Steve Miranda is Treatment Solutions Network’s Director of Special Projects, Steve recently retired from the Massachusetts Department of Corrections where he spent 22 years of his life pioneering new programs and saving lives as the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). That program services 5,200 employees, family members and retirees. As a loyal member of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union (MCOFU), Steve understands the needs of people who are affected by addiction. Steve is also passionate about helping others. Feel free to contact him anytime if you have any questions or know someone who may need help with an addiction problem. You may contact him atstevem @ tsnemail.com or by phone at (508) 525-5974.

Let me start by saying that I love my line of work, but if I hadn’t lost my own brother to addiction, I’m not positive that I would have been this passionate about not only helping addicts, but also helping their families. I currently work for Treatment Solutions Network, who in my opinion has the absolute best approach to working with addiction in the workplace and addiction period. I feel confident saying this because I’ve worked in this field for many years and seen firsthand how to lead addicts along a better path and unfortunately, I’ve also seen companies lead addicts right out the door without even a chance. Treatment Solutions Network fights for every individual to get well, which is why I wanted to become part of their team.

Massachusetts Department of Corrections

Now, I wouldn’t talk the talk if I personally hadn’t walked the walk. For the past 22 years I was posted up at the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, where I was fortunate enough to be the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). While in that position, my team serviced over 5,200 employees, family members and retirees so I learned a thing or two about addiction along the way. In fact, I dealt head-on with virtually every setback scenario you could imagine like drugs, alcohol, financial, post trauma, marital, and so on.

An EAP is generally a peer-elected post for just that reason

I am proud to say that our team was very successful at what we did and the simple reason our EAP resources were so effective was because we made it as simple as possible for the employee and their families. We did our best to be a one-stop shop, which in essence meant that when you came to us with a situation, we weren’t going to send you out the door with a bunch of homework, we were going to assess your particular situation and find a solution for you and your family. This obviously made the situation a great deal more bearable for the individual and their family, but also, the employer saved time, stress and money. An EAP is generally a peer-elected post for just that reason, you need to be a conduit between the problem and the solution for both the employer and employee. It is a fine line but one that must be done with pride and respect.

Public Safety Officers struggling with addiction

It was during this time when I had the good fortune to work with Treatment Solutions Network and see that their organization had the same goal as my EAP team, just on a much grander scale. Treatment Solutions Network is the ultimate one stop shop and has saved countless lives as a result. One of the most difficult situations for an EAP to face is working with Public Safety Officers struggling with addiction. These officers have a career built on public perception and are far less likely to ask for help than your average employee. Treatment Solutions Network is comprised of former officials and Public Safety Officers who have been humbled by personal hurdles in the past and are now in a position to apply their unique wisdom and experience to people in need of help. When I saw how members of the Treatment Solutions team were able to take the one stop shop notion to a level I never imagined and apply multiple services beyond drug and alcohol treatment, but stress, counseling, family therapy, and mental health to name a few, I knew I wanted to be part of their team.

The Treatment Solutions team is built with the finest union and business leadership from the workforce and a network of the absolute best resources available in the addiction and recovery industry. It only takes one call and not only will you have a solution, but also you’ll have the best possible solution for your specific need and equally important, the needs of your family. This is the finest team I’ve had the good fortune to be a part of and while I personally lost a family member to the disease of addiction, along with Treatment Solutions, I have been able to keep countless families alive and together.

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Toll Free Helpline : 1- 866-359-6320

As we all sit back and watch the various layers of the U.S. war effort unfold, it is hard enough for us to conceptually grasp the level of loss and violent despair unfolding each minute for our troops in the middle east. Even for family members of soldiers, who risk their lives daily, they may have a different perspective on the madness, but nothing can or will ever compare to the horror each individual soldier experiences.

PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The reason I bring this up is to shed a little light on a situation we are all facing that is certain to explode like a hidden IED, tripped by an unsuspecting soldier. Four letters we’ve all heard before but you better be ready for since they are about to change the world we live in…PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a bomb being constructed in the middle east as you read this and will be triggered to explode gradually over the next 20 years. Believe me, if you think I’m being dramatic, watch the approaching explosion and think back to this post if you survive it.

