Join Together reports on our work Addiction & Hurricane
Over the Last weeks since the first Hurricane hit the Gulf Region Hopenetworks has been working to network resources to people in need of addicton treatment/recovery support. I and the other volunteers involved working from my personal home office, our trunks, and make shift offices all thank folks who have been reaching out in the recovering community, treatmen profession, and many other organizations and support systems to reach real people with immediate support and services in a very challenging time in our state.
I personally have spoken to many people, gotten thousands of emails, and am greatful for the outreach of support for real people with real needs. Realizing the totally obvious need for help prior to these disasters, and the lack of response (even with advocacy efforts by our organization) left great concern about how much would have to be done to reach the emerging needs too. The disconnect between people in the community with addiction related needs and the response to this need is not new to Louisiana. There are many hurdles that grass roots organizers face today, not having a degree in the"correct way" to participate in instituional programs/grants, etc is part of our own challenge, no team of lawyers, accountants, or other infrastructure to support the "business side of addiction" and add the challenge of the political implications and our broken system that continues to find capacity to incarcerate folks but not the capacity to address their underlying illness--untreated addiction and one can begin to see how this disconnect might progress. The gift of our Katrina/Hurricane outreach to those struggling with alcoholism/addiction issues is to detour all hoops and hurdles and get direct treatment support for recovery to those in direct need, and that is the greatest of all gifts it seems to those most in need here. I thank those involved in all levels working each day to reach those in need -and encourage thoese who want to help to contact me to join others involved in our emergency response to people displaced, impacted, and hurting in a very challenging time for all people in our region of the country.
Katrina Causes Wave of Addiction Problems 9/23/2005
News FeatureBy Bob Curley
Hurricane Katrina displaced thousands of people with addictions from their treatment programs and support networks, added strain on people who may have been walking the line between moderate use and addiction, and put millions at risk of turning to alcohol or other drugs to ease the pain of dislocation, financial ruin, and personal tragedy.However, the post-storm response to the needs of individuals with addiction problems in states like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas has been a minor reflection of the larger picture: an outpouring of support from the private sector mixed with criticism of government efforts in a time of crisis.Media reports in the storm's aftermath included accounts of desperate addicts cut off from their suppliers in New Orleans and treatment programs in Baton Rouge dealing with an influx of addicts in withdrawal. Some officials even laid blame for post-storm looting in New Orleans at the feet of purported addicts stealing to support their habit.Samantha-Hope Atkins, founder and executive director of Louisiana's Hope Networks, a treatment and prevention advocacy program, calls the post-Katrina period "some of the most challenging times I've experienced in my own recovery." Louisiana, which had just 32 detox beds and perhaps 400 inpatient treatment beds statewide prior to the storm, has lost "easily one-third of services statewide," said Atkins, including 20 detox beds at New Orleans' Charity Hospital alone."We've seen some relapse, especially with people in early recovery who have lost their support network, people who don't know if their spouse is alive or dead, and among methadone patients," she said. "There are so many complex needs, from giving someone a Big Book to connecting them to resources."Atkins said that Louisiana's 12-step programs, which she said have always been strong because of the lack of government programs, have been working to distribute addiction-related materials in shelters. But she was critical of the public sector in the wake of the storm. "There has been absolutely no response to the needs of people in addiction recovery," said Atkins, who pointed out that most of the federal money that has trickled into the region has been for mental health, not addiction -- and even some of that has been earmarked for first-responders, not victims of the storm. "Our needs have been grossly neglected," said Atkins.SAMHSA: States Set PrioritiesOn Sept. 13, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that it was sending $600,000 in emergency mental-health grants to the region affected by Katrina. Of that money, $200,000 was sent to Louisiana to provide mental-health counseling for police, firefighters, and other first-responders; Alabama and Mississippi received $150,000 and $100,000, respectively, for mental-health services, and Texas received $150,000 for methadone services for storm evacuees. "Each jurisdiction was allowed to prioritize exactly what their need was," said H. Westley Clark, M.D., director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).Clark said that SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt are committed to addressing both addiction and mental health needs post-Katrina. Clark said that SAMHSA officials have toured the region -- and in some cased, have stayed to help -- and that a needs assessment is currently underway. SAMHSA's Emergency Response Center has been given the task of coordinating staff response to Katrina and responding to requests for aid.CSAT also has funded hotlines in Louisiana (1-877-664-2248 in state or 800-662-4357 out-of-state) for people with addictions, promising referrals to 12-step programs, treatment services, crisis-intervention teams, methadone maintenance, and other resources."An