NCADD will soon be launching a new online calendar. Please check back soon!

Following is a Letter to the Editor that NJPN has sent out to the major papers throughout New Jersey. The letter deals with Prescription Drug and Over-The-Counter drug abuse.

August was recently designated as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month and with the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) reporting that upwards of 9 million people use prescription medication for non-medical uses, the timing couldn’t have been better.

The New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN), Partnership for a Drug Free NJ (PDFNJ) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Newark Division have partnered together on a new campaign designated Jason’s Message. Named after Jason Surks who died of an accidental overdose of Xanax, the campaign will focus on the dangers and problems associated with prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse.

A common misconception is believing prescription drugs are not as addictive or abused as the more familiar illicit drugs like marijuana and heroin. SAMSHA examined the scope of the problem and discovered nationwide, more than 2.1 million teens abused prescription drugs in 2006. Coupled with the PDFNJ’s Center for Prevention Research findings that 44 percent of parents said they know little or nothing about prescription drug abuse, and anyone can see that prescription and OTC drug abuse is a serious concern.

NJPN has member agencies in all 21 New Jersey counties who look to increase their community involvement and participation in efforts to educate parents about the dangers of medicine abuse among teens. With 30 percent of Middle School students who believe using prescription drugs that are not prescribed to you does not have any real health consequences, it’s imperative that New Jersey communities become educated.
To learn more about Jason’s Message and what is being done in your county, visit www.njpn.org or call 732-367-0611.

Diane Litterer
Executive Director
New Jersey Prevention Network

August 04, 2008. East Brunswick, NJ - NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. celebrates National Recovery Month each September by awarding the “Tree of Hope” to an organization that promotes recovery. Too often, the public’s image of an alcoholic or drug addict is that of someone in, or one step away from, the gutter.

The Tree of Hope aims to change that image by bringing together individuals who have experienced the life-changing transformation that true recovery brings. These individuals are our neighbors, friends, and family members. By recognizing these individuals publicly, they not only help change the perception that addiction is hopeless, but their example can be a powerful inspiration for those just starting on the road to recovery themselves.

This year’s recipient is Crawford House in Skillman. A ceremony to re-dedicate their Tree of Hope, and recognize the facility, will be held September 16th starting at 5pm.

“On behalf of the residents, staff and Board of Trustees, I would like to acknowledge NCADD and the tireless work they do to advance recovery” noted Linda Leyhane, Executive Director at Crawford House. “As an agency, we are proud that we are able to provide a safe and nurturing recovery environment for women from Middlesex County as we continue to help them return to their communities as healthy, productive and happy individuals.”

Crawford House, the first-ever recipient of NCADD’s Tree of Hope in 2002, has been providing transitional housing and addiction treatment service to New Jersey women for 30 years. The facility offers an intensive, comprehensive and highly individualized six-month treatment program. In addition to counseling, educational classes and employment readiness services, the program also emphasizes gaining experience in life skills management, such as budgeting, parenting, nutrition and stress management.

“Each year we recognize a facility that goes the extra mile to provide recovery services to the communities we serve,” said NCADD Executive Director Steven G. Liga, “this year we wanted to re-dedicate the Tree of Hope at a facility that has continued to exemplify the best in the recovery field over the past seven years. And Crawford House is that facility.”

As in previous years, Crawford House and NCADD will host a moving ceremony to re-dedicate the evergreen tree planted six years ago – a symbol of the hope that recovery is always possible. The re-dedication ceremony will culminate day-long festivities slated for Crawford House, including an open house.

To insure wide participation in the ceremony, NCADD will be distributing ornament order forms and flyers for the event. Flyers are available to groups or individuals that wish to encourage participation in the event. Ornaments are sold to commemorate the recovery efforts of individuals, to encourage those still struggling, and to memorialize those who have passed - whether in recovery, or in the depths of their illness.

All proceeds from the sale of ornaments go to benefit the charitable works of NCADD, particularly the confidential Information and Referral Helpline that serves as a starting point for the recovery of over one thousand county residents each year. For more information about the ceremony or if you have any questions, please contact Jane Taylor at NCADD by calling her at (732) 254-3344, ext. 21 or by email at jane@ncadd-middlesex.org. To order ornaments, please click here.

On Tuesday evening, April 29th, over 160 individuals came together at Crossroads Theater in downtown New Brunswick to discuss the issue of underage drinking. Parents, educators, government and law enforcement officials, healthcare professionals and others were there to listen to speakers share information about this problem and discuss possible solutions.This year’s event, titled “Underage Drinking in Our Communities - A Focus on Solutions” , was put together through the combined efforts of the Somerset Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency as well as NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc.

The event was sponsored by centraljerseymoms.com in partnership with The Home News Tribune and the Courier News newspapers and Rutgers’ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

“We were looking to put underage drinking on the community’s radar screen and identify solutions and strategies,” said Steve Liga, NCADD CEO & Executive Director, “and the most effective tool we have to fight substance abuse is through education at the community level. The Legislative Event provided the perfect platform to generate awareness and educate the public.”

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Middlesex County Freeholder Director David Crabiel who noted, “It is my role as father, grandfather and great-grandfather that takes priority during this evening’s discussion. I’m sure you will agree that when it comes to our children and grandchildren, there is no rest until we know they are safe. That is why this dialogue tonight and the work the NCADD of Middlesex County performs throughout the year is so very critical.”

Additional remarks were provided by State Senator Joseph F. Vitale and Brenda Pateman, Somerset County Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Coordinator.

A panel of experts provided relevant information about this important and timely topic and discussed solutions already being implemented or could be implemented by the community.

The panel featured:

• Barry Roberson, East Brunswick Director of Public Safety who spoke about the township’s first year implementation of an Underage Drinking on Private Property Ordinance;

• Detective Karen Hoelzel from the Hillsborough Police Department who spoke about her department’s seven years of experience enforcing Underage Drinking on Private Property Ordinances;

• Brenda Esler, Assistant Director at the Somerset Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency who spoke about other community approaches to prevention;

• Steven Banden - a Rutgers University Student who presented a novel approach to reducing underage drinking from a student’s perspective.

Three-time Emmy Award winner Anchor/Reporter Walt Kane from News 12 New Jersey served as Master of Ceremonies.

Please click here for additional press coverage about this exciting and informative event. For pictures from the event, please click here.

