April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

BCI is proud to be a community partner in the 2010 Blue Bow Campaign for Child Abuse Awareness, which takes place during the month of April. We have planned several activities to educate our clients and staff and provide you with tools to utilize within your personal and professional lives, and within your communities.

This week, BCI staff were given a blue ribbon to decorate and hang on their door. On Wednesday April 7, staff will sit in our lobby and dispensing areas and hand out bookmarks, ribbons, and tattoos. Later in the month, we will have presentations on how abuse affects children, and what is reportable. An art therapy project is also planned for our clients and their children.

Here is a complete calendar of events from Children and Families First.

United Way Made Their Goal

United Way of Delaware announced yesterday they made their 2009 campaign goal of $20.5 million.

United Way President Michelle Taylor said, "These would be strong campaign results in any year, but they are truly inspiring considering the current economic situation. This success is a testament to Delaware’s giving spirit."

Campaign co-chair Diane Gulyas said, "This was a challenging year for Delaware, but businesses and individuals stepped up to meet the need of their neighbors. Thank you to everyone who participated in this campaign. Together, we are truly improving lives."

Thank you so much! Your generosity helps ensure our outreach team will continue to be out on the streets, opening windows of trust.

Out Of the Dark, A New Dawn

On a bus stop bench on a frigid February morning, a young couple sat together shivering, and counting down the minutes until 9:00.

“How much longer?” Dawn asked her boyfriend.

“Four more minutes.”

Dawn broke into a smile in spite of the stinging cold. “Oh, I can’t wait! Soon they’ll open up… it’ll be so warm inside!”

He smiled back. “In four minutes, I’m gonna be layin’ on that comfy couch and gettin’ some sleep!”

A miserable, exhausting night neared its end. They had spent it at the bus stop on Lancaster Avenue, with all their belongings in their backpacks, and only their coats to keep them warm. But at 9:00, right behind them, they had a place they were welcome in the Brandywine Counseling Outreach Center. Dawn watched the buses come and go, full of people with places to go and things to do. Her plans today were simple: Get warm. Find some food. Hide from probation. Then, find some more heroin. Tomorrow, she’d do it all again. It wasn’t always this way. Six years ago, she had a normal life, a job, and a place to live. But one seemingly innocent car ride led her off course.

“I was working in a restaurant, and one of the other employees was asking me for rides. When he was getting out of the car, he was picking up drugs. I got curious about what he was picking up, and he let me try the heroin just by sniffing it one time. Eventually, he ran out of money to pay me for the rides, so he would start giving me drugs instead of gas money. I started to get sick if I wouldn’t use it, so I started to use it every day.”

“For a little while, I was okay. I could afford it. I started to be late for work. I started spending all my money on only drugs. I had to move back in with my parents, then I started to steal from them. I lost my job. I started stealing from cars and people’s houses, and ended up on probation.”

Dawn’s choices had led her down a destructive path of addiction, homelessness, and being on the run at age 27. She met her boyfriend and they stuck together, but there seemed to be no way out. They weren’t looking for help; only to survive. It was rare to find a friendly face that understood where they were. BCI case manager Sharon Brown was one who did.

“Hey, guys. Need a light?”

“Nah, we smoked our last cigarette hours ago.”

“Here. We’re not supposed to do this, but go on, take it.”

“Oh, thank you so much!”

“It’s too cold for y’all to be out here. Why don’t you come inside? There’s coffee and donuts. I can get you warm clothes, a place to wash up. You can crash on the couch, watch TV, read some books…”

Since that day, the pair became regulars at the drop-in center. “It became like a little home to us,” Dawn recalls. “We would go inside during the day, and sleep in there, and at nighttime we would just stay outside all night.” She began to trust the outreach staff. She began using their services, taking HIV tests, and visiting the needle exchange van. She learned about other services she wasn’t yet ready for.

“They would let us know that the methadone clinic was there, but they never seemed like they were judging us, or trying to push us into anything we didn’t want to do. They knew that we knew the services were there, and that we would use them when we were ready to.”

One day, a probation officer came to the bus stop. He took Dawn into custody, and she served six months in jail. In July 2008, she was released and reunited with her boyfriend. They were both free of drugs for a while, and even found themselves an apartment. But by September, they had relapsed and were using heroin again. They returned to the needle exchange.

“When we started coming back, they knew we were using again. They were a little more adamant this time. ‘You guys really need to try methadone this time, before you end up back in the situation that you were in.’” The couple faced a difficult decision.

“No way I’m gettin’ on methadone. It’s just another way to get high. It’s just as bad!”

“Well, I’ve heard those stories too, but what about the people we know who got on it? Seemed like it was working for them.”

“That’s true. They do look better. They’ve got jobs, they look stable.”

“Why don’t we try it? It’s the only thing we haven’t tried.”

With that, a window of trust had opened. The next morning, Dawn and her boyfriend went in to BCI, and they both started on methadone. She knew it would be a challenge to make her daily dosing, individuals, and groups, but she committed to getting clean as strongly as she had committed to getting drugs. Sharon Brown continued supporting her as her Safety Net Services case manager. Safety Net specifically targets two high-risk groups, women and recently released ex-offenders, often living on the streets. Knowing that willingness to accept help comes and goes, case managers meet clients where they are, ready to connect them to services they need when that window opens.

“Sharon was a big help,” says Dawn. “She’s always checked on us, made sure we have everything that we needed. I’m glad the outreach really latched on to [us].” But there was a big surprise for Dawn on her intake day. Nurse Barbara Garrity gave her the news at orientation.

“Now just to let you ladies know, when you get on methadone, it seems like it’s a lot easier to get pregnant. But Dawn, you’re already pregnant!”

“Oh! Really? Wow, that’s quite a surprise!”

“Yes! But we have a program just for pregnant women."

Dawn was 4 weeks along. Her surprise quickly turned to motivation to stick with treatment. She was determined to deliver a healthy baby. She was transferred to the pregnant and parenting women's program, which assists over 20 clients every year to deliver drug free babies. Her counselor, Aja Redmond, linked her with prenatal care, helped her identify her triggers for drug use, and taught her about FAS and nutrition. Four months into treatment, Dawn was staying abstinent. Things were going well. It was then that the couple received another surprise.

“We’re having twins! Oh, wow… two babies? How are we going to do this?”

“Don’t worry, Dawn, we can deal with it. Just one more obstacle in our way.”

“This is so difficult… I’m staying clean and doing what I need to do, but every day something else comes up.”

“Yeah, it would probably be easier to go back to the streets and start gettin’ high. But look at all the good things we’ve accomplished. We’ve come too far to throw it all away.”

And so, preparing for twins became the latest challenge in their shared journey to recovery. “We were already together when we were looking to get clean. We weren’t willing to separate for any reason, so we had to do it together.” Dawn recalls. “[It helped,] having somebody to walk through it with you, share all the ups and downs, and remind you how far you’ve come and where you still want to go.”

Dawn had support not only from her boyfriend, but from Aja and the women's program. She redoubled her efforts to set and achieve goals, worked on her parenting skills, and cut back on smoking. As her due date approached, a case manager made a home visit, making sure they had food, clothes, and baby furniture. On May 15, Dawn gave birth to healthy, identical twin boys.

“Being in a relationship and having the babies helped me get clean, because it gave me a reason to want to move forward in life,” she says. “Having the children and having a partner that loves you and is there for you, gave me my life back.”

Today, Dawn’s children are 4 months old, and she is nearing one year clean. She is a picture of composure as she tells her story and tends to her sons at the same time. She shifts one baby from her arms into a stroller to pick up the other, then reverses again. As they fuss, she remains calm and soothing, wiping mouths, giving them their bottles, even laughing cheerfully to herself as her son’s expression changes from restless to content. She shows no trace of her former life on the streets, sleeping at bus stops. She looks like a mom.

