Choices is breaking barriers by providing Spanish speaking trainings. We now have over 60 hours in fully Spanish Speaking courses. Do you know someone who wants to take the training but language is a barrier?
We are pleased to announce a virtual Spanish Peer training beginning Feb. 18th, 2025.
Hello Fierce Leaders and Change Agents,This may be the last chance you have to take this cutting edge training as it may not ever come back to the East Coast, and it is the second to the final training under the current grant.
What people are saying: March 2024; Kathy Greely, CPRS, Delaware”I just wanted to touch base. Thank you all for the exceptional training I could have spent another whole day with you just asking questions. You handed me pieces of a puzzle that I have been struggling with as a SUD peer for the last 4 years.”
Benzodiazepines, while effective in treating anxiety and other conditions, can lead to dependence and addiction when used long-term or in high doses. They can cause drowsiness, confusion, memory problems, and in severe cases, respiratory depression. Moreover, withdrawing from benzodiazepines can be extremely challenging and even life-threatening without proper support and medical supervision. Peer support training plays a vital role in offering assistance to those affected by benzodiazepine misuse. Peer support workers, who often have personal experience with recovery, can provide empathetic understanding, practical guidance, and a sense of solidarity to individuals navigating the complexities of addiction and withdrawal. They offer a unique perspective, having been through similar struggles themselves, which can foster trust and rapport in the recovery process. By promoting awareness of the dangers of benzodiazepines and the value of peer support training, we can encourage individuals to seek help early, reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorders, and create a supportive environment where those affected can find the assistance they need to overcome addiction and reclaim their lives.
This virtual training will be held on May 20, 21, and 22, 2024, from 12 to 4:30 p.m. EST. Seating is limited. Sending supervisors would be great. Twelve CEs will be awarded in all four domainsAligns with the IC & RC Four Domains: Ethics – 5.0 Mentoring & Education – 1.25 Recovery & Wellness – 2.75 Seating is Limited!
The normal cost is $125.00. Because you are Choices Alum it is available to you for a discounted cost of just $49.00.For the full course description and objectives please visit https://choicesrecoverytrainings.com/product/benzodiazepines-peer-support-may-2024-est/ When registering, please use coupon code ALUM76 to take advantage of the discounted rate just for you – for a limited time! This coupon is good ONLY for the benzo training, not other Choices trainings.
Notice:Please note this is a peer level course. While some content may appear to be clinical, it is presented only to lay a peer-level foundation for the issues that can arise. However, this course is suitable for alcohol and drug counselors also. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants have also attended this course and reaped enormous benefits from it. Choices is a NAADAC NAADAC-approved provider providing pre-approval in many partnering states. Choices is also independently recognized in a number of states (CT, FL, ME) on the East Coast.
Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly – advocacy efforts pay off.
So impressed by Celeste Clark and her tireless work to improve society and the impact of lifestyle pressure on youths. Read this monumental success story (reposted from the Union Leader).
Stance on tobacco shows Hannaford cares
IT IS time to applaud Hannaford Supermarkets. They have taken a huge step forward stating they will be eliminating the sale of all tobacco products by this fall. This big step promotes public health and wellness and shows that as a community partner they care about keeping people safe.
We know in the world of substance misuse prevention that when you take away access to a product you reduce its use. It sounds so simple but it is quite a challenge. For as long as we can remember, for generations and decades back, people unknowingly used substances in some form not knowing that someday they would be considered harmful drugs.
As people became sick and developed health issues of many different varieties, doctors and scientists were able to link the issues back to the cause. The causes were often connected to products like tobacco (and alcohol) that soon became identified and classified as a drug, something that affects your body.
Do you know that at one time schools down in the south actually went on field trips to tobacco plants to learn how tobacco was grown and processed and students went home with a pack of cigarettes? It seems unimaginable but yet it happened. It is safe to say that parents and schools would never allow such a thing to happen today. Fast forward to 2020 and we now have evidence that tobacco is dangerous and harmful to your health, as well as being extremely addictive. Some people in recovery will tell you it is the hardest of all substances for them to quit.
So again, thank you to Hannaford! For some people being able to just grab a pack while shopping helped to keep that addiction going. I am sure they are the ones who will be thanking Hannaford for helping them in their desire to quit. Having to make that extra stop at another store might just be the incentive to realize they don’t really want them or need them.
Let’s hope and encourage those struggling to remain strong. There are free resources to help you quit, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) Please share this with anyone you know who needs it.
All of the reasons why we applaud Hannaford are similar to why it would be a great idea for Governor Chris Sununnu to sign the tobacco 21 legislation into law. It would help us reduce youth access to tobacco products and be one more step in reducing teen smoking and vaping. It would also ensure New Hampshire continues to get federal prevention dollars because we will be in line with the federal law that pushed the age to 21.
Hannaford’s big decision to stop selling tobacco shows it is not always about money. Some businesses honestly care about the health and well being of their customers and the community they are located in. They are raising the bar. We can hope others will follow.
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Celeste Clark is executive director of Raymond Coalition For Youth. She lives in Raymond.