Thursday, April 18, 2024

The East Side Of Addiction

Ryan Health Expands Its Opioid Addiction Treatment Program To The Lower East Side At Ryan Health

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New York City Ryan Health, a mission-driven network of community health centers in New York City, has expanded its program treating opioid addiction to an additional center, Ryan Health | NENA, located on the Lower East Side at 279 E. 3rd Street . The center is now treating patients living with opioid addiction through its Medication Assisted Treatment program, considered the gold standard in treating opioid addiction.

Launched last November, Ryan Healths MAT program helps New Yorkers overcome their addictions to prescription painkillers such as Percocet, Vicodin, and oxycontin, as well as street drugs like heroin. The medication used in MAT is buprenorphine, or bupe for short. Bupe, also known by its brand name Suboxone, is used over time to stop withdrawal symptoms and cravings, making it easier to break the cycle of addiction. Individuals on bupe lead more productive lives freed from the fog of opioid addiction.

Medication Assisted Treatment is a lifesaver for New Yorkers wanting to end their addiction to opioids, said Dr. Jeanne Carey, MD, Medical Director at Ryan Health | NENA. Overcoming addiction can be a lifelong process, and bupe is a safe medication that can be used over the long-term.

With the addition of Ryan Health | NENA, three of Ryan Healths centers oer the MAT program. Patients can also get help at Ryan Health | West 97th Street and Ryan Chelsea-Clinton.

About Ryan Health

Michael Fagan, MPP

Coalition And The Post

During the the mainstream and parties united in a formal under new Liberal leader , who replaced when the latter failed to win a majority in the . While the Liberals won the most seats, they actually received fewer votes than the socialist . Pattullo was unwilling to form a coalition with the rival Conservatives led by and was replaced by Hart, who formed a coalition cabinet made up of five Liberal and three Conservative ministers. The CCF was invited to join the coalition but refused.

The pretext for continuing the coalition after the end of the Second World War was to prevent the CCF, which had won a surprise victory in in 1944, from ever coming to power in British Columbia. The CCF’s popular vote was high enough in the that they were likely to have won three-way contests and could have formed government however, the coalition prevented that by uniting the anti- vote. In the post-war environment the government initiated a series of infrastructure projects, notably the completion of north of Prince George to the Peace River Block, a section called the John Hart Highway and also public hospital insurance.

On February 13, 1950, a in northern British Columbia after jettisoning a . This was the first such in history.

Physical And Behavioral Signs Of Heroin Addiction

It can often be difficult to determine or identify heroin use. If you suspect that yourself or a loved one may be in the throes of heroin addiction, there are certain behavioral and physical signs to look for.

Some behavioral signs of heroin addiction may include:

  • Extreme anxiety, depression, or paranoia
  • Lethargy and lack of motivation or energy
  • Constant lying and generally suspicious or secretive behavior
  • An increase in risky behavior in the pursuit of acquiring and using heroin, often leading to troubles with the law

Some physical symptoms of heroin use may include:

  • Red or bloodshot eyes as well as constricted or tiny pupils
  • Sudden, rapid weight loss
  • Other noticeable changes in appearance
  • Extreme drowsiness and falling asleep at random times in a phenomenon known as nodding off

Heroin addiction can damage the parts of the brain that are responsible for decision-making and lead to a diminished ability to foresee the consequences of the users actions. The behavioral symptoms of heroin addiction can be a very difficult thing for parents and loved ones to understand. The need to use heroin can supersede all other needs in such a way that leads to the user engaging in risky behaviors that they would have never engaged in otherwise.

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Addiction And Mental Illness

The DTES population suffers from very high rates of mental illness and addiction. In 2007, Vancouver Coastal Health estimated that 2,100 DTES residents “exhibit behaviour that is outside the norm” and require more support in the areas of health and addiction services. According to the Vancouver Police Department in 2008, up to 500 of these individuals were “chronically mentally ill with disabling addictions, extreme behaviours, no permanent housing and regular police contact.” As of 2009, the DTES was home to an estimated 1,800 to 3,600 individuals who were considered to be at “extremely high health risk” due to severe addiction and/or mental illness, equivalent to 60% of the population in this category for the 1 million people in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

Substance use

A 2010 BBC article described the DTES as “home to one of the worst drug problems in North America.” In 2011, crack cocaine was the most commonly used illicit hard drug in Vancouver, followed by injected prescription opioids , heroin, crystal methamphetamine , and cocaine . Alcoholism, especially when it involves the use of highly toxic isopropyl alcohol, is a significant source of harm to residents of the DTES.

Mental illness

Fur Trade And Colonial Era

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Lands now known as British Columbia were added to the during the 19th century. Colonies originally begun with the support of the were amalgamated, then entered Confederation as British Columbia in 1871 as part of the Dominion of Canada.

During the 1770s, killed at least 30 percent of the Pacific Northwest . This devastating epidemic was the first in a series the killed about half to two-thirds of the native population of what became British Columbia.

The arrival of Europeans began around the mid-18th century, as entered the area to harvest . While it is thought may have explored the British Columbian coast in 1579, it was who completed the first documented voyage, which took place in 1774. explored the coast in 1775. In doing so, Pérez and Quadra reasserted the claim for the , first made by in 1513.