“I think for the two of us to go from where we were, to where we are now, it’s all pretty much thanks to Brandywine. This is the longest period of clean time either one of us has had. Being able to come up here every day and be accountable for your actions, and have people checking in on you, along with the medication that you get, has made us successful.”

Dawn sees a bright future ahead for her family. Life is not simply about surviving anymore; it’s about building a future for herself and for them. They’ve moved into a relative’s house, and they have a car. She hopes to one day own a home, put the children in a good school, and go back to school herself. For now, she wants to stay clean and sober, enjoy family life, and continue to build her support system. She’s on the right course again, and it all started with a friendly face offering food and shelter, no strings attached.

“It feels like a blessing. It feels that God was with me all along, and He’s looked out for me, and that He made a way for me to get better, and as long as I continue to follow it, things will continue to get better. It hasn’t been easy for us at all, but we’ve been able to get through it. I’m very happy with the way things are now.”

Brandywine Counseling services are funded by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA/CSAT; and Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. For more information, please call 302-656-2348.

Volunteer Spotlight: Gwen Cichocki, Outreach Support

Gwen Cichocki is a longtime volunteer with us in our Outreach Center. For several years, she's come in once a week to work in the clothes closet, restock supplies, and do many other small but necessary jobs to help out the outreach team. In this video by Will Leitz, Gwen talks about the work she does, and why it's personal for her. We couldn't do what we do without the help of people like Gwen!

Support BCI in the 2009 United Way Campaign

United Way of Delaware kicked off its 2009 campaign yesterday with a cheer by school students on South Market Street. The state's largest charitable campaign announced a goal of $20.5 million this year to benefit more than 100 member agencies including BCI.

Brandywine Counseling thanks you for supporting this year's campaign. There is no wrong way to give, whether your donation is large or small, whether you designate it to one agency or spread it around to many. We also know in this economy, it's not easy to be charitable, but it makes a difference for our clients.

What do United Way funds mean to member agencies? At BCI they support one full time position on our outreach team that goes out to do education, testing, and make referrals. We like to think of outreach as "opening windows of trust." Our clients are reluctant at first. It takes a friendly face, maybe a cup of coffee, bringing the services to them, and most of all, persevering and having patience. Because eventually, the light bulb will go on, and when someone is ready for help, we are ready to give it.

Like all member agencies, we measure outcomes. We report to United Way on the number of HIV tests we do, how many outreach contacts we make, and how many people reduce their risk. Results matter, and as a donor, you know your donation is going to a program that really works.
Your workplace probably runs a United Way campaign. If it doesn't, it’s easy to start! Contact United Way at (302) 573-3700 and they will set you up with everything you need. You can request guest speakers from member agencies for your campaign rally. There are many options to give, including payroll deduction or a one-time gift.

You can help not only through donating, but by spreading the word to others about BCI. The more we raise, the more we can help those in need. How can you spread the word? Here are some easy ways. Use email to send a post from our blog that will inspire people. Send friends to our Facebook page to see our photos, become Fans, and join the conversation. Or, just talk about us! When you're excited about BCI's work, other people will get excited, and they'll want to donate.

Thank you very much for your support this year. It saves lives, and it is really appreciated.

Hip To Be Checked!

Yesterday, BCI hosted an HIV testing event in partnership with the Wilmington City Ruff Rollers, Delaware's first all women's flat track roller derby league. "Hip To Be Checked" offered free, confidential HIV testing all day long at the Lancaster Avenue site. 56 people got tested and received a Wawa gift card!

Great work outreach team, and thanks to the Ruff Rollers for helping us get the word out about the importance of learning your status.

BCI Reaches Reluctant Clients by Creating "Windows of Trust"

BCI’s Safety Net Services is featured in this month’s CSAT Grantee Spotlight. We’re pleased to reprint it for you here. Pictured from left: Case Manager Sharon Brown, Nurse Joyce Bunkley, Nurse Practioner Chris Zebley, and NSAFE Manager Rhonda Swanson.

Basha Silverman is the Director of HIV Prevention Services at Brandywine Counseling in Wilmington, Delaware, and is the Project Coordinator of its Safety Net Services project. Sharon Brown is the Case Manager for the Safety Net Services project. We spoke with Basha and Sharon about this TCE/HIV grant and discussed their challenges, solutions, and lessons learned.

Grantee Profile
Brandywine Counseling provides behavioral health services to individuals with substance abuse problems and their families. It is Delaware’s largest provider of outpatient addiction treatment services.

Brandywine provides opioid treatment, drug-free treatment, mental health treatment, and case management. It includes pregnant and parenting women’s services, a drug court program, an infectious diseases clinic, and an HIV prevention unit.

Safety Net Services is a multicomponent project offering integrated addiction pretreatment, treatment, and HIV/AIDS services. It incorporates outreach, HIV education and testing, medication management, and co-occurring disorders treatment. This grant targets women and ex-offenders and creates a safety net for at-risk and HIV-positive substance abusers at various stages of readiness to enter addiction treatment.

What are your unique challenges?
Clients have unique patterns of willingness, readiness, and commitment to treatment. They become interested, engaged, and disinterested, and leave, return, and cycle back and forth.

When engaged, clients visit us often, bring their babies, visit our clothes closet, and use our dropin services. We view these as special windows of opportunity to make use of clients’ motivation to change. But these windows can close quickly, challenging our ability to remain engaged.

Co-occurring mental health issues are notable challenges. When clients don’t have rapid access to mental health medications or professionals, their windows of opportunity can rapidly close and their treatment needs may be left unmet.

How do you address these challenges?
Since client willingness and readiness are dynamic processes, we make engagement methods flexible and dynamic. We meet clients where they are, not where we want them to be.

When clients stop coming to us, we reach out to them. But they shy away if outreach is coercive or pushy. Thus, we use gentle motivational interviewing techniques during outreach. We meet clients at times convenient to them. They are often on the street in the early mornings.

Our Case Manager will conduct outreach between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. At such times, clients are often tired and willing to talk and join the Case Manager for coffee and donuts and discuss treatment. Many clients are willing to enter treatment on the spot. Since our program accepts intakes at 5:30 a.m., the Case Manager can take advantage of windows of opportunity and help admit clients immediately.

To enhance outreach effectiveness, our Case Manager has multiple roles. All of our clients are assigned a counselor and a Case Manager. Our Case Manager is an active part of the counseling team and conducts follow-up locating and outreach. Thus, clients already have a relationship with her. She is a friendly face.

We promote treatment-on-demand to address mental health challenges. CSAT funding helped us expand the roles and hours for our nurse and nurse practitioners. They previously worked only with HIV clients but now work with HIV clients and those with co-occurring disorders. We were also able to increase physician and psychiatrist time. These changes increased access to psychiatric evaluations and medication management. Having our Case Manager coordinate appointments further increased access and reduced waiting lists.

What lessons would you like to share?
Program and client goals can be at odds. A program may seek to achieve 80 percent abstinence, which is commendable. But clients may have such goals as getting a home or a job, leaving an abusing spouse, or reuniting with their children. They may want to be better spouses or parents.

We can improve the lives of our clients best if we use goals and milestones that are client-centered, realistic to each client, and take into consideration the resources in the community and clients’ lives.

We implemented several process improvements that resulted in reduced waiting time and increased admissions. To do so, we had someone anonymously walk through the admission process and experience it from a client’s perspective. This revealed delays to make appointments, complete the intake and assessment paperwork, enter treatment, and receive lab tests.

We convened a committee to analyze the processes. We took steps to reduce appointment times, shortened the admission process by eliminating duplicate admission and assessment paperwork, and reduced lab delays from weeks to hours by using same-day lab tests.

How has GPRA data collection helped you?
Asking the GPRA tool questions fosters thoughtful and probing discussions with clients. It helps to create relationships with clients and opens up windows of trust and intimacy. Asking the GPRA questions helps us to better understand clients’ lives, experiences, treatment needs, and resources.

This article is reprinted with permission from CSAT Discretionary Grantee News, July 2009.