Military’s powers recognize the the in fact that PTSD exists

Visit http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-ptsd-overview.asp for a peek at what we will all be faced with but when you’re reading this, remember that only recently has the the U.S. Military’s powers-that-be begun to recognize the the fact that PTSD exists…that is pathetic and unacceptable. While it is wonderful that it is finally being given credibility, the resources set aside for treatment is a pittance compared to what will be needed. Ironically, each returning veteran will have a ticking PTSD IED inside each one of them that can ‘go off’ at any second. Whether an acute PTSD reaction occurs on the street, at work, at school, at church or at home, you can bet your ass that if WE ALL aren’t equipped with a basic understanding of how to deal with it, we will be suffering as a society for generations to come.

Sadly, PTSD cannot be treated like other behavioral disorders

Sadly, PTSD cannot be treated like other behavioral disorders and daily we hear reports of treatment facilities failing patients and their families on a daily basis by attempting to treat PTSD along with other behaviorally impaired patients…THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!! These individuals and their families need specialized treatments with professionals specifically trained to deal with PTSD. Do the math, with the numbers of returning veterans, we are in for a shit-storm if we don’t get a handle on this thing and the government has its hands full.

That is why I’ve assembled a team at TSN, who has created a program called HEROES WELCOME. I will share more about the specifics in the next few weeks but in essence, we are assembling the best PTSD experts and centers on the planet and offering treatment for both the victim and their family. As a society and a field, we have a unique opportunity to learn from the past (Viet Nam) and truly help diffuse a generational bomb. This is not a bullshit sticker on a bumper, this is a way for us all to actually support our troops and save our own society.

 TSN is growing a solution

This is the seed and you are all aware that TSN is growing a solution so don’t pretend you haven’t been informed. If you are interested in learning more or have something to offer, contact Jed Wallace for details since he will be coordinating the effort on my behalf. I encourage you to do some serious research and soul searching – be a part of HEROES WELCOME and do your part to support the veterans that have given their lives, limbs and personalities to protect our freedom…now it is our turn!

http://www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com/?cpao=304

Toll Free Helpline : 1- 866-359-6320

There are certain times in our lives that we are more prone to binge drinking. Someone struggling with alcohol abuse or alcoholism should be especially aware of these times and avoid them or find a way to manage their urge to drink.

Binge drinking is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 grams or above. About 75% of the alcohol consumed by adults in the United States is in the form of binge drinks, and binge drinking can be responsible for accidents, injury, alcohol poisoning, and liver disease, among other things. (1)

The situations listed below are kinds of triggers that for some people, mean it’s time to start binge drinking. There are many other triggers that are specific to individual people, but these situations happen in most everyone’s life and cause many people to drink.

A night out with friends.

 Even though we claim peer pressure is a teenage thing, it really can still affect us our entire life. A fun night out with friends is often a time to drink. Even moderately responsible individuals can be tempted to binge drink when out enjoying time with good friends.

After a stressful day.

We are really good at feeling entitled to do things to make us happy. If we suffer through something, we want to reward ourselves. If we feel hurt or wronged, we want to make ourselves feel better. We’re not always good at handling stress and problems in a healthy way. Many of us, instead of relaxing after a hard day in a healthy way, will have a drink or two. When done in moderation this may not be harmful, but for someone prone to alcohol abuse or who is an alcoholic, drinking away one’s stress can be dangerous.

Being alone.

 Being alone can have negative consequences on us. There are times when having some peace and quiet are welcome. However, if someone must spend time alone when they don’t want to, it can be a risky time, because loneliness can make us do things we wouldn’t normally do. We might self-medicate our cares away by drinking. The problem with this situation is that there is no one around to see what we are doing or to stop us, and the result is that lonely drinking can be more damaging.

Family gatherings.

People may joke about how hard it is to spend time with family, but for many families this is very true. Even anticipating a family get together can drive some people to drink, because of the stress and dysfunction this time can bring. Other people wait until they are at a family gathering and then negative interactions with family members can cause them to drink.

Binge drinking can cause injury or death, and should be taken seriously. If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol abuse, consider getting help.

