Public Information

DHSS Press Release

Date: September 3, 2004
DHSS-78-2004

Vincent P. Meconi, Secretary
Allison Taylor Levine, Communication Director
(302) 255-9037, Pager (302) 247-8523
Email: Allison.Levine@delaware.gov

Contact: Allison Taylor Levine
Phone: (302) 255-9037
Pager: (302) 247-8523

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW PROGRAM TO HONOR CLIENTS IN RECOVERY AND THEIR SUPPORTERS HIGHLIGHTS DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE RECOVERY MONTH ACTIVITIES

The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and providers from around the state will honor 15 clients in recovery from substance abuse and the clinicians, pastors and others who have supported them at a brunch on Sept. 10.

The event, which kicks off September as Drug and Alcohol Abuse Recovery Month in Delaware, will be held at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Dover, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Members of the media are invited to participate. Consenting clients in recovery, as well as their family members and clinicians, will be available for interviews and photographs.

Many organizations are hosting Recovery Month activities, including several that are being funded by mini-grants from DSAMH. DSAMH disseminated more than $10,000 this year to support Recovery Month activities statewide. A sampling of those activities is included in the calendar below.

Also to celebrate Recovery Month and recognize individuals in recovery from substance addiction, DSAMH is producing a small booklet of stories of real Delawareans who are making good progress on their path out of addiction. This free booklet will be available to the public next week. To receive a copy, please call DSAMH at (302) 255-9398.

Some of these stories also will be shared with the media in the form of weekly press releases to be disseminated during Recovery Month.

"As a community, we focus on the journey out of substance abuse specifically during September every year, but we must keep in mind the people who combat this illness every day of their lives as they struggle to remain sober," DSAMH Director Renata Henry said. "They need our support and recognition, and we need them to be productive, happy members of our great state."

(Please see calendar of events below.)

Organization/Agency	Contacts	County	Description of Event	Dates & Times
Brandywine Counseling - Riverfront	Bonnie Beyer (661-6200)	New Castle	CELEBRATING RECOVERY EVENT 350 S. Madison Street, Wilmington	Sept. 2 and Sept. 30; 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
House of Pride	Marian L. Harris (677-0116)	Kent	RECOVERY MONTH CELEBRATION EVERY TUESDAY IN SEPTEMBER 110 South New Street Dover	Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28; 7 p.m.
Brandywine Counseling's Bridge-Perinatal Program	Diane Postell, (661-6200 x 17)	New Castle	FAS AWARENESS DAY @ BCI Riverfront 350 S. Madison Street, Wilmington	Sept. 9; 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and DeLARF	To RSVP: Pat Pettaway (255-9423) Malik Harris (622-9177)	Kent	FREE RECOVERY MONTH KICK-OFF BRUNCH Dover Sheraton 1570 N. Dupont Highway, Dover	Sept. 10; 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Latin American Community Center	Carlos de los Ramos (655-7338)	New Castle	ANNUAL LATINO FESTIVAL (CELEBRATING A NEW LIFE) Tubman-Garret Park, Riverfront Wilmington	Sept. 11 & Sept. 12; 4-10 p.m.
Sodat-Delaware, DeLARF and Peoples Settlement	Lonnie Edwards (658-4133 x 303)	New Castle	WALK FOR TREATMENT AND RECOVERY Walk starts at 4th & Walnut 10 a.m., ends at Rodney Square, Wilmington (Activities start 11 a.m.)	Sept. 11; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Ellendale Detox	Irene Rust (422-8338)	Sussex	OPEN HOUSE "CELEBRATING 30 YEARS" Ellendale Detox Main Street, Route 16 Ellendale	Sept. 14; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Connections, CSP, Kent County Counseling Services, Delmarva Rural Ministries-Bridge Program, Open Door, House of Pride	Gregg Bunkley or Melissa Gentile (672-9360)	Kent	RECOVERY MONTH CELEBRATION PICINC AND RALLY Mt Zion Church Queen and Fulton Streets, Dover (Rally begins at 10 a.m.) Silver Lake Park State and Washington Streets, Dover (Picnic immediately after rally)	Sept. 17; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
LoveHeals Ministry	Vera Denise Harrison (576-9810)	New Castle	RECOVERY MONTH AWARDS CELEBRATION 2001 Washington Street, Wilmington	Sept. 18; 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
Manna Transitional Housing Ministry	Rev. Aaron R. Moore (328-8591)	New Castle	RECOVERY CELEBRATION SERVICE Police Athletic League 37th and Market Streets, Wilmington	Sept. 19; 10 a.m.
Connections, CSP	Kristen Olson (984-3380 x103)	Kent	OPEN HOUSE (Middletown) Middletown Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Program 22 N. Broad St., Middletown	Sept. 22; 12-2 p.m.
Beautiful Gate Outreach Center	Renee Beaman (472-3002)	New Castle	CARING HEARTS RECOVERY GROUP CELEBRATION 604 N. Walnut Street, Wilmington	Sept. 23; 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Gateway Foundation	Terri Stefanoski (836-2000 x 2704)	New Castle	RECOVERY UNITY EVENT 171 New Castle Ave Governor Bacon, Delaware City	Sept. 23; 12:3-4:30 p.m.
Connections CSP	Kristen Olson (984-3380 x 103)	New Castle	RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL West Presbyterian Church 500 W. 8th St., Wilmington	Sept. 24; 2:30-9 p.m.
Thresholds, Inc. with Brandywine Counseling's Project Renewal	Sue Harris (856-1835)	Sussex	CELEBRATING RECOVERY PICNIC Bedford Street Park, Georgetown	Sept. 24; 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Crossroads, Inc. and West End Neighborhood House	Micheal Barbieri Crossroads (652-1405)	New Castle	RECOVERY -POETRY/RAP/FREE STYLE FOR YOUTH West End Neighborhood House 710 N. Lincoln Street, Wilmington	Sept. 25; 1-5 p.m.
James Jefferson Ministry	Solomon Jefferson (664-8881)	Sussex	BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT FOR RECOVERY AND PREVENTION Slaughter Neck Community Center Slaughter Neck Road, Lincoln	Sept. 25 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Psychotherapeutic Services	Molly Koegh (674-3366)	Kent	RECOVERY COMMUNITY "FUN DAY" Felton Group Home 1563 Paradise Alley Road, Felton	Sept. 29 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

For more information about Delaware Health and Social Services, please email us at dhssinfo@delaware.gov.