BCI Tests 56 for National HIV Testing Day

Saturday June 27 was National HIV Testing Day. The BCI outreach team took part in Each One Teach One’s 6th Annual Health Hookup Community Festival, held at Wm. Hicks Anderson Community Center.

The event offered screenings for a range of important health issues, and we were responsible for the HIV testing. Guests were encouraged to visit all the exhibit tables and receive a sticker, which they could then exchange for lunch, including burgers, hot dogs, and chips.

We tested 56 people at this event. A lot of young people came out that day, which was a good thing. Unfortunately, we found no new positives, but everyone learned their status and ways to stay negative.

Delaware's Division of Public Health (DPH) and BCI want you to know that free, rapid HIV testing continues to be available at sites throughout the state all year long. Get tested at any Needle Exchange site or call 655-9880, ext. 21 for an appointment.

A Dedication and Celebration, BCI Style (Complete with Water Guns)

BCI staff past and present, and our friends outside the organization, gathered June 24, 2008 for a twofold purpose. We dedicated our Outreach Center in honor of our first Outreach Director Linda DeShields, and we took time to pay tribute to our retiring Executive Director Sally Allshouse. In true BCI fashion, it was an afternoon of fellowship, recovery, and fun.

The afternoon began with a proclamation by Board President David Oppold dedicating the Linda DeShields Outreach Center. To the sounds of cheers, the ribbon was cut and a plaque was unveiled inside. Lunch was served, including dishes home cooked by staff, and tours were given of the renovated facility. Guest speakers then reminisced about Linda and honored her legacy.

James Harrison shared the story of how Linda recruited him as the first BCI employee to be previously a consumer on the methadone program. He also tells the story here. James recalled Linda’s work ethic, how she didn’t have a watch, or understand the concept of 8 hours and you were done. He recalled Linda sending him into a crack house to find a person. “I can’t go in there, I’m a recovering addict,” he said. Linda answered, “That’s why I hired you, go in there and get ‘em!” So James went in, because you don’t say no to Linda DeShields, and that person is doing well in treatment today.

Jack Booker, Linda’s oldest son, noted her unconditional love for her children. “When I think of my mom, I think about God, and to me, God is loving, caring, sharing, and helping.” In an emotional tribute, he thanked her for giving him the skills to be successful in life and for never giving up on her family. Her legacy includes daughter Rochelle who’s following in her footsteps as supervisor of the Needle Exchange.

Laurie Dyer, a past employee of BCI, recalled running a women’s group with Linda, and getting them makeovers at Wannamaker’s. Another time, they attended a workshop on African American heritage that ended with Linda initiating Laurie as an African American woman. “I was honored! I came back and told everyone, ‘I’m a black woman!’ and I am proud to say that today!” Finally, she recollected what it was like to take a trip with Linda as your backseat driver, pretending to be asleep, but somehow awakening at the moment you start to talk about her.

Shay Lipshitz said she is forever indebted to Linda, who hired her at BCI. Having been called away for a presentation and nearly missing today’s event, Shay recalled Linda’s words, “You always have to give something back to the house, and I hope I did that today.”

Sally Allshouse told of meeting Linda on her second day at work. “She looked at me, looked me up and down, and said, ‘Time will tell.’ She was the most amazing, strong, black woman. She loved her family, she loved God, and she loved working. She knew by giving back to her community, she would be rewarded. She adopted us. She would go eat anywhere. Every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, if she knew where you lived, she would show up. She was a Delawarean, she knew what it meant to live in Wilmington, to be raised in Wilmington, to have trouble in Wilmington, but she believed in Wilmington.”

Rochelle Booker, Linda’s daughter, thanked everyone for coming to celebrate her mom. She then introduced Sally and informed her this was a surprise going away party. (Actually it was not that surprising, as Sally found out a day before.) Rochelle noted that it was Sally who gave her her start. “I know when she saw my application, she probably said uh-uh. Another Booker? When you’re introducing someone this good, you can’t write nothin’ down. All I can say is thank you from my heart and I love you.”

Rochelle presented Sally with a baton to symbolically pass the torch to her successor, Lynn Fahey. Sally, in turn, brought some gifts for her staff. Explaining she was cleaning out her office and returning confiscated materials, she presented each manager with a toy water gun, to much laughter and applause. “If you know my staff, they can be a little raucous, and some of them have criminal histories!”

But this was only the beginning, as more toys were bestowed upon Lynn. Juggling balls, which every Executive Director needs. Punching bags for the days you get really angry. “Character In a Jar” for dealing with funding agencies who never play fair. “Whack a Mole” for dealing with all the BCI sites. “There's Alpha! There's Outreach! There's Lancaster! There's Newark! They keep poppin’ up!” “Grow a Therapist.” (Self-explanatory.) A foam sword to cut through the bull. Last but not least, the biggest water gun of all, because “When you have staff who are criminals, you need a really big gun. This thing will squirt, and Lynn, you’re gonna need to squirt!” All joking aside, Sally said she’s had the best 21 years at BCI, and 39 years in the addiction field, and it’s been a moment of joy every single day because she gets to see miracles.

Lynn Fahey thanked Sally for her caring over the years, for the opportunities and the life lessons, saying, “I will be doing everything in my power to continue what you’ve created and built.” She then presented gifts to Sally from the staff, reading a letter of gratitude for her leadership and dedication. Since Sally would not allow us to buy her anything, the staff made a donation of $600 to Brandywine Counseling in her name. Lynn also announced we will rededicate the Sara Allshouse Tree of Excellence, noting the tree trunk is a fitting symbol of her stable and strong leadership that enabled BCI to achieve such growth. Sally was also presented with a real, potted tree.

David Oppold read a letter from Senator Carper’s office thanking Sally for her dedication that has touched thousands of lives. The floor was then opened up to all the guests to share their stories, thoughts, and gratitude.

Steve Burns was given his start at BCI by both Linda and Sally. He recalled working as a counselor in Riverside, and one day Linda came and got everyone to go do outreach. Steve said, “I’m a counselor, not an outreach worker.” Linda replied, “Everybody’s an outreach worker today. Get your a** outside!” Steve thanked Sally for encouraging him to go back to school, and for her longtime support of the 1212 Club.

James Harrison described Sally as someone “to take a nobody and say you’re a somebody.” He also remembered spiritual experiences, like the time a Joint Commission challenge resolved itself not even an hour after Sally’s words, “Let’s pray!” Marge Flynn gave thanks for Sally’s support after her relapse after years of recovery, and eventually rehiring her. “That’s love! That’s recovery!” Laurie Dyer recalled how Sally made work pleasurable to come to every day, complete with pranks at the office and staff retreats.

Former staff member Joanne Coston noted Linda’s and Sally’s personal influence on her and on how she raised her kids. Consultant Dorothy Dillard presented Sally with the “Nth Chance Award,” after all those she gave a first, second, 50th, and 100th chance. Sally thanked us all and left us with these words: “If you don’t believe in recovery, and if you don’t believe people get better, then get out of the tent, because this tent is about recovery!”

What a day it was. Many more of us could have spoken yesterday if time permitted. Since I did not get my chance, I’ll do so now. It’s well known that Sally took a chance in hiring people new to recovery. But she also took a chance in hiring me to be her assistant. I came in with no non-profit experience, some grant writing ability, and a degree in chemical engineering, of all things. I knew nothing of addiction, and was dead set against working with “those addicts.” So much so, that I even turned down my second interview at first. But something stuck with me and eventually made me change my mind. I had interviewed at many non-profits, but this one was different. BCI was more rough around the edges, but behind that I saw passion, potential, and a refreshing frankness. Without meeting any other staff, I knew this attitude came from Sally, and I decided I wanted to work for her. And so it was that I got my big break in the non-profit sector, and also learned to open my mind to the unfamiliar and the exciting.

As yesterday’s celebration shows, that spirit is still here at Brandywine. It started with Linda DeShields and with Sally Allshouse, but will remain even after they’ve left. Thanks Linda, and thanks Sally.

