treatment, “if you’re not culturally and linguistically on top of things, clients of color will never feel they are connected to that program. Even minorities’ drugs of choice tend to be different than for the majority,” Dr. Tyehimba explains. In addition, funding for prevention and treatment is often less available to minority populations, she notes, citing the aphorism that “whenever the larger community gets a cold, people of color get pneumonia.” differences in attitudes, Dr. Tyehimba maintains. “We talk about the fact that addiction is a disease, but we found that people of color didn’t buy into a lot of the interventions that were being offered, so we had treatment, “if you’re not culturally and linguistically on top of things, clients of c lor will n ver feel they are connected to that program. Even minorities’ drugs of choice tend to be diff rent than for the majority,” Dr. Tyehimba explains. In a dition, funding for pr vention and treatment is often less v ilable to minority population , she notes, citing the aphorism that “wh n ver the larger co munity gets a cold, people of c lor get pneumonia.” Providers must take into account culturally based diff rences in a titudes, Dr. Tyehimba maintains. “We talk about the fact that a diction is a disease, but we found that people of c lor idn’t buy into a lot of the interventions that w re being off red, so we had Providers must take into account culturally based
to attack their belief systems, myths and norms. For example, many African Americans don’t ‘share their laundry’ too often in a mixed group. However, with providers and (fellow clients) who look like them, they tend to tell the truth. Also, counselors and other providers who are not savvy to cultural differences, such as communication styles, may misinterpret behavior and body language.” OUTREACH PROGRAMS Dr. Tyehimba highlights several outreach programs UMADAOP offers to meet speci c cultural and community needs. One is the Circle for Recovery Ohio program which helps ex-offenders who are returning to the community integrate back into society. Along with counseling, it offers job skill and employment referrals and other services to help them be successful. The ancient adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a to attack their b lief ystems, myths and norms. For example, many African Americans don’t ‘share their laundry’ t often in a mixed group. How ver, with providers and (fellow clients) who look like them, they tend to tell the truth. Also, counselors and other providers who are not savvy to cultural diff rence , such as co munication styles, may misinte pret behavior and body language.” OUTREACH PROGRAMS Dr. Tyehimba highlight s veral outreach programs UMADAOP offers to meet speci cultural and co munity needs. One is the Circle for Recovery Ohio program whic helps ex-offenders who are retur ing to the co munity integrate back into society. Along with counseling, it offers job skill and employment r ferrals and other services to help them be successful. The ancient adage that “an ounce of pr vention is worth a
pound of cure,” certainly applies to dealing with the problems caused by drug and alcohol use. Accordingly, prevention is a major part of the Cincinnati UMADAOP’s mission. “We work with young people throughout the state of Ohio, bringing prevention services into schools and providing a social skills and ‘refusal skills’ curriculum to help young people in grades 5 to 12 develop some alternatives to alcohol and drug use. We know that, for both drugs and alcohol, the most common age of rst use is 13. So there is a heavy concentration on middle and high schools,” Dr. Tyehimba says. In January, the Cincinnati UMADAOP began offering a program utilizing one of the newest drug-treatment tools: suboxone prescribed for opiate addiction. “In the future, alcoholism and drug treatment are going to be seen as must-haves by managed care providers and networks, because these types of services affect the success of families, the community as a whole and business,” Dr. Tyehimba says. “So the business community will have to embrace treatment and recovery if they expect to have a quali ed employment pool going forward.” It’s clear that the mission of Cincinnati UMADAOP is a multi-faceted one, designed to meet the needs of a diverse population. But it can be succinctly summed up in one sentence, Dr. Tyehimba says: “We’re working to build a drug-free community.” pound of cure,” certainly a plies to dealing with the problems caused by drug and alcohol use. Accordingly, pr vention is a major part of the Cincinnati UMADAOP’s mission. “We work with young people throughout the s ate of Ohio, bringing pr vention services into sch ols and prov ding a social skills and ‘refusal skills’ curric lum to help young people in grades 5 to 12 d velop some alternatives to alcohol an drug use. We know that, for both drugs and alcohol, the most co mon age of rst use is 13. So th re is a heavy concentration on mi dle and high sch ols,” Dr. Tyehimba says. In January, the Cincinnati UMADAOP began offering a program utilizing one of the newest drug-treatment t ols: sub xone prescribed for opiate a diction. “In the f ture, alcoholism and drug treatment are going to be seen as must-haves by m naged care providers and networks, because th se types of services affect the success of families, the co munity as a whole and business,” Dr. Tyehimba says. “So the business co munity will have to embrace treatment and recovery if they expect to have a quali ed employment p ol going forward.” It’s clear that the mission of Cincinnati UMADAOP is a multi-fac ted one, designed to meet the needs of a diverse population. Bu it can be succinctly su med up in one sentence, Dr. Tyehimba says: “We’re working to build a drug-free co munity.”