The Milltown Borough Council voted on Monday, June 9, 2008 to enact penalties for youths who are caught drinking or possessing alcohol on private property, aligning the borough with surrounding municipalities that have taken a similar approach in recent years.Under an ordinance unanimously adopted by the council, violators would face a three-tier system of sanctions, including fines up to $500 and up to a six-month delay in obtaining their driver’s licenses. First offenders under 17 years old would be subject to 24 hours of community service, while a second violation would lead to 40 hours of community service and a $100 fine, according to the ordinance.

Third and subsequent offenses would carry 80 hours of community service, a $500 fine and a three-month suspension or postponement of driving privileges. Meanwhile, offenders under 17 would face postponement of six months after their 17th birthday.
The law allows Milltown to police private property in an effort to prevent underage drinking, reflecting measures taken by the majority of nearby towns since state legislation in 2000 gave them the power to do so.

Despite privacy concerns resulting from such ordinances, officials at Monday’s Borough Council meeting said the law is not meant to intrude into residents’ lives, but to make sure Milltown is not a magnet for youth drinkers throughout the area. The law has already been in place in neighboring East Brunswick and North Brunswick.

As of late last month, 15 of the other 24 municipalities in Middlesex County had such a law on the books, with penalties similar to those contained in the Milltown ordinance.

COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO DISCUSS UNDERAGE DRINKING

On Tuesday evening, April 29th, over 160 individuals came together at Crossroads Theater in downtown New Brunswick to discuss the issue of underage drinking. Parents, educators, government and law enforcement officials, healthcare professionals and others were there to listen to speakers share information about this problem and discuss possible solutions.This year’s event was titled “Underage Drinking in Our Communities - A Focus on Solutions” and was put together through the combined efforts of the Somerset Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency as well as NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. The event was sponsored by centraljerseymoms.com in partnership with The Home News Tribune and the Courier News newspapers and Rutgers’ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

“We were looking to put underage drinking on the community’s radar screen and identify solutions and strategies,” said Steve Liga, NCADD CEO & Executive Director, “and the most effective tool we have to fight substance abuse is through education at the community level. The Legislative Event provided the perfect platform to generate awareness and educate the public.”

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Middlesex County Freeholder Director David Crabiel who noted, “It is my role as father, grandfather and great-grandfather that takes priority during this evening’s discussion. I’m sure you will agree that when it comes to our children and grandchildren, there is no rest until we know they are safe. That is why this dialogue tonight and the work the NCADD of Middlesex County performs throughout the year is so very critical.”Additional remarks were provided by Brenda Pateman, Somerset County Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Coordinator and State Senator Joseph F. Vitale.

A panel of experts provided relevant information about this important and timely topic and discussed solutions already being implemented or could be implemented by the community.

The panel featured: Barry Roberson, East Brunswick Director of Public Safety who spoke about the township’s implementation of an Underage Drinking on Private Property Ordinance; Detective Karen Hoelzel from the Hillsborough Police Department who spoke about the enforcement of Underage Drinking on Private Property Ordinances; Brenda Esler, Assistant Director at the Somerset Council on Alcoholism and Drug dependence who spoke about other community approaches to prevention; and, Steven Banden - a Rutgers University Student who presented a novel approach to reducing underage drinking from a student’s perspective.

Three-time Emmy Award winner Anchor/Reporter Walt Kane from News 12 New Jersey served as Master of Ceremonies.

Images from event. (Note: some images provided by the Home News and Tribune. Andrea Kane/Special to the Home News Tribune.)

New Brunswick- Montgomery Director of Police Michael BeBeltranena , freeholder David Crabiel and freeholder Ronald Rios chat before the start of the Underaged Drinking seminar at Crossroads Theater.

NCADD staff (from left) Mara Carlin, Joseph Neland and Jackie Randazzo assist a registrant at this year’s Legislative Event

Members of the Somerset Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Brenda Pateman, Sharon Lutz,Becky Csabai , Karen Hoelzel of the Hillsborough Police Dept. and Brenda Esler attend the Underaged Drinking Legislative Event at Crossroads Theater.

State Senator Joseph Vitale speaks at an Underage Drinking Legislative Event held at the Crossroads Theater.

Parentally Speaking is a new quarterly newsletter targeted primarily to parents and caregivers in Middlesex County. But we also hope to reach educators, government officials, service providers and anyone else who impacts the lives of our youth. If you would like to be notified when a new issue of Parentally Speaking is available, just write to us at parentallyspeaking@ncadd-middlesex.org or call us at 732-254-3344.

What’s in a logo? Ideally, it should send a clear message about the organization it represents, its values, its mission, and its style. That’s an awful lot for what is essentially a symbol, or mark, and the name of the organization. Let’s see how we did as I introduce you to our new logo.
First, in designing the new logo, we were very conscious of the history represented by our old logo. For years, with the exception of the color, it has been exactly the same as the national NCADD logo, with the addition of “of Middlesex County, Inc.” and the extended double lines. Since it had been the same for so long, it has been taken for granted, and the rich history that the mark represents has been forgotten. Most people, including most of our staff, saw a red circle with a little design next to our name. Our goal was to bring that “little design” to life.Our mark has three distinct elements, each representing a facet of our mission.

The first is the key that forms the backbone of the mark. It stands for the key of knowledge and corresponds to our mission to prevent substance abuse by educating society about the nature of addiction; arming youth with the information and skills they need to succeed drug-free; and serving as a resource for parents, communities, and the media.

The second element is the double entwined snakes taken from the medical caduceus. The snakes are entwined around the key, because one of the most central concepts that we educate the community about is the fact that addiction is a brain disease and, as such, must be viewed as a public health issue, not a criminal justice or moral issue.

Finally, the wings represent the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes of its own destruction. This symbol represents how many feel about their own recovery from addiction and the new life they now lead. We stand ready to assist those in need of treatment for their disease and to provide encouragement and support to them and their families.

Taken together, these three elements reflect the original tenants of Marty Mann, the pioneering founder of the NCADD movement. She believed that society must be educated that an alcoholic is a sick person, worthy of help, and that recovery is possible. We have further emphasized that theme by choosing a fresh blue, representing life and rebirth as our primary color.

When you look at our new logo, we hope you can see its vibrancy and life. No longer is it locked within a circle. Instead, it is three dimensional with wings unfurling for flight. In fact, the mission represented by this symbol stands above us and transcends what we do locally, providing guidance and inspiration for all of our endeavors.

