Going the distance

Odyssey House Lafayette Avenue client Ashley's marathon journey was profiled by News 12's Jessica Cunnington. Check out the fantastic clip and remember to support the Odyssey House Marathon Team on Sunday, November 1st!

Drug Facts: High School and Youth Trends

As National Drug Facts Week winds down, here's a look at why the goal to shatter the myths about drugs and drug abuse for teens is so important. The data below is a summary from the latest Monitoring the Future survey, from NIDA's website.

Illicit Drug Use

Illicit drug use among teenagers remains high, largely due to increasing popularity of marijuana. After a long period of decline, marijuana use by adolescents has been on the increase. In 2013, 7% of 8th graders, 18% of 10th graders, and 22.7% of 12th graders used marijuana in the past month, up from 5.8%, 13.8% and 19.4% in 2008. Daily use has also increased: 6.5% of 12th graders now use marijuana every day, compared to 5% in the mid-2000s.

Rising marijuana use reflects changing perceptions and attitudes. Young people are showing less disapproval of marijuana use and decreased perception that marijuana is dangerous. The growing perception of marijuana as a safe drug may reflect recent movements to legalize the drug for medical and adult recreational use in many states.

New synthetic drugs are a cause for concern, but their use is not increasing. Synthetic marijuana (also known as Spice or K2)—referring to herbal mixtures laced with synthetic chemicals similar to THC—was added to the MTF survey in 2011, when 11.4% of high school seniors reported using it in the past year; in 2013, it had dropped to 7.9%. These mixtures could be obtained legally until 2012 and are still wrongly perceived as a safe alternative to marijuana. The synthetic stimulants known as “bath salts” were added to the survey in 2012; in 2013, just 0.9% of seniors had used these drugs in the past year.

Non-medical use of prescription and over-the-counter medicines remains a significant part of the teen drug problem. In 2013, 15% of high-school seniors used a prescription drug non-medically in the past year. The survey shows continued abuse of Adderall, commonly used to treat ADHD, with 7.4% of seniors reporting taking it for non-medical reasons in the past year. However, only 2.3% of seniors report abuse of Ritalin, another ADHD medication. Abuse of the opioid pain reliever Vicodin has shown a marked decrease in the last 10 years, now measured at 5.3% for high school seniors, compared to 10.5% in 2003.

Positive trends in the past several years include reduced use of inhalants and less use of cocaine, especially crack cocaine. Past-year inhalant use by younger teens continued a downward trend in 2013, with 5.2% of 8th graders and 3.5% of 10th graders reporting use. Five-year trends of past-year cocaine use across all grades showed a drop as well. Other drugs, such as heroin, methamphetamine, ecstasy (MDMA) and hallucinogens, are holding fairly steady.

Alcohol

Alcohol use among teens remains at historically low levels. In 2013, 3.5% of 8th graders, 12.8% of 10th graders, and 26% of 12th graders reported getting drunk in the past month, continuing a downward trend from previous years. Significant declines include sharp drops from previous years in daily alcohol use by 10th and 12th graders (0.9% and 2.2%, respectively, in 2013). In 2013, 22.1% of high school seniors reported binge drinking (defined as 5 or more drinks in a row in the past 2 weeks)—a drop of almost one-third since the late 1990s.

Tobacco

Fewer teens smoke cigarettes than smoke marijuana. Cigarette smoking by high school students peaked in 1996–1997 and has declined continuously since then. In 2013, 9.6% of students surveyed by MTF were current (past-month) cigarette smokers—the lowest teen smoking has been in the history of the survey. By comparison, 15.6% were current marijuana smokers.

Other forms of smoked tobacco are becoming popular, however. The use of hookah water pipes and small cigars has raised public health concerns and has recently been added to the MTF survey. In 2013, 21.4% of 12th graders had smoked a hookah at some point in the past year, an increase from 18.3% in 2012, and 20.4% had smoked a small cigar.

Learn More

Complete MTF survey results are available at www.monitoringthefuture.org. For more information on the survey and its findings, also visit www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/monitoring-future.

Let’s Shatter the Myths about Drug Abuse

Have you heard the news? The National Institute on Drug Abuse is holding the third annual National Drug Facts Week from January 27 - February 2, 2014. Taking part in National Drug Facts Week means you have the opportunity to help shatter the myths about drug use for teens.

Every day, teens are bombarded with conflicting messages that may leave them feeling confused and unsure of who to ask for information about drug use. With 7.4% of teens reporting abuse of prescription drugs in the past year and 22.6% of 12th graders reporting using marijuana in the past month, it’s crucial to reach teens with the facts.

