

COUNSELING SERVICES

FAMILY SUPPORT

SOCIAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE

MORALES MS

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT

COVID TESTING

In 2016, Father Perez-Lerena’s long journey of service was nearing its end and it was time to pass this torch of charitable service to the next generation. And so Father Suarez, who had the opportunity to be mentored by the founder, picked up the torch and carried it forward. As Father Suarez stepping into his role as the new Chairman of the Board of Regis House, he too realized the powerful need for all Regis services to remain readily available, completely free of charge and untethered to any demands of religious commitments from the community members in the greatest need. In short, a completely secular service driven by the deeply held values of his Christian faith. As Father Suarez himself so simply and beautifully put it in a recent conversation in regard to Regis’ community service-

H elping Our Friends and Neighbors in Need at Regis House (because helping others is a Christian value we can all share together) When Regis House founder, Father Fransisco Perez-Lerena, first established this Miami-Dade community center and outreach program in 1984 it was with the straightforward idea to directly address the evident needs of young people he witnessed suffering through economic disadvantages, drug addiction issues and mental health challenges. It was clear to Father Perez-Lerena that his community needed help and that this help needed to be his gift to his community. It was also clear that while his abiding Christian faith fully informed his decision and subsequent actions— although not sponsored by his particular Archdiocese— Regis House services of his God and church did not, and must not, require any specific religious commitment from his neighbors in need.

“" When you need help, our mission is to ensure that help is there for you." ”

The good Father also shared that he sees this mission as the precise vision of what his church should be doing every day in every way, as a direct Papal mandate, and also as clearly the most righteous action his faith can perform.

Helping Our Friends & Neighbors in Need 12

As of today, Regis House has been able to provide service to over 90,000 families and between 75-100,000 individual neighbors in need. From group and individual counseling to public assistance programs to after school programs, Father Suarez has been able to guide Regis House forward and maintain comprehensive levels of help where it’s often needed most urgently. Of course because Regis House remains untethered to any particular archdiocese, it also continues to create vital community ties to generous donors throughout the Miami-Dade are who are also aware of the tremendous need for Regis House’s work to continue. Yes, when it comes to helping our friends and neighbors, caring contributions are always a vital foundation of this very necessary work. Because when we’re able to give back to our neighbors our entire community becomes stronger, healthier and more successful as we all enjoy the light and warmth of love, caring and gratitude. "When you need help, our mission

is to ensure that help is there for you."

-Father Suarez

“The concept of addiction as a disease of the brain challenges deeply ingrained values about self-determination and personal responsibility.” – Dr. Nora Volkow, Dr. George Koob, Dr. AThomas McLellan

INSERT 3 Fighting for the Brain Disease Model Model can complicate messaging in treatment plans

Fighting public opinion can be an uphill battle, sometimes even a futile one. Despite years of progress and scientific advancements, researchers and treatment providers still find themselves having to convince the general public that substance use disorder is a disease. But it’s a message that can often complicate treatment plans as much as it seeks to inform.

Setting the Record Straight Earlier this year, three of the nation’s leading drug experts wrote a paper seeking to explain, once and for all, how substance use affects the brain in the same way as similar diseases. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow, NIAAA Director Dr. George Koob, and Treatment Research Institute founder Dr. AThomas McLellan say they hope to reaffirm the brain disease model while simultaneously addressing common misconceptions about addiction. “The concept of addiction as a disease of the brain challenges deeply ingrained values about self-determination and personal responsibility that frame drug use as a voluntary, hedonistic act,” the authors write. The authors argue that public skepticism about the brain disease model comes from researchers’ inability to articulately describe the relationship between changes in neurobiology and the behaviors associated with addiction. Although countless scientific studies have proven the brain disease model to be accurate and effective, the authors admit more work may be needed to change public perception. “A more comprehensive understanding of the brain disease model of addiction may help to moderate some of the moral judgment attached to addictive behaviors and foster more scientific and public health–oriented approaches to prevention and treatment,” the authors write.