The Middlesex County Substance Abuse Coalition has been renamed Coalition for Healthy Communities.

The move is designed to better align the Coalition’s name to reflect the community it serves and the diversity of its members. The Coalition’s mission is to reduce substance abuse, especially among youth, by providing opportunities for increased collaboration, coordinated planning, and sharing of resources, thereby maximizing the quality and availability of services to the communities and residents of Middlesex County. The new name will allow the Coalition to uphold its mission by encouraging participation and collaboration from all community sectors.

The Coalition for Healthy Communities is comprised of a group of diverse individuals concerned with creating and maintaining a healthy environment. These individuals bring passion to the prevention and treatment of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse problems. To help assure the success of the Coalition, a “Back to Basics” retreat was held on February 26th at UMDNJ’s Clinical Academic Building in New Brunswick.

Over two dozen Coalition members attended the event, which focused on the development and implementation of three new committees: Fundraising, Outreach, and Youth. Presentations on the three committee areas were given by Diana Starace (Injury Prevention Coordinator at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital) and Richard Emanuel (Care House Director for the Salvation Army) on Fundraising, Alison Glaser (VP of Community Services at Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey) and Bill Ussery (Community Relations Representative at Summit Oaks Hospital) on Outreach, and Dana Lee Brown (Perinatal Addictions Risk Reduction Specialist at Central New Jersey Maternal and Child Health Consortium, Inc.) and Robin Lavorato (Chairperson at the Monroe Township) Municipal Alliance on Youth. The presenters spoke about progress that has been made in these areas previously, as well as issues the Coalition needs to address in order to continue making progress in the future.

After the presentations, attendees brainstormed in groups to create new ideas, activities, or events which the new committees could use to increase fundraising, community outreach, and youth involvement. All of the ideas developed during the brainstorming were later combined in work groups specific to each area. The work groups selected the strongest ideas and developed action plans to enable their implementation. The new committees were formed from the members of each work groups.

All three committees selected Chairpersons who presented their action plans to the attendees. The Fundraising Chairpersons are Padma Arvind and Jose Cruz, the Outreach Chairpersons are Bill Ussery and Irfat Chowdhury, and the Youth Chairperson is Robin Lavorato. All agreed to meet in the near future to begin implementing recommended action steps.

In addition to forming new committees, each Retreat attendee renewed their commitment to the Coalition. A short presentation was given by Alexandra Lopez of NCADD in which she empowered individuals to actively engage in commitment to the Coalition. At the end of the Retreat, attendees signed a new membership agreement form that established their new commitment to the Coalition.

The 2008 Legislative Event will take place on Tuesday, April 29th from 6pm to 8:30pm at Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick.

This year’s event is titled “Underage Drinking in Our Communities - A Focus on Solutions” and will feature the combined efforts of the Somerset Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency as well as NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc.

The event is sponsored by centraljerseymoms.com in partnership with The Home News Tribune and the Courier News newspapers.

This is a FREE community event featuring a light dinner reception, panel discussion, a question and answer session as well as door prizes. The public welcome to come and learn about the problem of youth alcohol abuse and creative solutions employed by area communities. A panel of experts will provide relevant information about this important and timely topic and how we can all work together for our youth.

For more information or to register, call us at 732-254-3344. You can also register here.

On August 15, 2007, a group of professionals representing diverse disciplines, as well as 210 members of the community, gathered in Edison, NJ at Middlesex County Community College to discuss the nature and scope of this emerging issue of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse and identify preventive actions steps. Senator Barbara Buono (D-18) served as moderator for a panel that included Jonathan Krejci, PhD., Director of Training and Research, Princeton House Behavioral Health; George Rusuloj, PharmD. a local pharmacist; Dr. Harris B. Stratyner, Vice President and New York Regional Director at Caron Treatment Centers; Linda Surks, Coalition Coordinator, NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. and Andrew C. Fish, Consumer Healthcare Products Associations (CHPA) Senior Vice President, Legal & Government Affairs and General Counsel. Many important issues were raised at the Town Hall Meeting, as well as questions by members of the panel and the audience.

A recap of findings as well as an outline of the points raised during the discussion at the Town Hall Meeting are now available in a detailed report just released by NCADD. For a copy, just click here or contact us at info@ncadd-middlesex.org.

New Hope Foundation’s Open Door recognized as 2007 Tree of Hope Recipient

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) of Middlesex County, Inc. celebrated September’s National Recovery Month by awarding the “Tree of Hope” to an organization that promotes recovery within Middlesex County. This year’s recipient was New Hope Foundation’s Open Door.

“Open Door is a true community partner in every sense of the word,” noted NCADD CEO/Executive Director Steve Liga. “Their staff members are active participants in community organizations and they partner with many twelfth –step programs to help their clients. Open Door has been a welcome refuge for those seeking help, support or a friendly ear to bend. They are very deserving of this recognition.”

Hundreds of individuals attended a moving ceremony. They included women currently attending recovery programs at Crawford House, Rutgers University students, partner agencies, volunteers, and NCADD employees.

New Brunswick City Council President Elizabeth Sheehan Garlatti (above) attended the event and presented the Council’s resolution designating September 2007 as Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in honor of Open Door.

Past Tree of Hope recipients have included Princeton House in North Brunswick; Friendship Hall, who has opened their doors to thousands of recovering people for over two decades; Crawford House, a halfway house for indigent women in recovery; Rutgers University, one of only four universities in the country to offer recovery housing for students; and Raritan Bay Medical Center.

Footprints: Life skills and strategies for children in grades 2-3.

Featuring “real life” situations and opportunities to practice new skills.

L=looking and listening for clues about feelings and behaviors so as to develop coping skills when needed.

I=ideas and skills building for managing anger and proven strategies for more effective conflict resolution.

F=fostering resiliency by considering consequences and recognizing peer pressure and Facts about ATOD

E=enriching relationships by developing empathy and practicing kindness and listening skills

A six week classroom program promoting social skills and problem-solving strategies through the use of role-play, behavioral strategies and “real” life situations in the world of Peter the Porcupine, Betsy the Beaver, Ricardo the Raccoon, Sarina the Fox, Amir the Armadillo, and “Coach” Katrina the Kangaroo.