Wondering how you can take part? There are plenty of ways to get involved in National Drug Facts Week. You can:

• Host a local event in your community -- don’t forget to register it online
• Distribute the Drugs: Shatter the Myths booklet to teens
• Take the National Drug IQ Challenge, which is updated each year
• Become a social media partner

For more ideas and the latest news, visit the National Drug Facts Week website.

New program to enhance adolescent treatment in the Bronx

Odyssey House Outpatient Services is introducing a new evidence-based program for adolescent boys (12-17 years) with substance use disorders. Called the Seven Challenges, the program will be incorporated into our existing BUY-In program, which was recently awarded a three-year, $1.3 million contract by the NYS Office of Alcoholism & SubstanceAbuse Services (OASAS).

The Seven Challenges program is designed to motivate a decision and commitment to change – and to support success in implementing the desired changes. The program helps young adults address their drug problems as well as their co-occurring life skill deficits, situational problems, and psychological problems.

Odyssey House kicked off the program with a community meeting to introduce the program to referral sources. Attendees included representatives from OASAS, the Bronx Borough President’s office, Bronx Futures, and Bronx Community Services.

Seven Challenges is intended to avoid power struggles between the client and counselor, instead focusing on encouraging honesty. Richard Barr, director of training and support for Seven Challenges, said, “It is an empowering model – designed to help adolescents make thoughtful decisions: internally motivated and committed. We want clients to take charge of their own lives.”

Robert Anderson, director of adolescent, outpatient and admissions services for Odyssey House, said, “We are very excited about this opportunity to implement yet another evidence-based practice of the quality that Seven Challenges exhibits. The training was very valuable and we look forward to providing to great services to the youth we serve.”

Odyssey House wins grant to expand adolescent outpatient services

The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) announced Odyssey House as the downstate recipient of a three-year, federally funded grant to expand adolescent services. Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet said: "We are proud to fulfill our mission of treating vulnerable populations of adolescents with substance use disorders and their families by expanding our Bronx-based outpatient programs, and are grateful to NYS OASAS and SAMHSA for their support in helping to meet the needs of a community we are dedicated to serving."

In selecting Odyssey House, Commissioner Gonzalez-Sanchez, commented on the high needs of the adolescents in our Bronx outpatient program and their involvement in "multiple systems that include juvenile justice, child welfare, or mental health." 

For more information, please read the OASAS press release here.

Monitoring the Future survey shows rates stable or down for most drugs

Rates of drug use among teenagers have decreased for most drugs, the 2012 Monitoring the Future* (MTF) survey found. The survey also revealed an alarming decline in the perceived risks of substance abuse, which can lead to future increases in use.

Despite some increases in drug use over the past several years, rates of drug use among young people today are far lower than they were in the late 1970s. This year’s MTF survey also shows several declines between 2011 and 2012, and rates for some of these drugs in some grades are at their lowest levels since the 1990s.

Aggressive prevention efforts and effective treatment programs have been essential in the reduction of drug use among youth but this weakening of attitudes demonstrates the continued need for education, prevention and guidance toward effective treatment. Adult influencers, such as parents, doctors and coaches, and institutions such as treatment programs and schools, have a critical role to play in helping young people understand the dangers of drug use and encouraging them to make healthy decisions.

* The Monitoring the Future (MTF) study is an annual survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in the United States. The study is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse with a grant to the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. Visit the MTF website to see the full survey result or download a fact sheet from the Office of National Drug Control Policy here (pdf).

Bringing music and theater to the Leadership Center

Juilliard dance major Ashley teaches Edward a few moves.

Residents at the Odyssey House Leadership Center were treated to a special performance by Juilliard students this past weekend. Four students – a dancer, two drama majors and a jazz musician – performed a variety of musical numbers and a scene from Henrik Ibsen play Peer Gynt, and even gave the residents some dance lessons.

It was more than a recital, though. The students interacted with the residents, talking to them about their musical interests, introducing them to famous composers and performing more contemporary songs.  After talking about how music can be a creative outlet as well as a way of having a conversation with others, they led the residents in a sing along to Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah.”

The residents have responded very well to the performances, connecting with the musicians and asking questions about their instruments and training. Some of the residents are amateur musicians as well, and are particularly interested in the Juilliard students’ stories of how they became interested in their respective disciplines.

Juilliard students have been performing at the Leadership Center regularly since 2009 as part of the Gluck Community ServiceFellowship (GCSF), a program that provides for more than 450 performances at 47 New York City health care facilities each year. Each visit has brought a different group of students, exposing residents to a variety of disciplines. The Juilliard students’ experiences in GCSF inform their performing careers and support the development of a personal commitment to community service.