Sources

(1) Binge Drinking

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations trigger binge drinking

Alcoholics Life

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Toll Free Helpline : 1- 866-359-6320

What are we doing to our children? As more and more Americans develop alcohol dependence problems and choose not to get help, more of our country’s children are suffering.

Alcoholic Parents

Parents are the ones who are supposed to protect children, the ones who talk to them about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, the ones who provide a stable living situation for kids to come home to. But unfortunately, many parents are failing at that task. A new report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) paints a bleak picture of family life in the United States. On average, 7.5 million children — about 10.5 percent of the country’s under-18 population — lived with a parent abusing alcohol during any given year between 2005 and 2010. (1) Some 6.1 million children live in two-parent households where one or both parents suffered from alcohol abuse. The remaining 1.4 million lived in a single-parent home where the adult had a drinking problem. (2)

Effects of Alcoholism

This means that one in 10 children are being subjected to the effects of alcoholism in their own home. We certainly can’t expect that these children are getting a very good anti-substance abuse message in their home; How can we expect these kids to stay away from alcohol when they are exposed to it every day in their home? Children of alcoholics are at greater risk for anxiety disorders, depression, and academic delay. They are more likely to suffer abuse or neglect, and they are more likely to become alcoholics themselves someday.

Many alcoholic parents feel they are functional and that they are sparing their children from the worst details of alcoholism because they can still hold down a job and put food on the table. This is a serious problem though. No child should have to live with an alcoholic parent, and the prevalence of this, according to the study, is alarming.

SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said, “The enormity of this public health problem goes well beyond these tragic numbers as studies have shown that the children of parents with untreated alcohol disorders are at far greater risk for developing alcohol and other problems later in their lives.” (3)

Helping Children of Alcoholics

Last week was Children of Alcoholics Week. This event hasn’t exactly caught on across the country yet, because it still doesn’t make many news headlines, but we should make it a point to dedicate time and resources to solving this problem for our youth. “SAMHSA and others are promoting programs that can help those with alcohol disorders find recovery – not only for themselves, but for the sake of their children. SAMHSA is also playing a key role in national efforts to prevent underage drinking and other forms of alcohol abuse,” Pamela Hyde added. (3)

Sources

(1) Alcoholism: One in 10 U.S. Kids Have Alcoholic Parent

(2) 1 in 10 kids have an alcoholic parent, according to U.S. government study

(3) Alcohol Problems

1 in 10 US children has alcoholic parent

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Toll Free Helpline : 1- 866-359-6320

Thanks to more budget cut proposals, upwards of 37,000 Floridians may not receive treatment for their substance abuse this year. The Daytona News Journal recently reported on the state Senate subcommittee’s recommendations that were sent off to Florida’s Senate Budget Committee on February 15^th — and these recs produced some pretty scary numbers. Frightening, actually. Members of the community, and drug treatment centers like ours, fear many people in need will be left in the lurch in 2012 and beyond.

According to the Journal:

“…Overall, the relatively small budget item of adult substance-abuse treatment — $124.2 million within a $69.3 billion budget — could see cuts of up to $31.3 million…”

And it gets worse…

“If just 5 percent of these 37,000 people have children who end up in foster homes, the association warns, the new cost to the state could be more than $18 million. And if some of these people are incarcerated? The average prison term for a drug offender is 3.15 years, costing about $52,000 per offender. Prison is not cheap or a desirable course of treatment.“

UPDATE!

The Senate passed the budget cuts. House and Senate committees are now negotiating a final budget for all state funding programs, which includes drug treatment programs.

It’s no secret that the number of Floridians needing drug treatment has been climbing in recent years; money aside, and even in this rough economy, lawmakers MUST understand that these cuts are detrimental to people who need proper care and rehabilitation now. Their physical and mental health is only more at risk! Besides, it’s really in the lawmakers’ best interests to turn this around if they want to save money in the long run, rather than accruing more costly debt due to prison, hospital and foster care costs. It could really rack up, and quickly.

Thank you to all of the statewide media and newspapers who are spreading awareness about these cuts. Contact the Florida Senators and demand they change their minds and hearts.

We’re keeping an eye on this. More updates on this to come.

Come on, Senators.

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Toll Free Helpline : 1- 866-359-6320