be a major challenge, especially in urban communities where wait lists are long, Williams notes. But she’s optimistic that resources to treat addiction will continue to grow and evolve. For treatment providers and prevention organizations like Lorain UMADAOP, one of the major current challenges is dealing with an epidemic of opiates, especially heroin use. Suboxone has been rapidly gaining favor as a better treatment alternative to methadone, which carries something of a stigma among the treatment population. But not enough research has been done on suboxone to fully assess who it can best be employed on as a recovery tool, Ruth notes. “That’s one of our next goals, to really get a handle on suboxone and nd out if it is a better approach.” be a major challenge, especially in urban com unities wher wait list are long, Will ams notes. But she’s optimistic that resources to treat ad iction will continue to grow and evolve. For treatment providers and prevention organizations like Lorain UMADAOP, one of the major current challenges is dealing with an epidemic of opiates, especially heroin use. Suboxone has be n rapidly gain g favor as a better treatment alternative to methadone, which carries omething of a stigma mong the treatment population. But not enough res arch has be n done on suboxone to fully assess who it can best be mployed on as a recovery to l, Ruth notes. “That’s one of our next goals, to really get a handle on suboxone and nd out if it is a better ap roach.”
dissemination, problem identi cation and referrals. Talking with participants one-on-one is an important prevention strategy,” Williams says. “Sometimes, when kids come in they just want to sit down and talk.” UMADAOP has developed a minority youth-mentoring program to give clients ages ve to 19 exposure to positive role models. “Our mentoring programs are unique in the sense that the kids we serve are looking for mentors who look like them. And we provide that. We occasionally get some youth who been through the program to come back and provide mentoring or peer support,” Williams says. “In working with young folk, you just have to keep repeating the information to them and show them that you care about them, and care about the outcome. You’re able to enhance self-esteem. Plus, kids love that attention,” Williams notes. By watching her mother work with her clients, Williams also learned about the power of positive reinforcement. “You need to compliment (clients) and let them know they are doing a good job. It’s important to point those things out to help people stay strong in sobriety. I still see individuals I worked with 15 or 20 years ago who are still sober. That’s very satisfying.” NEW CHALLENGES One of the newer resources Lorain UMADAOP offers to clients is an anger management counseling program. Another special needs program is a support group for minority women with the lupus, a chronic and often misdiagnosed disease that attacks the immune system. Treatment can be and frequently is a life-changing experience. But access to treatment resources can dissemination, problem identi cation and ref rrals. Talking with partic pants one-on-one is an important prevention strategy,” Will ams ays. “Sometimes, when kids come in they just want o sit down and talk.” UMADAOP has developed a minority outh-mentoring program to give clients ages ve to 19 exposure to positive role models. “Our mentoring programs are unique in the sense that he kids we serve are lo king for mentors who lo k like them. And we provide that. We oc asionally get some youth who be n through the program to come back and provide mentoring or pe r sup ort,” Will ams ays. “In working with young folk, you just have to ke p repeating the information to them and show them that you care about hem, and care about he outcome. You’re able to enhance self-este m. Plus, kids love that attention,” Will ams notes. By watching her mother work with er clients, Will ams also learned about he power of posit ve reinforcement. “You ne d to compliment (clients) and let hem know they are doing a go d job. It’s important o point hose things out o help eople stay strong in sobriety. I still se indiv duals I worked with 15 or 20 years ago who are still sober. That’s very satisfying.” NEW CHAL ENGES One of the newer esources Lorain UMADAOP offers to clients is an anger management counseling program. Another special ne ds program is a sup ort group for minority women with the lupus, a chronic and often misdiagnosed disease that attacks the im une sy tem. Treatment can be and frequently is a life-changing experience. But ac ess to treatment resources can
TREATMENT FOR MINORITIES:
