Alpha Clients Had Shorter Wait, Fewer No-Shows in 2009

A few highlights from our year-end review of client access and retention data at the Alpha outpatient program:

• Your wait time went way down. The average time to the first individual session dropped from 18 days at the beginning of the year to 5 days. (see graph) We made it a priority to focus on your comfort at the Meet & Greet with your counselor, answering questions you had coming into the program, giving you tours of the building, and making sure we got you in soon for your individual session.

• You got mental health services sooner. Your wait time dropped from 6 weeks to 1-2 weeks. We asked our nurse practitioner to help out our psychiatrist one day a week to write prescriptions and do medication checks. It really made a difference!


• You kept your appointments more often. Your no-show rate for appointments was 21%, down from 24% in 2008. This was another priority for our counselors. We diligently reviewed our caseloads every week to keep track of who we needed to see, and made reminder phone calls.

Overall in 2009, Alpha saw 1827 people come in the door, admitted 860 and discharged 892. 19% of discharges were successful, and another 22% had some goals completed. We are proud and happy for your success, and we'll continue to improve our service to you in 2010.

Do you have an idea on how we can serve you better? Let us know! Use our suggestion box, send us an email, or speak to a staff member about your idea.

BCI Is Open Saturday; Closed Sunday

BCI will be open today, Saturday 12/19, for medication pickup. We will be closed Sunday 12/20. Anyone who picks up medication Sunday must report today.

Stay tuned to our blog for updates on our weather-related schedule.

The OxyContin Express

A very revealing documentary on Oxycontin.

BCI Is Closed November 18-19

Brandywine Counseling will be closed Wednesday November 18, and Thursday November 19 for an agency-wide staff training.

We will be providing take-home bottles to all consumers from 5 AM to 9 AM.

We will reopen Friday November 20.

Thanksgiving Events at BCI

Thanksgiving Week is almost here, and BCI is celebrating with our two traditional events.

Monday November 23 is Thanksgving Turkey pick-up day! If you signed up to receive a basket this year, you may pick up your turkey at the Outreach Center between 6 AM and 3 PM. If you are a client at Newark, Edgemoor, or in Sussex County, your turkey will be available for pickup at your regular site.

Wednesday November 25 will be our annual Holiday Dinner! It will take place at the Westside Plaza shopping center on Lancaster Avenue, in the old Rent-A-Center, from 11 AM to 3 PM. All clients are welcome to come and enjoy the food & fun. We, the staff of BCI, will cook for you on this day. So come, have some fun, food, and fellowship with us.

LET'S ALL HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAY!

From the staff at BCI

SAMHSA Warns About Deadly Cocaine Cutting Agent

According to a SAMHSA alert, substance abuse treatment providers, clinicians, outreach workers, and individuals who abuse cocaine need to be aware of the following:

A dangerous substance, levamisole, is showing up with increasing frequency in illicit cocaine powder and crack cocaine. Levamisole can severely reduce the number of white blood cells, a problem called agranulocytosis. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ILLNESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TREATED AT A HOSPITAL. If you use cocaine, watch out for:
* high fever, chills, or weakness
* swollen glands
* painful sores (mouth, anal)
* any infection that won’t go away or gets worse very fast, including sore throat or mouth sores -skin infections, abscesses -thrush (white coating of the mouth, tongue, or throat) -pneumonia (fever, cough, shortness of breath).”

SAMHSA said that about 20 cases of the dangerous blood disorder agranulocytosis -- characterized by decreased white blood-cell counts -- have been linked to use of cocaine cut with levamisole. More cases are expected based on drug-sample testing that shows increased use of levamisole as a cutting agent. In Seattle, for example, 80 percent of individuals who tested positive for cocaine also tested positive for levamisole. Levamisole is not approved for human use but is used to treat parasitic infections in cattle, sheep and swine.

BCI staff have learned from SAMHSA that one case was in fact in Delaware. Our staff on the needle exchange are warning people. This is very serious for our HIV+ and other immuno-compromised clients.

Cover Your Cough: Stop the Spread of Germs That Make You and Others Sick!

Flu season is coming. Protect yourself and others by following the advice of this poster, provided by CDC. Cover your cough and clean your hands after coughing or sneezing.

Join Us September 26 for a Roller Derby Exhibition, Barbeque, and Speaker Jam!

BCI's Recovery Month 2009 calendar is filling up!

In New Castle County, we invite you to join us Saturday, September 26 to celebrate recovery. We are planning a Roller Derby Exhibition, Barbeque, and Speaker Jam at the 2713 Lancaster Avenue site from 1 PM to 5 PM. This will be an indoor and outdoor event, with food, family, fellowship, and fun! You will have the chance to Find a Sponsor. And, the Wilmington City Ruff Rollers will be on hand to provide the entertainment. This is not to be missed! We are in need of donations of food for the barbeque or supermarket gift cards. If you can help, please email us.