The establishment of by the and the Hudson’s Bay Company , effectively established a permanent British presence in the region. The Columbia District was broadly defined as being south of 54°40 north latitude, , north of Mexican-controlled California, and west of the . It was, by the , under the “joint occupancy and use” of citizens of the United States and subjects of Britain . This co-occupancy was ended with the of 1846.

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What We Stand For

Our Mission is to meet the special and changing needs of New Yorkers experiencing critical life problems with substance use disorder, mental illness and associated homelessness, with a person-centered, strengths-based and trauma responsive approach to care. Using a wide-ranging network of health and human services, we support their well-being and empower them to make healthy life choices.Our Vision is to help New Yorkers at risk to fully benefit from the social and economic life in their communities. We aspire to provide unsurpassed integrated, person-centered and trauma responsive behavioral health and social services to transform lives, especially those impacted by substance use disorder, mental illness and homelessness. It is our dream to serve with the passion and professionalism that generates enduring outcomes, rewarding recovery and lasting hope.

Our Core Values guide our work and performance as we deliveron our LESC Mission.

  • We respect the dignity and merit of each person we serve.
  • We recognize health disparity and the prevalence of trauma in the communities and lives of the people we serve.
  • We recognize the power of resilience for meeting lifeâs challenges.
  • We believe each person to be inherently good.
  • We believe that recovery and wellness are possible.
  • We honor our responsibility to our mission and funding sources by managing and operating effectively and efficiently.
  • We add value to our community, city and state.

Walk The Path With Us At East Coast Recovery

At East Coast Recovery Center, our mission is to help those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction achieve success in recovery and life. Our campus is located 20 minutes outside of Boston in beautiful Cohasset, Massachusetts. This is where your healing journey will begin. Take the first step by today.

We realize that every persons path is different, so our approach to treatment for substance use issues must be different as well.

Connection Is the Opposite of Addiction

For those suffering from addiction issues, it is easy to be overcome by feelings of loneliness and isolation. At East Coast Recovery Center, we believe that the opposite of addiction is connection. As humans, we are at our best when we feel a genuine connection to our community.

  • How do you treat heroin addiction?

Treatment for heroin addiction always starts with detox. After detox, addiction treatment centers will use a combination of psychological therapy and assistance from medication to help identify and cope with the underlying issues that led to addiction in the first place.

  • How to help someone with heroin addiction?
  • What is heroin addiction like?

Heroin is an extremely addictive opioid drug. A person in the depths of heroin addiction may prioritize getting and using drugs above everything else in their life, neglecting health and relationships in the process. Addiction to heroin is not a sustainable lifestyle and medically-supervised treatment is highly recommended.

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Concentration Of Services Controversy

You just keep dumping money in, building social housing and filling it up with people from all around the region and the country … they all get chemically dependent, and it’s just more sales for the drug dealers.

Philip Owen, former Vancouver mayor,

The Downtown Eastside, really, has become the last place where everybody runs to from across Canada. It’s the last, best place for people who are the most marginalized people in the country.

Karen Ward, DTES resident,

It’s the NIMBYism of the other 23 communities in the city that is the Downtown Eastside’s greatest problem. And what the city needs to do is work to put significantly more services in different communities.

Scott Clark, Aboriginal Life in Vancouver Enhancement Society,

The DTES is the site of many service offerings including social housing, health care, free meals and clothing, harm reduction for drug users, housing assistance, employment preparation, adult education, children’s programs, emergency housing, arts and recreation, and legal advocacy. In 2014, the Vancouver Sun reported that there were 260 social services and housing sites in the greater DTES area, spending $360 million per year. No other Canadian city has concentrated services to this degree in one small area.

Colony Of British Columbia

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With the in 1858, an influx of Americans into New Caledonia prompted the to designate the mainland as the Colony of British Columbia. When news of the reached London, Richard Clement Moody was hand-picked by the , under , to establish British order and to transform the newly established Colony of British Columbia into the British Empire’s “bulwark in the farthest west” and “found a second England on the shores of the Pacific”.:71 Lytton desired to send to the colony “representatives of the best of British culture, not just a police force”: he sought men who possessed “courtesy, high breeding and urbane knowledge of the world”:13 and he decided to send Moody, whom the Government considered to be the “English gentleman and British Officer”:19 at the head of the .

Moody and his family arrived in British Columbia in December 1858, commanding the . He was sworn in as the first and appointed Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works for British Columbia. On the advice of Lytton, Moody hired as his personal secretary.

Cattle near the Maas

Lord Lytton “forgot the practicalities of paying for clearing and developing the site and the town” and the efforts of Moody’s engineers were continuously hampered by insufficient funds, which, together with the continuous opposition of , “made it impossible for Moody’s design to be fulfilled”.:27

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The Benefits Of An Intensive Outpatient Program

An intensive outpatient program is part of a range of different treatment options in our clinic. Compared to other treatment options it has the following benefits:

  • Intensive Outpatient Programs are less expensive than residential treatment centers for alcohol or drug addiction, making them a more affordable option for people who need more than just therapy.
  • In IOP, you can continue living at home and maintain a presence within your work, school, or community. For many, it is helpful to be surrounded by a supportive network or family and friends while undergoing intensive treatment.
  • Continuing to live in the real world may also help you make the fundamental changes in your lifestyle and relationships that may be harder to achieve in the more artificial environment of rehab.
  • IOP treatment is sometimes appropriate as a way to transition from inpatient treatment to life in the outside world.