Photos from Linda DeShields Outreach Center Dedication/Sally's Retirement Party

Today BCI staff past and present, and many of our friends from outside the organization, gathered to dedicate our Outreach Center in honor of Linda DeShields.

We also took the opportunity to celebrate our retiring Executive Director Sally Allshouse, who didn't want a party but we knew we could get her there to celebrate Linda.

In true BCI fashion, it was an afternoon of fellowship, recovery, and fun. Full writeup coming soon, but for now I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

5 Questions for Sally Allshouse, 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: Sally Allshouse
Job: Executive Director
Time with BCI: 21 years

1. You’re retiring at the end of June after a long and distinguished career in addiction treatment. How did you get started in the field?
It was sort of like a coincidence. I student taught in 1969 at Forwood Elementary School. And I ran into the woman who I taught under, at a department store where I was working, and she asked, “Why are you working here?” And [she] had a friend, Rev. Richard Hamilton, who had just been appointed by the Governor to start drug abuse services in the state of Delaware – because before then, there wasn’t any, it was only alcohol services – and she hooked me up with an interview with him. And I was one of the first outreach workers in the State of Delaware back then. So that was 1970.

2. What would people be surprised to know about your job?
One, I love it. That I do know about the clients, still. I do, through incident reports and through talking to the site supervisors, still get very involved with client issues. Every day’s different. There is no typical day. The biggest challenge over the years has been to keep my stress level down, not to prejudge things, try to be fair about situations, and keep a fresh look at what we do and how we do it. I dislike hearing, “That’s the way we do it.” And to me, that’s important, to be able to keep looking at things in a fresh way.

3. What advice do you have for someone who would like to do the job you do?
A student intern, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, asked me that question, and my response to her was that she should learn how to juggle. And I think that’s true. You need to be able to have more than one ball in the air. You need to be able to realize that everything you do is connected, so if you drop one, they could affect the whole organization. So someone needs to be able to think of their toes, and remain calm, and try and get a perspective about what’s going on.

4. If you had $30,000 to donate to BCI, what would you do with it?
You know, there’s so many areas. And I’ve read what people have said to you about what they would do. I would really like a fund established for the kids. There are so many children that are affected by this disease. They stand in line with their parents, or we see them in our outreach, and we see them in all the programs. We have people who are generational here, whose parents were here, and now they’re here. And if we could do something in the prevention area for those kids, I think that would be wonderful.

5. What are you most proud of in your time at Brandywine?
So many things. Services for women, and their children. That’s always been a priority to me. And outreach, I think. Doing our outreach has been very valuable. There’s been a couple of clients that I’ve been really proud of, that have gone from being clients [to being employees.] Someone who served on our board for awhile and then became an employee, I think he’s a great success. Clients who have gone from entry into our medication-assisted programs, all the way to Newark and just coming in monthly. I think there have been great successes for that.

You're Invited to the Dedication of the Linda DeShields Outreach Center

Brandywine Counseling Invites You to

The Dedication of

The Linda DeShields Outreach Center

Enjoy refreshments, meet our staff, and celebrate Linda's and BCI's work in HIV Prevention and Outreach!

Where & When
2814 Lancaster Avenue
Wilmington, Delaware 19805
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
1:00 - 3:00PM

RSVP by June 17 to:
bashasilverman[at]gmail[dot]com
or (302) 655-9880 ext. 23

5 Questions for Tom Bell, Outreach Worker

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: Tom Bell
Job: Outreach Worker, HIV Prevention and Needle Exchange
Time with BCI: 7 years

1. What’s your job at BCI and what do you enjoy about it?
I’m a member of the team doing outreach and needle exchange. The mission is to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, targeting injecting drug users, and then also offer harm reduction education and information. We’re out there in the community 4 days a week, which is Tuesday-Friday. We also do HIV rapid testing on that van. It’s totally confidential. And one doesn’t have to be in the needle exchange program to receive testing, one can just come on, get an HIV test. If they need referrals, then we’ll make those as well, give them help wherever we can. Also pass out condoms, to help slow down the spread of STDs. Right now we’re trying out a new pilot program. It's called the LINK program, and we offer some incentive, as far as introducing drug-injecting people to the program.

And I kind of like it, because it’s out there helping the community and trying to change their thinking. We understand most people will do what they’re gonna do, but not being knowledgeable of what they’re doing. [So] we try some education in that area, because we know that we can’t stop folks from doing what they do. I like doing it, because I myself was drug dependent at one time. I went through an organization, and aftercare, and a 12 Step program to get my life back, and change my mindset, and become a productive member of society. So we try to instill hope in them that they don’t always have to live like this.

2. The Delaware Division of Public Health announced recently there are now fewer new HIV infections in the state and more HIV tests being done, thanks in part to the needle exchange. What’s your reaction to this news? Do you think progress is being made?
Yes I do. My take on that is, the word is spreading, and it’s a plus.

3. What would people be surprised to know about your job?
It’s not just drug and alcohol related; we help out wherever we can. We help with clothing, food, shelter, referrals, whatever way we can help. I can remember the times when I was drug dependent, and I was just wishing and hoping someone could just help, just not knowing where to go or how to ask for help. And now with this outreach program, we’re out there meeting folks just where they’re at, so some of the things they might not want to ask, or don’t have the courage at that time, or maybe they think it’s gonna take too much time, we’re there to step in and kind of reevaluate their thinking.

4. What’s the fun part of your job?
(Laughs) You say the fun part… Being in this field, the fun part is in the beginning. Maybe meeting someone for the first time, and they don’t really like you, because sometimes you have to be stern and practice a little tough love at some point. But the gratitude is when you see them later on down the line, and they have changed their mindset, and [are] starting to do different things, starting to become a productive member of society, not so much drug dependent, and starting to get their life back together. That’s the joy, you know, that’s the reward, in all. And I love that.

And then, I also have those same individuals come up to me later on, maybe a month or a year later, and say, “Why, thank you. Thank you for being there, thank you for puttin’ up with all that you put up with.” And I in turn say, “You’re welcome, and thank you for puttin’ up with all that you put up with.” (Laughs) So, that’s the fun part.

5. Since you joined the Outreach team, you’ve been working side by side with your wife. What’s that like?
(Laughs) Well, actually, it’s good and it’s bad, you know, to be honest. Because I, too, have to have an outlet. And, like I stated, I was drug dependent, and I attend a 12 Step program, and sometimes I have to talk about some of the things that go on with me working with my wife… And I’m grateful to be able to work with her, because I didn’t have the opportunity [before]. We were in the same field, but different areas, different times, so I didn’t get a chance to spend as much time like I do now.

She’s been in the outreach program [longer], and she knows more than I know in the outreach area, and so I’m humbly taking my stand. And sometimes it gets frustrating when she has to be stern, and then sometimes I don’t like it… But I understand that it’s for the best for the program and the organization, and I keep an open mind. And it’s actually good. We have our bad times, but it’s more good times than bad. I think that it could work. It’s life!

Hospital-Based Outreach Connects Patients with Drug Treatment

Brandywine Counseling and Christiana Care have found that placing an intervention specialist on site at the hospital helps get people into treatment who otherwise were not seeking help for their addiction.

Since September 2008, a BCI staff member has been working full time on site at Wilmington Hospital. His job is to be available “on demand” to patients who show signs of substance abuse. The hospital staff sends him referrals mostly from the emergency room, but also the inpatient, outpatient, and CAPES (Crisis and Psychiatric Emergency Assessment) departments. Intakes for treatment are available on site two days a week. If treatment or other services outside the hospital are needed, we make the linkages and assist the patient in following through.

We saw a need for this service, just by looking at drug abuse as a health issue. Drug use is known to increase your risk of chronic disease, including heart disease and cancer. A recent study showed that over an 8 year period, Johns Hopkins treated over 20,000 patients who abused two or more drugs. The average health care cost per patient was about $1300. If more patients got into treatment earlier, it may potentially improve their health and also avoid future health care costs.