Also, don’t forget our downstate Recovery Month event, the Sober Softball Tournament, Sept 18, 2009 at Sports at the Beach in Georgetown. Call Krystal for more info at 302-856-4700.

Lastly, to cap off our Recovery Month celebration, the BCI NSAFE Program is once again putting together a team for the Delaware AIDS Walk on September 27. You can sign up to walk with our team or support them with a donation at Team NSAFE's Page. The program will get back 40% of all donations they collect. Each year they use the money they earn to provide the Thanksgiving meal for the BCI clients. Let's help our team reach their goal. Thank you!

We Did It!

Delaware passed the FY10 budget early this morning with no cuts in program contracts to disability providers. We are so excited! It seemed inevitable there would be cuts this year that would force us to reduce services. But with your help, we wrote to the legislators and spoke with them directly about the value of addiction treatment. They heard us!

As we celebrate this victory, we want to say thanks to all of you who wrote letters and shared your stories. We want to thank DelARF for their work on our behalf. And we want to thank the officials and legislators, particularly the Joint Finance Committee, for their support.

Though we won this battle, we’ll continue to need your support in the future, so stay tuned to brandwinecounseling.org to see what you can do and when you can do it. Thank you again for making a difference!

5 Questions for Lynn Fahey, Executive Director

5 Questions is our ongoing feature where we introduce you to the people who make Brandywine Counseling run, spotlighting a different staff member every two weeks.

Name: Lynn Fahey
Job: Executive Director
Time with BCI: 16 years


1. Lynn, congratulations on becoming BCI’s new Executive Director. Tell us how you got your start in addiction treatment, and how you got to where you are today.
It’s funny, I kind of fell into addiction treatment. Coming out of college, all I knew was I wanted to help people. I applied to a couple of different non-profit organizations, and was offered a position at Brandywine, took it, and pretty much fell in love with addictions counseling. I started off as a Core Counselor. Cindy Lobis hired me, and Janice [Sneed] was the Clinical Director. Brandywine was one building. There were 30-35 employees at the time. I worked there for about two and a half years. I left and worked in the mental health field for about two years, and came back to Brandywine in the adolescent department.

The reason I came back to Brandywine was because of the organization. I think a lot of it had to do with Sally and the environment she created here. I actually took a cut in pay to come back to Brandywine, because the atmosphere and the supportive environment was more important to me than the money. The ability to focus on the treatment and care we provide, and the compassionate side of what is still a business, and that compassion and care extended not just to the clients, but to staff as well. So, to be able to help people, and to be able to grow as a person at the same time, I thought was an extraordinary opportunity, and something that I just wanted to continue to do.

And then I went back to school, got my certification, worked in the adolescent unit, then worked in the women’s department, eventually ran the women’s department. When Brandywine continued to grow and get bigger, I took on more and more responsibilities, and eventually became Site Director. I was moved around from Riverfront to Alpha, wherever I was needed. When [we started] Alpha, we only had two counselors, and maybe thirty clients in the drug free program at Brandywine, and of course since then, it’s been expanded to over 300 clients, and lots of staff. And from there, I worked closely with Sally and everyone else. Learned a lot. Went back to school again, got my doctorate in administrative, because by that point, I’m realizing that I’m more and more in administrative, and less in the clinical end, and knew that could be very beneficial to myself and Brandywine.

2. Tell us about your plans for Brandywine. What challenges are ahead and how will you approach them?
It’s all very exciting. [I’m looking forward to] working with everybody in the organization to take Brandywine to the next level. As far as the organization’s mission, just expanding that a little bit, to verbally include things we’re already doing, like our HIV services, mental health, and co-occurring treatment.

What Sally’s managed to do with this organization is nothing short of extraordinary. So, to take it and continue to grow and look towards the future, and what’s coming in the field, and being a viable, sustainable company that continues to provide the best services available to our clients, is very, very exciting. What has been said to me, even by Sally, is, I’m not Sally. So, to say that there won’t be change, wouldn’t be realistic. To say that I want to change the culture of Brandywine, is not what I want to do. I want to expand and change some of the services we provide to our clients. Those are the types of changes that I would focus on.

To state the obvious, [our biggest challenge is] the financial situation that the state of Delaware, and obviously, the country at large, finds itself in. When I talk about expansion of services, it’s all contingent upon obtaining additional funds, so there may be some really tough decisions coming about where to maintain our focus. Some of the goals that we have may end up being more long-term than short-term. I would love to see us create programs, or come up with plans for programs that we want, and look for funding to fit those programs. That might mean being more selective about what funds we go for, too.

3. What would you like to say to our clients?
I want to reassure them that the high quality care that they’re getting will continue. And that, as always, I welcome constructive suggestions on how we can improve. If they’re noticing things that are lacking, or not quite working, I would want to hear that in a way that provides solutions to those issues. I’m going to try, in the next couple of months, to make myself available to them. Maybe I’ll come into some groups in the different locations, or have a town hall meeting in each location, so they can speak, and meet me directly. I know a lot of the clients know me, but a lot don’t, so I think it’s important for them to know who I am and what I’m about, and to hear it directly from me, in person.