“You have to emphasize the responsibility on the part of the person, but you also have to explain why the behaviors are happening.” – Bob Rohret, MARRCH executive director

 Scientific studies attest that a person’s brain chemistry can be altered as a result of addiction.This fact can provide a needed explanation as to why continued use can still be a problem for people who clearly desire to get clean. “When you start to apply an explanation of why certain behaviors occur,” Rohret says, “it provides people some comfort in understanding why they’re doing what they’re doing.” Mixed Messages But as confident as many in the medical community are about the nature of substance abuse disorder, the idea that addiction is a disease presents something of a double-edged sword for treatment providers. “The messaging has to be sort of finessed,” says Bob Rohret, executive director of the Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH). “You have to emphasize the responsibility on the part of the person, but you also have to explain why the behaviors are happening.” Rohret says treatment providers have to inform those in recovery about the nature of their disease, while also making sure knowledge of that disease doesn’t become a crutch or an excuse for inaction. When presented correctly, Rohret says patients should understand their addiction and responsibility toward it in much the same way someone with heart disease may understand their affliction. Although they cannot change the biological makeup of their body immediately, they can make behavioral changes and take actionable steps that lead to more positive outcomes.

AD 2 A F T E R S CHOOL S E RVICES Our after school program is composed of staff that have an innate passion for young children. They have been trained to provide care and services including tutoring and wellness activities. We also work with the families to help them access any additional services needed.

regishouse.org 305.642.7600 1250 NW 7th St Suite 209 Miami, FL 33125

REGIS HOUSE

OUR VISION To help to eliminate obstacles, provide hope,

and create opportunities for those individuals who are in need in order to rise above and be productive members of society. .

REGISHOUSE.ORG

OUR MISSION To improve lives of the community through mental health, family support, and substance abuse services.

M usic is one of our most popular, profound and universal cultural touchstones. The lyrics of one of these beloved touchstones proclaims with tender joy-

"I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride"…

At Regis House, these uplifting words are put into direct action through the work of counselors who help the community’s youth at risk. One of these counselors is Santiago Kember and his path to service has been a labor of surprisingly unexpected love. Mr. Kember academic journey towards his service began when he received his Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University (NSU), and then went on to complete his certification as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. Seeking to dive into his professional service Mr.Kember also completed a 750 hour internship at

Regis House and then volunteered to serve for 3 years post-graduation.

Originally focused on group and individual therapy for adults, his volunteer work drew him to where he witnessed some of the greatest need for care, counseling and real empathy for an often neglected, often feared and almost always misunderstood section of his community— misguided teenagers mandated by the court to complete counseling and begin to straighten out their troublesome records. As one of Regis House’s primary functions as an organization was to help the low-or-no income families with substance abuse and substance dependance issues, Mr. Kember’s new direction as youth counselor meant he became directly involved with Florida’s Dept. of Juvenile Justice, addressing the immediate needs of 13-19 year-olds charged with crimes and mandated to perform counseling as terms of probation. Many of these youth

charged with misdemeanors were enrolled in the Family Empowerment Program (FEP), and others charged with more serious felonies joined the Improvement Community Control program (ICC). It was through this vital work that Mr. Kember somewhat unexpectedly discovered his new ambition. Although his new and very young client/patients were court mandated, Mr. Kember immediately grew to understand that influencing the lives of youth in trouble

was his true professional path. Because he understood on a profound level that these young people in trouble needed help. And they also needed to begin to trust a world that had in many cases given them little to no reason to do so. CONTINUE READING>>>

Uplifting

Youth OUR CONTINUED

In recent conversation he eloquently stated this simple but powerful message-

“ "I understood that these kids were not criminals but just misguided teens who had made a mistake. And professionally speaking, I understood that I needed to focus on the other 99% of these kids that had nothing to do with their charges. And this focus needed to begin with giving them respect as a gift they’d rarely if ever received before."” Mr. Kember’s efforts led directly to him discovering his new “labor of love” and his newfound sense of enduring professional joy as he is able to witness firsthand the positive effects that therapy can have on this most critically important section of every community. And after years of professional service he shared that it is often his deep pleasure to hear from former “mandates of the court” and his returning kids—now grown, grateful and successful adult members of their own communities—who want to share their personal stories of hardship and hard-earned triumph in the hopes of helping others as they themselves had been helped.

“ "Give them a sense of pride..."”

For Santiago Kember, this is truly the greatest professional love of all. And for members of the community that would like to learn more, share more, and give more, this is work that always requires support in any and all forms because this work really is our future!

Regis House has served over 90,000 families since its inception.

