leadership directory 2008 - ncadd-nj is testing a pilot program involving inmates and re-entry...
TRANSCRIPT
Advocacy Leadership Directory2008
Do you agree that addiction has been identified as a preventable and treatable disease?
Should health insurance providers be permitted to deny or limit treatment for addicted individuals?
This directory provides a biographical sketch and accompanying photo of each of the 30 deserving members of the inaugural class of NCADD-NJ’s Advocacy Leadership Program. NCADD-NJ received an overwhelming response to the Program and those selected share success stories and leadership skills, as well as a strong collaborative spirit. The Program expects to build each Advocacy Leader’s understanding of self-advocacy, legislative/government processes, social change models, story-tell-ing, as well as how to use social capital as a way of infl uencing others to take action. The ultimate goal is to have the Advocacy Leaders become fully empowered advocates engaged in systems change efforts via core leadership teams established throughout New Jersey. The Program will begin by laying the foundation of public attitudes, science and issues, followed by sessions dedicated to grassroots recruitment, policy formation models and advocacy. The issues at the forefront of the Program are closing the state’s addiction treatment gap; ending the stigmatization of addiction by promoting recovery; ending discrimination experienced by persons in recovery; and, preventing ad-diction. As the participants take up the mantle of Advocacy Leader and “citizen advocate,” their voices will join with others’ to advance systems change via the core leadership teams they will help to establish throughout New Jersey.
Gary Abraham is Director of the Adolescent Addictions Unit at Princeton House Behavioral Health. For all but two of his 35 years in the fi eld, he has been a credentialed addictions professional. He has extensive experience in a variety of treatment settings: inpatient, rehabilitation centers, hospitals and out-patient facilities. Over his career, Gary has also had considerable experience with managed care, which he calls “managed cost” companies. In his dealings with managed care representatives, he has confronted their discriminatory remarks directed at the patients for whom he advocated. He therefore knows well the need to educate the public and elected offi cials on the science of addiction.
Ana Patricia Ackermann-Blanco is Director of Clinical Services at Cura, Inc. in Secaucus. Her 20 years in the addiction fi eld are marked by moments that stand out for the impact they had in treatment and prevention. Her work began in her native Bolivia, where she and her husband traveled the country in a prevention campaign against the growing cocaine problem. In her years working for Cura, she has recognized that the continuum of care is fragmented at best, resulting in many relapses. Addressing this need and restoring clients’ respect and dignity are among the goals Ana has set for herself and her fellow advocacy leaders.
Karen Barnett is Director of the Bridgeton Municipal Alliance-Youth to Youth Program. Over her 19 years in this position, she has been committed to educating youth and families about alcohol and other drugs. She under-stands addiction’s reach, noting that its toll is on families and communities as well as the affected individual. Recovery from addiction, she maintains, is a tool of increased empowerment. Karen’s goal as a leader is the collec-tive empowerment of people in recovery and those advocating for them, which will bring about access to treatment and widen understanding of ad-diction as a disease.
Roxann Bostic volunteers with Fresh Start Recovery in the Salem County Correctional Facility. She has set herself the goal of helping to promote systems-level change with regard to treatment, prevention and recovery. Her work has brought home the scarcity of treatment resources in South Jersey, as many individuals are placed on long waiting lists. Nor are there adequate facilities to assist women in transition. Roxann was awarded the Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King Student Leadership Scholar-ship as she pursues her Certifi cation in Alcohol and Drug Counseling. Hav-ing experienced the stigma of addiction fi rst-hand, she wants to promote a healthy, positive image of recovery.
Contact: 278 Jill Court, Toms River NJ 08753 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 1128 Reeves Terrace, Union NJ 07083 Email: [email protected]
Contact: Baptist Road #446, Newport NJ 08345 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 142 Westside Ct., Salem NJ 08079 Email: [email protected]
Bryan Bradford is the New Jersey State Director of the Gateway Founda-tion, Inc., in Yardville, managing eight sites within the state Department of Corrections. He sits on a Recovery Oriented Integrated Systems Committee, which is testing a pilot program involving inmates and re-entry participants in Newark. A goal is to demonstrate that integrated and coordinated ser-vices hold the hope of seeing inmates returned to their families and com-munities. Bryan is prepared to advocate publicly for more resources for treatment, not wanting to look back at some point in his life and wish he had acted.
Jennifer Carpinteri is an Addiction Services Administrator and Supervi-sor of Youth Services in Morristown. She was instrumental in establishing Morris County’s Substance Abuse Homeless Outreach Inititative, a cross-systems approach providing treatment services to the homeless. This work contributed to her belief that New Jersey’s behavioral health system hinges on cross-systems collaboration. Jennifer describes her dream as helping to build a system where an individual can access services regardless of port of entry.