4. What’s been rewarding to you about working at BCI?
When I get a call from a client I worked with, years and years ago, and they tell me that they’re doing well. They mention the counseling they received from Brandywine, but just to hear that people are changing and growing, and creating better lives for themselves and their families, is why we’re all here. So, to hear those stories, and hear from recovering people, and know that we’ve been able to make a difference in their lives.

When I worked with the women and children’s program, we had an individual come in on a Friday afternoon at 3:00. She was pregnant, homeless, some health issues. Unfortunately, she was prostituting. Heroin, cocaine, relationship issues, mental health issues. She came in, basically, with most of the issues that someone can have, suffering with addiction. And I was able watch her, in the program, get into sobriety, and give birth to a healthy, beautiful, gorgeous baby girl. And she went back to school, because she didn’t have a high school education. Just the transformation, physically, mentally, spiritually, that this woman went through. Watching it happen, and then watching the way she was able to parent her child, was very exciting.

5. If you had $30,000 to donate to BCI, what would you do with it?
There’s so many important things. I think I might focus on developing a parenting curriculum that targets the parents and the children, so that I would be able to train the staff appropriately in an evidence-based practice, that would impact and break the cycle of addiction, and the generational issues that addiction has. It’s sad when you see individuals come in and they report that mom and dad had an addiction issue, and they were raised in an abusive home, and grandma and grandpa had an addiction issue. Some of our clients aren’t here for extended periods of time, and if we can get to their children, then maybe we can plant a seed that will help them take a different direction in life, and obviously help the parents become better parents as well. So to me, taking that $30,000, and utilizing it that way, has the potential to have a magnifying or rippling effect in the community, and with our clients.

It's Not Too Late to Write Your Legislator

We're still awaiting the 2010 budget for the State of Delaware, and what it will mean for BCI's services. Cuts will be coming, how much is still yet to be determined. Many of our staff are taking time out of our schedule to meet with legislators and advocate as much as we can. We need your help!

If you believe addiction services are important, there's still time to make your voice heard. Use our sample letter to send to your State Representative or Senator. It takes hardly any time at all. When I sent mine, I even got a response back. If you don't know who your legislators are, you can call the numbers listed here. Thank you for your support!

Moms Learn There's More to Parenting Than Having the Baby

Focus on Families, BCI's parenting program, held graduation on June 10 for six moms and their kids. There was lunch, cake and presentation of certificates. The moms talked about what they learned in the 16 week program:

“[I learned] how to deal more with my daughter, and her attitude and her mouth, instead of cursing and getting angry and hollering at her all the time. That was a big issue, I always hollered at her for anything. Now I know how to discipline her, and talk to her in more of a constructive way.”

“What I got out of the program was how to deal with your children of all ages. I’ve also learned how to frame sentences better, and how to put words in sentences better. I also learned that you can be a parent, but it takes a mother to be a parent - or a father to be a parent - not just to have the baby, but to spend quality time with the child. Also that you can discipline a child, by not hitting a child, by timeout, learning how to say no, and just not abuse your child by hitting.”

“I learned how to step back and take a look at things. My favorite thing was to jump in and yell and scream, and I’ve gotten better with that, I think. I’ve gotten a little better with communication with my kids. It’s taught me quite a bit to deal with my oldest.”

We also asked our graduates why they would recommend Focus on Families to others:

“It is wonderful. If you take your time and really appreciate what the information has to offer, and what the facilitators have to offer, and you really put your heart into it, you get out what you put into it. It’s a wonderful program if you are ready to learn, and willing to take it all in, and actually do the work. It’s wonderful.”

“It’s lots of homework, but the homework is so that you can take it home and you can think about it more. Instead of getting it done real fast in class, it gives you time to get inside yourself more.”

“I did the program twice, and the second time I got even more out of it than I did the first time. If you want to improve yourself as being a good parent, not just raising a kid, but to actually be able to deal with your kids, to bring them up in a more positive way than you were brought up, I think that you should take advantage of the program and what it has to offer.”

The next round of Focus on Families begins Monday June 22, from 11 AM to 12 Noon at 2713 Lancaster Avenue. Group takes place Mondays and Thursdays from 11 AM to 12 Noon. Focus on Families is free and you do not have to be a BCI client. For more information or to sign up, please contact Jackie Akins at 656-2348, ext. 118.

A Client's Review of BCI: Turn Your Life Around and Get Your Freedom Back

We had to share this with you. One of our clients wrote a heartfelt and honest review of BCI on GreatNonprofits.org. "Ronzo" has been in and out of treatment for close to 9 years. They received "life changing services that turned my life around in the right direction." Here are some excerpts from their review:

On gratitude to BCI:

They really take it upon themselves to provide you with the up most care and affection they possibly can. If there wasn't places like brandywine counseling than I might not be here today.

