You can drop off all donations to The Center for Family Life and Recovery. If necessary, please contact Katie Burns at 315-733-1709 to arrange pick-ups.
Utica, New York (April 2022) –The Center for Family Life and Recovery (CFLR) announces its Spring Take Back Day’s. Since October 2016, CFLR has been committed to enhancing prevention efforts in the community to lessen risky behaviors, addiction, and overdoses by promoting the MedReturn Units and Community Take Back Days. CFLR monitors pounds collected during these events and over 23,000 pounds (about the weight of a school bus) to date and hopes to reach its goal of 30,000 pounds by the end of October 2023.
The Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc., as part of their growing Oneida County Prevention Services, and in conjunction with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, and Local Police Departments are working together in collaboration to “Take Back” unused/or expired prescription and over- the-counter medications, including pet medications by offering drive- through events.
April 27th with OC Sheriff’s
Camden Apartments, Camden: 9am – 11am
Parkway Center Apartments, Verona Beach: 12pm – 2pm
April 28th with Utica PD
Schuyler Commons, Utica: 9am – 11am
Parkway Center, Utica: 12pm – 2pm
April 30th OC Sheriff’s and Utica PD
Outside of Utica Train Station on Railroad Street: 10am – 2pm
The Director of CFLR’s Prevention Department, Jodi Klostreich states, “having these take back opportunities to rid of over the counter or prescription medications that may be expired or unused, (including pet medications) are a safe and effective way to clean out your medicine cabinet. According to Klostreich, medications play a key role in treating many conditions, diseases, and mental health in general. But when those medicines are no longer needed, it is important to dispose of them properly to reduce risk from accidental exposure or intentional misuse or abuse along with overdose.” Addiction is a community issue and we all can play a role in proactive prevention by ensuring that medication does not get in the wrong hands, she says. There were 294,317 cases of improper medicine use in 2019, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Approximately 9% of those cases — about 26,317 — involved accidental exposure to another person’s medicine. Approximately 3,846 of these accidental exposure cases involved children 5 and younger.
Please be a part of CFLR’s goal of reaching 30,000 pounds, you can help by checking your medicine cabinet today and dropping off your items at one of the sponsored drive-through events.
Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be a leader in creating a world where people have the power to achieve and celebrate recovery. CFLR supports individuals and families struggling with addiction, mental health, and behavioral issues by inspiring hope, providing help, promoting wellness, and transforming lives. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com or call (315) 733-1709.
Utica, New York (March 2022) – The Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. has chosen Tabatha Sellick, from Oneida County Family Treatment Court as the winner of their 2022 Amethyst Award, which will be presented at their annual awareness breakfast on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.
The Amethyst Award is given annually to a member of the community who has helped others by inspiring them with the message of hope and recovery in the fields of mental health and chemical dependency, as well as treatment and prevention.
“Tabatha is one of the most dedicated members of our community supporting individuals working on their substance use disorder, mental health, and finding pathways for the whole family unit.”
“Tabatha works tirelessly with those suffering from SUD.”
“[She] is going above and beyond to service those in need through several specialty courts.”
“Her impact on the community keeps children and parents safe and making positive strides in their recovery.” “Tabatha’s work as Treatment Court Coordinator has made a lasting difference in the recovery community.”
“She is extremely caring and takes time with everyone she is talking to, to hear what they are saying.”
Each year at the annual awareness breakfast, CFLR celebrates their community partners who join them in the fight against substance use disorders. There will also be informational booths from services providers from all over the Mohawk Valley and Central NY providing information on recovery and prevention services.
“We want to recognize all our partners who play a role in the recovery community, whether it’s inpatient or outpatient, support groups, peer services, life skills, or advocacy“, says CFLR’s CEO Cassandra Sheets. “All of us together share a piece of the success stories we’re now writing. The Mohawk Valley is fortunate to have strong, community-minded leaders. For the friends and loved ones who are rebuilding their lives in recovery, the support they find locally helps to increase their chances of success. This area has numerous resources to help individuals and families get clean, sober, and achieve long-term recovery. More importantly, those resources work together to customize individual plans for the road to recovery,” Sheets said.