William Coleman is Coordinator and Outreach Minister with Parkside Recovery at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton. He has been an ordained minister for seven years and is President and CEO of New Lease on Life Ministries, assisting people affected by homelessness, addiction and incar-ceration. His experience as an advocate led to his becoming Coordinator of the Mobil Addiction Treatment Program. William calls himself “the face of the Trenton Program;” he is also the voice, speaking on drugs and their impact at churches, civic meetings, anywhere there is a need. He views the Advocacy Leadership Program as a “continuation” of what he is provid-ing.
Eliezer DeFranca is a care coordinator with the National Council on Al-coholism and Drug Dependence-New Jersey in Newark. In that position he advocates for treatment on a client-by-client basis. He also has worked with clients being treated with methadone and has seen many of those clients affected by stigma. To address this, Eliezer took it upon himself to speak to school offi cials, police offi cers, guidance counselors and others about how methadone benefi ts many individuals. He has a strong organizing back-ground and relishes being “in the trenches” as a team member.
Contact: 3 Mildred Ct., Hamilton NJ 08609 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 19 Sierra Terrace, Wayne NJ 07470 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 181 Clafl in Avenue, Ewing NJ 08638 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 36 Fairbanks St., Hillside NJ 07205 Email: [email protected]
Kathleen Dennis, Program Manager of Family Service of Morris County, has oversight of 12 hours of mandatory education for DUI offenders. She also works with adolescents on the perils of alcohol and drug use and how they can lead to addiction. She has seen the suffering alcohol and drug use and addiction bring about, noting that all too often one picks up the morning paper to see a headline announcing yet another tragedy related to alcohol or drugs, indirectly if not directly. Kathleen sees the Leadership Program as an opportunity to be part of the force that changes the headlines, stressing that there is power in numbers.
Contact: 19 Frank Terrace, Whippany NJ 07981 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 243 W. Holly Ave., Pitman NJ 08071 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 126 West 13th Street, Bayonne NJ 07002 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 312 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown NJ 08505 Email: [email protected]
Laurie Enzman is a Resource Manager and Prevention Specialist with At-lantic Prevention Resources in Pleasantville. Her concept of leadership is acting as a guide and having the passion to inspire others. Among the most rewarding presentations she gives are those to high school students discuss-ing the disease concept of addiction. Laurie wants to futher this work to help build a society that will encourage people in their recovery.
Stephanie Anne Fromin recently marked her 15th year in recovery. For 12 years, she has taken it upon herself to visit hospitals, detox units, rehab facili-ties and prisons to present herself as an example of the way out of addiction. Stephanie calls helping addicts fi nd their way to recovery her avocation. She has also helped addicted enter recovery by canvassing neighborhood businesses to ask if they would post a sign with information about getting treatment. Stephanie comes from a successful Wall Street background but may have found even greater reward in the charity murals she has painted in children’s chemo units.
Scott Gliem is approaching a quarter century in recovery. Over the past 20 years, he has worked professionally and volunteered to help establish re-covery-based educational programs; for 15 of those years he has lectured at Recovery Houses on the “Basics of how to Recover.” He has been involved with Signs of Sobriety, an organization that assists deaf and hearing-im-paired individuals with an addiction. Additionally, Scott has aided people without health insurance enter treatment. Scott has a background that in-cludes public speaking and management leadership, as well as professional experience dealing with various levels of government.
Carolyn Hadge is Director of Need to Know Communications in Toms Riv-er. She has abundant experience with the Toms River School District and at the state level helped to develop New Jersey’s Student Assistance Associa-tion. Carolyn advocated for the establishment of certifi cation designating Student Awareness Coordinators. As chairwoman of the state’s fi rst Alliance Committee for the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism, Carolyn was involved in the legislation that created the network of Municipal Alliances.
Kathy Harvey is a Substance Awareness Coordinator and Prevention Spe-cialist with Atlantic Prevention Resources. She has developed and imple-mented school policies on alcohol and drug issues. Kathy served for several years as coordinator of her local Municipal Alliance, organizing a Family Fun Day. To mark her recovery and others’, she has attended the Rally for Recovery, held annually at Liberty State Park. She well understands the importance of recovery, reuniting with her family. Kathy is ready to sing out and “tell the world that treatment works – I am living proof of it.”
Marvin Haynes is a case aide/counselor with Integrity House in Secaucus. He considers his work, in which he manages a caseload of 15 residential patients, the culmination of a quarter century in the Human Services fi eld. He is himself in recovery from addiction, a disease he says cannot be cured but can be treated. In his Master’s thesis studies, he focused on identifying psychological relapse triggers. Marvin believes that individuals in recovery need strong advocates at all levels of government, a role he intends to help fi ll.