On how treatment reduces crime:

It keeps the crime down, "in there part of town anyway". You might say how? If a drug addict needs drugs every day to keep from getting sick. When he or she run's out of money look out, because someone is getting robbed so thats how. If we don't have to worry about getting sick thanks to brandywine counseling then everyone on drugs gets the medication and mental stability to keep off of drugs then everyone is happy and there car radio's are snug and secure in there dash boards.

On what they enjoyed the most:

Learning to love my self and to respect others that have the same or similar problems as myself.

On the biggest challenges facing the organization:

Keeping the place up and running because I can say that they try and help every one that comes in there door but that comes with a cost of course nothing is free and asking a drug addict at rock bottom to pay for it some times is asking a lot.

On why to come in for help:

So if there is anyone out there that wants to come clean I would really recommend BCI. It's a great place to turn your life around and get your freedom back from addiction, and make amends with family and friends not to mention your higher power.

Ronzo, thanks so much for your review. It means a lot to us as staff, and it can really help others who are looking for help. We wish you well in your recovery.

Do you want to share your experience as a client? Want to tell us what’s good and what needs improvement? Write your review today.

Register for the Next Round of Focus on Families

The next round of Focus on Families at BCI begins Monday June 22, from 11 AM to 12 Noon at 2713 Lancaster Avenue. Group takes place Mondays and Thursdays from 11 AM to 12 Noon. Graduation will be Thursday October 29, 2009.

BCI prevention programs increase protective factors for youth, educate parents and children about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and increase the perception of danger of drug use.
Focus on Families is a science-based intervention for families in which parents are addicted to drugs or alcohol.

• Parents and children attend group counseling and receive case management aimed at reducing parents' illegal drug use and children's risk factors.
• Individual case management by our Prevention Specialist reinforces the skills learned and applies them to the home environment. Children practice the skills with their parents.
  Session topics include family goal setting, relapse prevention, family communication skills, and helping children succeed in school.
• Upon completion of the 16 week program, participants graduate and receive a certificate.
• Focus on Families is free and you do not have to be a BCI client. For more information or to sign up, please contact Jackie Akins at 656-2348, ext. 118.

ArtAddiction at The Latin Center

The Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program at the Latin Center presents a very unique art contest. ARTADDICTION seeks to capture the person behind addiction and recovery through artistic expression! They will accept drawings, paintings, photography, collages and graphic design. The submission deadline is Friday, June 12, 2009. If you want to participate but don't have the materials to work on your art, come to the art studio on Thursday, June 4 from 2 to 6 pm at Los Jardines (back Door) 1000 W. 5th St. Wilmington DE 19805.

1st, 2nd & 3rd places receive monetary prizes.

*Participants should be 16 or older. To participate or for more information please contact Ana C. Velasquez at (302) 655-7338 ext 210 or avelasquez[at]thelatincenter[dot]org

For more information and flyers, click here.

Everyone has an Artistic side!

9 1/2 Minutes HIV Awareness Campaign

Every 9 1/2 minutes (on average), someone in the United States is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. CDC has launched a new Nine and a Half Minutes campaign to raise awareness of this fact and promote prevention.

Where did 9 1/2 minutes estimate come from?

In 2008, CDC developed new estimates for the annual number of HIV infections—which suggest that about 56,300 new HIV infections occur each year. This estimate is a national average. CDC arrived at the 9½ minutes figure by dividing the number of minutes in one year by the 56,300 new HIV infections that were estimated for 2006. This result indicates that, on average, one new HIV infection occurs every 9.34 minutes in a year. For more information on the 56,300 estimate visit the HIV Incidence section of the CDC HIV Web site.

CDC offers information on how you can prevent HIV, avoid the onset of AIDS if you have HIV, and spread the word about the 9 ½ minutes campaign.

They also provide this useful testing widget you can place on your Web site to find a testing site near you. Get yours here.

Take a Video Tour of BCI Alpha

Are you thinking about getting help for drug or alcohol addiction, but aren't sure what to expect? Now you can take a "virtual tour" of the BCI Alpha Outpatient Program! Meet our staff, see each step of the process, and learn what you can do to be successful in treatment.



Thanks to Will Leitzinger who volunteered his time to film this video.

Write Your State Legislator: Maintain Funding to BCI

BCI clients, family members, and friends, you can help ensure that Delaware will continue to fund services for people served by behavioral health agencies. Here is a sample letter you can personalize and send to your State Representative or Senator.

We know the State of Delaware is facing a huge budget deficit for next year. If we make our voices heard, we may prevent a possible reduction or elimination of services for addicted persons and their families. If BCI has saved your life or the life of a loved one, please tell your story!

