SUMMER 2017 ISSUE LINK OPTION & Center SUMMER 2018 IS
The scoop on our facilities
a cause of substance abuse
PLUS Yoga is being used to help peoplE maintain recovery& avoid relapse
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FULL SERVICE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAM
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900 E. 162nd Street, Suite 102, South Holland, IL 60473
(708) 331-8111
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900 E. 162nd Street, Suite 102, South Holland, IL 60473 • 708-331-8111
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The Link & Option Center, Inc., is a comprehensive, nonprofit 501(c)3 human services organization and Community Mental Health Center, that continues its commitment to being personally responsive to the plight of children, youth, adults and families’ indigenous barriers to opportunities since its foundation in 1995. Ms. Green started the agency in response to struggles her teenaged son was experiencing. He struggled to set himself apart from negative forces in the community, which led him down a path away from positive influences and towards educational problems and delinquency. As she worked with her son, Ms. Green discovered that her God-given talent was to inspire unfocused youth to stay in school, rise above their situations and strive to achieve their fullest potential.
As she worked with her son, Ms. Green discovered that her God-given talent was to inspire unfocused youth to stay in school, rise above their situations and strive to achieve their fullest potential.
Our Services LICENSED DUI SERVICE PROVIDER of substance/alcohol abuse. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT Our Services • Psychiatric Evaluation • Psychological Evaluation • Psychotropic Medication Our Services • Psychiatric Evaluation • Psy hological Evaluation • Psychotropic Medication Management and Monitoring • Mental Health Assessment • Mental Health Treatment • Psycho-Educational Groups • Family Counseling • ER Crisis Intervention/Discharge Planning Client Care Coord ation Intensive Outpatient (Level II) services. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING disabilities / disorders, behavioral health disabilities or co-occurring disabilities. ANGER MANAGEMENT management STAYING HOME REENTRY PROGRAM Management and Monitoring • Mental Health Assessment • Individual Counseling • Psycho-Educational Groups • Family Counseling Mobile Crisis Intervention • Comprehensive Discharge Planning Case Management • Parenting Education • Client Enrollment Services/ Outreach & Engagement • Supervised Family Visitation • Client Centered Consultation • Anger Management • Addiction Counseling • School-based counseling services • Toxicology Testing Parenting Education • Supervised Family Visitation • Anger Management • Addiction Counseling • School-based Counseling • SSI/SSDI Benefit Assistance • Medicaid Benefit Enrollment • Homeless Prevention Domestic Violence Counseling • Credit Restoration Counseling • Re-entry Transitional Services • Dementia Care Services WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Program Career Solutions Provider. 6TH DISTRICT COURT DIVERSION Provides for the participation of a Youth Court in a legal process as a diversion and referral source for law enforcement and court personnel. CASE MANAGEMENT FAMILY CENTERED ADVOCACY SERVICES children and families at risk of coming into any form of substitute care. COOK COUNTY ADULT PROBATION TREATMENT objective of reducing their subsequent criminal recidivism. COMMUNITY RESOURCE & INFO REFERRAL CENTER of Markham, IL. ALTERNATIVE TO SCHOOL SUSPENSION potential school suspensions. HEALTH SERVICES - HEALTH MARKETS Provides assistance with health insurance enrollment through the EMERGENCY SERVICES assistance, housing stabilization through permanent supportive services, and domestic violence supports.
was to stimulate and support the education and knowledge of African-American and other minority young adults between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one in the South Suburban Cook County area by helping to strengthen their academic skills, make the transition to post-secondary goals. ScholarShop, a college prep and career development transition have led TLOC to widen its purpose to include prevention, intervention and other public safety-type services. Services now include Integrated Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment, Reentry; Case Management, Domestic Violence, Emergency Services for Homeless Prevention and Housing Stabilization; Workforce Development; WorkKeys - National Career Counselor Organization; Health Insurance Services; Financial Education Services; Housing and Credit Counseling, 6th District Youth Diversion, Community Resource and Referral Services; DUI Evaluation and Education; and Cook County Adult Probation Treatment Services.
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900 E. 162nd Street, Suite 102, South Holland, IL 60473 • 708-331-8111
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The Link & Option Center, Inc. is licensed by the Illinois Department of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA) to provide all appropriate DUI related services. We provide the following services in English and Spanish for most county courts, and judges. We have the experience and understanding to help.