A family component involves weekly assignments to be supervised by parent/guardian, which introduces effective language and techniques for communicating about feelings and problems. Parents/guardians as well as classroom teachers are strongly encouraged to promote the use of this language to reinforce the value of the program and its concepts.

Each of the six characters in the stories have unique footprints and personalities as well as family situations, but each comes to learn how to grow in self-awareness and consider the consequences of their actions. They also gain an increased appreciation and understanding of their friends and the necessity of healthy problem solving without resorting to anger, teasing, blaming and substance abuse.

Lessons teach practical skills to manage anger and the use of steps for effective conflict resolution, such as listening and exploring creative alternatives to the problem. These are strategies, which build self-confidence and more positive social emotional development. The age-appropriate information on tobacco and alcohol is woven within the broader themes of decision-making and seeking help from caring and supportive adults when confronted with situations for which the child feels inadequate or fearful.

FIRST MEETING AND INTRODUCTION:

What do you think of when I say the word Footprints?

• • • Trails
    • Step by step process
    • Following someone
    • Tracks

• Katrina Kangaroo (F) – “Coach”; Soccer coach for second and third grade team; children can go to her for guidance; attends local community college; she lost her soccer scholarship (because of ATOD) and is now attending the local community college; she is originally from Australia.

• Betsy Beaver (F) – third grade; team goalie; lives with her cousin, Ricardo and their moms; is kind and caring and is sensitive to conflicts.

• Ricardo Raccoon (M) – second grade; ever since his father died (in a car accident), he lives with his cousin Betsy and their moms; can be immature and competitive; has trouble “fitting in”.

• Pete the Porcupine (M) – second grade; Mom and dad are divorced; lives with dad and grandma; mom is alcoholic; thinks his parent’s problems are his fault. He sometimes has trouble reading.

• Sarina Fox (F) – third grade; bossy, spoiled; mom and dad (a smoker) are busy at work a lot; wants to be “cool” and popular. Sensitive to peer pressure.

• Amir the Armadillo (a surprise character introduced during lesson six) (M) – second grade; is the new member of the team and replaces Betsy in the championship game; has a lot to learn about social competencies, luckily his team and new friends teach him; he moved from Costa Rica and needs to adjust to his new school, friends, and team rules in New Jersey.

Each puppet has unique footprints and personalities. They will be learning, like you, important skills to help them grow up to be happy and healthy. They will become aware of the footprints that they are following, as well as the ones that they are making. Each week you will learn more and more about them, as they let us into their lives.

The Middlesex County Substance Abuse Coalition of NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. was recently selected as one of only ten Coalitions nationwide to hold a regional Medicine Abuse Awareness Month Town Hall meeting. The event is titled Rx for Solutions.

The Coalition held its town hall meeting on August 15, 2007 during National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month. The event was held on the campus of Middlesex County College.

The town hall meeting helped raise awareness about the abuse of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines by bringing together key sectors of the community including: parents, law enforcement officials, healthcare providers, retailers, educators, elected officials, substance abuse prevention and treatment leaders, and local media. Senator Barbara Buono led a discussion with a panel of key individuals who addressed the issue from various perspectives. Questions from the audience contributed to the discussion. Solutions and strategies to address this problem were identified. The town hall meeting also promoted the “A Dose of Prevention: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Before it Starts” campaign to the community at large. Ultimately, the goal of the meeting is to attract media attention to the issue of teen medicine abuse with the goal of presenting local solutions and educational information to parents.

Several organizations helped to make the Town Hall meeting a success by participating as sponsors. They included:

STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS:

MIDDLESEX STUDENTS MORE LIKELY TO USE ALCOHOL AND DRUGS IN OWN OR A FRIEND’S HOME.

AND, PARENTS DON’T KNOW WHEN THEIR CHILDREN USE TOBACCO AND/OR MARIJUANA

May 15, 2007. According to results of a 2006 survey among Middlesex County students, those who tried or used alcohol and other drugs are more likely to have done so at their own home or a friend’s home.

The 2006 NCADD of Middlesex County Inc. countywide Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) survey sampled 260 Middlesex County students in classes ranging from the 6th to 12th grade. Students who participated in the survey were selected by employing random stratified sampling technique from a list of 83 county schools.

Overall, the survey indicated that there is a general permissive attitude among parents, peers and subjects when it comes to alcohol. Parental indifference and student’s acceptance regarding the occasional use of alcohol have serious implications. The survey indicates that parents who are not concerned about children drinking are not likely to keep a watchful eye on alcohol stored at home.

Additional highlighted results:

• Less than 20% of respondents tried smoking and/or used a tobacco product. This percentage compares favorably with national figures released recently from the 32nd annual Monitoring The Future survey.

• 47 percent of respondents indicated that they have tried alcohol. 21 percent indicated that they drank in the past 30 days. Most drinking takes place on the weekends.

• 27 percent of students indicated that they have been with kids smoking marijuana and 13 percent of admitted to trying marijuana.

• When it comes to other drug use, eight percent of respondents indicated that they tried inhalants, four percent admitted to the use of medication to get high, three percent admitted to using party/club drugs and two percent admitted to using other drugs such as cocaine, mushrooms, LSD, etc.

“This survey highlights the problem we have in Middlesex County when it comes to our youth and alcohol abuse,” noted NCADD Executive Director and CEO Steve Liga. “NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. has and continues to implement prevention efforts targeting children as young as 2nd grade,” continued Mr. Liga “but we desperately need the support of parents, educators, government officials and the public at large.”

“Unfortunately, the low student participant rate in this survey highlights the problem New Jersey has with the collection and analysis of information on students’ drug and alcohol usage since the Active Consent law was signed” noted Middlesex County Substance Abuse Coalition Coordinator Linda Surks. “The current statute has seriously undermined the collection of data about student use of drugs and alcohol, along with other at-risk behavior,” added. Surks “Without this type of information, anonymously collected, funding is not available to develop prevention programs that address these alcohol and drug trends.”

According to NCADD-NJ, since active consent was adopted in 2002, it has compromised the gathering of data about student drug use to the point that several of the surveys have been discontinued. This has occurred because requiring written permission on a per-survey basis proved too cumbersome and too costly to obtain a credible sample for the firms that conduct them. Furthermore, the student participation rates that have occurred under active consent are not due to the majority of parents having express objections to their child’s filling out the questionnaires but simply because the permission forms are often not returned to the schools in a timely manner.