Shalawn Barry, a social worker at the Leadership Center, brought the program to Odyssey House to help keep residents engaged in treatment and expose them to different genres of music and performances that they would not normally come across. “I think it’s important to expose our teens to new experiences to enhance their educational and social experiences while at Odyssey House,” said Ms. Barry.

Residents bring Thanksgiving to the Rockaways

This Thanksgiving, 13 young men from the Odyssey House LeadershipCenter joined Occupy Sandy and the Red Cross to bring some holiday cheer to Rockaway families who were devastated by the hurricane. Led by program director Brendan Kavanaugh, the young men set up tables and chairs, cleared debris, and unloaded foodstuffs to put on a Thanksgiving meal for displaced families.

 The project gave the residents the opportunity to be of service to others and learn coping mechanisms for negative feelings or stress. Mr. Kavanaugh said, “Giving back to the community helped them deal with being separated from their loved ones during the holidays. After seeing the devastation in Far Rockaway, residents had newfound gratitude for their current life circumstances.”

The feedback from the residents was overwhelmingly positive. Gerrell M., echoing the response of many residents, said, “Helping people out always makes me feel good. I’m glad that I can make a big difference by doing something small.” Steven S.  was impressed by the number of volunteers who showed up to help, noting that it made the work easier and more enjoyable. He added, “It was a good bonding moment between my peers and the Leadership Center staff as well.”

Marijuana use on the rise among teens

A new report by the Partnership at Drugfree.org found marijuana use increasing among teenagers. According to the survey, nearly 1 in 10 are smoking pot 20 or more times a month, increasing from 5 percent in 2008 to 9 percent in 2011.

“These findings are deeply disturbing as the increases we’re seeing in heavy, regular marijuana use among high school students can spell real trouble for these teens later on,” said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. “Heavy use of marijuana – particularly beginning in adolescence – brings the risk of serious problems and our data show it is linked to involvement with alcohol and other drugs as well. Kids who begin using drugs or alcohol as teenagers are more likely to struggle with substance use disorders when compared to those who start using after the teenage years.”

To read the Associated Press article about the research findings, click here. The full survey results can be found on Drugfree.org.

Odyssey House operates two gender-specific facilities for young adults with substance use disorders. If you or someone you care about is struggling with substance abuse, contact our Admissions Department at (212) 987-5100.

The Spring 2012 newsletter is now available

The Spring 2012 edition of Odyssey House News is now available online! Read about our new housing programs, get an update on OHROCS (Odyssey House Recovery Oriented Care System), and more. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments or on our Facebook page.

Teenage marijuana use

Dr. Peter Provet, president of Odyssey House, responds to a recent article on the steep increase in daily marijuana use among high school students.

To the Editor:

Re “Regular Marijuana Use by High School Students Hits New Peak, Report Finds” (news article, Dec. 15):

That daily marijuana use among high school students has reached a 30-year peak is an alarming statistic but not a surprising one. Research has been logging an upward trend in the drug’s use for several years, at the same time showing a downward or plateauing trend in misuse by adolescents of other drugs like heroin and crack cocaine. But these trends have little or no effect on the teenage user whose life is spinning out of control.

Youths who abuse marijuana fill adolescent treatment centers with tragically similar stories of emotional and academic disruption. While most teenage marijuana users do not need treatment, the drug’s effect on their lives can still be significant.

Given an escalation of use, it is these youngsters we risk losing — only this time it won’t be to heroin or cocaine but to a new, highly potent strain of marijuana that is unrecognizable to earlier generations. As the effect of medical marijuana becomes fully realized, will policy makers have the courage to limit its proliferation?

PETER PROVET
President and Chief Executive
Odyssey House
New York, Dec. 19, 2011

Underage drinking widespread in NYC

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) released a study that found widespread drinking among teens in New York City. One-third of teens admit to drinking alcohol in the past month, and half of those admitted to binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks at one time). Drug use was also more prevalent, with 9% of minors surveyed saying they had tried cocaine and 11% ecstasy, compared with less than 1% for nondrinkers.

Elizabeth Dahlem from News 12 Bronx visited Odyssey House Lafayette Avenue to follow up on the study and speak to Faina, one of the girls in treatment, about her experiences with alcohol. Ms. Dahlem also spoke to Susan Plaza, director of housing and mental health services at Odyssey House, about how parents can keep their teens safe.