The Illinois DUI Evaluation,
Education &Treatment Process
In Illinois, all individuals arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs, (commonly called a DUI), are required to undergo an alcohol/drug evaluation before sentencing can occur in the court for the DUI, or restricted or full driving privileges can be granted by the Illinois Secretary of State. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine the extent and nature or lack of same of the client’s alcohol and/or drug use. It is also an evaluation of the associated risk to current or future public safety. The following clinical areas will be reviewed: driving history, DUI chemical test results (blood alcohol content), objective testing and the clinical interview with an evaluator. The focus of the evaluation is the individuals’ past and current alcohol and drug use, specifically as it relates to driving history or problems caused. All responses are checked against the driving record, objective testing, the results of the chemical testing (BAC), and possibly other corroborative sources.The evaluator will decide a classification based upon the least level clinically possible. DUI evaluations are generally scheduled by appointment but walk- ins are welcome.
Program attendance information • Arrive ½ hour before first class when starting • Standard payments (at intake/admission) • Special payment arrangement (each session upon approval) • I minimal risk $ 175, II moderate risk $ 350, II significant risk $ 775, III high risk $ 2,000 • Need to attend an education or counseling session once every fifteen (15) calendar days • Office located in Markham • Fees include all costs for the program as designed DUI CLASSIFICATION / REQUIREMENTS LEVEL I MINIMAL RISK - 10 HRS OF EDUCATION No prior convictions or court ordered supervisions or statutory summary suspensions or prior reckless driving conviction reduced from DUI & BAC of less than .15 as a result of the arrest. No other symptoms of substance abuse or dependence. REQUIREMENTS LEVEL II MODERATE RISK - 10 HRS OF EDUCATION & 12 HRS COUNSELING No prior convictions or court ordered supervisions or statutory summary suspensions or prior reckless driving conviction reduced from DUI & BAC of .15 to .19 or refusal as a result of the arrest. No other symptoms of abuse or dependence. REQUIREMENTS Four (4) educational classes (any order), 2.5 hours each class E # 1 Basic E # 2 Drugs E # 3 Medical E # 4 Legal Four (4) Counseling Sessions, 3 hours each session with only one class per seven (7) days. LEVEL II SIGNIFICANT RISK - 10 HRS OF ED & 20 HRS COUNSELING & AFTERCARE One prior DUI conviction or court ordered supervision or statutory summary suspension or one prior reckless driving conviction reduced from DUI. BAC of .20 or higher or other symptoms of substance abuse. REQUIREMENTS Four (4) educational classes (any order), 2.5 hours each class E # 1 Basic....E # 2 Drugs....E # 3 Medical....E # 4 Legal Seven (7) Counseling Sessions, 3 hours each session with only two classes per seven (7) days One-Three Months Aftercare monitoring LEVEL III HIGH RISK - 75 HOURS COUNSELING & AFTERCARE Symptoms of substance dependence or 3 DUI arrests or combination of other arrests in 10 years from current DUI. REQUIREMENTS Twenty five (25) Counseling Sessions, 3 hours sessions with only three classes per seven (7) days One-Six Months Aftercare monitoring Four (4) educational classes (any order), 2.5 hours each class E # 1 Basic E # 2 Drugs E # 3 Medical. E # 4 Legal
DUI RISK EDUCATION DUI Risk Education is a 10 hour alcohol/drug/DUI education program required for clients whose DUI Evaluation classification is Minimal, Moderate or Significant Risk.These classes are held on days, evenings and weekends. Call The Link & Option Center for help with the following: • Court & Secretary of State Services • DUI Uniform Report Evaluations • Drivers Risk Education Classes • Substance Abuse Intervention Counseling Services for (Moderate Risk Classification) • Outpatient Substance Abuse Counseling (Significant & High Risk Classifications) • Continuing Care/Aftercare Services • All DUI services The Link & Option Center, Inc. provides DUI Evaluation and Risk Education services to clients on a fee- for-service basis. All of our programs are “Flat Fee Rates” where you will be charged only for the services that you need and payment is expected at the time of service. If you believe that you have difficulty paying your assessed fee, you may request special payment arrangements. Your request must be supported with verification regarding your income and financial responsibilities. Your request will not be considered without documented verification. Special payment arrangements must be approved prior to admission.
Discrimination, whether based on race, gender, or sexual orientation, has long been thought to be a contributor to substance abuse. Now a new study has confirmed the relationship between discrimination and addiction, but it’s also brought up many more questions that still need to be answered in order to improve treatment outcomes. Researchers at the University of Iowa recently completed a peer review study in which they looked at 97 previous studies on discrimination and alcohol use. Their goal was to summarize the collective knowledge researchers have uncovered throughout the years, and what they found confirmed in more detail what many had previously suspected.