For more information about the 2006 Student Survey , please call Ezra Helfand or Linda Surks NCADD at 732-254-3344. Click here for a copy of the survey.

March 15, 2008

April is alcohol awareness month and it is once again time to generate awareness for this critical issue.

When many people think of alcohol abusers, they picture teenagers sneaking drinks before high school football games or at unsupervised parties. However, alcohol abuse is prevalent within many demographic groups in the United States. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, people who abuse alcohol can be:

• College students who binge drink.
• Pregnant women who drink and put their babies at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome.
• Professionals who drink after a long day of work.
• Senior citizens who drink out of loneliness.

Alcohol Awareness Month is an annual observance designed to encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. It began as a way to inform the American public that alcoholism is a treatable disease, not a moral weakness, and that people who are addicted to alcohol can and do recover.

Since 1987, Alcohol Awareness Month has been sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). It is imperative that communities throughout Middlesex County reach their local constituents with information about the disease of alcoholism.

Here is what different groups can do:

Schools

• Plan essay or poster contests around the themes of underage drinking and the impact of alcoholism on families.
• Schedule staff and faculty in-service trainings on underage drinking and invite NCADD staff members, local health professionals and law enforcement officials to speak.
• Encourage teachers to lead class discussions about underage drinking and its dangers.
• Ask coaches to hold discussions with student athletes regarding the effects of alcohol on health and athletic performance.

Parents

• Talk with your kids about alcohol—regularly and often. If you don’t have the facts, get them from NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc.
• Establish clear no-drinking rules for your children with consequences for breaking the rules. Apply these rules fairly and consistently, letting children know you do not approve of and will not tolerate underage drinking.
• If you or your guests drink alcohol, model safe and healthy practices by not engaging in heavy drinking, binge drinking, or alcohol abuse or tolerating such behavior from guests.
• Participate in a Alcohol-Free Weekend during April to show your kids you can enjoy all your usual activities without alcohol. If you entertain, serve appealing alcohol-free beverages.
• Volunteer for community efforts that address alcohol problems, particularly underage drinking.
• Support the enforcement of minimum age of purchase laws for alcohol, underage drinking and private property ordinances in your community and join with others who work to develop and enforce policies to limit youth access to alcohol.
• Participate in NCADD’s WE CHECK FOR 21, TOO program where parents are asked to sign pledges agreeing not to serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 21.

Faith-Based Institutions, Organizations, and Groups

• Devote an issue of your bulletin or newsletter to Alcohol Awareness Month, underage drinking, and opportunities for treatment and recovery.
• Participate in local planning for Alcohol Awareness Month. If your community does not have a planning committee, initiate one.
• Give a sermon on the harm of underage alcohol use, the power of parents’ influence in preventing substance abuse, the impact of untreated family alcoholism on children, and spiritual alternatives to sensation seeking for young people.
• Incorporate Alcohol Awareness Month information, messages, and themes into youth and adult group discussions.
• Identify a specific Alcohol-Free Weekend as an activity for your parish or congregation.
• Hold prayer vigils for youth and their families in your community who have been harmed by underage drinking.

Businesses

• Promote alcohol-free beverages during business events and in restaurants and bars; promote the Alcohol Awareness Month message—Together, We Can Stop Underage Drinking!—in retail outlets licensed to sell alcohol beverages; support and cooperate with law enforcement efforts to reduce youth access to alcohol.
• Arrange for responsible hospitality server training for employees involved in selling or serving alcohol; make it clear that you support and expect them to support minimum age of alcohol purchase laws.
• Encourage employees to participate in local anti-drug coalitions, NCADD and MADD chapters; to support the work of Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free; to participate in Alcohol-Free Weekend; and to talk with their children about underage alcohol use.

NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. is uniquely qualified to help you implement Alcohol Awareness Month programs in your community. For more information call us at 732-254-3344 or write us at mail@ncadd-middlesex.org.

March 2007

A recent headline in the Home News Tribune reported that 80 underage youths between 16-18 were found in an East Brunswick home drinking beer and hard liquor that were served on tap. An 18-year-old who lives at the home and a 16-year-old boy were arrested and charged with serving alcohol to minors, a disorderly-persons offense. In the same time frame, similar incidents occurred elsewhere in the US.

In Rockford, Illinois, seven local high school basketball players were suspended from extracurricular activities because of an underaged drinking party after which one student was found dead. In Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, a local man was arrested on various charges after he allegedly held an underage drinking party in his residence. And in Salem, Massachusetts, a former secretary at a local Technical High School is facing charges stemming from a party with students at her home, where she provided them with liquor.

These are just a few examples of a growing problem local authorities, politicians and parents are facing more and more frequently. And some municipalities are starting to undertake measures to stop the madness.

North Brunswick is the latest Middlesex County municipality to pass an underage drinking ordinance. The unanimously passed ordinance could make juveniles face fines and drivers-license suspension for underage drinking. Teens without a license could have to wait to get the coveted document if charged with drinking as a minor. North Brunswick’s Alcoholic Beverages Code will also be amended to state that any person under 21 who buys, orders, serves or drinks alcoholic beverages within the township will be subject to penalties stated in the ordinance. In addition to North Brunswick, New Brunswick, Edison, Sayreville, Old Bridge and Metuchen have some form of underage drinking ordinances in place. The remaining county municipalities need to get on board. (Please refer to Steve Liga’s column on the previous page for additional details on this ordinance.)

Alcohol is the drug of choice among youth. Many young people are experiencing the consequences of drinking too much, at too early an age. As a result, underage drinking is a leading public health problem in this country. Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. Yet drinking continues to be widespread among adolescents, as shown by nationwide surveys as well as studies in smaller populations. According to data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study, three-fourths of 12th graders, more than two-thirds of 10th graders, and about two in every five 8th graders have consumed alcohol in the past year.

NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. stands ready to help any community in Middlesex County to implement an underage drinking and/or private property ordinance. We can provide brochures or videos that explain the basic dangers and consequences of alcoholism. We can also supply sample ordinances that can be implemented locally.

Call or write to us today at mail@ncadd-middlesex.org or 732-254-3344.

Middlesex County Substance Abuse Coalition to host its second annual Family Day for Prevention on Sunday, June 3, 2007.

