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A story of reclamation, renovation & rehabilitation

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The George Rosenfeld Center for Recovery

Recovery center renovationThe story of this 100-year-old building is one of realizing potential, learning from the past, and creating a new place of sanctuary. Its story, like those of the people who come here for help with substance abuse and related problems, is also a symbol of endurance and overcoming the odds.

Built in 1915 as a hospital for psychiatric patients, the structure has seen several changes of use as mental health treatment evolved and scientific advances have ushered in new ways of caring for people with mental illness. At one time, The New York State Research Institute for Neurochemistry and Drug Addiction was located at the site, and when the researchers departed in the early 1970s, they left behind laboratory equipment and supplies in what was to become an abandoned wing of the building.

But the building didn’t stay empty for long. In 1973, faced with a heroin epidemic and urgent demands for treatment, New York State gave Odyssey House permission to run a Therapeutic Community treatment center in the section of the building not used by the research institute. It was here Odyssey House established the first residential treatment center for pregnant women and women with young children, at what became known as the Mabon (Mothers and Babies off Narcotics).

It was also here that, as we helped thousands of people rebuild their lives, we nurtured dreams of renovating the entire building and creating a modern treatment center equipped with programs and services proven to help address behavioral health problems.

Now, as we care for a new generation of vulnerable people, we remember how we got here and share with you some images of a reclamation project decades in the making.

2 days left to make your year-end donation!

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Every year, hundreds of mothers like Heaven come through our doors looking for help to break the cycle of substance abuse and create a nurturing home for their children.

Please make a year-end gift so more mothers can get the help they need to secure a brighter future for themselves and their children.

Your donation will provide welcome baskets to new mothers entering our Family Center, filled with all the supplies a new mother needs, as well as winter coats and accessories for the children.

Click here to make your tax-deductible year-end donation now and #GiveHope to the mothers in our programs.

Thank you for your continued support. Best wishes for a joyful New Year!

Merging Missions: Building a Staff Wellness Program

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEWS

By Colleen Beagen

Bringing wellness into the workplace is a natural development for Odyssey House where the mission of the organization is to promote a healthy recovery for individuals and families facing a range of life challenges from substance use disorders, mental illness, homelessness and chronic medical conditions. In 2011, we introduced a free, voluntary program called R U Fit?! to offer employees the resources they need to improve their own health via education and a supportive work environment.

This staff wellness initiative is a continuation of our commitment to support and promote good health among program participants. It takes a similar positive reinforcement approach to the proven model Odyssey House developed with clients and provides staff with group support, free on-site fitness facilities, and access to an employee-only online health coaching service.

Our objective in implementing a wellness initiative is to help workers make changes in their lives that undermine their health, thereby boosting morale and productivity, improving employee recruitment and retention, and reducing health care costs.

The development of the program was spurred by Odyssey House president, Dr. Peter Provet, who has made wellness a top priority, based on his firm belief that “ultimately, it is the clients we serve who will be the beneficiaries of healthier, happier staff members.

“Given the steep rise in health care costs coupled with increased awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise,” he added, “we looked at what we could do to both help staff improve their overall health and impact our bottom line. We found that a program that offered personalized and confidential coaching was a sound investment in our most valuable resource, the 350 counseling, educational, medical, and administrative staff who dedicate themselves to the mission of Odyssey House.”

A survey of American workers backs this up. The survey found that 51 percent of workers agree that having a wellness program encourages them to work harder and perform better at work; 59 percent said they have more energy to be productive; and 43 percent said that they have missed fewer days of work.

Conducted by The Principal Financial Well-Being Index in 2013, the survey further found that the incentive-driven and ease-of-access approach Odyssey House offers – an enhanced program that includes fitness center discounts, on-site prevention screenings, access to health experts, and onsite fitness facilities – is on target with wellness benefits most desired by employees.

Incorporating Wellness Into Company Culture

Fitness has long been a priority at Odyssey House. All staff are encouraged to practice healthy habits at work and have access to exercise equipment at Odyssey House treatment centers. The emphasis on diet and exercise is foremost in a number of events we host, including our annual 5K fundraiser, Run for Your Life, intramural sports leagues, and rigorous training with the Odyssey House Marathon Team (since 2002 more than 400 clients and former clients, staff, board members and other supporters have completed the New York City Marathon).

