Needle Exchange Can Work

HI Stanford, nice of you to repost the letter referred to in the diver blog. More dual diagnosis groups have come into being in the county, private, county sponsored, but there is some disarray in mental health which is agency charged with substance abuse treatment as well, with new medicare/medical regs, and musical chairs in facilities, which most people haven't noticed, has moved wellness recovery center, other programs from downtown, or other locations to new Jana Lynn Wellness Center at 500 N. Ninth Street. While good in some ways, more confusion reigns, as downsized programs have new assessment procedures, meetings relocated where bus line will not drop off directly until next month, and publicity to clients not the best in noting change of location of programs. At any rate, over in my area, not far from 800 Scenic, needles are ever rarer to find in curbs, or hang out areas, trend that has improved over past six years since I moved over here from graceada park west area, but once in awhile, particularly as gang tags reappear, you see some. Addition of clean and sober housing in neighborhood, we have 2 new ones, has helped rather than usual neighborhood fears that you pull more untreated folks in. If recovery support is strong, you have a peer pressure of those who make it, to help the others be less intrusive on others, but recidivism is high, yet recovery does take place. Your posting on the spay and neuter program good, as though not often noted on modesto famous, is in the bee, and animal groups, that Stanislaus County in crisis mode on that topic. Nice to see your support of that one.

jdc104 jim christiansen

My interest in the needle exchange program is primarily based upon my dream of the individual human beings that are victims of narcotic addictions, overcoming those addictions with the support of the community at large surrounding them.

No matter what the pre-cursors are, if there is hope, I would prefer that all prevention efforts be made that these individual human beings that are victims of narcotic addiction be safe and secure.

Currently our methods of incarceration do not guarantee that these individuals will recieve the proper care they deserve, nor that they will be able to abstain from injecting themselves with substances during their incarceration.

This will be a long and controversial road, but may I just say that my goal is not to lead anyone down the path toward legalization of drugs, but rather, to re-approach substance abuse with compassionate methods and opportunities for those that could so easily be our own blood relatives, or even ourselves.

Again, thank you for replying to my blog with insightful and valuable dialogue

Robert Stanford
Airport Neighborhood Activist

from my own brief stay in jail system, know all too well that contraband is not necessarily stopped, just because its illegal there. It is easier to get ciggies, etc, there than a cup of regular black coffee at inpatient. So your note, that incarceration, not a completely effective interdiction and intervention in one's drug habits has reality behind it. For all the effort, personnel and money spent on forensics in dealing with issue, not enough real programs with offenders enrolled while in system, makes after release a problem of attendance, similar to prop 36, well meaning, but requires drug court referral. On demand treatment has worked, but expensive so not in California, as resources due to budget continue to wane. And, as noted in local Milestones of Recovery, and in 12 step, one is responsible for one's own Recovery, got to want to as first step to make it stick. Can't farm it out to others to do it for one.

Recovery Month is coming up in September, usual observance date. There will be a kickoff, for Recovery, from drug addiction, alcohol, for some smoking, and mental health issues, anti stigma event going in with the West Modesto Farmer's Market Sept 4. As you know, though he's JB of JB Presents, John Black is also Family Advocate for BHRS and promoter of RECOVERY, living by example, co facilitator dual diagnsis group with Tim White, in their regular job, among other hook up services for those with mental health, the other recovery issues you mention.

I would hope Airport District might sponsor a Recovery month event, with the education components as well, along some of the lines you've outlined in concern for the community. Sofie has JB's number if that seems something to work on, or join those in planning outside airport, get those in neighborhood to attend, make known to county that airport wants to be a part of it, make it happen.

jdc104 jim christiansen

I shall consider it.

(that of course was spock from tos - his response to kirk's speech about a better way then killing off his fellow crewmates)

Robert Stanford

Airport Neighborhood Activist

or just to note, Shad Harris and the Groovenators will be at the West Modesto Certified Farmer's Market, do some blues for Recovery Month kickoff, September 4. Perhaps, as I feel blues is survivor music, we find a better way to live..... explore strange new worlds, ....

jdc104 jim christiansen

New life and new civilizations -

The hardest lessons of my position is to empathize with those addicted - truly addicted to substances like crack, heroin and meth.

It is sometimes difficult for me to remember that addiction is a disease and forgiveness is the cure.

And to forgive one's self is to....

Boldly go where no man has gone before....

Robert Stanford
Modesto Airport Neighborhood Activist

and do no harm..... had a hard time dealing with some associates, a bit up on addictions far before I was, like how to support it by taking my stuff, breaking the glass in my gallery, finding some of it in somebody else's garage sale.....in fact, some of my effort in helping set up 9th and D, had to do with self defense, too many old friends found it convenient to camp at my house, found their exit from last house, by way of downtown jail, using my address was a bit much.... so finding that challenge of empathy on some things Robert, can understand that.

Now, having had some other issues personally, may be why was crazy enough to put up with some of it for a time, but I didn't have the permits, nor the space, nor allowable housing density, bit of a problem just with my room mates asthma stress related ambulance calls, and the stigma on that some sort of drug overdose due to her associates and neighbors not knowing of her medical condition unrelated, and my own propensity in manic overdrive to paint all night, which if you have that issue, can out last any crankster in staying awake, makes you identify by simply lumped in with them, and you attend groups, find several in common cause with psych issues, may or may not be related to the self medication as some call it, or their other reasons to be caught in addiction.

You don't want to necessarily interfere, the Klingons may be into it, but you don't need the federation or phasers to see it may be dangerous to be around, and if it comes to you, what does Spock suggest. Its a difficult process to overcome, any of it.

What has struck me this year, is the number of my friends, who did make the transition off drugs, or overcome mental health setbacks, joined anonymous group, of the group that was my neighborhood for a time, also those who died, about fifty percent for the former, and that's against the grain of reported recidivism rates. So it can happen, maybe when you lose so many friends to Recovery, maybe they were your connections, it ain't so much fun, and you tend to hook up in a new way, or maybe it just got old, you note you're still alive, or developed one of those side effects, loss of jobs, family, relationships, on the streets, lost the dog, or have some medical issues from it, that wakes one up. No one way, so as its individual, go where you've not been before.

I don't know. I haven't blogged on topic here for awhile, as the site's readers non reactive really to some of these realities here in Modesto. Hide out in music, or art, or something, guess that's why, when glass broken, art stolen, found myself in crisis of depression, quit art for a while, read up on the real problems, explored a bit of the underbelly of the beast, what works, what didn't, see its a community to work on to work out successfully, and only came back to art when the fun returned. Music helped, but I find Pink Floyd themes more meaningful than guitar riffs and hooks, there is a big story behind a lot of that.... so,

my apologies for continuing on blogging sort of thing here, but its one of the issues I think important to know of, thought your topic well presented, thought out, where we have some agreement, and I know you are one who works his way best you can, to help out folks, so kudos to you. jim

jdc104 jim christiansen