The awareness breakfast is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26th at Hart’s Hill Inn at 8:30am in Whitesboro and is open to the public. Tickets are $25 and are available online at https://www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com/calendar/cflr-annual-breakfast/
Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be a leader in creating a world where people have the power to achieve and celebrate recovery. CFLR supports individuals and families struggling with addiction, mental health, and behavioral issues by inspiring hope, providing help, promoting wellness, and transforming lives. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com or call (315) 733-1709
Utica, NY – With the recent news story of seven West Point Academy cadets who overdosed on cocaine laced with fentanyl during spring break, the Center for Family Life and Recovery is urging parents to educate themselves and their children on the rising risks of opioid use, particularly drugs laced with fentanyl. As of 3/9 in Oneida county alone there have been 49 non-fatal overdoses and 6 fatal overdoses.
“Overdoses are happening in every community. People are dying, our youth and young adults are dying– this is a crisis.” says Director of Prevention Services, Jodi Klostreich at the Center for Family Life and Recovery. “With the rise in mental health issues among our youth, they are taking more risks with substances and alcohol. And now, fentanyl-laced drugs have become the next wave of the opioid crisis. CFLR wants every parent and community member to know the trends, and to share with their children that drugs are not safe, and dealers don’t care if there is loss of life…it’s a business, and that is it.” She also states, “It’s so easy to lace any substance or beverage and you won’t know it, smell it, it won’t even look different.”
According to a United State Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) official, “Pills and other potent drugs on our streets are everywhere and no one is immune to accidentally overdosing if they use or abuse drugs. Heroin and fentanyl should be a conversation with our youth. Fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than morphine. As little as one gram of fentanyl can kill 500 people. It doesn’t take a lot to kill.”
CFLR wants parents and community members to also be trained and educated on Naloxone (Narcan) and why it’s so critical to have on hand. In an overdose situation, Narcan can possibly save someone’s life.
CFLR offers FREE NARCAN education and training. If your school, agency, college, or any community members want to know more about CFLR’s Prevention and Recovery Department’s programs and services, call CFLR’s main line at (315)733-1709. If you think your loved one is already dealing with an addiction, CFLR offers family support services as well. For more information on the many services and programs we offer, visit https://www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com
Utica, New York (February 2022) – Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is launching a virtual event for individuals, family members, community members, and professionals in the Recovery Field on March 5th from 1-3pm. Three of the developers, Lureen McNeil, Kristopher Moses, and Ambi Daniel, Family Support Navigator at Center for Family Life & Recovery, will be hosting a guided tour of the resources available on oasas.ny.gov/30-in-30 and how to best use the site as an active resource. The 30 in 30 focuses on multiple pathways to recovery, video journal entries about real challenges and successes, written resources families can use, and information from some of the most influential subject matter experts in the field.
30 in 30 is a statewide effort. Addiction remains a serious threat to public health and well-being. Overdose deaths exceeded 100,000 in the 12 -month period ending in April 2021. This represents a 28 percent increase from the prior year. 1 Excessive alcohol use is responsible for 95,000 deaths each year or 261 deaths per day. 2 Additionally, it is estimated that only 11 percent of people who needed treatment in 2018, sought and received treatment. 3 The Change Theory, 4 is one way to understand substance use disorder. The theory says that people change through predictable stages that include Precontemplation, Contemplation, Decision, Action, and Maintenance. Especially for individuals in precontemplation or contemplation where it is important to inform, inspire and motivate individuals.
The Commission/Institute project elevates 30 voices of those in recovery every 30 days to help initiate recovery in those people in the pre-contemplative and contemplative phases by providing hope, information, resources, and support from real people who have all come about recovery in their own way.
Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be a leader in creating a world where people have the power to achieve and celebrate recovery. CFLR supports individuals and families struggling with addiction, mental health, and behavioral issues by inspiring hope, providing help, promoting wellness, and transforming lives. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com or call (315) 733-1709.