If you don't know who your legislators are, you can call the numbers listed here.

Your voice matters. Write today and give people affected by addiction hope for the future. Thank you!

BCI Clients Staying Longer, Getting Younger, Remaining Abstinent

Our CQI committee, which gave us the satisfaction survey we posted yesterday, has also given us BCI's latest demographic report. It shows some interesting trends that we wanted to pass along:

• At the end of 2008, our census had increased to a total of 2161, reversing the decrease of 2007. There is evidence of increased consumer retention. (See graph) Last year we admitted 2987 people to treatment and discharged 2836.

• Our female census remains over 30%. Traditionally, it is more difficult to get women into treatment than men.

• Nearly 60% of BCI’s consumers are under the age of 35. The average age continues to get younger and younger. (See graph)

• 31% of consumers who were discharged attained some or all of their identified treatment goals. Examples of goals include improving your living situation, improving your physical health, and improving your social connectedness.

• The census in our Opioid Treatment Program now equals the census in our Drug Free Program. Opioid Treatment had been higher for years.

• A total of 40% of our Opioid Treatment patients have at least 90 days of abstinence and have some take-home privileges. This represents 34% of Lancaster’s 710 patients and 51% of South Chapel’s 378 patients. This is another number that goes up every year, and that’s a good thing!

2008 Patient Satisfaction Survey

The results of our 2008 patient satisfaction survey are in. Thanks to the 503 patients who responded and rated us in areas such as environment of the clinic, confidentiality, and how much counseling is helping you.

This year we saw a huge increase in the number of surveys completed – almost 200 more than in 2007! That is great because it gives us a 23% sample, which is much more representative of the total population.

In general, your ratings were very consistent from last year in all areas. One exception is a notable increase in satisfaction in mental health services at South Chapel. We think this is due to a dramatically reduced wait time. At one point last year, it was taking up to 13 weeks to schedule people for with the psychologist, but by shifting our staff time from other locations to Newark, we were able to reduce this to 4 weeks.

Some other highlights of the survey:
· You felt BCI’s services were confidential and private.
· You thought our rules and policies were carried out fairly.
· Overall, across all BCI locations, you were satisfied to very satisfied with your treatment.

Survey results have been shared with our staff, who will be working with our Continuous Quality Improvement committee to address your most important needs.

Do you have more suggestions for us? We want to hear from you. Did the survey touch on the issues that are important to you? If you were designing our survey, what questions would you ask?

New Hours at North Wilmington Center

Effective Monday Feb. 23, the Alpha North Wilmington Center will be open 5 days a week. New hours will be 8:30 AM to 7 PM, Monday-Thursday, and 8:30 AM to 3 PM Friday.

Free Tax Preparation in Delaware

Free Tax Preparation for Taxpayers with Household Incomes at or Below $45,000

January 21, 2009-April 15, 2009

Click here for a complete list of locations and what to bring to have your taxes prepared.

More service hours, less wait time!
Also available on location; Savings Accounts, Certificates of Deposit, U.S. Saving Bonds, Credit Reports with Scores, and New This Year - Convenient Cash Card!

The Delaware Earned Income Tax Credit program helps put more money into the pockets of low-income taxpayers by promoting awareness of the EITC and other tax credits that help working families. Last year 450 Tax Preparer volunteers helped 14,377 people qualify for more than $19 million in tax refunds. In addition, 100 volunteer Financial Coordinators helped 600 clients save some of their refund by a opening savings product. Volunteers also assisted 2,500 taxpayers to obtain a credit report with credit score, and a referral for credit counseling.

For More Info About Free Tax Preparation:Call the Delaware Helpline at 1-800-464-4357 or visit www.eitcdelaware.net.

We Want Your Review!

Have you had firsthand experience with Brandywine Counseling as a client, a volunteer, or a donor? Do you have answers to the following questions?

"I've seen the results of this organization in..."
"My experience would have been better if..."
"If I ran this organization I would..."

Customer reviews are everywhere. How many times have you gone online to see the opinions of people like you before you buy something? Maybe you’ve even written some of those reviews. Now, you can review Brandywine Counseling.

You can find us on GreatNonprofits.org, a Web site for ordinary people to review charities. The reviews will also be published on the GuideStar directory of non-profits.

You’ll be asked about “The Great” as well as “Ways to Make It Better.” You can also look at Needs and Offers for volunteers or donated items. The site is easy to use, and also fun. It's just like they say: Simple, bubba.

So head on over today and tell the world how great BCI is. And if you think we could do better, tell us that too. We’re listening.

World AIDS Day: Unite to Raise Awareness and Reduce Stigma

Today is World AIDS Day. Worldwide, an estimated 33 million people are living with HIV. In the United States, an estimated one million Americans are living with HIV. HIV is still an incurable but preventable virus that is spreading faster than we can influence it among those who have unprotected sex. People still think it won't happen to them

Brandywine Counseling’s goal today is to remind you that HIV/AIDS is still a critical issue in the U.S. and around the world, and to promote HIV testing. We are taking part in Bloggers Unite on World AIDS Day 2008, a collaboration of AIDS.gov, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and Blog Catalog.