An Intensive Outpatient Program is not right for everybody. If youre not sure what path to choose, were always happy to discuss your unique situation and provide guidance and information.

Sitting At A Table Inside The Broadway Restaurant On Water Street In Worcester The Three Men Look Like They Should Be Out On The Links Tossing Back A Few Beers And Hanging Out Together For The Day

What they dont look like are recovering drug addicts who have known the cold, unforgiving inside of a jail cell as well as theyve known the streets that sent them there.

What they dont look like are guys who have shivered, shaken and puked their way through withdrawals.

They dont look like theyve lived lives many of us have only seen play out on the pages of a Mario Puzo novel or on the big screen in a Martin Scorsese film.

And they certainly dont look like the types who would sit down and write a tell-all of their exploits, their prolific drug use and what they refer to as their miraculous recovery from a lifestyle that probably should have killed them already.

Yet, here they are, the three of them north of 60 years old, sitting with a buddy who will hit that mark himself, soon.

Now, 63, 65 and 66 years old, respectively, Jim DiReda, Jack Maroney and Hank Grosse, along with Rob Pezzella, 59, are far removed from their days as hustlers and big shots.

Gone is the Shrewsbury Street they grew up on and around, one with shops that fronted for bookmaking operations, a neighborhood where everyone knew who you were when you were 5 years old. Gone is the East Park of their youth, when theyd gather around the Drinking Tree and unknowingly carve out the path that would eventually drive them to rock bottom.

Grosse was one of the last on board with writing the story, with each of them writing different pieces.

We were off to the races.

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Addiction And Mental Illness Strategies

In 2001, the city adopted a “Four Pillars” drug strategy consisting of four equally important “pillars”: prevention, treatment, enforcement, and harm reduction. Advocates of the Four Pillars strategy say that the 36 recommendations associated with the policy have only been partly implemented, with prevention, treatment, and harm reduction all being underfunded. Across Canada, 94% of drug strategy dollars are spent on enforcement. The city’s 2014 Local Area Plan for the DTES does not propose solutions to the neighbourhood’s drug problems an article in the National Post described it as a “221-page document that expertly skirted around any mention of the Downtown Eastside as a failed community in need of a drastic turnaround.”

The VPD, B.C. Medical Association, and City of Vancouver have asked the province to urgently increase capacity for treating addiction and mental illness. In 2009, the BCMA asked that detoxification be available on demand, with no waiting period, by 2012. A 2016 study of youth who used illicit drugs in Vancouver indicated that 28% had tried unsuccessfully to access addiction treatment in the previous 6 months, with the lack of success mostly due to being placed on waiting lists.

Housing Availability And Affordability

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Any discussion of improving the continuum of care for addiction must include housing as a basic component, particularly for the most vulnerable individuals coping with homelessness, addiction, and mental illness.

B.C. Medical Association,

The City refers to the housing and homelessness situation in the DTES as a “crisis”. There is wide support amongst governments, experts, and community groups on a Housing First model, which prioritizes stable, quality housing as a precursor to other interventions for the homeless, those who use drugs, or those with mental illness. Many people with severe addiction and/or mental illness require supportive housing.

As the DTES has many low-income adults who live alone and are at risk of homelessness, trends in housing options for low-income adults are of central importance to the neighbourhood. Although SROs have well-known problems, each SRO resident who loses their room and ends up on the street is estimated to cost the provincial government approximately $30,000 to $40,000 per year in additional services.

In recent years, the number of units designed for low-income singles has increased slightly: In the downtown area there were 11,371 units in 1993 and 12,126 units in 2013. The number of privately owned SROs declined during this time by 3283 units, while the number of social housing units increased by 4038 units. In 2014, an additional 300 privately owned SRO units were lost.

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Views On Services In Other Neighbourhoods

Vancouver Coastal Health says that the lack of appropriate care for complex social and health issues outside of the DTES often does not allow people “the choice to remain in their home community where their natural support systems exist… A common barrier that prevents mentally ill and addicted people from living outside of the DTES is a lack of appropriate services and supports, and too often clients who do secure housing outside the neighbourhood return to the DTES regularly because of the lack of supports found in other communities.”

Proposals to add social housing and services for those with addiction and/or mental health issues to other Metro Vancouver neighborhoods are often met with Nimbyism, even when residents selected for such projects would be low-risk individuals. A 2012 poll of Metro Vancouver residents found that although nine out of 10 of those surveyed wanted the homeless to have access to services they need, 54% believed that “housing in their community should be there for the people who can afford it.” Some commentators have suggested that Vancouver residents tacitly agree to have the DTES act as a de facto ghetto for the most troubled individuals in the city.

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