inventory [of lost capacity in the region] is still being conducted," said Clark. "People do not have access to services traditionally provided by facilities in New Orleans. We know Mississippi had shortages associated with substance-abuse issues."Asked how much of the $50 billion in emergency relief approved by Congress would go towards addiction services, Clark replied, "The administration is very much aware of the issue. We have to work with local communities to prioritize how that's allocated."Addiction Community Steps UpMeanwhile, the addiction community has stepped up with offers of assistance ranging from volunteer counselors to treatment beds for hurricane victims. Two weeks after the storm hit, Atkins circulated an urgent "wish list" that included the need for medical detox facilities, treatment placement, transportation and case management, and public information and outreach. "The void of services is enormous," wrote Atkins. "We are doing what we can to respond, as waiting for government resources is not an option."Atkins got an immediate response from Dr. Al Mooney, a North Carolina physician, who persuaded drug companies to donate medication needed for detox services and drove down to Baton Rouge in a motor home to help people in withdrawal. The Betty Ford Center offered to provide treatment for a half-dozen patients, and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence began mobilizing its affiliates nationally to help storm victims, Atkins said.Then, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) -- which happened to be holding its annual meeting in Florida -- pulled together its membership to pledge a total of $5 million worth of primary inpatient and other treatment services for Katrina victims. Hope Networks will help link people in need to the services offered by NAATP members."When a crisis of this magnitude hits, and there is no funding available, it's critical for the private sector to take action," said Ronald J. Hunsicker, president and CEO of NAATP. "I am proud that so many of the private treatment centers like Caron Foundation, Betty Ford Center, and others have come forward to donate over 100 treatment beds and airfare, amounting to several million dollars of life-saving alcohol and drug impatient treatment as well as potential longer-term treatment to the victims of this disaster.""This is a section of the country that's not the best, even in the best of times, at delivering treatment services," Hunsicker told Join Together. "Here we can demonstrate that the private sector -- driven by compassion and mission -- can respond in a way that the federal government can't or won't."Atkins said she will be able to fill those 100 donated treatment beds "in three days.""Our only hope is the bond of recovery communities and providers," she said. "The grassroots efforts have just been overwhelming."Different Populations Seen at RiskCSAT's Clark said the federal government is still trying to assess the need for services among hurricane victims. He noted that past experience has shown that a variety of different populations tend to be affected by disasters like Katrina."In the general population there are people who use alcohol in an acceptable fashion, but because of the magnitude of the storm may engage in dysfunctional coping," he said. "We recognize that as an expected outcome of major traumas [like Katrina]." Clark said the primary response to this population should be prevention materials and messages "because this is not a population with substance-abuse problems per-se." Over time, alcohol and other drug use among this population could be expected to drop to pre-storm levels, he said.People who were previously in treatment might relapse and need services, added Clark, and those currently in active treatment who were displaced also have a clear need for help. He also warned that the 78 percent of people who meet the criteria for abuse or dependence but don't think they need treatment may have to confront their drug or alcohol use because they have been cut off from their suppliers. "Those people could cause a rush for detox beds if they suddenly don't have access and start going through withdrawal," said Clark.Atkins noted that prior to the storm, the Louisiana state Office of Addictive Disorders estimated that 600,000 state residents met the criteria for alcohol or drug dependence, and 1,200 to 1,800 were on waiting lists for treatment every day. But Clark was reluctant to estimate the total numbers of people in the hurricane-afflicted region who need services -- a number that could grow even larger this week depending on the impact of Hurricane Rita. Clark did note that after the Oklahoma City bombing researchers found a 5-percent increase in alcohol use, while benzodiazepine use rose in New York in the aftermath of 9/11. But those were one-off events, and use tended to decline over time, he said."We don't have any accurate epidemiological data on this," said Clark. "We know about 1 million people have been affected ... and we will work with the departments of health and [state] substance-abuse officials to get a handle on it."However, he added, "Even if we don't speculate on an increased prevalence rate, we know that there is going to be a bump up, which is why we need an accurate assessment of need."Atkins said that addiction treatment and recovery should be at the top of the list as state and federal officials deal with the societal fallout of Hurricane Katrina. "When recovery is a priority, you can build healthy and safe communities," she said. "If additional substance-abuse money in Louisiana is not a priority, all other efforts to address these social-service needs will be flawed."Editor's Note: Hope Networks is coordinating volunteer treatment services for victims of Hurricane Katrina; visit their website at http://www.hopenetworks.org/ for more information. Readers can also visit the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center online at http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/dtac/.