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“Generally there is good scientific support, but the evidence is mixed for different groups
and for types of discrimination.” - Dr.Paul Gilbert, University of Iowa
overtly racist or sexist to another person. But less research has been done on what are known as micro-aggressions, small everyday occurrences that can rub a person the wrong way. That research is improving, but there are other factors that need to be more fully explored. While studies have looked at historical trauma in the African-American population, the concept has not been fully investigated with regards to Hispanic and Asian populations. “This notion of historic trauma could be really relevant to other groups, but it hasn't received much attention at all,” Dr. Gilbert says. “This is something we should pay attention to.” All of this adds up to the fact that treatment providers may be missing a key piece of the substance abuse puzzle.
The team found that discrimination did indeed lead to an increase in drinking frequency, quantity of alcohol consumed, and in the risk for alcohol use disorders. Researchers say drinking can represent a coping mechanism in response to the stress caused by discrimination, and several studies showed clients acknowledging this direct link themselves. But when looking at specific populations and types of discrimination, the picture becomes less clear. “The story is that generally there is good scientific support, but the evidence is mixed for different groups and for types of discrimination,” says Dr. Paul Gilbert, the study’s lead author. “We don’t really know comparing one type or one level to another.” For example, much research has been done on interpersonal discrimination where someone is
But just because the intricacies of how discrimination affects drinking aren’t yet fully understood, that doesn’t mean our current knowledge base can’t be helpful. Dr. Gilbert says simply knowing that experiences with discrimination can drive drinking could inform the way treatment providers interact with clients, opening new areas of their lives to explore during treatment. “It can serve as sort of an early warning or indicator,” Dr. Gilbert says. “For treatment providers, it’s worth looking at: is there something that may be keeping folks from accessing services or affecting outcomes?”
Dr. Gilbert says treatment providers should continue to address discrimination as part of a holistic approach to recovery. He says it will be up to researchers to fill
in the gaps to find the precise ways that discrimination affects drinking behavior. “We’ve got good evidence on this level of interpersonal discrimination,” Dr. Gilbert says. “We’ve gotten the low-hanging fruit, now it’s time to start working on the stuff that’s a little further up the tree.”
“It can serve as sort of an early warning or indicator.”
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The Link & Option Center, Inc. 900 E. 162nd Street, Suite 102, South Holland, IL 60473
Ph: (708) 331-4880 Fax: (708) 331-4877 : 1- 111 x 708-3 1-8088
The Vision of The Link & Option Center, INC envisions an intergrated
system of care built on bonded collaborative relationships that promote positive decision making attributes in youth, families, and adults, enhance self worth , and foster cultural pride and economic success to create healthier families and communities.
The Link & Option Center, Inc.
CALL TODAY (708) 331-4880
Boom, Bust, and Drugs Study says economic downturn leads to increase in substance use disorders When the economy tanks, drug abuse goes up.That’s the finding of a new study which shows the state of the economy is closely linked with substance abuse disorder rates for a variety of substances. The study, conducted by researchers from Vanderbilt University, the University of Colorado and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), found the use of substances like ecstasy becomes more prevalent during economic downturns. Researchers also found that other drugs like LSD and PCP see increased use only when the economy is strong. But for overall substance use disorders, the findings were clear.
“Problematic use (i.e., substance use disorder) goes up significantly when the economy weakens,” says Christopher Carpenter, one of the lead researchers. “Our results are more limited in telling us why this happens.” Researchers say it’s possible that people turn to substance use as a means of coping with a job loss or other major life changes caused by economic pressures, but their particular study did not pinpoint an exact cause and effect. Not all drugs are equal The study showed that a downward shift in the economy has the biggest impact on painkillers and hallucinogens. Rates of substance abuse disorders were significantly higher for those two categories than any other class of drug.
Researchers also found the change in disorder rates was highest for white adult males, a group which was one of the hardest hit during the Great Recession.They say more research is needed to determine exactly how the economy and drug use are related, but they say the study highlighted some key groups for prevention and treatment workers to target during future economic downturns.
“Problematic use (i.e., substance use disorder) goes up significantly when the economy weakens.” - Christopher Carpenter, Vanderbilt University
Slippery slope Despite some lingering questions, researchers were able to show the significance of the economy’s role in problematic substance use.The study showed that even a small change in the unemployment rate can have a tremendous impact on the risks for substance abuse disorders. “For each percentage point increase in the state unemployment rate, these estimates represent about a 6 percent increase in the likelihood of having a disorder involving analgesics and an 11 percent increase in the likelihood of having a disorder involving hallucinogens,” the authors write. Previous studies have focused on the economy’s link to marijuana and alcohol, with many looking at young people in particular.This study is one of the first to highlight illicit drugs, which given the current opioid epidemic, holds important lessons for those working to curb problematic drug use.
