“Thank you for your long standing commitment and advocacy for treatment. Today, Senator Lesniak will introduce landmark legislation which recognizes a fundamental truth as to the chronically addicted criminal; that is, the disease of addiction must be treated as a requirement to ensure that offenders have the opportunity of rehabilitation. The legislation, which was the collaborative product of many, offers a substantial first step toward addressing those inmates with addictions.
 
It would be appreciated if you would critically review the legislation and forward to Earl Lipphardt at eclipphardt@integrityhouse.org any comments. If you would be able to submit your input by January 24; it would be most beneficial, so as to ensure a more rigorous review of the bill.
 
Again, thank you for your anticipated interest, critique and hopefully advocacy.”

Dear Friends and Neighbors, 

Integrity House is once again teaming up with Adams Clothing Store in New Providence, NJ to collect desperately needed winter jackets for our residents in both Newark and Secaucus. Having a winter coat may seem simple but many of our residents come from low-income backgrounds and do not have the means to afford a quality winter coat to keep them warm in the winter.

Adams is offering a $30 gift certificate towards a new jacket with each donation of a winter coat

Please help make a difference by donating your winter jacket or suit today to someone who is less fortunate than ourselves. Whether you are in need of a new coat or just want to help someone in need, please consider donating to this worthy local charity. Please visit http://integrityhouse.org/donations/

 Donations are being collected at:
Adams Fine Clothing for Men & Women
1275 Springfield Avenue
New Providence , NJ 07974
908-665-0800

Rutgers Touchdown Club

didn’t sit on the sidelines

On behalf of the staff and clients of Integrity House, I thank the Rutgers University Touchdown Club and its president, Joseph Lemkin, for its generous donation of more than 30 tickets to see the Scarlet Knights football team play against Tulane and University of Connecticut. Our program members were thrilled to have the opportunity to experience the incredible atmosphere of a Rutgers football game and are extremely thankful to the club for making this possible.

As a longtime Scarlet Knights season ticket holder, graduate student at the Rutgers School of Social Work and employee of Integrity House, I am pleased to form a relationship with the Touchdown Club and thank its members for their donation.

Integrity House is the largest substance abuse treatment center funded and licensed by the state of New Jersey. We operate 19 buildings in our Newark and Secaucus facilities; more than 1,400 lives are affected annually through a multitude of programs. Integrity House relies on the generosity of our friends and community. We are glad to call the Rutgers University Touchdown Club our friend.

Katie Sharpe,

Newark

The writer is public relations and development assistant for Integrity House.

http://www.nj.com/opinion/times/letters/index.ssf?/base/news-2/128867673210910.xml&coll=5

D House dedicated a Hair Show for Breast Cancer Awareness Month last week. The ladies researched statistics about breast cancer, made signs for during the show and made a presentation about what each sign meant. They also researched how to be healthier through good eating habits and quitting smoking. Overall, everyone had fun and the women of D House in Newark did a great job!

Men from Newark & Secaucus participated in the Recovery Walk in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, September 25th. Attending the walk has been a tradition at Integrity House for many years now and cities throughout the Northeast have participated in this event.

This particular walk started at the historic Waterfront Section of Philadelphia along the Delaware River, went up Market Street about ¼ mile and then came back to the river. The crowd was approximately 30,000 people plus addicts in recovery who have had clean time ranging from a few days up to 40 years or more. It was an extraordinary sight to see so many enthusiastic recovering addicts walk in the name of sobriety and recovery. A lot of agencies also participated in the walk including a major sponsor, the A&E network, who currently airs the Grammy Award Winning show “Intervention”.

There were live bands and many companies hosted booths that helped the participants with services such as how to register to vote and obtaining information on Suboxone.

All in all it was a great day and it was very good to see so many people enjoying life and having a great time without the use of drugs or alcohol. Many of us plan on attending this next year and future years to come.

[Written by Kurt O.]

What better way to motivate our student-members than hearing about the success of a fellow peer who has taken full advantage of the opportunties available after getting his GED!

What is Recovery Month?

Recovery Month is an annual observance that takes place during the month of September.

The Recovery Month observance highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, lauds the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. The observance also encourages citizens to take action to help expand and improve the availability of effective substance abuse treatment for those in need. Each year a new theme, or emphasis, is selected for the observance.

Recovery Month provides a platform to celebrate people in recovery and those who serve them. Each September, thousands of treatment programs around the country celebrate their successes and share them with their neighbors, friends, and colleagues in an effort to educate the public about treatment, how it works, for whom, and why. Substance abuse treatment providers have made significant accomplishments, having transformed the lives of untold thousands of Americans. These successes often go unnoticed by the broader population; therefore, Recovery Month provides a vehicle to celebrate these successes.

Recovery Month also serves to educate the public on substance abuse as a national health crisis, that addiction is a treatable disease, and that recovery is possible. Recovery Month highlights the benefits of treatment for not only the affected individual, but for their family, friends, workplace, and society as a whole. Educating the public reduces the stigma associated with addiction and treatment. Accurate knowledge of the disease helps people to understand the importance of supporting treatment programs, those who work within the treatment field, and those in need of treatment.

From www.recoverymonth.gov