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Thursday, September 25, 1986, p. 9
See related articles here

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Addiction counseling in the river valley

By TOM RUE


RIVER VALLEY - The distinction between drug and alcohol addiction is largely illusory.

While there is no disagreement that alcohol is indeed a dangerous drug, many lay-people still seem to believe that "John Barleycorn" is relatively innocuous.

The truth is that alcohol can be just as destructive organically and to the family structure as most so-called "hard" narcotics or other mind-altering drugs.

Too often, the disease of alcoholism shows itself in such behaviors as child abuse and spouse battering. According to Jim Reilly, clinical director of the chemical dependency program at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, 60% to 70% of all abusive husbands suffer from alcoholism.

The disease does not excuse violent behavior or relieve abusive spouse of responsibility for their actions, but alcoholism is closely associated with domestic violence.

Reilly told The River Reporter that he maintains close contact with the Women's Resource Center in Honesdale, making referrals whenever possible. He also expressed a sense of frustration with some of the inadequacies of the American social service delivery system.

"We can help the woman, but what do we do with the men?" he questioned, "What's being done with the men who are actually causing all this abuse?"
Unmet Need
Reilly described an unmet need in Wayne County for a therapy group for "alcoholic batterers". He cited a program called "Abusing Men Exploring New Directions" (AMEND) which was described in the Winter 1985/86 issue of Alcohol Health and Research World. "It would be interesting to see if people in this area would support this kind of counseling service," noted Reilly.

He described a syndrome called "co-dependence", which exists among family members of alcoholics where those close to the person with the disease also suffer. Reilly noted that Alanon is an organization which exists to help family and friends of the addict, based on the same principles as AA and NA.

Part of what Reilly and his staff at the Wayne Memorial detoxification unit do, is provide an environment for an alcoholic or addict to cleanse his or her system of drugs and begin the process of recovery.

Counseling and education can only begin once the addict has stopped using, Reilly said. "You take away the drug, and then the person has to deal with the person he is -- not the drug-affected person."

A typical day for a patient at the Wayne Memorial detox begins at 7:30 a.m., Reilly related. After breakfast, clients view an educational film or tape about the nature and effects of alcohol abuse, and then engage in group and individual discussions or programmed study assignments.
AA and NA
In the evening, a Wayne Memorial's detox client might hear talks by local members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), two time proven programs for recovery from addiction. Because of strict federal regulations which protect the confidentiality of detox clients, AA and NA meetings are not held on the unit, though all patients are strongly encouraged to follow up their treatment by involving themselves in the community with one of these fellowships.

The detox program at Wayne only lasts five days, so it is essential, Reilly cautions, that clients obtain additional treatment and counseling after leaving the hospital. This means use of a more extensive rehabilitation center such as Talbot Place near Hershey, PA, White Deer or Cove Forge treatment centers in Williamsport, PA; or from a community-based agency such as Honesdale's Trehab Center.

Trehab is the "single county authority" through which state and federal funding flows, said Jane Studer, executive director of the center. It serves Susquehanna and Wayne Counties.

With an annual budget in excess of $210.000, the staff at Trehab provides prevention, crisis intervention, and treatment services for individuals and families.
Teen Activities
One means to prevent teenage substance abuse is to provide enjoyable alternatives. Such citizen groups as the Honesdale Area Chemical People Task Force sponsor dances at the local YMCA. Trehab and the Chemical People are known for their alcohol and drug education and other related programs for Wayne County students, parents, and professionals.
In Sullivan County
In Sullivan County, the Recovery Center in Monticello offers services similar to those of Trehab. Individual, family, and group therapy are at the core of the center's efforts to educate and help improve the quality of life for its clients.

According to Bob Posner, an assistant social worker at the Recovery Center's addiction program, a major focus of treatment is on the family of the client.

"The modern school of thought is that it's virtually useless to treat the individual without treating the family," said Posner, "because the family is often just as sick as the addict, if not more so."

The Recovery Center provides family, individual, and group counseling to both self-referred and court-ordered clients. This includes counseling groups of 15 to 20 at the Sullivan County Jail, as well as seminars for convicted drunk drivers, Posner explained.

The center also offers consulting and educational work in public schools. Posner said he has counseled alcoholics as young as seven or eight.

Referrals are frequently made to and received from such community agencies as the County Mental Health Clinic, Probation, and the Veteran's Administration.
"The Family"
An example of one local halfway house, to which clients are sometimes referred, is The Family in Long Eddy.

According to Susan Ward, a spokesperson for the group, most of the 45 residents, ages 14 to 33, have already passed through a residential rehabilitation and treatment program before they join The Family. "When they come here, they learn to live what they learned in rehab," she asserted.

Members of The Family follow a regimented daily schedule which starts at 5:30 a.m. During the week, residents work at a community based job such as landscaping, construction, baby sitting, or farming.

The group itself maintains a 177-acre farm, Ward noted, with cows, sheep, pigs, goats, rabbits, chickens, and a peacock. "We used to have a horse," she said, "but it died."

Ward invited members of the community to contact her regarding construction or other odd jobs for residents, at 914/887-5213.

Not to be confused with The Family in Long Eddy, but with a similar name, is The Family of Ellenville in Ulster County. It provides community outreach, education, and crisis intervention services, as well as a community food distribution center and a loan closed of hospital supplies. "We're not counselors here, we're just community volunteers," one worker said, adding that they make referrals from "a fairly large resource file" for counseling and other professional services.