( 305 ) 642 - 7600 | WWW. REGISHOUSE .ORG WWW.REGISHOUSE.ORG 305.642.7600 CONTACT US!

Integrated treatment works best for victims of sexual abuse who are also addicts. Researchers have found a dramatic link between the

“ 1 out of every

INSERT 4

occurrence of sexual abuse and substance abuse. According to alcoholrehab.com, “sexual abuse victims are three times more likely to suffer depression, six times more likely to suffer PTSD, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol and 26 times more likely to abuse drugs than those who have not been sexually abused.” They go on to say that one out of every six women and one in 33 men in America have been the victim of sexual assault or rape in their lifetime.

6 women and one in 33 men in America have been the victim of sexual assault or rape in their lifetime. ” -alcoholrehab.com

Integrated treatment

Treatment centers are beginning to recognize the need for integrated treatment techniques for victims undergoing substance abuse recovery. Since there’s such a high prevalence of sexual abuse among addicts, integrated treatment offers a fuller recovery for sexual abuse victims. Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is one common form of treatment. In CBT, individuals are offered psychoeducation, therapy instructing and empowering them to deal with their condition in an optimal way. Stress management tools are also helpful. Individuals can be taught to change their situations or their reactions and how to maintain appropriate personal boundaries. The regulation of emotions can be a challenge for a person who has been sexually abused. In CBT, clients learn what emotions are socially tolerable and they learn how to be flexible enough to permit some spontaneity. Survivors are also taught how to delay emotional reactions as necessary. 30 24

Individuals can be taught to change their situations or their reactions, and how to take good care of themselves.

 Integrated treatment for those suffering from substance abuse addiction and sexual abuse greatly increases the chance that this person will remain sober for the long haul.They can also experience greater joy and healing than if they were treated for substance abuse alone. Those in recovery are also urged to write down leisure activities they find enjoyable and engage in those activities regularly. Clients are also encouraged to use journaling and inspirational reading to further grow in their recovery. Finally, having a supportive group of friends and family will help an individual recover emotionally from this kind of trauma. Telling their story One effective aspect of CBT is for the person to do a “trauma narrative.” In addition to telling their story by the spoken word or writing it down, they can also use drawing, painting or other art forms to communicate the trauma.The narrative can then be shared with a safe person, like a trained therapist or substance abuse counselor.The hope is that the survivor will be able to let go of some of the trauma. Healing can then take place. Another facet of CBT is behavior management training. Clients are encouraged to stay calm in an emotionally charged situation, manage their own responses, learn what limits are appropriate, handle challenging questions and learn how to prevent physical confrontations with others. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), survivors are also encouraged to do what they can to heal themselves. Good sleep and nutrition, exercise, and regular routines like starting and ending the day in a peaceful way are a good place to start for people from this background.

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AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM >>>

CONTACT REGIS HOUSE regishouse.org 1250 NW 7th Street Suite 209 Miami, FL 33125 305.642.7600 info@regishouse.org

Our after school program is composed of staff that have an innate passion for young children. They have been trained to provide care and services including tutoring and wellness activities. We also work with the families to help them access any additional services needed.

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Dr. Jeremy When It Comes to Our Health, Knowledge is A s a species we humans have had

a pretty tough run the last two years. We’ve been beaten, battered and bewildered by a global pandemic that’s proven both too fast to catch and/or too slippery to hold; seemingly one step ahead while we’re constantly two steps behind. In our desperate search for blessed relief we’ve generally uncovered more questions than answers and more problems than solutions. Reliable leadership has been lacking, and definitive direction in short supply. But we do have some real answers, we do have some solid solutions, and we do have some reliable leadership. Dr. Jeremy Willis, founder and CEO of Priority Toxicology Laboratories, is one of our dedicated medical professionals who has devoted his life and career to leading the fight in eliminating the uncertainty of our present, ensuring the sustained health of our future, and maintaining his personal commitment to education as a vital key as well as the primary direction to unlocking the promise of our next generation of leaders. Fascinated by the precision of science in general—and chemistry in particular—from an early age, young Dr. Willis applied himself to his earliest studies, going on to receive his PhD in organic chemistry from Tougaloo College before continuing his post-doctoral work at both the University of Florida and Emory University. This commitment to the rigors of scientific academia seamlessly dovetailed into generously sharing his gifts through education and mentoring, moving forward into teaching

