Dr. Peter Provet

‘The Drumbeat of Bad News’ on the Opioid Toll

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In today’s edition of The New York Times, Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet comments on “New Mothers Derailed by Drugs Find Support in New Hampshire Home” (News, Dec. 12), on the devastating toll the opioid epidemic is inflicting on families.

The drumbeat of bad news on the toll the opioid epidemic is taking on communities across America just keeps getting worse. But the statistic cited in your article that as of 2012 a baby is born suffering from opioid withdrawal every 25 minutes is most sobering.

We have not seen such a collapse of families since the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. What we learned then, and need to remember today, is that when we connect pregnant women with treatment services that keep the mother and child together, we save two lives.

What’s different now is that many of the families affected are from rural and suburban communities, where access to treatment is limited, if not nonexistent. In urban centers like New York City, treatment organizations have developed supportive networks that connect at-risk people with services that both save lives and protect communities.

As we look to a new president with so much unknown about the direction his administration will take on containing the opioid epidemic, we hope that he will be open to listening to lessons learned decades ago: that treatment, not punishment, is the surest and cheapest cure for addiction, and that what works in the cities will also work in the suburbs and rural America.

Dr. Provet on the Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health

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It couldn’t be clearer. The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health (The New York Times, Nov 17) is a wake-up call that we are facing a public health challenge that is ‘taking an enormous toll on individuals, families, and society.’ The financial costs of alcohol and illicit drug use combined are $442 billion. But the personal costs are much, much greater. At least 85 people a day (some reports say over 100) are dying from opioid-related overdoses.

Addiction costs infographicIt can’t go on. The death rate from what is a preventable, and treatable disease, is unconscionable. The financial costs are unsustainable.

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy makes a strong case for at last treating addiction as a public health not criminal justice issue. This is critical. Stigma and punishment combined have stopped people from getting help; have tied up our law enforcement agencies in a vicious and dangerous cycle of recidivism; and have claimed the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans.

Let’s bring addiction out of the shadows of shame and commit to treating it like any other medical or mental health issue.

New Odyssey House Peer Mentoring Program Targets Parolee Recidivism

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OdysseyHouse has been awarded a two-year, $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to implement a pre- and post-release mentoring and recovery program for parolees at the Edgecombe Correctional Facility (ECF) in Northern Manhattan. The program builds on the successful peer-mentoring model Odyssey House provides as part of its outpatient services and the intensive 45-day in-prison treatment program it currently operates at ECF for technical violators of parole.

The new mentoring program will provide services for up to 200 parolees and create a bridge from prison to community living during the critical re-entry period when many inmates are at risk of relapse.

Since the ECF program was established in 2008 through a joint effort with New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), New York State Department of Corrections (DOCS), New York State Division of Parole, and Odyssey House, more than 3,660 inmates have participated in a holistic program designed to reduce recidivism and dependence on alcohol and/or drugs. An estimated 80 percent of state prison inmates have histories of drug or alcohol abuse, and approximately two-thirds of offenders in re-entry are re-arrested within three years of release, with 52 percent returning to prison for a technical violation or a new crime.

As part of the Edgecombe Peer Mentoring Program (EPMP), Odyssey House counseling advocates, who are Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors, will work on-site at the prison to provide group recovery services. These groups will enhance treatment services currently offered by Odyssey House to assist inmates in creating a crucial support network that will be in place as they leave prison. This approach will provide a seamless continuum of service for parolees by linking them to a network of peer mentors who will serve as their recovery coaches as they adjust to sober lifestyles in their communities. The post-release component will be provided by volunteer recovery coaches consisting of individuals who have completed treatment and are in sustained recovery. All peer mentors will have received training in evidence-based programs including: Recovery Coaching; Thinking for Change; and Motivational Enhancement Therapy.

Dr. Peter Provet, president and CEO of Odyssey House, said he was excited to be partnering with the Department of Justice and NYS agencies in this innovative program that directs resources at reducing recidivism. “We know we can break the cycle of addiction and incarceration when treatment, law enforcement, and criminal justice agencies work together to provide real alternatives that help people with substance use disorders find a new way of living that supports recovery, offers work and life skills, and protects against relapse and recidivism.”

Center Will Use Federal Grant to Provide Post-Treatment Mentoring to 330 Clients

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 Addiction Professional by Gary A. Enos, Editor

 

Odyssey House sees peer-run services as a pivotal trend for the field.

 

The president and CEO of New York City-based addiction treatment organization Odyssey House sees his field as increasingly successful in engaging people into treatment but less adept in extending recovery post-treatment. Through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Peter Provet, PhD’s organization will be able to build on recovery support efforts by matching individuals in recovery to peer mentors who will help them realize the goals of multidimensional recovery plans.