This article is online at http://www.jointogether.org/y/0,2521,578331,00.html
I personally have spoken to many people, gotten thousands of emails, and am greatful for the outreach of support for real people with real needs. Realizing the totally obvious need for help prior to these disasters, and the lack of response (even with advocacy efforts by our organization) left great concern about how much would have to be done to reach the emerging needs too. The disconnect between people in the community with addiction related needs and the response to this need is not new to Louisiana. There are many hurdles that grass roots organizers face today, not having a degree in the"correct way" to participate in instituional programs/grants, etc is part of our own challenge, no team of lawyers, accountants, or other infrastructure to support the "business side of addiction" and add the challenge of the political implications and our broken system that continues to find capacity to incarcerate folks but not the capacity to address their underlying illness--untreated addiction and one can begin to see how this disconnect might progress. The gift of our Katrina/Hurricane outreach to those struggling with alcoholism/addiction issues is to detour all hoops and hurdles and get direct treatment support for recovery to those in direct need, and that is the greatest of all gifts it seems to those most in need here. I thank those involved in all levels working each day to reach those in need -and encourage thoese who want to help to contact me to join others involved in our emergency response to people displaced, impacted, and hurting in a very challenging time for all people in our region of the country.
Katrina Causes Wave of Addiction Problems 9/23/2005
News FeatureBy Bob Curley
Hurricane Katrina displaced thousands of people with addictions from their treatment programs and support networks, added strain on people who may have been walking the line between moderate use and addiction, and put millions at risk of turning to alcohol or other drugs to ease the pain of dislocation, financial ruin, and personal tragedy.However, the post-storm response to the needs of individuals with addiction problems in states like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas has been a minor reflection of the larger picture: an outpouring of support from the private sector mixed with criticism of government efforts in a time of crisis.Media reports in the storm's aftermath included accounts of desperate addicts cut off from their suppliers in New Orleans and treatment programs in Baton Rouge dealing with an influx of addicts in withdrawal. Some officials even laid blame for post-storm looting in New Orleans at the feet of purported addicts stealing to support their habit.Samantha-Hope Atkins, founder and executive director of Louisiana's Hope Networks, a treatment and prevention advocacy program, calls the post-Katrina period "some of the most challenging times I've experienced in my own recovery." Louisiana, which had just 32 detox beds and perhaps 400 inpatient treatment beds statewide prior to the storm, has lost "easily one-third of services statewide," said Atkins, including 20 detox beds at New Orleans' Charity Hospital alone."We've seen some relapse, especially with people in early recovery who have lost their support network, people who don't know if their spouse is alive or dead, and among methadone patients," she said. "There are so many complex needs, from giving someone a Big Book to connecting them to resources."Atkins said that Louisiana's 12-step programs, which she said have always been strong because of the lack of government programs, have been working to distribute addiction-related materials in shelters. But she was critical of the public sector in the wake of the storm. "There has been absolutely no response to the needs of people in addiction recovery," said Atkins, who pointed out that most of the federal money that has trickled into the region has been for mental health, not addiction -- and even some of that has been earmarked for first-responders, not victims of the storm. "Our needs have been grossly neglected," said Atkins.SAMHSA: States Set PrioritiesOn Sept. 13, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that it was sending $600,000 in emergency mental-health grants to the region affected by Katrina. Of that money, $200,000 was sent to Louisiana to provide mental-health counseling for police, firefighters, and other first-responders; Alabama and Mississippi received $150,000 and $100,000, respectively, for mental-health services, and Texas received $150,000 for methadone services for storm evacuees. "Each jurisdiction was allowed to prioritize exactly what their need was," said H. Westley Clark, M.D., director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).Clark said that SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt are committed to