Album. CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Inc. Inside this Issue... Community Newsletter

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1 Album Community Newsletter CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Inc. CODAC staff, members, pets, and family enjoyed a day in the sun at the Recovery Support Center s first picnic Inside this Issue... Mark s Message Recovery Support Center Picnic Las Amigas Construction Wish List Dee Dee s Success Story Summer 2008

2 Mark s Message... As we approach the end of the summer, and hopefully cooler temperatures, the election season is heating up. Sometimes people underestimate the importance of smaller races that tend to be toward the bottom of the ballot remember that each person who is elected will have a significant impact on our community. Also, don t forget that there will be several ballot measures to vote on. It is imperative to review each measure carefully as titles don t always tell the whole story of the initiative or referendum. I hope you will join me in encouraging friends and family to register, to vote and to thoughtfully consider what is on the ballot. CODAC has had plenty of good news lately that I am very excited about. CODAC s Community Based Services was chosen by Every Voice in Action as a 2008 Summer Youth Voice grantee. Under this grant, we will be conducting a digital storytelling program at the Quincie Douglas Library. In the digital storytelling workshops youth will share their stories through words, images, and video. Youth will have the opportunity to develop skills in writing, photography, and computer software, while crafting a narrative in which their voices can be used to create change. CODAC is very proud to be part of this innovative and creative program. We have much to look forward to at CODAC and also within our community. A number of great events take place in the fall in Tucson which we are pleased to be a part of the Recovery Expo & Walk, the Mental Health Arts Show, and United Way s Days of Caring, just to name a few. So keep an eye out for these great events and CODAC around town. Contact our Coordinator of Community and Public Relations, Ayla Gilbert, at (520) for all things CODAC and more information on any of these events. Support CODAC every time you buy groceries at Bashas 1.) Link your Thank You Card to our Group ID Number (just once at the beginning of the program) at any checkout. CODAC s Group ID Number: ) From September 1, 2008 March 31, 2009, be sure that your Thank You Card is scanned every time you shop at Bashas. 3. Bashas designates a portion of your purchases back to us at the end of the program. For more info, visit It is the mission of CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Inc. to work collaboratively with individuals, families and organizations to eliminate the harmful effects of addiction disorders, mental illness and abuse on their lives and their communities. 2 Building healthy LIVES, healthy FAMILIES, and healthy COMMUNITIES.

3 CODAC RSC Picnic The aim of the Recovery Support Center (RSC) is to increase CODAC members self-sufficiency and positive socialization. It provides health promotion and job development in recovery based programs. The RSC is a drop-in center where CODAC members can attend classes, have access to the internet and other resources, and get support in their recovery. At the beginning of the Summer, the RSC held a picnic for members and staff. Kimberly Brown, RSC Program Coordinator, wanted to increase membership and give members the opportunity to talk with her. The picnic was a great way for new members to get acquainted with current members and staff and discuss interests or concerns. CODAC members find out about the RSC through outreach at CODAC sites. Case managers and other staff members distribute RSC calendars and newsletters to members to get the word out about the drop in center. Some of the great classes offered at the Recovery Support Center include: Yoga Communication Skills Anger Management Recreation Skills Dealing With Dual Diagnosis Housing Self-Esteem Computer Skills Creative Problem Solving Art Therapy Movie Appreciation Employment Group CODAC members and staff enjoy a picnic with food, fun, and games on a sunny day in May 3

4 CODAC Under Construction Members at Las Amigas, CODAC s women s residential facility witnessed lots of renovation and construction this year to re-establish the foundation of the building they call home. Over the course of past years, the walls at Las Amigas had been slowly, but surely, shifting away from one another. This caused door frames to slant, tiles to crack, and the roof to leak. Members and staff were still completely safe, but the building had seen better days. When construction began last August, the monsoon season was already in full gear, so time was certainly of the essence to repair the roof. CODAC staff did their best during the renovations to accommodate construction in sensitive areas, particularly resident bedrooms which line the sloping side of the building. Construction workers had to literally lift the walls up to straighten the building out! The event is hardly as exciting as it sounds though, the process happened only a few millimeters at a time. The roof has now been completely replaced thanks to CDBG funding provided by the Mayor and Council of the City of Tucson. And in spite of some big storms, things have stayed tight and dry so far this summer. Thanks to everyone who made this huge renovation go as smoothly as posssible!! The Las Amigas Building under construction 4 Building healthy LIVES, healthy FAMILIES, and healthy COMMUNITIES.