“This project is about building recovery into the community,” says Provet, whose organization employs the therapeutic community (TC) model of treatment. “This is lengthening the methodology of recovery.”

The three-year, $1.2 million SAMHSA grant is expected to finance an initiative that will launch in December and will provide mentoring services for 330 individuals. Potential peer mentors, who will not be required to be Odyssey House program graduates, will be interviewed and will receive formal training through a recovery coaching academy housed in Connecticut.

“We want to find mature individuals who are in it for the right reasons, who are solidly in their own recovery and are not just counseling in order to have their own needs met,” Provet says. Mentors will receive a stipend of around $65 a week. They will be required to have at least six months of post-treatment stability in order to work with clients.

The mentors will assist individuals in early recovery in developing concrete recovery plans covering a number of life domains, from substance use to financial independence to social support. In what Provet considers to be a critical element of the grant program, rewards will be offered for meeting goals of participation, with small gift cards and the opportunity to win larger prizes available to the mentees.

Individuals in treatment will be informed of the services’ availability before they complete treatment. Attempts will be made to match clients and mentors according to age and gender.

And in keeping with the idea of “giving back” that is inherent in this initiative, mentees will have the opportunity to become mentors themselves, sometime after completing an estimated six months to a year in the program, Provet explains.

Odyssey House Family Center Program Chosen for New SAMHSA Award

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$1.4 million three-year federal grant enhances residential treatment and community services for women and children

 

Odyssey House has been awarded a multi-year $1.4 million services grant to enhance its comprehensive services for pregnant and postpartum women in residential substance abuse treatment. The three-year Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant will allow Odyssey House to address the substance abuse, medical, social and psychological needs of pregnant women and women with children with histories of substance abuse or chemical dependency. The enhanced program will also includes resources to engage the resident’s extended family members and/or significant others in the treatment process.

Dr. Peter Provet, president and CEO of Odyssey House, said this new funding is a “significant investment in the depth and range of services we offer mothers in our Family Center programs. Odyssey House’s mission is to support the whole family by helping parents achieve a sustained recovery, teaching them the life skills they need to maintain a healthy and nurturing home, and guiding them in the development of strong family and community connections. This new award gives us the resources to do more: more family therapy, more family reunification, and more community outreach.”

Women are typically confronted with multiple barriers when seeking substance abuse treatment, including a lack of targeted programs for mothers and their children that allow young families to stay together while the mother participates in residential treatment. Odyssey House has been addressing this challenge with innovative programs since 1973 when it created the nation’s first residential mother and child treatment program on Wards Island in Upper Manhattan. Since then, this pioneering family substance abuse treatment program has expanded to provide comprehensive services for up to 210 women and children in facilities that include discrete residential living areas, on-site nursery through pre-K childcare, on-site primary healthcare services (including pediatric and dental care), transitional independent living accommodations, educational and vocational programs.

With more than 40 years experience of providing continuous programming to women and their children, Odyssey House has developed a model of care that is sensitive to the specific needs of an underserved population of mostly single mothers. Evidence shows that programs specifically catering to, and providing targeted services, for pregnant women and mothers lead to longer treatment episodes – up to three times as long as programs without dedicated children’s services. Studies also found that women who entered treatment with their infants were less depressed and had higher self-esteem than mothers whose children did not accompany them into treatment

Key objectives of the “Healthy Mothers Healthy Families Program” (HMHF) include:

* improve retention, decrease symptoms of trauma, and increase family functioning;

* engage families, partners of women, fathers of children, and older children in substance abuse treatment using evidence-based Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Enhancement Therapy models; and

* decrease involvement in and exposure to crime, violence, sexual and physical abuse, and child abuse and neglect.

 

Odyssey House provides quality substance abuse treatment, mental health, medical, dental and housing services to vulnerable New Yorkers. Family-focused residential and outpatient treatment meets the needs of women with children, adolescents, young adults, the mentally ill, the homeless, people living with HIV/AIDS, and senior citizens. For further information on Odyssey House, please visit our website at: www.odysseyhousenyc.org, or call: 212-587-5100.

Odyssey House Opens Dental Clinic in Family Treatment Center

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Odyssey House has opened a full-service dental clinic for men, women, and children in treatment for substance abuse problems. The community-based clinic, located at the Odyssey House Family Center of Excellence in East Harlem, will provide high quality dental services in a residential environment conducive to the needs of individuals in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse.

Most substance abusers suffer from multiple correlates of addiction such as poverty, homelessness, and unemployment – all conditions that make it difficult to prioritize dental health. Individuals struggling with addiction often have a long history of improper cleaning, missing regular check ups, and an overall lack of oral health education which can lead to severe gum problems, numerous cavities, underlying bone tissue damage, and other serious dental disorders.

