Month: <span>April 2019</span>

Founded and sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (now Facing Addiction with NCADD), Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to help reduce the stigma so often associated with alcohol addiction by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcohol, alcohol addiction, and recovery. Alcohol addiction is a chronic, progressive disease, genetically predisposed and fatal if untreated. However, people can and do recover. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 20 million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery from alcohol use!

According to the NCADD, “Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking, and more than 7 million children live in a household where at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol.” Warning signs of alcohol abuse include:

• Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries or boost a sad mood
• Guilt about drinking
• Unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop drinking
• Lying about or hiding drinking habits
• Causing harm to oneself or someone else as a result of drinking
• Needing to drink increasingly greater amounts in order to achieve desired effects
• Feeling irritable, resentful or unreasonable when not drinking
• Medical, social, family or financial problems caused by drinking

How is AMHC addressing the issue?

• Individual Outpatient Therapy (IOP)
• Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Treatment programs, which require regular attendance for a set period of time.
• Maine Mothers Network https://www1.maine.gov/dhhs/samhs/osa/help/mainemothersnetworkflyer.pdf
• Driver Education and Evaluation Program (DEEP) services for individuals seeking to regain their license following an operating under the influence charge.
• Peer support
• MAT services including Opioid Health Home
• DMS (Detox management services)
  • Money available for medication
  • Treatment IOP, individual, residential
• Residential Treatment Facility “The Farm”
• Criminogenic treatment services
  • Working with local probation services
  • Diversion Academy
  • Mark Nelson working in Jail (Breaking Free program)
• The Roads to Recovery Community Center services in Caribou and coming soon to Houlton
  • Various recovery meetings
    • AA
    • NA
    • Al-anon
    • Refuge recovery
    • men/women group
    • father/mother group
    • Recovery writing, art groups, music
    • Families Anonymous
  • Substance use and domestic violence
  • Maine can work
  • Narcan training
  • IOP has been attending every two to three weeks
    • High-power box
    • Jeopardy
    • music
    • Benefits are that our customers have increased confidence to participate in various recovery meetings

• In Maine, over 4,000 children in 2018 were victims of abuse.
• Visit the Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA) website at https://preventchildabuse.org for resources on how to spot child abuse.
• In the U.S., 4 to 5 children die from child abuse or neglect every day.
• U.S. child protective services referrals involve 7.2 million children every year.
• 91% of child abuse perpetrators are parents.
• Maine Child and Family Services has a 24/7 hotline to report suspected child abuse or neglect: 1 (800) 452-1999
• http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/learn/child-abuse-and-neglect
• https://www.positivepromotions.com/child-abuse-prevention-month/c/hlcchildabusepreventionmonth/

Join AMHC for the 20th Annual Denim Day on April 24th in support of Sexual Assult Awareness Month!

STAND UP, SPEAK OUT: WEAR DENIM TO BREAK THE SILENCE

Wear Denim for your mother, sister, brother, grandmother, uncle, neighbor, cousin, cashier, teacher, father, friend… Wear it for all those who have been affected by Sexual Violence. Show your support. As a Community, we can end violence.

HISTORY:

In 1992 an 18-year-old Italian woman was picked up by her driving instructor to begin her driving lesson. Soon after her instructor sexually assaulted her on the side of the road. She reported the incident and he was convicted. The instructor appealed the case to the Italian High Court. In 1999 the court overturned the conviction, with a member of the High Court declaring that since the victim was wearing very tight jeans, the instructor could not have removed them himself, therefore the victim must have been a willing participant. Women of the Italian legislature protested the decision by wearing jeans. As news spread so did the protest. In April 1999 the first Denim Day was established in the United States.

For more information please contact  AMHC Sexual Assault Services at 1-800-871-7741