5 Wish List The Las Amigas building has seen much improvement in the past year, but all needs haven t been met. Please see below for a wish list of items needed to make Las Amigas feel like a home away from home for women in recovery and their children. Baby Monitors Towels Wash Cloths Comforters (twin beds) Blankets (twin beds) Pillow Protectors Sheets (twin beds) Pillow Cases (standard) Plastic Totes Laundry Baskets Hygiene Items Shower Curtin Liners Alarm Clocks (not battery operated) Bathroom items: shower curtins, bath mats Complete board games Table or night stand lamps Arts and Crafts supplies Contact Ayla Gilbert, Coordinator of Community and Public Relations, at (520) or agilbert@codac.org to make a donation. CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Inc. 127 S. 5th Avenue Tucson, Arizona Phone: Fax: BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers: Kristy Kelley, Chair K. Brent Fausett, Vice President Robert Barrasso, Treasurer Dorothy Inglee Gallagher, Secretary Members: Rev. Kate Bradsen Paul Hooker Lillianne Purdie Linda Yuguchi Michele Way Oscar Diaz Ross McCallister Debbie Rich PRESIDENT & CEO W. Mark Clark, MSW, ACSW The members of the CODAC Board of Directors graciously volunteer their time and talents. Their continued support and guidance has strengthened our programs and services. We acknowledge their accomplishments with warm and sincere gratitude. The CODAC Album is published quarterly by CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Inc. Ayla Rose Gilbert, Coordinator of Community and Public Relations, CODAC Album Editor 5

6 Daring Dee Dee Denise, or Dee Dee as her friends call her, began using alcohol and marijuana at age 12, but when she got married and had a child at age 16, she stopped using either substance. She became a military wife and lived a normal life taking care of her daughters and husband. This stability lasted for a while, but when her husband was away for long periods of time, she was drinking as a regular habit. She started working at a night club, drank excessively, and smoked marijuana. She was in denial about her drinking habits and not taking good care of her daughters anymore. Her husband eventually gave her an ultimatum she would have to choose between partying and their marriage. Substance abuse destroyed her marriage; she left her kids and her husband. Soon after she left her husband, Dee Dee was introduced to harder drugs. I was hooked on cocaine from the moment I started, she confesses. She became pregnant with her boyfriend, who was a drug dealer and their relationship was a roller coaster ride. Dee Dee worked to support him even when he was put in jail. When he was released, the baby was born and her boyfriend just disappeared. After that, she went on a bender and she wasn t taking care of her new baby son. Her constant partying soon garnered some attention from neighbors. CPS came to take Dee Dee s son and in order to see him again, she would have to go into rehab. She did a 30 day treatment stint with CODAC, then relapsed again. Her next idea was to get away from the drug and partying scene she was involved with in Tucson. Maybe a change of scenery would help her to stay drug-free. She moved to Las Vegas to stay with a girl friend and ended up getting her hooked on drugs too. It was a really bad scene, Dee Dee says. The house was a wreck with drug dealers coming and going, guns, abuse, and worse. So Dee Dee came back to Tucson to keep her son away from danger. Once again I got it together, Dee Dee says, or so I thought. CPS was called for the second time when Dee Dee had spent the entire day partying and was hours late to pick her son up from day care. Dee Dee spent eight months wandering the streets using, running, and hopping from place to place. She had nowhere to live, she hadn t showered in weeks. I kind of gave up, she admits, I was very ashamed. She was also ignoring the fact that she was pregnant again. One day when an acquaintance was trying to initiate a drug deal with Dee Dee she just got fed 6 Building healthy LIVES, healthy FAMILIES, and healthy COMMUNITIES.