In recent years, one positive trend in the addiction-recovery treatment eld has been a movement to offer more culturally speci c treatment and recovery resources for African Americans and other minorities. Throughout her three decades in the eld, Lorain UMADAOP Executive Director Ruth Williams has been involved in helping further that ongoing evolution. Williams, who has worked in the eld since1983, was inspired to enter the eld by the example of her mother Geraldine “Ma” Black, a counselor and civil rights/welfare activist. “I watched my mom helping people. It was a calling.” CULTURAL COMPETENCY Williams, who has worked in the addiction eld for three decades, arrived at the Cleveland UMADAOP during a time when the treatment eld was rapidly evolving, particularly in its An evolving approach In recent years, one posit ve trend in the ad iction-recovery treatment eld has be n a movement o ffer more culturally speci c treatment and recovery resources for African Americans and other minorit es. Throughout her thre decades in the eld, Lorain UMADAOP Executive Director Ruth Will ams has be n involved in helping further that ongoing evolution. Will ams, who has worked in the eld since1983, was inspired to enter the eld by the xample of her mother Geraldine “Ma” Black, a counselor and civ l rights/welfare activ st. “I watched my mom helping people. It was a calling.” CULTURAL COMPETENCY Will ams, who has worked in the ad iction eld for thre decades, arrived at he Cleveland UMADAOP during a time when the treatment eld was rapidly evolving, particularly in its
approach to treating minority populations. “The eld was changing at the time,” says Williams, who has a B.A. degree in social work and an M.A. degree in psychology from Cleveland State University. “Researchers were nding that many minorities were leaving treatment early due to a lack of culturally-speci c programs.” And among treatment providers, there was a general lack of awareness of the different cultural needs of minority clients. For example, “at one facility, they expected the women patients to wash their hair every day. At that point African Americans didn’t do that; we oiled our hair. But they didn’t allow clients to bring those things into treatment.” Williams’ job involved outreach to “make sure that other agencies understood how to work with African Americans and Hispanics, and nd out what they needed to assist with providing appropriate treatment. We’ve come a long way. ap roach to treating minority populations. “The eld was changing at he time,” says Will ams, who has a B.A. degre in social work and an M.A. degre in psychol gy from Cleveland State University. “Researchers wer nding that many minorit es wer leaving treatment early due to a lack of culturally-speci c programs.” And among treatment providers, ther was a general lack of awareness of the differ nt cultural ne ds of minority clients. For example, “at one facility, they expected the women patients to wash their hair every day. At hat point African Americans di n’t do that; we oiled our hair. But they di n’t allow clients to bring those things into treatment.” Will ams’ job involved outreach to “make sure that other agencies understo d how to work with African Americans and Hispanics, and nd out what they ne ded to assi t with providing ap ropriate treatment. We’ve come a long way. Now we have programs that are speci cally designed for African American and Hispanic clients.” In addition, certi cation as an addiction counselor requires culturally speci c training as well as other requirements. As a result, a number of researchers have documented improvement in treatment outcomes. “Minority people are staying in treatment longer, and having better success rates,” Williams notes. PREVENTION FOCUS Helping prevent substance abuse is another integral part of the UMADAOPs’ mission. “What we provide are prevention services that include education about alternatives, information Now we have programs that are speci cally designed for African American and Hispanic clients.” In ad it on, certi cation as an ad iction counselor equires culturally speci c train g as well as other requirements. As a result, a number of researchers have documented improvement in treatment outcomes. “Minority people are staying in treatment longer, and having better suc ess rates,” Will ams notes. PREVENTION FOCUS Helping prevent substance abuse is another integral part of the UMADAOPs’ mission. “What we provide are prevention services that include education about alternatives, information
I still see individuals I worked with 15 or 20 years ago who are still sober. That’s very satisfying. —Ruth Williams
Executive Director Lorain UMADAOP
RUTH Williams Many minorities are leaving treatment early due to a lack of culturally-specific programs.
Talking with participants one-on-one is an important prevention strategy. Sometimes, when kids come
in they just want to sit down and talk. — Ruth Williams Executive Director Lorain UMADAOP
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