Dr. Kamaria Tyehimba has been president and CEO of Cincinnati UMADAOP since 2014. But the roots of her involvement in the substance abuse eld go back to her childhood in Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood, where she witnessed the devastation of substance abuse in a neighbor’s family. Her experience led to an early career choice. “I became interested in trying to gure out how to save children,” says Dr. Tyehimba. “In our community, we were taught to be responsible for each other. The community was very close-knit and had great expectations for us. Out of that, there were many attorneys, pharmacists and well-known scholars who were great examples for all of us.” EARLY INTEREST IN SERVICE Dr. Tyehimba also had an early positive role model in Dr. William Mallory Sr., the founder of Cincinnati UMADAOP. “Growing up, I knew him and his family well, and he was one of the most in uential men in my childhood. So coming to UMADAOP was really signi cant for me.” Dr. Tyehimba had attended the University of Cincinnati, where she earned a B.A. Degree in Criminal Justice Studies before she realized that there were different ways of helping. She earned an M.A. degree in social work from the University of Cincinnati and worked in the eld of children’s protective services, also earning a Ph.D. from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati. Dr. Tyehimba began her professional career more than 30 years ago in the child welfare eld. She began her career in mental health and substance abuse in 1987. She worked at the Crossroads center and later became director of one of Ohio’s largest African American treatment centers for women, Cheney Allen. Dr. Kamaria Tyehimba has been president and CEO of Cincinnati UMADAOP since 2014. But the r ots of her involvement in the substance abuse eld go back to her childh od in Cincinnati’s West End neighborh od, wh re she witnessed the devas ation of substance abuse in a neighbor’s family. Her experience led to an early career choice. “I became int rested in trying to gure out how to save children,” says Dr. Tyehimba. “In our co munity, we w re taught to be responsible for each other. The co munity was very close-knit and had great expec ations for us. Out of tha , th re w re many attorneys, pharmaci ts and well-known scholars who w re great examples for all of us.” EARLY INTEREST IN SERVICE Dr. Tyehimb also had an early positive role model in Dr. W lliam Mallory Sr., the founder of Cincinnati UMADAOP. “Growing up, I knew him and his family well, and he was one of the most in uential me in my childh od. So coming to UMADAOP was really signi cant for me.” Dr. Tyehimba had attended the University of Cincinnati, wh re sh earned a B.A. Degree in Criminal Justice Studies before she realized that th re w re diff rent ways of helping. She earned an M.A. degree in social work from the University of Cincinnati and worked in the eld of children’s protective services, also ear ing a Ph.D. from Unio Insti ute and University in Cincinnati. Dr. Tyehimba began her professional career more than 30 years ago in the child welfare eld. She began her career in mental health and substance abuse in 1987. She worked at the Crossroads center and later became director of one of Ohio’s largest African American treatment centers for women, Ch ney Allen. A CAREER INSPIRED BY COMMUNITY NEED
“We talk about the fact that addiction is a disease, but we found that people of color didn’t buy into a lot of the interventions that were being offered, so we had to attack their belief systems, myths and norms.” —Dr. Kamaria Tyehimba, president and CEO of Cincinnati UMADAOP
IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
“We’re working to build a drug-free community.” — Dr. Kamaria Tyehimba,
“As time evolved, I gained an understanding of the need for more substance abuse and mental health providers. In our (African American) community there has historically been great denial and stigma about drug abuse and mental illness. Many African Americans didn’t think addiction was a disease, and believed it was caused by a lack of discipline. They believed that if you were an alcoholic, it was because you were not disciplined,” Dr. Tyehimba recalls. Because of that and other culture-speci c factors, Dr. Tyehimba realized the crucial need for more African American providers of substance abuse and mental health treatment. “I learned we need providers who look like the people they are treating. That’s why this job at UMADAOP was so enticing when the opportunity came up.” As a provider of substance abuse or mental health “As tim evolved, I gained an understanding of the need for more substance abuse and mental health providers. In our (African American) co munity th re has historically been great deni l and stigm about drug abuse and menta illness. Many African Americans idn’t think a diction was a disease, and b li ved it was caused by a lack of discipline. They b li ved that if you w re an alcoholic, it was because you w re not disciplined,” Dr. Tyehimba recalls. Because of that and other culture-speci c factors, Dr. Tyehimba realized the crucial need for more African American providers of substance abuse and mental health treatment. “I learned we need providers who look like the people they are treating. That’s why this job at UMADAOP wa so ent cing when the o portunity came up.” As a provider of substance abuse or mental health
president and CEO of Cincinnati UMADAOP
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