in his chosen field of organic chemistry at renowned Moorehouse College. Following a decade of guiding young Moorehouse men and women to their most specific roadmaps of scientific success that began with terminal degrees of their own, Dr. Willis recently shared that his years of enriching and guiding young minds were among the most rewarding of his professional life. But of course his own family commitmentsmultipliedthroughtheyearsand his transition to the private sector eventually became both a professional necessity and a dream which need no longer remain deferred. Following in his father’s own entrepreneurial footsteps (himself head of his own construction company) in 2017 Dr. Willis created Priority Toxicology Labs to capably serve the growing needs of the greater Atlanta community with simple, clear and definitive direction- “Our goal is to help our community become more knowledgeable and ultimately be in control of their health.” And then just two years into his lab’s burgeoning success in that direction, the entire healthcare landscape changed dramatically. Whether we can consider it fortunate given our circumstances, Dr. Willis had nonetheless positioned his lab to be the rock which breaks the crashing waves of an ongoing healthcare catastrophe very few of us imagined possible. Continue on next page>>>

Willis Power

DR. JEREMY WILLIS

“When I consider the accuracy of results my lab produces, I always first think of my grandma as the one receiving our results.”

Transitioning smoothly from UTIs and DNA sequencing into the sudden and overwhelming necessity for Covid-19 testing, Priority Labs rapidly repositioned its capabilities to handle accurate testing results of up to 2K samples per day, with a reliable 24-hour turnaround time. One invaluable key at the time was the lab’s acquisition and use of ThermoFisher’s vital ORF testing equipment in March of 2020, in line with the CDC’s own simultaneous use of this vital technological resource. Always keeping his beloved grandparents in mind, Dr. Willis further explained his lab’s commitment to professional accuracy with his own unique and very human touch- “When I consider the accuracy of results my lab produces, I always first think of my grandma as the one receiving our results.” And Dr. Willis remains one of our most approachable and clearheaded healthcare advocates and instructors. When asked to best describe the most current need for community testing, vaccination and healthcare vigilance in the face of Covid’s latest variation, Dr. Willis shared this simple but crystal-clear guidance- “With a typical flu season vaccination, there is an actual small introduction of that virus included in the vaccine. But I want my community to think of the Covid vaccine and its boosters not as this type of introduction. Because it’s more of an ‘email’ to their body’s ‘spam folder’ which merely uses messenger RNA to simply ‘signal’ the body to any actual future introduction of this virus fromoutside. This is the key difference between the Covid vaccination and typical flu season shots.” Further simple, clear and effective direction includes- • Be Proactive, Not Reactive (don’t wait to get sick) • Get Tested • Get Vaccinated/Boosted • Knowledge is Power Although many now reasonably hope we’re seeing the light at the end of our long pandemic tunnel, Dr. Willis sees our future soberly if optimistically. He expects that we may all suffer some degree of ongoing PTSD-like symptoms after our long and stressful healthcare nightmare but that we’ll most likely be able to effectively deal with any and all future Covid variations much more in line with an average flu season run. And with men like Dr. Willis leading the way, we can all feel reassured that our refreshed path will lead us to a much brighter light.

HAS BEEN SHOWN TO PREVENT OVERDOSES AND STOP OPIOID “DESIGNER DRUGS” FROM AFFECTING THE BRAIN vaccine ? ARE A new

Treating addiction with vaccines is a relatively new idea with many unanswered questions

that arise out of a lack of research. But a new study suggests vaccinating against illicit drugs is not only possible, it could be extremely effective. At the Scripps Research Institute in California, researchers were looking for a way to guard against the lethal and addictive effects of synthetic opioid “designer drugs.” A potentially deadly opioid, fentanyl, is often used as a heroin substitute or mix-in by drug dealers, so researchers developed a vaccine to try to mitigate its effects. Researchers injected mice with three rounds of the vaccine and then exposed them to doses of fentanyl. They found the vaccinated mice did not display any “high” behaviors even months after the last series of vaccine injections. Researchers say the immune systems of the mice developed antibodies that successfully blocked the drug from reaching the brain. “The results were the best we’ve ever seen for any drug vaccine,” says Paul Bremer, a graduate student at Scripps Research Institute who worked on the study.