Patrick King is in long-term recovery and comes from a family with a long history of alcoholism. Some family members, such as his father, entered recovery, some did not. He knows fi rst-hand the discrimination faced by people who have been addicted. He had been in recovery for 10 years when he was called an alcoholic who could not perform his job duties. He proved them wrong and even received an apology, which he considers one in a long list of amazing experiences. Patrick said his recovery has been a gift and it is his desire to give back to the community where he lives.
Contact: 8 Chamberlain Drive, Toms River NJ 08757 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 88 N. Maple Ave. , Tuckerton NJ 08087 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 133 Van Wagenen Ave. Jersey City NJ 07306 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 316 Matchaponix Rd. Monroe NJ 08831 Email: fi [email protected]
Michele Labaw is a Case Manager with the National Council on Alcohol-ism and Drug Dependence-New Jersey, which requires her to assess clients of the Substance Abuse Initiative for drug and alcohol issues. She was pre-viously a Substance Awareness Counselor and developed materials educat-ing parents about alcohol and drug use issues affecting their children. Her work as a case manager has made it clear that the state is lacking suffi cient facilities to meet its treatment needs, and she knows of cases where an indi-vidual wanted treatment but could not afford it. Michele recognizes change to address this shortfall will not happen if we “just sit by and wait for it to happen.”
Kathleen McFadden is the Associate Director of Atlantic Prevention Re-sources in Pleasantville, where she began work as a Prevention Specialist in 1993. She has served on the Atlantic County Human Services Advisory Council and spent time reviewing treatment facilities. Kathleen’s responsi-bilities in her current position include coordinating the local Strengthening Families Program and she has taken a leadship role on numerous commit-tees. She looks forward to being part of the collective voice that will help impact policies and laws affecting treatment and discrimination.
Kimberly Mounce heads Cape Assist’s Department of Community Initia-tives. She also is coordinator of the state-wide Childhood Drinking Coali-tion. She chairs an Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug working group and is a member of the county health department’s Public Health Advisory Com-mittee. Her work with Cape Assist has made clear the fact that there is a shortfall of treatment and recovery services. Kim has seen people treated differently because of an addiction, including by members of their own fam-ily. Over the years, she said it is always said “we have to do something.” Now is that time, she said, and she wants to be a part of it.
Melissa Niles is an Alcohol Counselor with Cumberland County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services. She calls her work reducing the impact of addic-tion on families “her passion.” She has seen some clients enter long-term recovery and others relapse. What they have in common is having experi-enced shame and guilt, the byproduct of stigma. In other cases, Melissa has witnessed people in need of residential treatment turned away because they could not afford it or lack of availability. She understands what is needed to reduce stigma and increase treatment: collective action. “A reed alone is weak,” she wrote, “but banded together with others is strong.”
Contact: 6 Plymouth Court, Bordentown NJ 08505 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 416 N. Cambridge Ave., Ventnor NJ 08406 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 37 Allendale Rd. Marmora NJ 08223 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 2508 Dante Ave., Vineland NJ 08361 Email: [email protected]
Paul Ressler is a member of the Hamilton Township Alliance and is a mem-ber of the Board of Trustees for Daytop-New Jersey. His work includes speaking engagements to build awareness about Daytop’s program for adolescents. Paul has seen the effect of stigma on addicted and recovering individuals, and is determined that, despite its long history, this will not be allowed to stand.
Rosemary Richards is the Student Assistance Coordinator for the Middle-town Board of Education. Through her work she has seen many instances of addiction’s toll on an entire family, which as an adult child of an alcoholic she knows fi rst-hand. Having seen recent explosion of misuse of prescrip-tion drugs by adolescents, Rosemary has redoubled her resolve to educate the public and lawmakers about prevention and treatment options.
Beverly Sample is a Human Services Specialist with the Mercer County Board of Social Services. Her work includes casework for General Assis-tance clients, to whom she says she is “partial.” She works to address their homelessness along with mental illness and/or alcohol or drug problems. Her time in recovery has taught her to balance the connection she feels with her clients with the joy she takes from her family and “the wonders of life.” Having “traveled the same roads” that people still in active addiction are on puts her in the position of passing hope onto others. Beverly is ready to continue the “second part of her journey,” which is to include issues advocacy.