So here are some ways you can further the cause and elevate the voice of HIV/AIDS awareness online:

Learn the link about HIV/AIDS and drug abuse by viewing NIDA’s online Webisodes, a video series about how non-injection drug use can lead to increased risk behavior, and can change lives forever. Once you learn the link, be sure to send the link to friends and family.

Join the AIDS.gov Facing AIDS World AIDS Day Campaign. It’s simple - take a photo of yourself wearing a red ribbon and put the photo on your social networking site (such as Facebook or MySpace), blog, Twitter page, or Web site. The goal is to help eliminate stigma and recognize World AIDS Day online. They also have Web badges that you can share with your friends and colleagues and add a to your Web site or blog.

Use your wall, status, tweets or Web site to encourage HIV testing. BCI provides free and confidential rapid testing, with results given in 20 minutes. Testing is available at every Needle Exchange Site, or call 302-655-9880, ext. 21 for an appointment. Picture ID is required. If you’re outside the Wilmington, Delaware area, find an HIV testing site near you (in the U.S.) by sending a text message with your ZIP code to “KNOWIT” (566948) or visit: http://www.hivtest.org/. Encourage your friends to do the same and to promote HIV testing!

Women Get Free Breast Cancer Screenings at BCI

The Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition was at the Brandywine Counseling Lancaster Avenue Center today providing free mammograms. Between 9:00 and 3:00, 19 female clients and staff took advantage of the service. Many of the clients would not otherwise have been screened. Some were unable to read or write.

Evelyn Handley, receptionist at BCI Alpha, coordinated today’s event. She stepped away from her desk for the day to get the women out to the van, sit with them to help fill out their paperwork, and make everybody feel comfortable. Evelyn had this to say:

“This was a great opportunity for a lot of the women. A lot of our clients here don’t have primary physicians, so [nurse practitioner] Chris Zebley and Dr. Glick were amazing today. They were the ones writing the prescriptions for them to be able to be seen today, and Brandywine Counseling and I are very appreciative of that.

“Melany and Laura [from the Breast Cancer Coalition] were very kind to me, helping me put this together. When I called back to explain about our clients and how early they come here, they were willing to come here an hour earlier, and they did. The nurses here on the vehicle, they’re so kind, they’ve been very patient, because they had no idea it was going to be this many people this fast in the morning. We had the first 12 people show up before 10:30. All of our women have been screened, and I’m appreciative of that. This has been a lot of fun.

“I’d like to thank Chris Zebley first and foremost, and Joyce Bunkley, and Dr. Glick for allowing this to happen. Also Sally Allshouse, who was all for this, and Lynn Fahey and Mark Lanyon helped as well. Also I’d like to give some credit to one of our counselors, Daniel Norvell. This was his idea, I just took on the task, and we got it done!”

Women's Health Screening Day at BCI November 6

If you are a female BCI client, you may be eligible for a free mammogram on-site, Thursday November 6.

The Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition will be at the Lancaster Avenue Center with their Women's Mobile Health Screening Van from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The address is 2713 Lancaster Avenue, Wilmington, Delaware, 19805.

The American Cancer Society estimates that a woman in the United States has a 1 in 7 chance of developing invasive breast cancer during her lifetime. Approximately 3 million women in the U.S. are living with breast cancer: slightly over 2 million have been diagnosed with the disease and an estimated 1 million who do not yet know they have the disease. Mammography screening may detect the disease before symptoms occur.

Several women have already signed up for their mammogram November 6, but we have many slots still remaining. Call Laura at 1-888-672-9647 to schedule your appointment, and to learn more about free health screenings for those who qualify. Most insurances accepted.

You may also call Evelyn Handley at 472-0381 for more information.

The Saying Goodbye to Addiction Tour at BCI

Brandywine Counseling has received a copy of HBO's "Addiction" DVD set from our friends at The Discovering Alcoholic, as part of "The Saying Goodbye to Addiction Tour." The idea is to send this excellent, award-winning documentary from program to program so that a wide audience may benefit from the information and first-person experiences.

What better way to close out Recovery Month here at BCI than to send the DVD on a mini-tour to all our different sites, and show it on a loop in our waiting area? So that is what we are doing starting Monday September 29. The package will make its way from Lancaster to Alpha, to Edgemoor, to Newark, and then to our Sussex County sites.

So be on the lookout for the “Addiction” tour when you’re at BCI in the coming week. Watch the film, take a look through the companion book, and leave your message in the logbook. If you happen to miss it, you can always catch it online.