addressing both addiction and mental health needs post-Katrina. Clark said that SAMHSA officials have toured the region -- and in some cased, have stayed to help -- and that a needs assessment is currently underway. SAMHSA's Emergency Response Center has been given the task of coordinating staff response to Katrina and responding to requests for aid.CSAT also has funded hotlines in Louisiana (1-877-664-2248 in state or 800-662-4357 out-of-state) for people with addictions, promising referrals to 12-step programs, treatment services, crisis-intervention teams, methadone maintenance, and other resources."An inventory [of lost capacity in the region] is still being conducted," said Clark. "People do not have access to services traditionally provided by facilities in New Orleans. We know Mississippi had shortages associated with substance-abuse issues."Asked how much of the $50 billion in emergency relief approved by Congress would go towards addiction services, Clark replied, "The administration is very much aware of the issue. We have to work with local communities to prioritize how that's allocated."Addiction Community Steps UpMeanwhile, the addiction community has stepped up with offers of assistance ranging from volunteer counselors to treatment beds for hurricane victims. Two weeks after the storm hit, Atkins circulated an urgent "wish list" that included the need for medical detox facilities, treatment placement, transportation and case management, and public information and outreach. "The void of services is enormous," wrote Atkins. "We are doing what we can to respond, as waiting for government resources is not an option."Atkins got an immediate response from Dr. Al Mooney, a North Carolina physician, who persuaded drug companies to donate medication needed for detox services and drove down to Baton Rouge in a motor home to help people in withdrawal. The Betty Ford Center offered to provide treatment for a half-dozen patients, and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence began mobilizing its affiliates nationally to help storm victims, Atkins said.Then, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) -- which happened to be holding its annual meeting in Florida -- pulled together its membership to pledge a total of $5 million worth of primary inpatient and other treatment services for Katrina victims. Hope Networks will help link people in need to the services offered by NAATP members."When a crisis of this magnitude hits, and there is no funding available, it's critical for the private sector to take action," said Ronald J. Hunsicker, president and CEO of NAATP. "I am proud that so many of the private treatment centers like Caron Foundation, Betty Ford Center, and others have come forward to donate over 100 treatment beds and airfare, amounting to several million dollars of life-saving alcohol and drug impatient treatment as well as potential longer-term treatment to the victims of this disaster.""This is a section of the country that's not the best, even in the best of times, at delivering treatment services," Hunsicker told Join Together. "Here we can demonstrate that the private sector -- driven by compassion and mission -- can respond in a way that the federal government can't or won't."Atkins said she will be able to fill those 100 donated treatment beds "in three days.""Our only hope is the bond of recovery communities and providers," she said. "The grassroots efforts have just been overwhelming."Different Populations Seen at RiskCSAT's Clark said the federal government is still trying to assess the need for services among hurricane victims. He noted that past experience has shown that a variety of different populations tend to be affected by disasters like Katrina."In the general population there are people who use alcohol in an acceptable fashion, but because of the magnitude of the storm may engage in dysfunctional coping," he said. "We recognize that as an expected outcome of major traumas [like Katrina]." Clark said the primary response to this population should be prevention materials and messages "because this is not a population with substance-abuse problems per-se." Over time, alcohol and other drug use among this population could be expected to drop to pre-storm levels, he said.People who were previously in treatment might relapse and need services, added Clark, and those currently in active treatment who were displaced also have a clear need for help. He also warned that the 78 percent of people who meet the criteria for abuse or dependence but don't think they need treatment may have to confront their drug or alcohol use because they have been cut off from their suppliers. "Those people could cause a rush for detox beds if they suddenly don't have access and start going through withdrawal," said Clark.Atkins noted that prior to the storm, the Louisiana state Office of Addictive Disorders estimated that 600,000 state residents