7 A CODAC Member Success Story up. Here take all of it, she said handing him all her drugs, I am done. She called her sister immediately who took Dee Dee to detox. She was then placed on a list for residential treatment and told that it would be a number of weeks, maybe months before she would be placed anywhere. She stayed at her mother s and the very next morning, the phone rang. It was CODAC s Las Amigas residential treatment program staff calling to tell Dee Dee that they had a bed for her. She was told to be there within 24 hours to claim her space. Dee Dee was preparing for her new, drug-free life at Las Amigas. She was packing and cleaning out her things when she looked through her purse and found a pipe full of crack cocaine. Now she was struck with a huge decision. She wanted to smoke it but knew she shouldn t. Why would God do this to me? she thought. Then suddenly she got out of her chair, walked right outside and threw the pipe into the dumpster. She spent the whole night thinking about going out to get the pipe back. She was sweating and thrashing and telling herself that rehab would never work. I am 36 years old, she thought, these people can t tell me what to do! She was angry and frustrated and resentful that pipe was just waiting for her to dive in the dumpster and escape to a comfortable, easy altered state of consciousness. But something kept her from giving in and she made it to Las Amigas in the morning. Dee Dee says that the hardest thing she had to learn in rehab was to let go of her shame. She received support to develop skills to recognize and address her emotions and to love herself again. She stayed at Las Amigas for 6 months, during which she regained temporary custody of her oldest son and gave birth to her second baby boy. Dee Dee still has to be aware every day of protecting her recovery. Each morning she says the Serenity Prayer and meditates on starting a new day. She attributes her success to the people at CODAC: Las Amigas is wonderful and the team is awesome. Praise God for everyone who helped me in my recovery. These days, life is good for Dee Dee and she has been drug-free almost four years. She has had the same job for almost two and a half years and both of her boys live with her. My kids are my world, she says. She is still involved with her daughters from Las Amigas is wonderful and the team is awesome! Once again I got it together, Dee Dee says, or so I thought. her previous marriage, who love her in spite of everything. Dee Dee started taking classes at Pima Community College in May 2008 and plans to work in human services hopefully with CODAC! 7

8 NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TUCSON, AZ PERMIT S. 5th Avenue Tucson, Arizona Phone: ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Inc. Programs and Services Adult Network Services: A continuum of care to CODAC members through coordination of all levels of clinical services. General mental health and substance use disorder treatment as well as services for persons with serious mental illness are offered at all three integrated service sites. Intensive Community Services (ICS): ICS is made up of CODAC members who are participating (not by court order) in the following services: the Intensive Recovery Team (IRT), Residential Treatment, the Arizona State Hospital (AzSH)/ Extended Care Unit (ECU), and/or Supported Housing. Intensive Recovery Team (IRT): Case management model working with adult members from CODAC s three integrated service sites. This model is based on outreach, rehabilitation, recovery, and a strengths-based perspective and integrates the use of CODAC s Recovery Support Center. Las Amigas: 16-bed residential substance use disorder treatment facility for pregnant, postpartum, and parenting women and their children. Methadone Services: outpatient clinic that provides methadone maintenance, drug treatment and counseling services for opiate users and their families. Mothers Caring About Self (MCAS): Intensive outpatient, outreach, and case management program designed to serve the needs of pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders. Recovery Bridge: Intensive outpatient treatment program for individuals with a simultaneous diagnosis of substance use andmental health disorders. Recovery Support Center (RSC): Drop-in center in which CODAC members may receive information and education to build skills leading to independence in managing their own recovery from mental health and substance use disorders. Safety Zone: After hours drop in center in which CODAC members receive additional support in their recovery. Children and Adolescent Services: Intensive outpatient treatment and substance abuse assessment for adolescents ages facing substance use and mental health disorders. Accepts private insurance, AOC-pay and self-pay. Family Violence Prevention Program: CODAC engages community leaders and citizens living within Western Hills II and Las Vistas neighborhoods to be the driving force in reducing/preventing family violence in their communities. Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: CODAC uses this model program at Drachman, Pueblo Gardens, and Cavett schools to promote a school-wide culture that no bullying be tolerated. Strengthening Families: Prepares youth to avoid drugs and alcohol and strengthens communication between parents/ caregivers and their children. Designed to help families better communicate and grow closer. Drug Free Communities Support Program: A collaborative effort with the Kino Weed & Seed Coalition to reduce neighborhood levels of substance abuse and violence. Healthy Families: Provides vital in-home support for parentsto-be and new parents to promote health, optimize child development and prevent child abuse and neglect.