The purpose of R U FIT?! is to complement these activities with free, online, confidential health coaching and personalized programs to promote weight and nutrition management, encourage regular exercise and stress reduction, and support smoking cessation. All employees who enroll have access to health coaches, agencywide competitions, online workshops and more.

To allay any concerns staff may have about confidentiality and to encourage trust in disclosing personal information, Odyssey House provides these services via an outside company called Health Advocate. Data collected by the service is anonymous and in the aggregate, and only collated to monitor overall participation and refine services.

Each year we offer all staff on-site biometric screenings and confidential consultations with health educators. The screenings measure cholesterol levels, glucose readings, blood pressure and BMI (Body Mass Index). Using their results, employees complete an online Personal Health Profile (PHP), which provides a customized report containing overall wellness scores, identifying high risk areas, and describing steps that can be taken to reduce future health risks. In its first five years, R U Fit?! has contributed to a shift in culture toward a healthier overall lifestyle, and we have seen improvements in the health of our employees. Between 2013 and 2014, we found the following year-over-year improvements for all participating staff:

  • 50% improvement in average blood pressure
  • 55% improvement in average cholesterol ratio
  • 100% improvement in average glucose levels

For employees with at least one risk factor (e.g., BMI over 25, elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol) over the same period:

  • 55% improvement in average BMI
  • 45% improved average waist circumference
  • 70% improvement in average blood pressure
  • 75% improvement in average cholesterol

Our goals now are to continue to improve biometrics numbers for high-risk employees; maintain nonrisk employees in the healthy range; increase both participation and engagement in the R U Fit?! program; and expand the stress reduction program.

Sound Bodies, Sound Minds

To aid in managing R U Fit?!, we hired a nutritionist and wellness coordinator to act as a liaison between employees and Health Advocate. A registered dietician and certified Pilates instructor, the coordinator has been instrumental in promoting the program and encouraging staff participation.

She has made it her mission to build a wellness program that expands beyond the standard biometric screenings, gym discounts, health competitions, and cooking workshops. Her first order of business was to build trust with the community of employees that span across 13 locations from downtown Manhattan to the Bronx. By establishing rapport with the employees, the doors of communication were opened and she was able to carry on her mission within the agency.

Our coordinator used her expertise to develop nutrition and exerciserelated initiatives, such as agency-wide competitions like 10,000 steps, Pilates and yoga classes, and lunch and learn seminars. However, due to the fact that depression now costs employers more money than smoking does, she made it a goal to reach employees at a deeper level. Her latest initiatives focus on meditation, mindfulness, yoga and Pilates. She is also planning programs targeting compassion, gratitude, and self-esteem.

Employees often share their stories about how one or more aspects of R U Fit?! helped them in their lives, both professionally and personally. Whether it was the impact a nutrition seminar had on them, the weekly meditation classes, or the free gyms we have at six of our facilities, staff have been able to make changes to their lifestyle and create healthier habits that ultimately lead to a higher quality of life.

Poetry and medicine

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A poem by Odyssey House Medical Director Dr. Anne Lifflander was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Volume 314, Number 4). Let us know what you think!

The Questioning Clinician

Is tender loving care-able
A measurable variable?
And do we have the power to detect
What could happen if we reject
The linear limits of cause and effect?
And try to avoid, if we are able
Only counting what we can label
Or would we simply lose our seat at the table?

Happy Holidays from Odyssey House!

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All the best to you and yours this holiday season!

The above image, “King Til Spring,” was created by Jonathan F. Harris H., Andrew S., and Anthony R., members of the Odyssey House Art Project.

Finding effective addiction treatment

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“Of the 23.5 million teenagers and adults addicted to alcohol or drugs, only about 1 in 10 get treatment, which too often fails to keep them drug-free. Many of these programs fail to use proven methods to deal with the factors that underlie addiction and set off relapse.” 
Effective Addiction Treatment, February 4, 2013

“Treatment is not the end, it’s the beginning.”
Picking Addiction Help, February 11, 2013