met the criteria for alcohol or drug dependence, and 1,200 to 1,800 were on waiting lists for treatment every day. But Clark was reluctant to estimate the total numbers of people in the hurricane-afflicted region who need services -- a number that could grow even larger this week depending on the impact of Hurricane Rita. Clark did note that after the Oklahoma City bombing researchers found a 5-percent increase in alcohol use, while benzodiazepine use rose in New York in the aftermath of 9/11. But those were one-off events, and use tended to decline over time, he said."We don't have any accurate epidemiological data on this," said Clark. "We know about 1 million people have been affected ... and we will work with the departments of health and [state] substance-abuse officials to get a handle on it."However, he added, "Even if we don't speculate on an increased prevalence rate, we know that there is going to be a bump up, which is why we need an accurate assessment of need."Atkins said that addiction treatment and recovery should be at the top of the list as state and federal officials deal with the societal fallout of Hurricane Katrina. "When recovery is a priority, you can build healthy and safe communities," she said. "If additional substance-abuse money in Louisiana is not a priority, all other efforts to address these social-service needs will be flawed."Editor's Note: Hope Networks is coordinating volunteer treatment services for victims of Hurricane Katrina; visit their website at http://www.hopenetworks.org/ for more information. Readers can also visit the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center online at http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/dtac/.
This article is online at http://www.jointogether.org/y/0,2521,578331,00.html
1 Comments:
Rita's victims wealthier than Katrina's
WASHINGTON (AP) Ñ Hurricane Rita smashed into a region that is wealthier, more mobile and much less densely populated than the one devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Experts said the wealth and mobility of people in Rita's path led to a more thorough evacuation.
AP
Most of Rita's victims are by no means wealthy. But they are less likely to live in poverty, more likely to own a car, and less likely to be a member of a minority group than were Katrina's victims, according to an Associated Press analysis of census data.
Experts said the wealth and mobility of people in Rita's path Ñ combined with a new sense of urgency following Katrina Ñ led to a more thorough evacuation.
"They have cars," said Carnot Nelson, a psychology professor at the University of South Florida. "They have a way to leave. It's as simple as that."
Money and transportation were in short supply for many affected by Katrina.
In densely populated New Orleans, more than 27% of the households had no access to a vehicle, according to 2000 census data. The family median income, at $32,300, was nearly $20,000 below the national average.
Fred Medway, a psychology professor at the University of South Carolina, said Katrina's destruction provided incentive for people to flee Rita.
"They have seen what a hurricane can do," Medway said. "That's a very powerful motivator."
Rita made landfall along the Texas-Louisiana line, and worked its way north, bringing flood waters inland.
On the Texas side is Jefferson County, home to Port Arthur and Beaumont, two oil refining towns. To the north are Orange, Jasper and Newton counties.
On the Louisiana side is Calcasieu Parish, home to Lake Charles, and Beauregard Parish to the north.
The AP analysis of 2000 census data showed:
¥A majority of residents in all six counties and parishes at the center of Rita's wrath are white. Jefferson County, where about 34% of the residents are black, has the largest minority population. New Orleans, by comparison, was 67% black.
¥Rita's eye tracked over mostly rural areas. The most densely populated county hit by Rita was Jefferson, with 279 residents per square mile. Jasper, Newton and Beauregard all had fewer than 50 people per square mile.
Orleans Parish in Louisiana, home to New Orleans, had 2,684 residents per square mile.
¥none of the counties had median family incomes above the national median of $50,000, but all had incomes above the median in New Orleans, which was $32,300.
¥All six counties and parishes had higher poverty rates than the national average of 9.2%. But none came close the 24% of families in New Orleans living below the poverty level.
¥Relatively few people in the six counties and parishes did not have access to a vehicle. About 10% of the households in tiny Newton County did not have a vehicle, the highest percentage among the counties. In New Orleans, 27% of the households did not have a car or truck.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Find this article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-09-24-rita-demographic_x.htm
Post a Comment
<< Home