Our Creating Healthy Eating Families (CHEF) program, which focuses on improving the basic nutrition and eating habits of parents and their children, wrapped up its first cycle at Family Re-Entry with a potluck dinner. Residents each prepared several vegetarian dishes demonstrating what they learned during the program. Dishes included bok choy and mushroom stir fry; kale lasagna with whole wheat noodles; and brown rice with broccoli.
At the potluck, participants raved about the program and talked about the changes they had made in their diets as a result. One resident, Teresa, was able to reduce her cholesterol medication by making healthy substitutions, like baking instead of frying. Bernadette, who said she was skeptical of the program at first – “I like fried foods and large portions!” – started using fresh herbs to flavor her food and reduced her sodium intake. Gilbert said CHEF taught him to be mindful of what he was eating and how it affected his health.
Participants met with nutritionist Paulette Sinclair-Weir twice a week for six weeks and learned about topics such as reading nutrition labels, reducing portion sizes, increasing fruit and vegetables, and food safety. Sessions included hands-on cooking instruction to let participants implement their new skills.
The CHEF program was created with a $25,000 grant from Aetna. For more information on the grant, click here.
Odyssey HousePresident Dr. Peter Provet and older clients in treatment in our ElderCare program were interviewed by the Associated Press for a national story on the dramatic rise in drug and alcohol abuse among older Americans. Between 1992 and 2008, treatment admissions for adults 50 and older more than doubled in the U.S., a number that is expected to grow as the baby boom generation ages. Click here to read the full article on our website and view the accompanying video below.
Odyssey House opened the ElderCare program in 1997 to specifically treat substance abusers age 55 and over. The first of its kind, the program has helped more than 200 seniors successfully re-integrate into their communities and regain productive, drug-free lives. Visit our website for more information on our ElderCare program.
At the Odyssey HouseFamily Centers of Excellence, we treat a range of women with substance use disorders, including those who are pregnant, have recently given birth, or are taking care of young children. In his letter in today's New York Times, Dr. Peter Provet, President of Odyssey House, comments on a recent front page article that highlights the lack of educational and treatment resources for young women who become pregnant while addicted to prescription opiates.
To the Editor: It is troubling to read how little progress has been made in understanding the impact in utero exposure to addictive drugs can have on babies born to pregnant substance abusers. In the 1990s concern was expressed over a potential lost generation of "crack babies." Treatment organizations responded as best they could with programs for women and children that provided links to medical and child development services and with programs that tackle the mother's poverty, poor education and lack of job skills.
But despite data supporting increased financing of prevention services and treatment programs that target pregnant substance abusers, limited resources and stigma discourage women from seeking treatment for fear of having the baby removed from their care.
Renewed effort must be made to reach drug-troubled women before they get pregnant, and in the event they are expecting a child, community clinics and hospitals need to be educated about addiction treatment and where to refer both mother and baby for long-term care.
PETER PROVET President, Odyssey House New York, April 11, 2011
Melanie R., a young woman in treatment at the Odyssey HouseLafayette 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.
Earlier this month, the White House Council on Women and Girls released the first comprehensive report on the status of women in the United States since 1963. The report shows that while women have made great strides over the last 50 years, there continue to be areas where they face unique challenges. Dealing with substance abuse is one such area.
Research shows that women and girls face specific challenges in substance abuse treatment and require customized prevention, treatment and recovery programs. In recognition of these challenges, Odyssey House offers several programs that meet the needs of women and adolescent girls. In 1973, we opened the first residential center for addicted mothers and their children so parents don’t have to choose between caring for their children and seeking the treatment they need. Additionally, in 2007 we opened the Lafayette Avenue Teen Girls program, the city's first publicly funded all-girls residential center. This program offers girls the individualized support and attention they need to grow into healthy young women.
Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, understands the importance of providing treatment services tailored for women and girls. In his response to the White House report, Director Kerlikowske said, "By expanding access to evidence- and gender-based treatment services that address the unique needs of women, particularly parenting women, we strengthen American families and communities." For more information on substance abuse in women and girls, click here for a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
Odyssey House is a NYC-based treatment agency helping individuals & families cope with substance use disorders, mental illness, homelessness & medical problems.
Our Creating Healthy Eating Families (CHEF) program, which focuses on improving the basic nutrition and eating habits of parents and their children, wrapped up its first cycle at Family Re-Entry with a potluck dinner. Residents each prepared several vegetarian dishes demonstrating what they learned during the program. Dishes included bok choy and mushroom stir fry; kale lasagna with whole wheat noodles; and brown rice with broccoli.
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