Contact: 1540 Kuser Road; A-2, Hamilton NJ 08619 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 28 Silverton Avenue, Little Silver NJ 07739
Contact: 2108 Country Lane, West Trenton NJ 08628
Donna Schwartz runs the Morristown Family Therapy Association. In her more than 20-year practice, she has a long history treating families affected by addiction to alcohol or other drugs. She has spent the past four years as chair of her local Municipal Alliance, which has had some success in rais-ing awareness about alcohol and drug issues. Despite that success, Donna has faced ongoing denial and resistance to furthering prevention of addic-tion. As an Advocacy Leader, she wants to become more effective helping to make changes at the local level and contribute to treatment and prevention policy decisions.
Contact: 30 Spring Floral Dr., New Providence NJ 07974 Email: [email protected]
Safi yya Sharif is Executive Assistant with Sisters Helping Each Other in Ir-vington. Her work history includes 20 years as a Manager in the Head Start program. She is a fi rm believer in an Empowerment Approach to assisting others. Safi yya sees a great need to reinvigorate public services entities to confront addiction and the other social problems that leave too many lives unfulfi lled.
Linda Surks is the Coalition Coordinator of the National Council on Alco-holism and Drug Dependence of Middlesex County. She has considerable experience testifying on addiction and prevention issues, including appear-ing before Congress. She founded and chairs a national organization of families affected by substance abuse. Linda lost her son to addiction, and has turned that tragedy into a commitment to be a voice on issues related to treatment, prevention and recovery.
Martin Thompson, a Program Manager with Kennedy Health Center in Cherry Hill, has spent the past 23 years in clinical social work, special-izing in co-occurring illness. He has been involved in issues advocacy for many years and with numerous organizations, which includes chairing the legislative committee for the Southern New Jersey Coalition of Drug and Alcohol Providers. He wants to develop so he can better appreciate the ‘big picture.’ Martin recognizes that having fun helps make for successful learn-ing and volunteered his services for this portion of the training.
Contact: 107 Alexander Street, Newark NJ 07106 Email: ummesafi [email protected]
Contact: 10 Paul Ave., Kendall Park NJ 08824 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 2400 McClellan Ave.; Apt. 612 East Pennsauken NJ 08109 Email: [email protected]
Craig Van Doren sits on the Board of Directors of Turning Point, a residen-tial treatment program, where he has helped secure treatment for many indi-viduals. Turning Point’s is only one of the boards – most of them non-profi t, that Craig has been asked to join. Craig is in recovery and understands all too well the stigma that accompanies addiction. In that addiction affects whole families, he wants to ensure that family members along with lawmak-ers understand that it is a disease, not a character defect.
Contact: 146 Morningside Road Verona NJ 07044 Email: [email protected]
Maria Varnavis-Robinson is Supervisor of Co-occurring Disorders at Del-aware House Catholic Charities. She played a key part at Delaware House in introducing Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment to the clients. Her su-pervisory and clinical duties include managing the facility’s Partial Care and Out-patient Program. She practices the “No Wrong Door” approach to treatment. Maria’s experience has given her a fi rst-hand look at the systemic obstacles faced by people in need of addiction treatment. To overcome the scarce resources, she knows that more has to be done with less. Maria is also well aware that public attitudes are the key to attracting public dollars, and so building a strong constituency is a must.
James Wojtowicz is the Director of the Offi ce of Corrections with the New Jersey Department of Corrections. He heads two department projects re-lated to closing the addiction treatment gap: one by reducing correctional treatment system ineffi ciencies, the other to move correctional clients into a fully integrated care continuum. James regards leadership not as resid-ing in one’s title but instead being refl ected through a clearly defi ned and articulated vision.
Contact: 150 Paupukkeewis Trail, Medford Lakes NJ 08055 Email: [email protected]
Contact: 30 Front Street, PO Box 107, Crosswicks NJ 08515 Email: [email protected]
NCADD-NJ Public Affairs Personnel
John Hulick - Director Phone: 609.477.7009 Email: [email protected] Jeanette Grimes - Community Organizer Phone: 609.477.7012 Email: [email protected] Lori McDaniel - Communications Specialist Phone: 609.477.7010 Email: [email protected]
Daniel Meara - Public Information Offi cerPH: 609.477.7011Email: [email protected] Singer - Research AnalystPH: 609.477.7013Email: [email protected] Gonzalez - Adminstrative AssistantPH: 609.477.7015Email: [email protected]
The Advocacy Leadership Program has been made possible by a grant from theNew Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services.Technical Assistance and Scholarships provided by Join Together through
funding from Charles Evans Hughes Foundation.Technical Assistance also provided by Faces and Voices of Recovery.
360 Corporate Boulevard, Robbinsville, NJ 08691609.689.0121 (PH) 609.689.3244 (FX)
WWW.NCADDNJ.ORG