Then after we’ve enjoyed and learned from it, join us in “saying goodbye” as we send “Addiction” on to the next deserving recipient, H.E.R.O.I.N. Hurts. This Delaware organization provides parents, family members, and friends of persons with addictions; with educational, emotional, and social support, which will enable them to advocate for health, security, education, and rehabilitation of people with substance addictions.

As TDA says, “Wouldn't it be nice if we all could say goodbye to addiction…”

Mark Your Recovery Month Calendar

Recovery Month 2008 is just around the corner, and BCI is celebrating with several upcoming events, so mark your calendar and make plans to join us! This year's theme is Real People, Real Recovery.

On Thursday, September 18, from 12 Noon to 2 PM, there will be a Picnic & Open House at Alpha North Wilmington. Join us to celebrate recovery at our brand new location at the Edgemoor Community Center. Fabulous people! Good fellowship! Great food! Parents encouraged to bring children. The location is 500 Duncan Road, Suite 144, Wilmington, DE 19809.

On Friday, September 19, from 10 AM to 2 PM, is our 2008 Recovery Month Softball Tournament in Georgetown. The tournament will be held at Sports At The Beach located on Route 9 in Georgetown. It will be a day of games, food, friends, and sober fun. We are inviting treatment staff, clients, friends, and family to form teams of 9. All equipment will be provided but feel free to bring your own. If you would like to participate, please contact Krystal at 302-856-4700. Let's Play Ball!

We also wanted to pass along an event from our friends at the 1212 Club.

On Saturday, September 6 from 12 Noon to 6 PM, the 1212 Club will hold the Real People, Real Recovery Community Enrichment Day. This day will be filled with speakers from differeent treatment facilities along with people from recovery groups and 12 step programs. There will also be a presentation conducted by the 1212 Board of Trustees, Recovery Coach Team, and Members. Lunch will be a barbeque from 2 PM until 3 PM. The location is the 1212 Corporation, 2700 Washington Street, Wilmington DE 19802. For further information or to have your facility participate in this event, feel free to call Stephen Burns at 275-1142 or Ethel King at 345-8176.

BCI Alpha North Wilmington Center To Move to Edgemoor Community Center

Brandywine Counseling's Alpha North Wilmington Center will be moving to the Edgemoor Community Center effective July 16, 2008.

The program will move from its offices at 98 Harvey Road, which it has occupied since opening in 2002. The North Wilmington Center is a satellite site of the BCI Alpha Drug Free Program, which offers outpatient drug and alcohol counseling to Delaware residents.

Our new location within Edgemoor Community Center will make treatment services available to North Wilmington residents at a location that is well-known within the community and easily accessible by bus. The Edgemoor Comunity Center is a not-for-profit, community-based, multi-service agency that provides a broad range of educational, recreational, self-enrichment, and family support services.

Our new address is: 500 Duncan Road, Wilmington, DE 19809.

Our new phone number is (302) 225-8008.

Our new fax number is (302) 225-8010.

Friends & Families Picnic to Reunite Formerly Homeless Men with Their Families

You are invited to the Gateway House/Brandywine Counseling

Don Hofmann Memorial

FRIENDS AND FAMILY PICNIC

Saturday, July 19, from Noon until 5 pm

At Wilmington's Brandywine Park

(Next to the Wilmington Zoo)

BRING YOUR CHAIRS AND BLANKETS!!

If you would like to bring your favorite party dish

to share with the group that would be great!! (This is strictly optional)

The Friends and Family Picnic is a free, public event open to the community. The picnic gives Gateway House residents an opportunity to bring their families into their life in a non-threatening situation. Many residents need to mend relations with their families because of mistakes they made during their drug and alcohol addiction. The picnic is a welcome opportunity for friends and families to join in a resident’s new life.

Gateway House provides long-term, permanent housing for homeless men who are willing/ready to address the issues that caused or contributed to their being homeless. An estimated 29% of Delaware’s homeless report chronic substance abuse. With housing and treatment programs, many are able to overcome their addiction and become productive members of the workforce and society. Brandywine Counseling is proud to partner with Gateway House to put on this event.

Looking forward to seeing all our Friends and extended Family!!

BCI Is Closed Friday May 30

All BCI offices are closed Friday May 30.

We're all attending training on the important topic of crisis intervention, so we can better serve you, our customers. Increasingly, you come to us for help with complex issues, and we want to be prepared with the answers you need.

In case of emergency, please call 911.

Frequently Asked Questions for BCI Alpha Clients

"Can I change my counselor?"
"What happens to my treatment if I get locked up?"
"What treatment plan?"

The staff of BCI Alpha have put together a list of answers to these and other Frequently Asked Questions specific to this program. You can get your copy here.

2007 Patient Satisfaction Survey

The results of BCI's 2007 patient satisfaction survey are now posted on our website. Thanks to the 313 patients who responded and rated us in areas such as environment of the clinic, confidentiality, and how much counseling is helping you.