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VACCINES THE ANSWER

“

The results were the best we’ve ever seen for any drug vaccine. - Paul Bremer, Scripps Research Institute

“ WE WERE ABLE TO BLOCK EXTREMELY LARGE - Paul Bremer DOSES OF FENTANYL TO PROTECT AGAINST OVERDOSES

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SAFE AND POWERFUL Not only was the vaccine able to stop intoxication (something researchers suggest could aid in opioid addiction treatment), the vaccine also proved extremely effective in blocking the potentially lethal effects of fentanyl as well. While the chemical is not necessarily toxic in itself, it does produce psychoactive effects that can shut down breathing and stop a person’s heart. Researchers say mice injected with the vaccine could withstand doses of fentanyl up to 30 times the normal rate. “It was just a rst generation vaccine, but it did prove to be very potent,” Bremer says. “We were able to block extremely large doses of fentanyl to protect against overdoses.” A SINGLE PURPOSE Researchers say the vaccine would not protect against heroin or oxycodone, and a mixture of vaccines would be needed to protect against all opioids. But that was somewhat by design. To make sure the vaccine would not interfere with any medications a person may take responsibly later in life, researchers targeted specic molecules so the vaccine would only block fentanyl and its derivatives.

“For unrelated drugs that you would be taking, there would be no effect from the vaccine,” Bremer says. LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE Although still in the early stages of development, researchers say the vaccine represents an exciting step forward in drug vaccine research. The lab is beginning more advanced trials on a similar heroin vaccine which should give them a better idea of how successful the fentanyl vaccine could become. But until more testing can be completed, researchers say they were pleased with the progress and excited for the future of vaccines in the treatment of addiction. “This concept of using a vaccine for addiction isn’t just an academic pursuit, it could really be used in practice,” Bremer says. “I think it’s really promising.”

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Assistance with Social Services Programs Our Healthy Outreach Program (HOP) and support staff have many years of experience with navigating programs like Medicaid applications, food stamps, cash assistance, and other benefits.

We Are Here For You.

W hen we think therapy many of us picture privileged people comfortably sitting in the luxurious offices of worldly psychiatrists while mulling over their very personal existential crises. What many of us don’t regard is that mental health therapy can also be a critical step in solving some of our society’s most urgent communal crises. Drug dependency, domestic abuse, broken homes and broken families all lead us down a dark path that can damage entire communities and drag us all down into a socially regressive state of self-destructive negativity breeding ever more negativity. But for Regis House clinical therapist Ana Guerrero, effective therapy means community connection and personal face-to-face engagement that directs her client/patients to regain their individual agency, and then take positive individual action. Her professional idea of cognitive behavioral therapy demands a proactive mindset that is shared between both ends of the dynamic therapist/patient relationship in order to create sustainable and positive behavioral changes. Her own action began when she completed her practicum as Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) and subsequently began her work at Regis. As her professional goals evolved she went on to also become a Certified Grief and Bereavement Counselor as she saw the need to expand the nature and scope of her service, as well as coordinating and supervising all Regis House’s social media and volunteer event media. Because for Ms. Guerrero, action truly is one vital direction to meaningful therapy. is the Key to Positive Action COMMUNITY AND POSITIVE ACTIONS CREATE A POSITIVE FUTURE FOR ALL OF US ENGAGEMENT

Sometimes the tiniest act of kindness can save a life. “

In terms of her work as therapist, she sees empowering her clients—especially her younger clients—to reevaluate and reorient their previously negative thinking into more positive action that can create meaningful change in their lives. Success stories from many of her former clients indicate that this direction is working and that Regis House services are in the right place at certainly the right time, given the near overwhelming challenges of our recent pandemic years. These years certainly emphasized the need for an even greater and wider focus on mental health and overall wellness for all.

Moving forward Ms. Guerrero plans to continue to coordinate vital social media and continue the critically proactive work of community engagement that creates positive community change through education, empowerment and goal-oriented action.

Because as her credo

which she recently shared-

“"Sometimes the tiniest act of kindness can save a life."” And as a community, we all need proactive professionals taking even those tiniest actions to move us all forward and upward!