“This population needs immediate dental care and oral health education geared to their special needs,” said Dr. Peter Provet, president of Odyssey House. “Pain-free healthy gums and teeth not only help restore a person’s dignity and self esteem, they can also be lifesaving because poor oral health is linked to a higher risk for developing heart disease, stroke, uncontrolled diabetes, preterm births and respiratory disease.”

“This new clinic,” adds Dr. Provet, “will also address the problem of dental phobia, a condition that is believed to affect between 9-15 percent of the population. The dental team will focus on reducing anxiety associated with going to the dentist though pre-treatment counseling, relaxation exercises, and the use of wall-mounted television/DVDs for patients undergoing procedures that can be programmed to suit all ages, from preschoolers to senior citizens.”

The dental clinic will emphasize preventative screenings for early identification of dental problems, maintenance of dental health, and monitoring and developing treatment plans for follow up of chronic and urgent conditions. Some services include: routine check ups, oral examinations and evaluations; oral hygiene instruction; oral cancer screening; dental sealants; crowns and bridges; repairing cavities; performing simple extractions; and referral and coordination of specialty care.

The clinic will also provide pediatric dentistry services and oral health education for the children and families in Odyssey House’s Family Center programs. As many as 100 children live at Odyssey House while their mother or father is in treatment.

ElderCare Dental Program

The new clinic is also the site of an innovative dental program that will seek to address the specific needs of senior citizens in residential and outpatient treatment. With the support of a $120,000 grant from the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc., the dental team will:

• Treat presenting problems. Provide initial and follow-up dental examinations and treatment as indicated, in a culturally sensitive and age-appropriate manner. The patient will be educated as to the importance of prompt care and maintenance to avoid emergency treatment.

• Prevent future problems by increasing awareness of the importance of proper oral care. Many of the senior citizens in treatment at Odyssey House have a long history of neglecting their oral health, considering it a low priority. Part of the focus of the ElderCare Dental Program will be to reverse this thinking and emphasize how poor oral health affects other body systems.

• Teach age-appropriate dental care practices. Education will focus on dental topics affecting older adults and practical advice. The structured routines in the residential facilities will allow elders to initiate and practice good oral health behavior.

 

Housing Initiative Helps Reduce Risk of Relapse

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$200,000 SAMHSA grant targets individuals coping with homelessness, chemical dependency, and mental illness

Odyssey House has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide housing placement assistance for adults coping with homelessness, chemical dependency, and mental illness.

The federally-funded grant will allow Odyssey House to hire a housing specialist to work exclusively with mentally ill residents in treatment for substance abuse problems at Odyssey House. Known as co-occurring disorders, these difficult-to-treat problems often lead to overall poorer functioning and increased risk of relapse, making it harder for individuals to both obtain and maintain housing. The housing specialist will help men and women diagnosed with mental health problems manage their transition from treatment into permanent housing, and thereby reduce the vicious cycle of relapse and homelessness.

The addition of housing placement assistance for this vulnerable treatment population is part of the Odyssey House continuum of care, an intensive program of services which includes: substance abuse treatment; mental health services; medical care; vocational educational services; outpatient services; and employment assistance.

Dr. Peter Provet, president of Odyssey House, underscored the importance of housing services in reducing the costly societal impact of substance abuse and mental illness. “Housing assistance for a mentally ill substance abuser is about more than keeping a roof over someone’s head – it’s also about giving a fragile person a chance at living an independent, dignified life. These extra resources go a long way in preventing individuals who have achieved a sustainable level of sobriety from losing the gains they made in treatment and ending up on the streets, in city shelters, or the criminal justice system.”

Wellness Self Management Techniques Workshop

Before mentally ill homeless residents leave treatment they will now participate in a Wellness Self Management Techniques Workshop. This series of hands-on sessions includes individual coaching in such real-life skills as budgeting, making rent payments on time, and grocery shopping. Teaching residents how to manage everyday tasks is a key component of the new initiative – preparing individuals with co-occurring disorders for the next step in independent living, finding and maintaining their own home.

Once a resident completes the workshop and demonstrates an ability to live independently, the housing specialist begins work on housing placement. This process involves helping residents find affordable apartments, accompanying them on interviews, and negotiating rental agreements. It also includes a six-month follow-up visit.

This grant supplements the federally-funded Pathways to Housing Initiative, an Odyssey House housing assistance service that extends the agency’s outreach into the shelter system, enrolls homeless persons with substance abuse problems into residential or outpatient substance abuse treatment, and provides assistance with housing placement.