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When it’s needed most The study bears significant weight for treatment facilities and public policy makers in particular. During economic downturns, government agencies typically look to cut spending on treatment programs as a way to save money, something researchers say may be more costly in the end. “Our results suggest that this is unwise,” Carpenter says. “Such spending would likely be particularly effective during downturns since rates of substance use disorders are increasing when unemployment rates rise, at least for disorders involving prescription painkillers and hallucinogens.”
“Spending would likely be particularly effective during downturns since rates of substance use disorders are increasing when unemployment rates rise.” - Christopher Carpenter, Vanderbilt University
FAMILY CENTERED ADVOCACY SERVICES This service promotes family empowerment and permanence for all children and families at risk of coming into any form of substitute care.
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900 E. 162nd Street Suite 102, South Holland, IL 60473
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE... Let’s Build TOGETHER!!!
Since our humble beginnings, The Link & Option Center, Inc. has empowered youth and families with quality prevention and intervention services. This purpose was profoundly supported by colleagues, family and friends at the inception of the agency. Needless to say, persons who have entered our doors for services since 1995 have enabled us to be the comprehensive service provider we are today. “A Value System lives in a family.”
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Bend But Don’t Break Yoga is being used to help people maintain recovery and avoid relapse
Yoga is no longer exercise your annoying, health-conscious friend won’t stop talking about.The ancient practice is now being used to help people recover from addiction. While scholars estimate yoga was developed sometime around 300 to 400 B.C., the practice hasn’t stopped changing over the last 2,000 years. A new wave of yogis are now helping people in recovery connect their spiritual and physical sides through yoga by combining the practice with more traditional 12-step elements. “It’s just a way of coming back to a sense of wholeness,” says Nikki Myers, a yoga therapist who helped develop the 12-step yoga system. “We use yoga as a process in order to bring that reintegration.”
Myers says she developed the system primarily as a means of relapse prevention. She says a typical 12-step yoga session would begin the same way most 12- step meetings do, with a focus on sharing and discussion of important recovery topics. Once the “meeting” portion of the session is over, the group will then move into a series of yoga poses designed to help participants focus on their physical recovery. “A focus needs to be on the body- based piece as well as the cognitive piece in order for wholeness to really be manifested,”Myers says. “Once you include those things, the whole idea is that these will begin to offer us a set of tools that we can use both on the mat in the yoga practice and off the mat when the triggers of life show up.”
“It’s just a way of coming back to a sense of wholeness.” - Nikki Myers, yoga therapist
The right tools Myers says the idea that yoga can provide a set of tools is critical as the practice of yoga is much more than the poses themselves. She says there’s also a focus on breathing techniques, a meditation of sorts, and a connection to one’s physical reactions that can prove vital when faced with difficult circumstances. Myers recalls how one woman who participated in 12-step yoga later found herself in a very stressful situation at home with her kids misbehaving and everything going wrong. She said she could feel the negativity boiling up inside her. It was the kind of stress that had triggered her to drink in the past, but the woman said in that moment she was able to relax and calm herself by focusing on her breathing and remembering the feeling of tranquility she had experienced in class. “It had a way of creating a space, giving her tools to create a space between her reactions and instead take a different neural pathway,”Myers says. “These are the kind of tools that we’re looking to have people use.” “A focus needs to be on the body-based piece as well as the cognitive piece in order for wholeness to really be manifested.” - Nikki Myers
Not a replacement Myers is quick to point out that yoga is not a substitute for traditional 12-step support, but rather an additional measure that some people may find helpful. She says some people have pushed back against the practice, but others have been enthusiastic about its power, with classes spreading across the country and even internationally. Myers says she hopes that one day 12-step yoga will be as common as other treatment programs. But she says as long as people are maintaining sobriety and finding wholeness within themselves, she’ll be proud of the difference her system has made. “We’ll tell people, ‘Notice this in your body, what it really feels like,’” Myers says. “Healing only happens in safe space.”
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MISSION
STATEMENT The Link & Option Center, Inc.’s Mission is to EMPOWER youth and families with
quality prevention and intervention services coordinating and integrating services among systems of care, schools and community resources. link-option.com (708) 331-8111 900 E. 162nd Street, Suite 102 South Holland, IL 60473
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