Media coverage of social issues has a profound impact on how communities understand and address problems. Research and expert opinion suggest that certain trends in media coverage of bullying have the potential to do harm. This section offers help to journalists, bloggers, the entertainment creative community, and others who are developing content about bullying. What the Public Needs to Know ABOUT BULLYING •Although concern about it is growing, bullying isn’t an epidemic. In fact, national rates have decreased slightly in recent years. •Bullying does not cause suicide; it’s only one of many factors involved. •Bullying can affect any young person, but there are characteristics and circumstances that put certain youth at higher risk. •Each bullying incident is a complex interaction. While there might be one “ringleader,” the bystanders often are involved. •Cyberbullying is not nearly as common as people think. •Some prevention strategies seem to help, and researchers continue to learn about what works. •All fifty states have anti-bullying legislation. And, when bullying is based on a protected class and sufficiently serious, it can also be discriminatory harassment that violates federal law. •StopBullying.gov provides information on what bullying is, what cyberbullying is, who is at risk, and how you can prevent and respond to bullying. Media Guidelines for Bullying Prevention

Stop Bullyin

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ng Article

ARTICLE FROM STOPBULLYING.GOV

Drinking during pregnancy presents parents with challenges beyond their own sobriety

Since its first diagnosis in 1973, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have shown how devastating drinking during pregnancy can be for an unborn child. Despite this fact, at least one in 10 pregnant women drink in the U.S. every year, according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says children with FASD have physical issues like low birth weight and growth, problems with organ systems and damage to parts of the brain.These issues lead to behavioral and intellectual disabilities, hyperactivity, difficulty with attention, and poor communication, reasoning and judgment skills. The incurable situation can produce lifelong issues with school and social problems, mental health and substance abuse issues, difficulty keeping a job, living independently and having trouble with the law. In 2010, drinking while pregnant cost the U.S. $5.5 billion, says the CDC.

“ In 2010, drinking while pregnant cost the U.S. $5.5 billion. ” — Centers for Disease Control

“ I don’t know how I’m going to tell her. It was something I could have prevented. ” —mother of an FASD infant

Dysfunction in the family tree FASD can be multi-generational. Besides the common familial curse of addiction, the disability itself can contribute to bad impulse decisions, making it more likely for one to drink in the present moment and ignore the possible consequences. For that reason, a mother who has FASD herself may not recognize the symptoms of FASD in her child, because she views her own symptoms as normal. A mother in Tucson, Ariz., who was in recovery before realizing her drinking had caused FASD in her child, says the guilt was tremendous. Having to explain to her daughter why she had FASD was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell her. It was something I could have prevented,” she says. Early diagnosis is key Diagnosing fetal alcohol syndrome can be difficult. A simple blood test will not suffice. Doctors typically look for abnormal facial features, such as a smooth fulcrum (the ridge most of us have between our nose and lips), lower than average height and weight, a small head and the birthmother’s admission of alcohol use during pregnancy. There are many treatment options, including medication for certain symptoms, behavioral therapies, education and training for parents. It is most helpful for children to be diagnosed before the age of six, be in a nurturing family environment and have access to special education and social services. Having FASD is not a hopeless situation. Implementing treatment strategies at a young age can help a child thrive despite the disorder.

 Regardless, it is never too late to quit drinking. Since brain growth takes place throughout a woman’s pregnancy, the sooner a woman quits drinking, the better off her baby will be. Prevention is best To prevent FASD, the best scenario is for a woman to refrain from drinking any amount of alcohol during pregnancy. Ideally, women should quit drinking the moment they go off birth control. “About half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and even if planned, most women won’t know they are pregnant for the first month or so, when they might still be drinking,” says Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director at the CDC.

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Counseling Services

Our trained clinical staff offers services that cover a number of behavioral or substance abuse problems. We offer our services in group, individual, and family settings. Service costs may be covered through your insurance or one of our grants. Payment on sliding fee scales are also available.