Here are the results of our project: In a 4 month period, 122 patients at Wilmington Hospital agreed to speak with our BCI liaison. Their most common drug of choice was alcohol. Over half had at least one prior treatment episode, but 35% had never been in treatment before. 99 patients were referred to a treatment program and 59 were successfully admitted.

The fact that 35% of people never had treatment before shows we’re reaching a population we wouldn’t otherwise come in contact with. It was also surprising that only 21% were homeless; whereas we thought the majority would be. So we’re seeing people who have some level of stability in their life, but haven’t recognized on their own the problems their addiction creates.

Wilmington Hospital tells us the response and need for service have been exceptional. The numbers certainly back this up. We’ll continue to keep you updated as this effort moves forward.

BCI LINK: A Social Networking Approach to HIV Prevention

One of our biggest challenges in meeting the goals of Delaware's Needle Exchange is how to reach those most at risk for HIV. With 12 positives found in two years, we know there are more yet to be discovered. As it was reported last summer, fewer minorities are enrolled in the Needle Exchange despite their disproportionately high risk. Typically, these injection drug users are mistrustful of law enforcement, have never been tested for HIV, and are not involved in any treatment program. As resourceful as our outreach workers are, we can never elicit everyone’s trust. So if someone won’t listen to an indigenous outreach worker, who will they listen to? We think the answer is their own peers who are already participating in the Needle Exchange.

Brandywine Counseling has launched a new recruitment strategy based on peer to peer networking, called BCI LINK. We will use existing social networks to promote HIV awareness, the Needle Exchange program, and drug treatment. Specifically, all participants in the Needle Exchange will be offered an incentive to recruit others in their social networks. The approach is evidence-based and has shown that that the incentives also increase adherence to the program.

The great thing is, we assume we already have people who collect and exchange used syringes from their peers. BCI LINK will train these individuals as “Connectors” to reach out and draw in their peers (“Crew Members”) who otherwise would not enroll. The effect will be that BCI reaches greater penetration levels within the community. Every Connector and Crew Member is required to be tested for HIV. We will also learn more about trends in needle-sharing, intravenous drug use, and HIV infection in Wilmington.

What’s more, because BCI LINK takes advantage of established patterns amongst Wilmington’s injection drug users, it has the potential to grow exponentially, reaching ever-larger groups of at-risk drug users. The graphic above shows the results of a similar program in Philadelphia that showed great success after a year and a half.

We began BCI LINK one week ago, and have already enrolled 6 Connectors and 5 Crew Members. We are truly excited to bring this approach to Wilmington. Stay tuned as we report on our progress and results.


Graphic c/o Howard Wasserman for Prevention Point Philadelphia.

Volunteer Spotlight: Bridget Cady, Outreach Support

Bridget Cady is a recent graduate of University of Wales, Lampeter in the UK and will be serving in the Peace Corps starting in May 2009. She spends several hours a week volunteering with Brandywine Counseling's Outreach Department. Recently she sat down for a chat about what brought her here and what she’s been doing.

What made you want to volunteer?
I’m joining the Peace Corps, and I really wanted to get as much volunteer experience as possible. I know a bit about drug rehabilitation and addicts, and stuff like that, but it was really important for me to get experience in HIV/AIDS, the outreach part of it.

Why did you choose BCI?
I live in this neighborhood, so it was really important to me to volunteer close to home. I wanted to help out in my community, so I’m volunteering at two places, and both of them are within my zip code.

What have you worked on here?
I’ve done all sorts of things. I’ve looked up research, I’ve written little pieces for proposals. I’ve worked the week before Thanksgiving giving away turkeys to people. That was probably my favorite thing. I have lots of different things to do. No day’s ever the same when I come in here, and I really like that.

What will you take away from your experience?
A greater appreciation for members of my community and some of the hardships that they’re going through, and also for the wonderful people who are trying to help them.

How does it feel to help people in need?
It feels great! I mean, of course it feels good to be able to say, “I have the time to do this, so, I’m going to.” It’s a heartening feeling.

BCI's Thanksgiving Photos

We've posted some pics from this year's food basket giveaway and lunchtime feast for our clients. Once again it was a great time for a great cause. Click here to view the full album.

Thankful for "Another Year to Be Here"

Today, as we do each year, Brandywine Counseling distributed Thanksgiving food baskets for our clients and their families. The outreach staff gave out 168 baskets this year. The food was supplied by the Basket Brigade of Delaware, a volunteer organization that delivers food to families most in need, in time for Thanksgiving. They target families who may have fallen through the cracks of other support systems and are in need.

Several recipients took some time to talk with me about what it meant to get this help. One had this to say:

What does it mean to you to get a Thanksgiving basket? It’s a pleasure to get one and I’m very thankful and blessed that we could receive a turkey from BCI.
What were you planning to do for Thanksgiving if you hadn’t gotten a basket? Nothing.
Is the economic downturn affecting you? Yes it is. Financially, physically, emotionally.
Who are you spending Thanksgiving with? With my daughter, my grandkids.
What are you most thankful for this year? For getting a meal for Thanksgiving. And to be here. Another year to be here.

Another recipient had this message to share:

"I’ve been with BCI for the last 12-13 years, and I am so happy. They have helped me with everything. This turkey helps me and my family to appreciate Thanksgiving, and that’s the way I was raised. I also want to say thank you to my driver. She made it possible for all her clients to be here. She went home and got her own transportation, just to come and pick us up, so we all can have a nice Thanksgiving. And I thank God, and bless you, and may you have a blessing on your day."

We Need Old Laptops

Brandywine Counseling is trying to collect 2-4 old used laptops to use on our needle exchange van to keep notes as we do our outreach work.

Laptops need to have an AC adapter and a USB port. The battery can be dead, and it does not need a CD drive!

If you have a laptop to donate or know someone who does, please call Basha Silverman at (302) 655-9880, ext. 22, or bring it in to the Linda DeShields Outreach Center, 2814 Lancaster Avenue. Donations are tax-deductible and would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much.

A Network of Partnerships and Technology Makes "Safety Net" Work for Delaware's Severely Ill

One year ago, Brandywine Counseling began an ambitious, multifaceted project targeting Delawareans with some of the most severe needs for substance abuse, mental health, and HIV risk reduction services. Never before in the state had all of these services been connected under one umbrella. Safety Net Services has changed that, and the results so far indicate this approach is working.

We started this program last October with a 5 year grant from CSAT, and admitted our first clients in January. Many of them enter the program through Christiana Care’s Wilmington Hospital. They come to the hospital for emergency care, OB/GYN care, or other services, but also have substance abuse and/or mental health needs which the hospital system is not equipped to treat. Through Safety Net Services, we’ve established a partnership with Christiana Care and other agencies so we can link these patients to appropriate care, whether it’s medication management; HIV outreach, education and risk reduction counseling; or substance abuse treatment.

We are reaching people who could otherwise get “lost in the cracks.” On one occasion, a woman we encountered during street outreach tested positive for HIV on our mobile van. She was ready to be linked to medical care and other services, and also was ready to enter substance abuse treatment. We got her admitted to our program that day, enrolled her in our on-site HIV medical clinic so her health could be monitored, and also connected her with our HIV case management program (NSAFE). She now has easy access to all these services under one roof, increasing the likelihood that she can adhere to medical care and be successful in treatment.

Safety Net Services owes much of its success to technology. Staff have the ability to do “mobile intakes” out in the community, which creates a path of least resistance for clients to enter treatment. We use laptops with wireless air-cards for Internet access to remotely dial into the Brandywine Counseling servers. We also depend on cell phones to keep our team in constant communication with one another, whether it be for a new referral or to contact a client who has been absent for treatment. Constant communication among our staff from various programs lets us assist each client with managing their time and responsibilities, such as keeping appointments.

