Northwest Corner of CT will have help from BTF and HYS to fund Drug Prevention and Recovery Outreach

Good news for a small but mighty pocket of the world in the NW area of CT. The Berkshire Taconic Foundation and Housatonic Youth Services are helping address the drug issues that have loomed too large in that small area. Any loss or struggle with drugs is not easy but a growing problem gets people's attention. Thankfully, Brian Ohler and others have figured out places to meet,ways to hold forums (some of which were recorded and might be on www.catv6.com). So kudos to all who cared and were able to help move forward in these imporant ways.

Google for more info and I added these thoughts on the FB post on the closed group of 3K called NW Corner Chatter. Small outreaches like that can keep the ball rolling and that's what this blog aspires to do as well with focus on issues over the long haul and thinking things through from every angle, like taking an engine apart and hopefully putting it back together again better than before.

 I have a lot of ideas on www.livfully.org about addressing gaps in care and networks. I even had ideas about 'what if all our efforts seem to amount to nothing and kids and adults still succumb to downward spirals of despair, drugs, broken feelings and efforts not to mention poor health?

I try to ask the big Why questions since no one has time or the job description to do so. Overall we are realizing those in jobs to help often are a Big Part of the Problem.

Medical prescriptions for pain medicine have been a huge start of many people's problems, depression is too common (and males in general seem to have a lot of hurdles transitioning into adulthood due to a host of factors--and yes, I try to look honestly at what I've learned those can be and add a few guesses.)

The rampant denial of male violence against women and the devastating effects that has on not only 'women and kids' in any given family but on other males often and the surrounding circles and towns, states etc really needs to be part of Every Discussion.

It is an elephant in the room as is mental health, poor schooling and even poor resources for early childhood and pregnant women and so on. Now how can there be So Many Elephants in one room...and No One Talk About That?

Well, it's kind of amazing, but silence is golden and the laws are limited and people are exhausted or too busy (or both) or otherwise 'not available'. 

That is changing in many areas, with online help and more understanding that 'people need people' (in small support groups) and that overall, most people would like to be healthy and functional but many systems have oppressed folks since forever. Now we are trying to tweak that. 

Still, most parents feel it's futile to try to 'manage their kids' and after age 18, they legally can't do much until 'things get worse'. In CT fairly recently police supposedly can have someone go to a counselor if they are in distress or acting strangely (even if not threatening themselves of others.)

I mention this because I heard of a case where police went responded to a person with a mental health condition over 150 times without being able to do something for them unless they broke the law. Even during a divorce or domestic dispute, the police have traditionally been 'unable to intervene' unless a law was broken.

Now if someone calls for 'no reason' or is acting agitated enough to be concerning to others, I Think there is a way for a person to go to a counselor (or be held overnight) for one day.

I am not an expert and am not offering medical or legal advice, but have trained with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and have heard plenty of struggles in our country about how hard it is to intervene or get help for someone who refuses help or insists it is not needed.

Another helpful resource is Divorce In CT blog and book by the way, since often a drug problem, mental health or domestic abuse is linked to half of all divorces and half of those have youth. Many kids and adults will turn to drugs to cope with change or loss.

Even without a legal or serious relationship, people can flounder with stress, so looking at root causes is important. We should not miss warning signs of danger

. A new CT Law will likely help get the guns taken away from those named in a TRO (temporary restraining order) immediately rather than waiting 14 days. That will likely save many lives of abusers who often end their own life during that time (and typically their victims). How many of those who do so have a drug problem?

Even if there are "Counter Factuals"-- words and actions that run counter to what one says or does (such as someone bouncing checks and denying there is a problem, which that by the way could be deemed larceny and some states lock people up for that, even one time or missed child support payments, etc.) This is a lot in one post but I will copy and put on my blog.

The lack of information and understanding of how early in life people need help is important to acknowledge as Part of the Problem. To really help people, all pregnant women should try to be healthy, get support to eat well, not smoke or do drugs and get good housing and help throughout the early years of rearing a child.

This kind of positive input helps a new child with normal brain development, literally to grow a brain large enough to operate more optimally.

I went to a talk in Great Barrington MA on this a while back where homelessness, drug use, unplanned pregnancy and so forth were linked with low birth weight and poor achievement. The Railroad Street Youth Project in GB Mass and Construct -Inc help people with transitioning into adulthood and more responsible living.

Birth control measures should be available to all people to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and early counseling is key to helping people know there are ways to get help.

Still there is corruption in many systems from CPS, DCF, Schools and even family courts, law enforcement, so more informal and practical social support systems should be in place. Sadly even Domestic Violence agencies can be deficient in what they offer women who seek help. They do not know or practice law and cannot even warn women about poor patterns in the courts or gov't since that could hurt their funding. 

The recreation programs and ways to keep kids supervised and even adults in a positive set of programs to socialize, get help with basic needs for rides and health appointments and eating and sleeping etc could all be part of a wellness and fitness program. Thanks for all the people do along these lines and for finding ways to advocate for change and improvements even when the roadblocks loom large.