CALL 305.642.7600

1250 NW 7th Street Suite 209, Miami, FL33125

Because Sometimes All Good Roads Lead to Good Service Faith inSharingService Can Move Societal M untains

T he mission of Regis House has always been to “improve lives of the community through mental health, family support, and substance abuse services.” And while this mission originally began with the faith-based initiative of Founder Father Francisco Perez-Lerena, Regis House services have always been completely free to all and shared in a completely secular setting regardless of the faith, creed or color of those in need, with no obligations to adhere to any particular religious catechism. Perhaps no one understands this goal better than Healthy Outreach Program coordinator (HOP) and Melrose School coordinator Iris Montalvo. As a faithful member of the Miami-based Iglesia Centro Evangelico Pentecostal, Ms. Montalvo was initially introduced almost coincidentally to the service of Regis House through a fellow church member. Unaware of Regis’ service but intensely interested in serving her community in need, in 2007 Ms. Montalvo began her service as a Melrose afterschool counselor. As her work evolved she was able to witness the real joy of seeing her Melrose kids get ahead in their lives even as many struggled through tough times. Much like her coworker Santiago Kember, she discovered that one key was to show her kids” some simple but

meaningful degree of respect, a healthy contribution to their social wellbeing that in many cases had been lacking. And as HOP coordinator, Ms. Montalvo’s work extends to helping her adult clients—and their families—find the direction they need to lift themselves up out of the troubles they’ve encountered along their own paths. From direction with public assistance programs to counseling to simply listening to her kids and client’s needs, Ms. Montalvo’s near coincidental arrival at her service has given her own life a new light for which she remains deeply grateful. The focus of her goals moving forward remains to “do her best to get things done” and as she recently shared in regard to her Melrose kid’s ambitions-

“"If they put their minds to it, they can always reach higher ground."”

Yes, Regis House services are available to all no matter their particular faith, or lack of any, but as Ms. Montalvo believes- “ "I may not pray with my kids and clients, but I often pray for them. Then I trust in God and let him do the rest."”

For Ms. Montalvo, the right path is clearly the path that leads to righteous service. Regis House is there to provide such service with any and all welcome to contribute as they are able.

REGIS

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T his was a great experience and

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“There’s a lot of information that can be gained from when somebody relapses.” - Dr. Stephanie Carreiro, University of Massachusetts

Fitness trackers could help prevent relapses

Dr. Carreiro says wearable biosensors can detect a relapse event for some substances (like heroin and cocaine) by sensing a change in heart rate or other physical conditions. The treatment provider can then use the fitness tracker ’s other information, like the time and location of the relapse event, to develop a profile about the conditions that prompt a patient to use. “It gives us very specific contextual information and serves as that reminder to the patient that someone could potentially know right away when they relapse,” Dr. Carreiro says.

Fitness trackers, or wearable biosensors, like Fitbit and Jawbone are the latest fitness trend to gain widespread popularity. But some believe they could be used to treat addiction as well. New research suggests the devices can be used to reliably detect relapses, which could then give treatment providers the information they need to prevent relapses in the future. “There’ s a lot of information that can be gained from when somebody relapses,” says Dr. Stephanie Carreiro, a researcher from the University of Massachusetts.

ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS That accountability to someone who could see the relapse is an important step in moving past simple self-reporting and drug testing. People can lie during self-reports and drug testing will only show that drugs were used, but not information like how much was used, when it was used, and where. Because the sensors can be easily removed, the system will only work for patients who are truly motivat- ed to stay sober. Dr . Carreiro says rather than a big brother scenario with treatment providers tracking a patient’s movements, the devices simply connect a patient to their support network. “We could potentially trigger an interaction with a patient just seeing if they’re okay and need some help,” Dr. Carreiro says.

“It definitely served as a reminder that there was something motivating them to stay sober.”

- Dr. Stephanie Carreiro

SIMPLE REMINDER In a study of 15 patients, nearly everyone kept wearing the devices even when relapsing. D r. Car- reiro says that’s because many people are already used to wearing fitness trackers, and the treatment plan simply fits into the daily routines they’ve al - ready established. Researchers also say just having a physical object on a patient ’s wrist to remind them about their dedication to sobriety can be enough to prevent a relapse. “Multiple people looked at it and thought of going back to jail or being there for their children,” D r. Carreiro says. “It definitely served as a reminder that there was something motivating them to stay sobe r.”

WHAT ABOUT PREVENTION? The ultimate goal is to prevent relapses and keep patients on the path to sobriety. While the tech- nology is advancing quickl y, researchers say the collective knowledge base simply isn ’t there yet to predict a relapse event. But as they conduct more studies and develop better algorithms with the information gained, they should be able to tailor interventions to a specific patient and hopefully keep them from relapsing. “We need to continue to define different pro - files so that we can get a more complete under - standing of what ’ s happening,” D r. Carreiro says. “That’s when it will be the most powerful.”

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