Finding effective addiction treatment is the first step on the road to a healthy recovery.  At Odyssey House we understand that addiction is a chronic relapsing disease; recovery is an ongoing, lifelong process; and treatment must address both drug abuse and its accompanying problems (e.g., medical, legal, social) to be effective. These are principles Odyssey House has built its programs and services around for more than 45 years.
·         “Look for programs using research-validated techniques.”
A variety of evidence-based practices (EBPs) forms the basis of substance abuse treatment at Odyssey House. Many of these practices – including Seeking Safety, Family Functional Therapy, the Adolescent Reinforcement Approach, Recovery Coaching, Motivational Incentives/Contingency Management, and Nurturing Parenting Program – were initially implemented through grant funding and remain integrated into our programs even after grant funding has ended.
·         “Get a thorough assessment.”
Odyssey House agrees that a proper, thorough assessment is key to understanding which level of care is most appropriate for the individual.  As part of the assessment, admissions counselors determine what other co-occurring mental health, medical, and family issues exist to ascertain an appropriate service match.  Odyssey House employs social workers, psychiatrists and medical doctors to assist with any issues that may be identified during the assessment process. 
·         “Treatment should be individualized.”
We offer specialized residential and outpatient programs for a variety of populations, including mothers with children, seniors, and adolescents. Each individual who enters Odyssey House for treatment receives an individualized treatment plan tailored to fit his or her needs.
·         “You should be treated by a licensed addiction counselor.”
All direct care staff at Odyssey House are licensed and/or credentialed in addiction counseling.
·         “Find out if you will receive therapy for any underlying condition.”
Odyssey House knows that to be effective, treatment must address not only an individual’s drug abuse, but also any accompanying physical, psychological, social, family, and vocational problems. That is why we offer onsite medical and dental clinics, vocational and educational services, housing assistance and aftercare planning to ensure that our clients get the best possible treatment and are equipped to lead productive and fulfilling drug-free lives after they leave our care.
·         “Does the program offer aftercare and follow-up services?”
Odyssey House offers a continuum of care that assists people in recovery as they transition back into the community. Ongoing supportive services, such as housing, employment and legal assistance, begin before a client leaves residential treatment and are continued in outpatient services.
Odyssey House Recovery Oriented Care System (OH ROCS), based at our outpatient clinic in the Bronx, offers individualized, self-directed and integrated recovery support services to those recovering from substance use disorders through community-based peer mentoring and peer-to-peer recovery support and activities.
Additional considerations
·         Addressing legal concerns
Our residents come from all walks of life within our community, including those incarcerated for non-violent crimes directly related to their substance abuse issues. Within the Odyssey House Admissions Department, we have court liaisons who act as advocates for our residents; attend court proceedings to provide support; work with judges, district attorneys and defense attorneys to facilitate the clients’ legal matters and work towards a positive outcome; and assist our clients in identifying available resources for various ancillary legal actions.
We also run the Edgecombe Residential Treatment Program, a comprehensive substance abuse treatment program designed to reduce the risk of re-incarceration. It is a collaborative effort by Odyssey House, NYS Division of Parole, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, and NYS Department of Correctional Services.
·         Housing assistance
We help find permanent, independent housing for formerly homeless men and women with mental and physical disabilities; supervised housing for families re-entering society; and housing assistance for formerly homeless persons enrolled in our programs. All housing programs offer counseling, referral and resident advocacy and are designed to support the Odyssey House dedication to continuity of care and aftercare services.
·         Child care services
At the Odyssey House Family Centers of Excellence, mothers and fathers do not need to choose between caring for their children and seeking the treatment they need. The Family Centers are comprehensive treatmentprograms that provide a safe, supportive residential community for young families where the emphasis is on beginning new drug-free lives and creating a nurturing home. Clients address the problems that have led them to drugs and prevented them from being responsible parents, while their children take part in daycare and preschool programs that help them develop intellectual and social skills.

OASAS awards 5 NYC Providers Housing Grants

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New York’s Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) has awarded the first round of permanent supportive housing grants in New York City for families in which the head of household has a substance use disorder (SUD). The grants went to five treatment agencies that will use the funding to pay rent for these families, which are expected to be single-parent families. There will be 75 permanent supportive housing units funded with $1,875,000.The grants are for chronically homeless families and were announced last year (see ADAW, Dec. 5, 2011).New York City-based Odyssey House, one of the five grantees, has a history of helping people find places to live after treatment, and will use this grant for residents who are transitioning from treatment in one of its facilities. CEO Peter Provet, Ph.D., welcomed the support for families in treatment, saying one of the biggest barriers to recovery is where people will live after treatment.

Almost 60 percent of Odyssey House residents are homeless when they are admitted, although most are single adults who are not eligible for these units. For these single adults, Provet noted that many are “technically homeless but have a few options in terms or relatives or former relationships.” Part of treatment includes “mending past relationships, in particular with family members,” he told ADAW. “So the majority of these people go back to living with family members.” Still, 20 apartments will not be enough to fill the need.