Odyssey House offers two gender-specific treatment facilities for close to 80 teenagers in residential settings. Young adults in treatment at Odyssey House live and learn in a peer-driven environment that provides family-like structure and support. Not only do participants address their patterns of substance abuse, they also confront the behavioral problems from which they have sought refuge in drugs and learn to live harmoniously as part of a community.

The premiere of "It's A Different Day"

The Odyssey House Theatre Project 2011 debuted their original production, "It's A Different Day," to a standing room-only audience at 320 Studios on May 9, 2011. The play, written and performed by an ensemble comprised of teens in treatment at Odyssey House, blends hip hop, dance, jazz, classical music, beatboxing, rap, art, spoken word, and short scenes together, and takes a look at the creation of our world from the beginning, to the middle and onward.

The performance was the culmination of a three month workshop in which the teens learned all stages of the playwriting process, from concept development to stage production. The Odyssey House Theatre Project is funded by a grant from the Elizabeth and Barets O. Benjamin Foundation. This is the third year the Foundation has funded the project.

The workshop was directed by Tom Demenkoff of PossibleArts. For more details on the project, visit the Odyssey House Theatre Project website. Visit our website to see a slideshow of photos from the workshop.

Lock Your Meds campaign comes to Odyssey House

Melanie R., a young woman in treatment at the Odyssey House Lafayette Avenue Teen Girls Program, was interviewed last night about prescription drug abuse by Dr. Jay Adlersberg, WABC-7's health and medical reporter. Melanie spoke about how easy it is for teenagers to get prescription drugs, showing how important it is for adults to lock up their medications.
The segment highlighted the Lock Your Meds campaign and the rising rate of prescription drug abuse among teenagers. Lock Your Meds is a national multi-media campaign designed to make adults aware that they are the "unwitting suppliers" of prescription medications being used in unintended ways, especially by young people. The campaign is produced by National Family Partnership.

Rachel's journey from addict to advocate

Rachel entered Odyssey House Lafayette Avenue when she was 18 years old. While in treatment, Rachel earned her GED, completed vocational training, and gained custody of her daughter. Now 22, she is training to become a substance abuse counselor and is an advocate for young women in the juvenile justice system.
Click here to read Rachel's story.

Odyssey House Lafayette Avenue offers a gender-specific approach for achieving lasting sobriety so they can get back on track with schooling and other life goals. Girls live and learn in a peer-driven environment that provides family-like structure and support. Supervised by a multi-disciplinary team of counselors, teachers, and health care personnel, girls receive the individualized support and attention they need to grow into healthy young women.

Classical music from Bach to Jay-Z

Teens at the Leadership Center were treated to a special performance last week by a trio of students from The Juilliard School. Two violinists and a pianist came to the facility and performed a variety of classical pieces for the boys.

It was more than a recital, though. The musicians interacted with the residents, talking to them about their musical interests, introducing them to famous composers, and even taking requests for everything from the Pirates of the Caribbean and Titanic theme songs to Jay-Z and Coldplay.

This the third visit by Juilliard students as part of the Gluck Community Service Fellowship (GCSF), a program that provides for more than 450 performances at 47 New York City health care facilities each year. Each visit has brought a different group of students, exposing residents to a variety of disciplines.

The residents have responded very well to the performances, connecting with the musicians and asking questions about their instruments and training. One resident, Reginald, said that he is motivated to go to college, pursue a musical career and volunteer his time to others. Louis likes the performances because they expose him to new things and “change his thought process.”

Shalawn Barry, a social worker at the Leadership Center, applied for the program because she thought it would help keep residents engaged in treatment. “I think it’s important to expose our teens to new experiences to enhance their educational and social experiences while at Odyssey House,” said Ms. Barry.

Teen theatre project gets funded for third consecutive year

The Odyssey House Theatre Project for adolescents in treatment will start a new season of performance, writing, and production skills training in early 2011, thanks to a $38,500 grant from the Elizabeth and Barets O. Benjamin Charitable Foundation. This is the third grant the Foundation has made to this innovative theatre project that teaches teens with substance abuse and related disorders how to express themselves through creative writing and performance.

The 2011 grant will support a three-month-long intensive writing and acting curriculum that culminates in the production of an original play written and performed by the teens for a professional stage. The program also includes field trips to expose the students to a variety of NYC live theatre productions, a series of summer workshops, and program evaluation.

This year’s 2010 Odyssey House Theatre Project participants wrote and performed an original play called “When you Shake the Tree,” which looked at what it means to be a teenager forced to grow up fast in a city where drugs, drink, and sex are all in the family. Broadway veteran Norm Lewis, who recently starred in the hit show “Sondheim on Sondheim,” is closely involved in the project as acting coach, spokesperson, and mentor. Norm calls the teens’ work “a surprisingly vibrant shake up of family life: the secrets, the hurts, and the healing.”

Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet emphasized this pioneering project would not be possible without the support of the Foundation’s Trustees. “Their commitment to providing underserved youth with creative outlets available to more affluent teens is increasingly rare in the nonprofit world. For our young people, who typically come from families and communities on the margins of society, the program offers significant benefits that carry over in their engagement in treatment and overall improved self-esteem. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Foundation for not only bringing this project to life, but for staying with it as it grows.”

Dr. Provet on the risks of caffeinated alcoholic drinks

The New York Times published a letter to the editor by Odyssey House President Dr. Provet on the dangers caffeinated alcoholic beverages pose to underage drinkers. Read the letter below and let us know what you think. To read the original article, click here.

November 3, 2010
The Risks in Alcoholic Drinks

To the Editor:

In "Doctors Point to Caffeinated Alcoholic Drinks' Dangers" (news article, Oct. 27), alarming reports of inebriated students ending up in emergency rooms are the tip of the iceberg.

The broader problem is the number of young people who are being manipulated by targeted marketing strategies into abusing this dangerous mix of chemical antagonists that could irreversibly damage their still-developing brains.

Treatment centers across the country repair the lives of thousands of troubled teenagers whose
multiple dysfunctions can be traced back to abuse of inexpensive alcoholic beverages explicitly created to entice the lucrative and impressionable youth market.

This latest business twist, adding a high dose of caffeine to mask the effect of alcohol in sweetened drinks, has long-term consequences: heavy alcohol use in adolescence has been found to lead to a reduction in attention and executive brain functioning.

How many more young people will fail to reach their full potential before we take Four Loko and beverages like it off supermarket shelves?

Peter Provet
President and Chief Executive Officer
Odyssey House

What do you think of this trend? Do you think the beverage companies are deliberately marketing to underage consumers?

Teens continue their theater training

The Odyssey House Theatre Project (OHTP), following their debut of "When You Shake the Tree" at Theatre Row, picked up again this summer for a six week workshop series. Each week, Odyssey House teens, including some clients new to the project, continued studying the craft of acting and writing through a rigorous three-hour immersion class, giving OHTP the opportunity to build upon their initial success at Theatre Row while cultivating future talent for next year's project.

In support of this summer series, OHTP attended several productions, including an innovative staging of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" by the Hudson Warehouse in Riverside Park. Artistic director Nicholas Martin Smith set the play in present day Afghanistan, illuminating the traditional conflict in the story amidst the back drop of America's presence on foreign soil, and in the process demonstrating how a play written in the 16th century could be relevant today. After the performance, producer Susane Lee, Nicholas Martin Smith and the entire cast hosted a private Q&A for the OHTP.


Hudson Warehouse's production of Romeo and Juliet

And if you missed the performance of "When You Shake the Tree," check out these clips on the OHTP YouTube channel.

The challenges of treating teens

Below is Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet's response to an article posted on TIME.com questioning the effectiveness of adolescent drug treatment (see "Does Teen Drug Rehab Cure Addiction or Create It?" June 16, 2010). Read his response and let us know what you think in the comments.

Maia Szalavitz presents a provocative criticism of adolescent drug treatment in America and questions admissions policies that lump teens together regardless of individual circumstances. This is an anathema to good treatment, which should always start with a careful assessment of the severity substance abuse has and its impact on the teen’s behavior at school, at home, and among his or her peer group. Teens should ideally be surrounded by those who are at similar levels of disturbance, whether in outpatient or residential treatment.

If Szalavitz had expanded her article to include interviews with adolescent treatment providers, she would have found most agree that 12-Step programs are not ideally suited for teens. Messages of powerlessness are too easily interpreted by adolescents as passivity, which is a disincentive to adolescent drive, and because their religious and spiritual identities are just forming, they are typically too immature for the 12-Steps’ adamant calling.

Family therapy must be the crux of adolescent drug treatment and in a large therapeutic community (TC) such as Odyssey House, we have developed programs that combine family and individual therapy with group treatment. Group work is important however – if not critical – because of its constructive impact on teens’ success, as positive peer pressure replaces negative peer demands. Teens who follow the rules, pursue their education, behave respectfully towards others and authority figures, and subscribe to an accepted social and moral set of principles are placed in positions of authority and emulated by the group.

In sum, quality improvement pertaining to adolescent drug treatment incorporating group work must continue. So let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.