While the ratings in all areas were in the acceptable range, we generally saw lower scores than in past years. The area of most concern to us is whether psychiatric/psychological services were helpful. Mental health services are an area we know needs improvement, which these scores confirm. You will be glad to know we are already taking steps to reduce the wait time, increase our staff training, and move closer to a "seamless continuum" of treatment for co-occurring disorders.

Survey results have been communicated to our staff, who will be working with our Continuous Quality Improvement committee to address the most important needs of you, our customers.

Lancaster Dispensing Mural Sketch

A group of volunteers from Chase will be painting a mural this week in the Lancaster dispensing area. The theme will be "Steps to Recovery," based on an idea by Edna Maldonado of NSAFE. I thought this idea was great as soon as I heard it, because it reminded me of Pat's testimonial from the needle exchange celebration, about extending hands two ways on the ladder of life. We are also giving clients a chance to get involved by adding their own personal messages to those who helped them in their recovery journey.

Here is a sketch.

World AIDS Day: Stop AIDS. Keep The Promise.

Delaware will observe World AIDS Day tomorrow, December 1.

Currently, there are 3,320 Delawareans living with HIV/AIDS. Since 1981, when the HIV/AIDS case tracking began, 1,853 HIV/AIDS deaths have been reported through 2006.

The Delaware Division of Public Health invites you to get involved by volunteering for a local HIV organization, confronting discrimination, getting tested for HIV, and protecting yourself and your partners.

For more information, including a list of local events, click here.

1212 Corporation Marks 41 Years As Delaware's Recovery Clubhouse

Yesterday I attended the 1212 Corporation’s first annual banquet and fundraiser at Cranston Fire Hall in Wilmington. About 100 people including many Brandywine staff enjoyed food, fellowship, and guest speakers.

For me, this was my first chance to learn what this organization is all about and why it means so much to Delaware’s recovering community. For 41 years, the 1212 Club has provided a safe haven for those seeking recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. It is literally a recovery clubhouse, run by recovering persons for recovering persons, and is the only facility of its kind in Delaware. Support and a “recovery atmosphere” is available seven days a week, year-round. Services include AA, NA, and special meetings; therapeutic support; transportation to and from drug rehab; educational/recreational activities; and transitional housing for men and women.

Many speakers last night credited 1212 with helping them through the earliest stages of their recovery and beyond. It is easy to understand why. A treatment program like BCI can only take one so far in recovery. A social support system is vital because it’s there for you in your everyday life, whenever the urge strikes to return to your old behaviors. So many people found this support at 1212 when they had nowhere else to turn. Some, now successful professionals in the addiction treatment field, started their first job in recovery as a counter assistant at 1212.

BCI congratulates the 1212 Corporation on 41 years of service, and looks forward to watching them expand their services. And if you are in need of a safe haven, stop by the Clubhouse at 27th and Washington. You might find the support you need and much more.

BCI Celebrates Recovery Month

BCI has some fun events coming up in celebration of Recovery Month. Visit our calendar to see what we've got planned.

I know I will make it to the Alpha picnic next week and I will also be a member of our AIDS Walk team on the 30th. Hope to see many of you there!

Drug Dealing Prevention Group

Are you involved with drug dealing or street addiction and want to change your lifestyle for the better? BCI has started a Drug Dealing Prevention Group.

The group takes place Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 PM at the Alpha Center at 2814 West 2nd Street. Participants will learn strategies for making a prosocial life change. You must be a BCI Alpha client to attend.

This is the first group of its kind at BCI and one of the most-requested group topics by our clients.

For more information, please call 472-0381.

Participation = Celebration!

Our new slogan at the BCI Alpha Drug Free Program. Thanks to Intake Counselor Marc Weisburg for the idea.

Consumer Scholarships for Summer Institute

The State of Delaware has announced the availability of client scholarships to attend classes at the 36th Summer Institute, “Embracing Change: Promoting Recovery,” July 23-27, 2007.

Consumers may ask their counselor to call in their information, or they may send in their registration with a request for a scholarship to:

Penny Chelucci, Consumer Affairs Office Director, DHSS/DSAMH, 1901 N. DuPont Highway, Main Building, Room 197, New Castle, DE 19720.

The only scholarship requirement is that the person is a consumer of mental health or addiction services and lives in Delaware.

Consumers may register for any sessions they choose. There are some sessions that are specifically designed to be of interest to consumers. They are:

# 1072 Recovery, Trauma, and Empowerment on Wednesday
# 1083 Self-Advocacy and Negotiation on Thursday
# 1068 Empowerment and Consumer Culture on Friday
# 1052 Hiring, Supervising, and, If Necessary, Firing Service Providers in Recovery on Friday

DSAMH welcomes any and all consumers and is pleased to be able to assist their participation. Lunch is included in the scholarship. For consumers who live in Sussex County, the scholarship can also include lodging. Anyone who requires some form of accommodation to attend, please mention this with your request.