In the past year, we’ve seamlessly transitioned 75 clients to co-occurring treatment, in which substance abuse and mental health disorders are treated simultaneously. Our average client is 40 years old and female. About half the population is minority. Of the 75, 42 clients had medical problems in addition to HIV that required medication management at our “one stop shop” clinic, with an average of four medical problems per participant. Most (83%) of the clients also have a mental health diagnosis, most commonly major depression. They are also seeking greater stability in regards to living situation, employment and income.

Six months after admission, we measure several indicators of recovery and stability. Our clients show good progress on all measures. None had dropped out of treatment after six months. Two-thirds reported no drug use, half reported no alcohol use, and 40% reported no alcohol or drug use.

Overall, Safety Net Services is making recovery and stability possible for many Delawareans with severe substance abuse and mental health issues. This program has allowed us to focus on some of the most needy individuals in this community, simultaneously addressing multiple critical issues. The interagency partnerships with organizations like Christiana Care, and the new technology available to us, make it possible to reach people who would otherwise have no contact with treatment providers.

The Dedication of The Linda DeShields Outreach Center

Brandywine Counseling's Outreach Center, located at 2814 Lancaster Avenue, Wilmington, has been renamed in honor of Linda DeShields, our first Director of Outreach Services. The dedication coincides with the near-completion of renovations to the facility to accommodate our outreach staff and human resources. The following proclamation was made October 21 by our Board of Directors:

Proclamation

Board of Directors
Brandywine Counseling, Inc.

Whereas, Brandywine Counseling, Inc., a non-profit organization, has announced a Building Dedication in establishing The Linda DeShields Outreach Center;

Whereas, Linda DeShields Outreach Center will establish a focus towards "intervention and outreach to addicts;"

Whereas, Brandywine Counseling, Inc., has a mission to intervene and provide outreach;

Whereas, All outreach and intervention in the Disease of Addiction is the key to prevention;

Whereas, Outreach and intervention begins with hope, self acceptance and forgiveness;

Whereas, Linda DeShields believed that with tolerance and compassion we embrace diversity;

Whereas, Linda DeShields believed that Together we make a difference through outreach,

Whereas, Brandywine Counseling, Inc. invites all to declare October 21, 2008 as the dedication of its outreach center, as the Linda DeShields Outreach Center and this Center will act as a model for all of us to follow, each and every day;

NOW, THEREFORE, The Board of Brandywine Counseling, Inc. hereby dedicate and proclaim October 21, 2008 as the dedication of its annex building as The Linda DeShields Outreach Center and invite all to observe and honor her memory.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have here unto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of Brandywine Counseling, Inc. to be affixed this 21 day of October 2008.

David Oppold, President

ATTEST: Lisa Sherwood, Interim Secretary

Volunteer Spotlight: Felecia Doyle, Outreach Support

My name is Felecia Doyle. I am doing my internship at BCI HIV/AIDS Outreach Program. I first learned about the program from seeing the sign on Lancaster Avenue. I started researching what programs they offered and was interested in how much the staff helps the community. Being a Delaware Tech student in the Drug and Alcohol Degree program we are required to complete 200 hours of unpaid internship. Not only am I learning from my experience here, I am helping the staff achieve their goals by offering my support.

Before I started at BCI, I figured the staff had to have a heart in working with the community that is at risk for HIV. Once I started, the staff welcomed me with open arms. Since the facility is under renovations, the staff is working out of one room. Even though the space is tight, they all work together like one family.

I am currently working on data entry for the NEP, Needle Exchange Program. This program manages the clients who are new to NEP and who have utilized NEP as repeat clients. These clients are given numbers to use as their identification. Another program I am helping with is the CSAT GPRA, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Government Performance and Results Act. This is through SAMHSA, which funds grants to provide substance abuse and mental health services to states and communities. This program monitors clients for a year.

I have learned a lot with the needle exchange program. I believe that this is a great program to help the community. The outreach workers go out into the community to promote the program, give out safe sex kits, bleach kits and let clients know about the rapid free HIV testing.

What I would take away with me from the experience is to have had the pleasure of meeting such great people who work at the HIV Outreach. All of the staff have hearts of gold and give so much to the community. I like to help people and bring smiles to their faces. If more people would open up their hearts it would make such a big difference.

Live United! United Way Kicks Off 2008 Campaign

United Way of Delaware kicked off its 2008 campaign September 4. The state's largest charitable campaign raises over $20 million a year for more than 100 member agencies including BCI.

The slogan for this year's campaign is, "Live United." As you can see in this video, the message is that we all have the power to make a difference, by giving, advocating, and volunteering.



At BCI, United Way funds support our HIV Prevention and Outreach Services. Your donation means we can continue to send our dedicated and caring staff like Dee and Claudette out on the streets every day to educate, test for HIV, and make referrals. If you believe we need to stop the spread of HIV in Wilmington, please support our work with a donation.

If your workplace has never run a United Way campaign, it’s easy to start! Contact United Way at (302) 573-3700 and they will set you up with everything you need. You can request guest speakers from BCI or other member agencies for your campaign rally.

There is no wrong way to give. Select the Community Impact Fund, and your gift will be distributed among all member agencies. Select a Strategic Focus Area, like Healthy and Independent Communities, to direct your gift toward a specific issue. You can also designate your gift to Brandywine by selecting code 165, or to another agency of your choice.

So get involved and Live United! As the video says, it’s our state, our community, let’s build it up together.

You Can Make a Difference Today. Here's How.

The BCI Blog is participating for the first time in the Non-Profit Blog Exchange Virtual Event. Each participant writes about another participant's blog, and they write about yours. The result is that everyone gets new readers and attention for the work they do.

The blog I was asked to write about is the Tutor/Mentor Connection. This Chicago organization seeks to connect people from around the world with information and networks that help support the growth of comprehensive, volunteer based tutor/mentor programs. As it turns out, I was a volunteer mentor myself a number of years ago. In fact, the satisfaction I got from mentoring what was led me to my present career in the non-profit field.

There are many things I like about this blog, but what most impressed me was that there is a call to action in nearly every post. This one immediately grabbed my attention by asking, “Did you get up this morning inspired to do something special?” and then going on to tell me, “There is something you can do EVERYDAY that can help make this a better world.”

T/MC, like BCI, serves a low-income, underprivileged population. Daniel Bassill, who writes their blog, knows that to bring about real change for these people, he must convince others of the urgency of taking action. It is not enough that people simply think mentoring is important; he wants them to volunteer, donate, and spread the word to others.

The question is, what makes someone take that step from being a supporter to being involved? What makes them step outside their comfort zone? Daniel believes peer-to-peer networking is the key. If you hear about a good cause from a trusted friend, aren’t you more likely to pay attention, than if you just see it on a Web site, or read it in a newsletter? And once you’re paying attention, you’re probably more likely to volunteer or donate to that cause.

As a blogger for BCI, I think of myself as starting a conversation with a virtual megaphone. I can inform you and inspire you, but then it’s up to you to continue that conversation. Maybe you email your friends what James Harrison said about the needle exchange. Maybe you become a fan of our Facebook Page, so your friends will ask you, “Brandywine Counseling? What’s that?” Old-fashioned conversation works too: “Hey, did you know The Lighthouse needs school supplies?”

Networking matters in so many settings. Just look at how our clients decide to enter treatment for their drug addiction. We do not advertise our services. Our biggest recruiting tool is word of mouth, from our indigenous outreach workers who walk the streets. When a person is contemplating whether to enter treatment, that is a huge step outside their comfort zone. They can best be persuaded to take that leap by a messenger they identify with and trust.

So I would recommend the Tutor-Mentor Connection blog to anyone who believes in the power of peer to peer networking. And I challenge you to think about how you could make a difference, today, using your own personal network. How will you continue the conversation?