Families from all over Central New Jersey will take to the road to raise money for the Coalition, a community based organization dedicated to decreasing substance abuse and improving the quality of services for individuals in need.

Hundreds of individual of all ages and abilities, along with volunteers and crew members, can participate in one of four events:

• 50 Mile Bicycle Tour
• 20 Mile Bicycle Tour
• 5K Run in the park
• 2 Mile Fun Walk in the park

Other activities of the day will include:

• All-Wheeled-Sports Rodeo
• Face Painting
• Dance Demonstrations
• Theater Workshops
• Silent Auction
• Information tables sharing materials and resources

To register for the event, click here for our registration form. Or call us at 732-254-3344.

Yes, I want to sponsor the NCADD 2007 Legislative Breakfast

Stories of Recovery

By Dennis - My Recovery So Far.

I’ve told my story maybe 5000 times so far but this was the first time I was asked to write about it. And while my story is different from every other person with the disease of alcoholism and/or addiction, it is, at the same time familiar.

Long before I drank and used drugs I had a lot of alcoholic symptoms. I was uncomfortable in my own skin and had a sense that everyone had received instructions for life that I had missed. My life was incomprehensible, senseless and without purpose. I had a vague sense of the pain I caused others, but my overwhelming priority was to flee my pain through self-medication. Alcohol and drugs fixed a lot of those issues.

Every few years I would change jobs, apartments, friends, women and start over with a new group. I would continue my behavior, spend their emotional capital and move on again. Finally, when I pleaded for one more day of forbearance I set into motion a chain of events that led me to a new way of life. My girlfriend knew that if there was any hope for me it was at a12-step meeting. So I went to my first meeting and something happened. I was twenty-four years old and the only thing I knew about myself for certain was that I was an alcoholic. Years of isolation and confusion began to drop away as I began to walk the road of recovery with my brothers.

The recovery story is again an old and familiar one to many. I think that there are still layers yet to be revealed to me, but I know now that the greatest gift is that all the senseless and horrible things that I did to those I love, can have a meaning today. I can lend them meaning by passing along the message and, in a small way, begin to repay the debt I owed to those I love, who bore so much for me.

If this story sounds familiar, if one single person relates to it and gets even the smallest inkling of hope, then the gift gets passed along again as it was so freely given to me. Instead of being alone in the dark, I am back in the sunlight of the spirit for another day. Nobody that loves me ever wished for anything else.

By Debbie

At 15, I began experimenting with alcohol and pot with the neighborhood kids. I was riveted by those altered states and sought those experiences; striving to quiet the anger and fear I felt growing up. Full-throttle my lifestyle propelled me in many directions until I began recovery in 1985.

Then, the world I thought I knew crashed around me as I realized the ways I was destroying myself through my alcohol and drug use, my actions and thinking. After years in recovery, it became clear that my drinking and drugging were never about relaxing or socializing but fueled by the part of me that wanted to die. I thank my counselors and groups, 12 Step supports and my Higher Power for teaching me to meet these fears and broken inner places, and for helping me change how I relate to them.

Today I don’t need alcohol or drugs to flee from their shadows. My recovery journey continues to deepen my experience of self and my fullness of living. I wouldn’t miss this adventure for the world! (www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/resources)

By Cindy

February 9, 2000. It was the worst of times. I walked into the hospital emergency room, filled with liquor and pills and said to the first nurse I saw “Help me, or my next stop is the bridge”. This wasn’t for dramatic affect. Where I lived is on the Ohio River and we had a bridge. I hated how I felt and had finally reached that ever-elusive bottom. I had lost everything, my home, family, friends, job, dignity and respect. I was homeless thanks to my friend, alcohol.

February 10, 2000. I didn’t know it then but it was the beginning of the best of times. I began my recovery in earnest. It was hard in the beginning, especially in times of stress. I also no longer had my youngest son living with me and his father would not allow me to see him. But somehow I realized I couldn’t get better for my kids, my family or for anyone else. I had to do it for myself, or it would never work.

So I took baby steps in the beginning. I got myself a no holds barred alcohol counselor and got to work. Don’t ever let anyone tell you it is easy, if so they are lying. It takes one day at a time, everyday. I had lost my identity along my journey, so I first had to figure out who I was and what I wanted. I also had a new circle of friends who were also in recovery. I went to seminars, support group meetings; anywhere I could gain the knowledge I needed for this to work.

Over the last 7+ years I have worked hard. But slowly over time it began to work for me. As I got through my first year, I moved to a new city. One year turned to two, then three and I started getting involved with my community. I volunteered for 5 years with one of our local outreach programs that worked with the homeless.

I was hired and worked with young adults, 18-23 who have been used and abused, then thrown away. One of my girls told me” You’re the coolest old person I know, except for this other older guy, but he is dead.” You take your compliments where you can.

I am currently working to start up an outreach for all younger adults, the throwaway kids that are alone and to show them someone does care. It is a difficult task I am undertaking, I know, but I feel I need to do it. If not me, who? If not you, who?

There are things that happened in my life. I have at times, I wished I could change, but if I could, would I be who I am today? No one special, nothing different, but someone who does care and understands the stigma, isolation, embarrassment, degradation and discrimination one feels going through our journeys. There will always be those who see us the way they need to see us. Who cares? As long as we know for ourselves. We need to become activists for ourselves, advocate for our cause. Be proud. Don’t hide. Stand up and be counted. That is what we are all here for each other. And we should always strive to be the coolest old person someone knows. (www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/resources)

By Brenda

My addiction began when I was 13 after the death of my beloved mother and brother. I was lost in addiction for 21 years. The barriers to my recovery were unresolved grief, a lack of support (family/financial), and a lack of services. However, Recovery has given me the life that I deserved. Life now is richer in every way. I have healthy and rich family relationships; an interesting and gratifying career, a home, and a passion for helping others find their way out of difficulty.