Transfer From OTDA

The OASAS funding comes from a transfer from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), which was appropriated $1,875,000 in the fiscal year 2011 budget for supportive housing, said Jannette M. Rondo, spokeswoman for OASAS. The language accompanying the appropriation stated that the money could be made available to OASAS or other state agencies through a transfer or sub-allocation. “OASAS expressed interest in these funds and no other agency came forward seeking access to these funds,” said Rondo.

All five of the grantees are based in New York City and certified by OASAS to provide treatment services, and are also working with OASAS currently in providing permanent supportive housing to homeless people with SUDs.

Target Populations

The primary target population for the new grants is families living in OTDA homeless shelters, which are funded with federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) money. These family shelters are transitional housing facilities with an expected length of stay of about one year, with on-site staff supervision as well as child care and social services, said Rondo. About 92 percent of these families consist of single mothers with several children; the remaining 8 percent are mothers and fathers or fathers heading the household.

The second priority population for the grants — the group that will be served by Odyssey House — are women who entered OASAS-certified residential treatment programs with their children when they were homeless; the average length of stay to completion is also 9 to 12 months.

The families do not need to go into treatment first if they have remained in the family shelter for at least six months, said Rondo. “They are considered stabilized,” she said. In addition, all families who participate in the initiative will be given access to OASAS-certified outpatient treatment as well as recovery support services through the Recovery Community Centers now in New York City, some of which are funded by OASAS and some by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Long-Term Support

The first round of the housing initiative funds 75 apartment units with fiscal year 2012 money. Funding for a second round, which would support another 60 units, is included in the governor’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2013, and would be supported by an additional $1.5 million. By March 31, 2013, OASAS expects to have 135 family apartments fully operational with ongoing funding of $3,375,000. OASAS expects that there will be additional new funding rounds in coming years. New York’s commitment to funding housing for homeless people with SUDs started in 2006.

The family housing initiative is not time-limited — the state and New York City are committed to continue the program “as long as there is documented community need,” said Rondo. State funds are always subject to the annual budget appropriation process.

The process is “turn-key,” which means that the families will assume the responsibilities of signing a lease and paying the rent with a private landlord, said Rondo.

The supportive housing apartment units are not certified by OASAS; they are not transitional residential treatment “beds.” Rather, the units must have passed Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing quality standards, said Rondo. All buildings must have a documented Certificate of Occupancy, and the number of occupants per apartment must not exceed HUD standards in terms of ages and gender of children.

Some of the units are “scattershot” in nature, rather than all in the same building, reflecting the challenge of finding a single building in New York City. However, the grantees will find units that are as close together as possible so that families can support one another, said Provet.

The grant will help Odyssey House pay the rent for the 20 apartments as well as hire a case manager, a vocational counselor, and a clinical supervisor, said Provet. He said there is typically no problem with landlords accepting these residents, partly because they know the rent will be paid on time, and because the residents have “good behavior.”

Block Grant?

In 2014, when the Affordable Care Act kicks in, OASAS expects that the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant, which now must be used for treatment, will be committed to OASAS-run supportive housing, said Rondo. “However, it is not clear at this time whether SAMHSA will allow block grant monies to pay for ongoing rental subsidies in addition to paying for the costs of operational staff and support staff,” she said. Block grant funding is not allowed to be used for rental subsidies under current law.

OASAS is aware of the need for supportive housing programs outside of New York City. Currently, the OASAS housing portfolio includes about 200 family apartment units in the balance of the state, with most of them funded primarily through HUD grants that pay for the rental subsidies in combination with OASAS state aid monies that pay for case management and other supportive services in those programs.

“One of the critical elements of helping individuals to maintain their recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is stable housing,” said OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez in announcing the grants Feb. 13. “This grant provides a great opportunity to help them to rebuild their lives and provide a home for their families.”

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will procure the additional units.

Winning Grantees

The five agencies identified to receive the OASAS awards are:
• Housing+Solutions (10 units in Brooklyn, $250,000)
• Women in Need (20 units in Manhattan, $498,900)
• Palladia (10 units in the Bronx, $250,000)
• Odyssey House (20 units in the Bronx, $499,900)
• BASICS (15 units in the Bronx, $374,925)