5 Questions for James Harrison, Site 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: James Harrison
Job: Site Director, Lancaster Avenue
Time with BCI: 20 years

1. How did you get started working in the addiction treatment field?
I think mine was a unique situation. I was actually finishing up a three [year] mandatory prison term, and Kay Malone and Linda DeShields came to the Plummer Center in 1988, and at the time, the American Red Cross was providing HIV education in the prison. They had a gentleman that came in, and none of the inmates would respond to him. They were rowdy, they were disruptive. And so, the warden asked me if I would co-facilitate the group. And I agreed to it. And after his first presentation, I actually took control of the presentation.

All the inmates were extremely receptive. It was like hearing it from one of their peers. And this was a time when HIV and AIDS was at truly epidemic proportion in our city, and folks were dying within five years. And so I hollered out, “Listen up, people! I have some life-saving information!” And people were quiet. People listened. And that kind of opened the door for me to start doing some prevention education, after I was released. Of course, Kay and Linda DeShields agreed to hire me after I was released, waited five months for my release, and I’ve been here ever since.

Many people would be surprised to know that I’ve actually had a 30 year history with Brandywine. So, many folks, especially newcomers, oftentimes will not realize that I’ve spent ten years on the other side of the fence. And so, I’ve seen the changes we’ve made as an agency, particularly around process improvement and access, and just being kinder and gentler to the addict. I think what folks will not realize is that ten years as a consumer embedded an advocacy in me that will never leave. And so I carry with me, day to day, having to straddle both fences. I’m still in recovery, I will say that. I can always see the client’s view clearer in my head as I’m also trying to move our agenda, and move the agency to the next level. So when you first look at me, you don’t see the old James, and so that’s the piece that I carry with my job that many folks don’t know about.

2. What changes have you seen in your 30 years with BCI?
Part of what I’ve seen is a growing trend, that we’re seeing a younger, sicker population. And I look at all of the old-timers, for loss of a better analogy. They are the dying breed. I recall one consumer I saw yesterday, who has been with Brandywine [for] a 30 year history, is actually wheelchair bound, and blind. And that same person, I used drugs with, I hustled with, I participated in drug addict behavior with. And now this person is barely struggling to survive.

And I see on the other spectrum, young white females and young black males chronically addicted to opiates, but now struggling with HIV, mental illness, and addictions. And I think the most obvious change has been the severity of folks’ addictions and their problems, coupled with the social ills as well: increased gas prices, food, housing shortage. All those other issues, where I think years ago, folks could make it off of a year’s income of about $12,000, but now, that’s starving. And so, couple that with addiction that’s more severe in its nature, we’re seeing sicker and more violent individuals as well.

3. BCI was in the news last week because of the challenge of reaching black drug users with the needle exchange. What do you think it will take for this population to access these services?
There was a workshop I went to, years ago, that addressed this very issue. The name of it was, “Beyond Tuskegee.” And if you remember the Tuskegee experiments, blacks historically had a fear of public health systems, and the whole notion that, “This is suspect, in terms of, the government has its hands on it, and that law enforcement may use this as a vehicle to further disenfranchise us.” So getting beyond Tuskegee would say that, “No, this is not true. There’s not a great conspiracy theory around accessing needle exchange, or providing services in an outreach effort.”

I think we have to build a comfort zone for African Americans. It’s like, if they see me drink the water, then the water’s okay. But until they see it and watch me be okay, many times they won’t access. So I think the most valuable tool we’re going to have is our African American peers who currently work on the [needle exchange] van. For [drug users] to see, again for loss of a better analogy, that they too have drunk the water and the water’s okay. So there’s got to be a comfort level in saying, “You know what? Needle exchange is a good thing. It saves lives, it’s not connected to law enforcement, it’s not some sort of drug inside the syringes.” The belief that it is a good thing has to be kind of penetrated throughout the community.

And accessibility -- going into what we call the “red light district” of the city of Wilmington is challenging, especially with all the shootings. I don’t know if African Americans are truly the population who are now injecting at an alarming rate. Certainly we do have some folks injecting, but I also believe that this is a dying population as well. And more people, because of drugs being purer, are smoking and sniffing. And so, there may not be as great a need for syringes as we first thought. So I think a collective kind of effort with our Senator Margaret Rose Henry, who’s birthed this project, our community leaders, our naysayers, our people who advocate for this population, we all have to collectively come up with a strategy to keep pushing the message that the water’s okay.

4. You can tell a lot about a person from their office. Tell us what you have in your office.
My office is very eclectic. I sometimes am embarrassed about it! But I have jazz artwork here. I have New Orleans. The Nanticoke Indians, which never really got recognized during Mardi Gras, but they too decorated, and had the same kind of celebration, but never recognized. But then I also have one section that’s dedicated to family. I have pictures of my son who graduated from Villanova. I also have a collection of articles of the work we’ve done here at Brandywine, the projects where I grew up in as a kid, and articles saying, “A $10 bag of heroin approximate to the 95 exit [for] sale,” “Fewer resources spent on prevention,” and then one of Basha [Silverman] and a syringe-filled shooting gallery, which reminds me of the work that we do. And that’s in addition to the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual from Joint Commission, books around licensure, and policy and procedure manuals.

But I also have a snake to unclog many of the restrooms, and a quart of oil for some of our vehicles. And so, you can find anything from a light bulb to the 2007-2008 Delaware Psychiatric Residency program’s pictures, of which I’m also a part, doing some training with the residency. So I like to think of it as eclectic. I think there’s times when it’s more orderly than others, especially when visitors are around, but for the most part, it really depicts my work here at Brandywine. One minute I might be the janitor, one minute I am the clinical supervisor, the next minute I’m an administrative person, the next minute I am a client advocate. So it really depicts the changing roles I play.

I just recently described my job here at Brandywine to someone, and I said, “I can’t call it work, because it’s something I like to do.” Now, it just so happens I get paid for it, but even [in] absence of money, I would still be doing this type of work. So while the paycheck helps with the mortgage and the car payment and travel, absent of that I would still be doing the same thing I’m doing. So I’m fortunate and blessed that I can come and do something I was going to do anyway for the rest of my life, but get a paycheck for it.

5. If you had $30,000 to donate to BCI what would you do with it?
I think I would go to a learning institution and ask that we start a program specifically for addictions counselors to grow the work field. The major challenge is a workforce that’s declining. [BCI senior staff] will be leaving in a few years. We have a younger workforce, that I think for the most part, is not prepared for the challenges of a more sophisticated system, in terms of licensure, accreditation, and just maintaining a quality level of services.

So I would go to a Lincoln University, a Del State, or University of Delaware, and say, let’s have a name for a program specifically to grow the field. So I think that’s what I would do. While another clinic would be nice, a transitional house for recovering people would be nice, but I think if we don’t grow the field, we’re going to miss the opportunity to help people get better.

Photos From the Keepin' It Real Block Party

On Saturday August 9, 2008, the BCI Outreach Team created a fun and enjoyable block party atmosphere to motivate our community members to consider the importance of their health and their individual HIV status. Free rapid HIV testing was provided along with information tables, a DJ, educational games, free food and give-a-ways.

Click here to view our album of photos from a fun event for a good cause.

Volunteer Spotlight: Walter Frazier, Outreach Support

Walter Frazier came to Brandywine Counseling as a volunteer with the Outreach Department in July 2008, and quickly became someone we could depend on to help out. In the first of a series of volunteer spotlights, Walter tells us about his experience in his own words:

I relocated to Wilmington a few months ago and decided that while I am seeking full-time employment I would volunteer at a non-profit agency. I learned about BCI by word of mouth and called to see if my skills might be needed.

In the past 10 years I have served on Boards and committees and even worked for the American Red Cross for 3 years as a program director in Bloomington, Indiana. These experiences have given me the opportunity to learn how important the work of non-profits is to a community.

Just based on the name, I assumed this organization most likely provided substance abuse counseling. Although this counseling is part of Brandywine’s activities, I had no clue there was an outreach department that provides free HIV testing and treatment if necessary, nor did I know of the methadone program for heroin users.