I have been in recovery now for 12+ years and I am currently completing a doctorate in clinical psychology. My research interest is Stigma of Addiction. The higher I go in my education and career, I can’t help but wonder if my past history of addiction effects the way people will view me, and if the social stigma associated with addiction and the discrimination that grows from this stigma will be a barrier to my future success. It makes me wonder how anyone can find the hope to recover when they face so many obstacles, especially if they have gotten into trouble with the law as a result of their addiction. As I study stigmatizing attitudes and stereotypes that people hold about those who have struggled with addiction, I am amazed at the obstacles that people face and yet still recover! It takes a lot of courage and determination. If you are struggling, don’t give up. If you know someone who has had an addiction, please remember that this does not mean that they are bad or untrustworthy but more likely that life events, genetics, personality, the era that they grew up in, and environmental factors have all converged into this problem. It is not a life sentence. Change happens. (www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/resources)

By Hugh

In 2001 I was confronted for increasing alcoholic behavior - drinking at work (church) and a visible lack of ability to function. As a result, I went to Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT. The gifts I received there gave me the foundation of recovery that continues today. Much of my work as a priest reflects what I have learned from meetings, sponsors, reading and study. The wisdom I have discovered, as I see my Higher Power working through others, continues to be awesome.

In addition to my parish service I have begun a part time chaplaincy at my alma mater Silver Hill Hospital. As I walk the same paths on that campus today that I walked as a patient, I am daily reminded of the gifts of recovery. The acknowledgement that spirituality plays a major role in recovery by clinicians encourages my own ministry. I have discovered as chair of two diocesan committees on substance abuse education and support that education of clergy is critical to helping so many who are in harms way. I try to follow the example of William Moyers and others, in that - while the support group to which I belong and all who attend remain anonymous - I am open about my continuing recovery so I can teach, counsel and write – encouraging public awareness, clergy understanding and be an advocate for legislative support for parity in insurance coverage for addiction recovery and mental illness.

To that end my story and photo are in the 2006 National Recovery Month Materials. My name is Hugh and I am a grateful recovering alcoholic and thankful for the opportunity to share a bit of my story. (www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/resources)

The Coalition for Healthy Communities brings together professionals from multiple disciplines who have a passion for the prevention and treatment of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse problems. Their mission is to reduce substance abuse, especially among youth, by providing opportunities for increased collaboration, coordinated planning, and sharing of resources in order to maximize the quality and availability of services to the communities and residents of Middlesex County.

Monthly meetings provide an opportunity to network, plan collaborative events, share ideas and resources, and develop into a primary resource for the community. The meeting agenda is designed to provide the most time for sharing information. This has proven to be tremendously useful to the members, who have developed new partnerships and benefited from services that they did not know existed.

Every member of the Coalition can make a difference in the community. If you would like to help make Middlesex County a healthy, safe, and drug-free community, you must join the Coalition. For more information, call NCADD at 732-254-3344 or click here to email. For a copy of our brochure, please click here.

For a list of current members, click here.

December 2006

What is AD/HD or ADD?  Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is a condition affecting children and adults that is characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity, and over-activity.  It affects between 3-7% of school-age children and between 2-4% of adults.

This condition has been known for more than a hundred years, but it hasn’t always been called the same thing. In the past, different labels have been used for what we now call AD/HD.  Research in the 1970’s and 1980’s began to show there are different types of attention deficit. Although they have major differences, the types are more alike than different. Doctors began to see that the different types are all part of the same major condition. In 1994, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders changed the name from ADD (attention deficit disorder) to AD/HD because of the advances in research. There are three types of this one condition called AD/HD. They are: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, and combined.

Some doctors and mental health professionals still use the term ADD. If you know someone with this diagnosis, it most likely means that they have the inattentive type of AD/HD. This is not the child who is "bouncing off the walls" or "simply can’t sit still." Rather, it’s the individual who seems to be always daydreaming, is forgetful, is easily distracted, is disorganized, and just can’t seem to pay attention.

AD/HD is a hidden disability.  Just imagine what it must be like to have AD/HD before anyone realizes there is a problem? — "Sit still!"  "Why can’t you concentrate like everyone else?" "I have told you that a hundred times!" — These are only some things that individuals with AD/HD may hear every day.

AD/HD is hidden and often goes undiagnosed, because the symptoms are subtle.  A child with AD/HD often misunderstands questions and has trouble following multi-step instructions, because it is impossible for the child to sustain attention.  This lack of attention is not due to lack of willpower, rudeness, boredom, or willful disobedience.  Children with ADHD need to have instructions presented in an alternative way.

Public perceptions of AD/HD are full of myths, misconceptions, and misinformation about the nature, course, and treatment of the disorder.

Myth #1 – AD/HD is not a real disorder.  The psychiatric community and pharmaceutical companies created AD/HD to drum up business for private practices and to increase profits for drug companies.

The Truth – Studies over the past 100 years demonstrate that AD/HD is a chronic disorder that has negative impact on virtually every aspect of daily social, emotional, academic and work functioning.

Myth #2 – AD/HD is a disorder of childhood.  Individuals outgrow the disorder.

The Truth – 70-80% of children with AD/HD exhibit significant signs of restlessness and distractibility into adolescence and young adulthood.  A large percentage also suffer co-morbid psychiatric disorders, academic failure, and social isolation.  Children with persistent AD/HD have more severe AD/HD and adverse risk factors later in life.  Thus, AD/HD is a lifelong disorder that requires a developmental framework for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. 

Myth # 3 - AD/HD is over-diagnosed and many children with the diagnosis do not have AD/HD.

The Truth - It is difficult to find evidence that AD/HD is over-diagnosed or that stimulant medications are over-prescribed.  In fact, it has been suggested that in some cases, AD/HD may be undiagnosed and/or untreated.  Changes in special education legislation in the early 1990’s increased general awareness of AD/HD as a handicapping condition and provided the legal basis for the diagnosis and treatment of AD/HD in the school setting. These legal mandates have increased the number of school-based services available to children with AD/HD and may have inadvertently led some to conclude that AD/HD is a new disorder that is over-diagnosed.

Myth # 4 - Children with AD/HD are over-medicated.

The Truth - Although there has been an increase in the rate of prescriptions for stimulants and an increase in the production of methylphenidate, little is known about why these increases are occurring.  Most researchers believe that much of the increased use of stimulants reflects better diagnosis and more effective treatment of a prevalent disorder.  The percentage of children who receive medication of any kind is small. 2.8% of elementary-aged students are reportedly on medication.  Stimulants account for 99% of the prescribed medications. So while there has been an increase in the number of prescriptions, a relatively low overall rate of stimulant use is reported in school-aged children.

Myths and inaccurate information about AD/HD should be dispelled by scientific findings. However, popularly held false beliefs, which are often perpetuated by emotional or unexamined arguments, abound. They do little to advance our knowledge and do a lot to discourage individuals from seeking help and from using effective treatments for AD/HD that have undergone rigorous scientific scrutiny.