I have spent my time raising funds for the annual HIV Testing Event, which is held this year on August 9. I have found this project to be very fulfilling and relevant to me since I have lost 3 close friends to this wretched disease.

I have been surprised by how BCI approaches its endeavors. BCI provides its professional services without prejudice and blame. I have seen how quickly BCI drops everything when a client walks through the door for help. It has been inspiring.

What I have done while volunteering is very small compared to the activities of the whole organization. I feel gratified thinking one person might be tested for HIV, receive early intervention and live a longer life as a result of my efforts.

Outreach Workers Become Visible

From delawareonline.com, some video of our outreach team in action as they prepared for last Saturday's educational block party.

This Saturday - 1st Annual Keepin' It Real Block Party

1st Annual Keepin' It Real Block Party
Saturday, August 9, 2008
3 PM - 7 PM
L.A.C.C. (Latin American Community Center) Parking Lot
4th and Van Buren Streets, Wilmington

This Saturday is our 1st Annual Keepin' It Real Block Party event! We invite you to join us and have a good time.

The purpose of this event is to raise awareness, educate, and motivate people to get screened for HIV. We are targeting the adult community members who reside in the Hilltop/Westside neighborhoods in the 19805 zip code. We will be providing Free and Rapid HIV testing, Free Food, Games, Prizes, Gifts, and activities for the kids. Please consider joining us to spread an important message and create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere that will motivate our community members to consider the importance of their health and their individual HIV status.

Don't forget, this HIV Awareness event will feature information tables, a DJ, educational games, free food and give-a-ways! This is an excellent opportunity for your agency to promote its mission and services. Be sure to invite your co-workers, clients, family and friends!

5 Questions for Dianna Dorsey, Outreach Worker

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: Dianna Dorsey
Job: Outreach Worker, HIV Prevention and Needle Exchange
Time with BCI: 5 years

1. What is your job at BCI?
I work in the Outreach Department as an HIV Prevention Specialist, and the NEP program. And what we do is, we go out in the community, and pass out condoms, educate individuals on the street about HIV, the spread of HIV and Hep C, and different STDs. We also try to get them to come and do an HIV test, and let them know how important it is to learn their status. A typical workday is being out on the streets, going all across town, educating them, just letting them know how important HIV is, and how important it is to not to be sharing your works.

And the needle exchange, we have the van, and the clients come out and exchange their dirty syringes for clean ones to prevent the spread of HIV and prevent sharing. So when we’re in the community and we’re doing our outreach, that’s another target. We go and hand out flyers, and let them know we have the needle exchange, and we’re also doing HIV testing out on the street at this location and this time, and different locations that we have throughout the week.

2. What got you interested in doing this kind of work?
I actually had family members who went through the struggle of addiction. And just seeing them inspired me to understand addiction, to find out the triggers, and everything that comes along with that. So that was my main reason. As far as working with HIV, I just wanted to be more educated about it. And once I got the proper education, I just fell in love with it, and that’s my goal. I love what I do.

3. What is your biggest challenge in doing your job?
My biggest challenge is not having [clients] come through, as far as getting tested. Or, on the streets, trying to really really really educate these people out there, and they’re still saying no. So, we have to come from different angles at times, and that’s a challenge. Because you have some people that are out there that say, “Well, I don’t want to get tested.”

“Well, have you ever been tested?”

“No.”

“Tell us the reason you don’t want to be tested.”

“I don’t.”

“Do you understand the importance of being tested?”

So, when they tell us no, they don’t want to be tested, that’s a very big challenge to me, because I’m not accomplishing what I’m out here to do.

4. What would people be surprised to know about your work?
I think they would be surprised to know that I really care. And caring for the individuals on the streets, that’s a plus. That’s number one. Because if you’re in this addiction - and you have individuals that are out there that don’t have loved ones – [and] you really show them that you’re there, and that you’re supporting them regardless of what decisions they make, I think that surprises them a lot also. Because if you just go out and say, “Here, take this condom,” or, “Come to the exchange,” they’re going to feel some type of way about that, because they’re not feeling the love at all from us. So in order for us to engage with these clients, we have to show them that we care. We have to show them that we love them, and I think that surprises a lot of them.

5. What advice do you have for someone who would like to do the job you do?
Come with it with your heart. Don’t just do it for a paycheck, have it in your heart that this is what you want to do.

Linda DeShields, A Pioneer of Addiction Treatment in Delaware, Dies at 63

Linda DeShields, a steadfast advocate for Delaware's most disadvantaged citizens who helped build programs for treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation, died on Tuesday in Wilmington, Delaware. She was 63.

Linda was one of the pioneering black females in Delaware’s treatment services. She opened the doors for people of color to enter this field, and is thought of as “the Harriet Tubman of treatment” for the state’s African American women and men. This legacy continues today, as many of the outreach workers she hired have ascended to supervisory positions. Her daughter, Rochelle Booker, is the supervisor of Delaware’s first needle exchange program.

In the late 1980’s, Linda started her career at Brandywine Counseling, Inc. (BCI) as Delaware's first HIV/AIDS outreach worker. Later, as Director of Outreach Services, she hired a team of indigenous outreach workers who were in recovery themselves, and often recently released ex-offenders. She had a strong work ethic, often working 10-12 hours a day when it was necessary to get the job done. She passed on these values to her team, many of whom had never held a job. Throughout her career, she became the voice for her clients in the community and diligently worked on behalf of them to ensure better access to the services they needed.

Linda recognized that addicted persons face interrelated challenges such as housing, crime, and domestic violence. In addition to her full-time job, she worked with numerous community organizations that dealt with these social ills. She was a liaison with the Wilmington Housing Authority for drug and alcohol services, a position that was the impetus for the creation of the NSAFE HIV case management program at BCI. She also worked with Mayor Sills’ administration as a community liaison focusing on substance abuse and related problems. Linda also appeared on the cable TV show “Women 2 Women” on channel 28 to interview women on women’s issues. She highlighted successful business owners, struggling domestic violence victims, as well as those addicted to drugs, and offenders.

One of the populations Linda was most passionate about was inmates, particularly women. For nearly 20 years, she volunteered at the Women’s Correctional Institution. She would go to WCI on a daily basis, meet with inmates about to be released, and prepare them for what to expect and to meet important goals like rejoining the workforce. She was also a very dear friend to the staff and often called to just check in on them. The staff remembers her as “an inspiration [who] always had a listening ear, and never turned away.” The way she touched the lives of the offenders and so many officers was like “being touched by an angel.”

Linda also volunteered at the Plummer Center, coming to the dining hall to have lunch with ladies who did not get family visits or any money. Her heart was in this work and she genuinely cared for the inmates. She continued her visits even after suffering a stroke that left her in a wheelchair.

Linda was also a member of the Police Advisory Board, and went to many parole board hearings to advocate for ex-offenders. She did substance abuse evaluations on offenders who had been referred to the Public Defenders office, and made recommendations for treatment as well as for pre-sentencing investigation.

Another passion of Linda’s was children in at-risk situations. She did weekly prevention and education interventions with arrested youth at Bridge House and Ferris School. She also worked with organizations seeking mentors, such as Eighth Street Baptist Church’s "Magic and Minds Together," which developed therapeutic drama skits for kids. The program was the result of a faith-based partnership with Brandywine Counseling, a connection Linda initiated before such partnerships were mainstream.

Rev. Ty Johnson recalls that Linda “was way before her time. She made the connection between the power of spirituality and power of recovery and knew it was vital to success and healing.” She knew that once she connected Eighth Street Baptist, whose board members were ex-offenders in recovery, to the recovery community that had resources, that things could change.

Linda DeShields was an inspirational and influential figure at BCI. She laid the groundwork for many of the services we provide today, and positively affected the lives of countless Delawareans. She will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held Monday July 14 at 12 Noon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 2300 N. Claymont Street, Wilmington, 19802, with viewing from 10 am - 12 pm only.