If you would like to learn more about AD/HD, please use the attached registration form to sign up for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ~ The Hidden Disability, which will take place at NCADD on February 28, 2007.  Due to popular demand, this is the third year that NCADD has invited Irv Finkelstein of the ADHD Family Counseling Center of Central New Jersey to come and present on this topic.

For additional information on this training, please feel free to call Dena at 732-254-3344 X20.

December 11, 2006. East Brunswick, NJ – Busses, cars and vans brought dozens of Middlesex County high school students and their teachers to the Crowne Plaza in Monroe for the third annual Young Women’s Conference on Tuesday December 5, 2006.

Titled “MY JOURNEY, MY VOICE: EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN”, the conference provided the young attendees with various interactive and educational activities and helped them gain invaluable knowledge and resources to support them throughout their lifetime. The event, arranged by the Middlesex County Substance Abuse Coalition, together with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) of Middlesex County, Inc. and the Middlesex County Alliance Network.

Six workshops were held covering topics such as Bullying: The Mean Girls Syndrome which assisted attendees in the identification of symptoms and feelings associated with what is commonly referred to as the “Teen Girls/Mean Girls” phenomenon. A workshop titled TEAR: Teens Experiencing Abusive Relationships educated the teens on the basics of teen dating violence and point out warning signs to avoid abusive relationships. A third workshop titled Loving Your Body Inside and Out increased each teen’s awareness of her physical self and of the media influence on her self image. An interactive workshop (titled Real Rap About Mother/Daughter Relationships) engaged participants in addressing issues and challenges in their mother/daughter relationships. Yet another workshop examined various career paths and opportunities, educational requirements, lifestyle options. And a final workshop, titled Flip The Switch: Change Your Life provided facts and exposed myths related to underage drinking, marijuana and prescription drug abuse.

A special keynote address was delivered by Candace Lightner, founder of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving.) Ms. Lightner is recognized as the moving force behind reshaping the nation’s attitude toward drunk driving. She served as MADD’s Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board until 1985. Ms. Lightner built MADD from a small California grass roots organization into an international corporation with 377 chapters worldwide, managing a staff of more than fifty employees and thousands of volunteers. Recognizing her years of dynamic leadership, the media voted Ms. Lightner one of the most influential American citizens of the twentieth century.

Separate informative workshops for faculty attending the conference were presented and the event featured a special dynamic performance of “Voices” by CARES (Carteret Actors Reaching-Out and Educating Students.) CARES debuted at the First Annual Young Women’s Conference and has since presented to thousands of students and professionals across the state.

November 2006

People who perform Acts of Kindness generally agree that doing a kind deed for someone else makes them "feel good.”  But, apart from sheer niceness, why should people be encouraged to commit Acts of Kindness? Are there any other concrete benefits that would motivate more people to become kinder?

The answer is an overwhelming "yes!" A number of scientific studies show that Acts of Kindness result in significant health benefits, both physical and mental, for those who perform them.

In recognition of World Kindness Week, please take the time to share the following key points with the teachers and other professionals in your school.  Encourage the youth in your community to become involved with committing acts of kindness.

• Helping contributes to the maintenance of good health and can diminish the effect of diseases and disorders, serious and minor, psychological and physical.

• A rush of euphoria, followed by a longer period of calm after performing a kind act, is often referred to as a "helper’s high," involving physical sensations and the release of the body’s natural painkillers, the endorphins. This initial rush is then followed by a longer-lasting period of improved emotional well-being.

• Stress-related health problems improve after performing kind acts. Helping reverses feelings of depression, supplies social contact, and decreases feelings of hostility and isolation that can cause stress, overeating, ulcers, etc.  A drop in stress may, for some people, decrease the constriction within the lungs that leads to asthma attacks.

• Helping can enhance our feelings of joyfulness, emotional resilience, and vigor and can reduce the unhealthy sense of isolation.

• A decrease in both the intensity and the awareness of physical pain can occur.

• The incidence of attitudes, such as chronic hostility, that negatively arouse and damage the body is reduced.

• The health benefits and sense of well-being return for hours or even days whenever the helping act is remembered.

• An increased sense of self-worth, greater happiness, and optimism, as well as a decrease in feelings of helplessness and depression, is achieved.

• Once we establish an "affiliative connection" with someone - a relationship of friendship, love, or some sort of positive bonding - we feel emotions that can strengthen the immune system.

• Adopting an altruistic lifestyle is a critical component of mental health.

• The practice of caring for strangers translates to immense immune and healing benefits.

• Regular club attendance, volunteering, entertaining, or faith group attendance is the happiness equivalent of getting a college degree or more than doubling your income.

Performing Acts of Kindness doesn’t only promote physical and mental health.  The Search Institute has identified 40 Developmental Assets essential to raising successful young people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. Some of the assets include:  

• Young people feeling valued by their community.

• Young people being given useful roles in their community.

• Young people serving for one or more hours each week in their community.

Therefore, the presence of these assets, due to performing Acts of Kindness, also decreases the likelihood of a child becoming involved with problem alcohol use, illicit drug use, violence, and sexual activity. 

World Kindness Week officially takes place on November 13-19, 2006.  However, feel free to choose dates that best meet the needs of your own community. Celebrate Acts of Kindness at any time of year — or all year long!

For more information on Acts of Kindness or for activities that your school can participate in, please visit the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation at www.actsofkindness.org.

NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. is an approved provider for the Addictions Professionals Certification Board of New Jersey (APCBNJ) and the New Jersey Department of Education/Professional Development (Provider #1417). Below is a schedule of courses for Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. All classes are held at Catholic Charities, 319 Maple Street, Perth Amboy, NJ from 9am to 4 pm. Each course costs $60. For course description, please click here.

If you wish to register via fax, please click here to download a PDF application form.

NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. is an approved provider for the Addictions Professionals Certification Board of New Jersey (APCBNJ) and the New Jersey Department of Education/Professional Development (Provider #1417). Below is a schedule of courses for Certified Prevention Specialist and Recertification. All classes are held at NCADD, 152 Tices Lane, East Brunswick from 9am-4pm (except as noted). Each course costs $50 (except as noted). For course description, please click here.

If you wish to register via fax, please call to download a PDF application form.