Well, this is my final blog post for our internship blogging. This has been a great way to reflect and critically engage in what I do for work each day. It has increased my awareness as to what a great program I work for and how many amazing things we do to help serve vulnerable people in Maricopa County. I have been thrilled to share all the various components of my work, which is clearly only enhances though an education about public programs and urban systems. I believe that local communities can come together to build healthy, lasting, sustainable environments for people to live lives that have a great quality of life.
As this semester winds to a close, I also greatly enjoyed following the work that many of you have also engaged in and I have learned a great deal from each of your own various journeys in the “real world.” I wish all of you have taken a moment to read my internship blog many happy semesters ahead or perhaps a happy graduation ahead. Either way, I would like to close out this semester with a quote that continues to be a message of hope for me and it is:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead."
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Pitch 4 Kidz: Another Effort at Coolaboration
Another exciting collaboration that we are attempting to get off the ground this weekend is working with a non-profit organization called Pitch 4 Kidz. This is a new and unique organization that is a three day educational support program for children ages 6 - 12 years old who have been exposed to substance abuse in their families.
The states goals of Pitch 4 Kidz is as follows:
"PITCH 4 KIDZ strives to impart messages of strength and hope to families facing the disease of addiction. The program is designed to help children understand addiction and realize that their parent's addiction is not their fault. The program teaches that treatment and recovery are possible and that families can heal. The lessons and skills presented are geared toward building healthy resilience, healthy communication, and social competence. By fostering honest communication, shameful feelings are reduced and children are empowered."-Bobbe McGinley, Co-Founder, MA, MBA, CADAC, NCG-II, LISAC, Betty Ford-Children's Program Training Certificate. and Stacey Beck, Co-Founder, BS, Betty Ford-Children's Program Training Certificate.
This program is always held over the weekend, so this weekend we are starting a collaboration with this organization and several of our clients will be attending with their children. The idea is to provide children with the language to talk about areas that have been secretive in their homes. This organization receives significant support from the baseball community and we believe is an important element to treating a family that has been touched by addiction. The logistics of getting the families to the cite have been a little difficult, but we are now organized and ready to kick off the first of our weekends.
Additionally, we will be holding a BBQ at Legacy House this weekend (our house for pregnant women) to celebrate being open for one year! This is a huge success and we are thrilled that we accomplished something so wonderful. The walls of our office are covered with pictures of all the sober babies that have been born as a result of women living within a safe and supportive community.
The states goals of Pitch 4 Kidz is as follows:
"PITCH 4 KIDZ strives to impart messages of strength and hope to families facing the disease of addiction. The program is designed to help children understand addiction and realize that their parent's addiction is not their fault. The program teaches that treatment and recovery are possible and that families can heal. The lessons and skills presented are geared toward building healthy resilience, healthy communication, and social competence. By fostering honest communication, shameful feelings are reduced and children are empowered."-Bobbe McGinley, Co-Founder, MA, MBA, CADAC, NCG-II, LISAC, Betty Ford-Children's Program Training Certificate. and Stacey Beck, Co-Founder, BS, Betty Ford-Children's Program Training Certificate.
This program is always held over the weekend, so this weekend we are starting a collaboration with this organization and several of our clients will be attending with their children. The idea is to provide children with the language to talk about areas that have been secretive in their homes. This organization receives significant support from the baseball community and we believe is an important element to treating a family that has been touched by addiction. The logistics of getting the families to the cite have been a little difficult, but we are now organized and ready to kick off the first of our weekends.
Additionally, we will be holding a BBQ at Legacy House this weekend (our house for pregnant women) to celebrate being open for one year! This is a huge success and we are thrilled that we accomplished something so wonderful. The walls of our office are covered with pictures of all the sober babies that have been born as a result of women living within a safe and supportive community.
United Way Grants...
Today we organized a large presentation to United Way to write for a new grant that they are offering through vocational enhancement programs. We are already funded through the United Way program and have a longstanding relationship with them. Additionally, our staff also donated to United Way to support social service programs like us that help to make our local communities stronger. This has been an important presentation that has primarily been coordinated through Beverly Wohlert, our vocational counselor extraordinaire! I believe that what we have presented makes us a great candidate for their grant possibility.
Other tasks that have been on my plate this week has been going to several community meetings with our many collaborators, primarily with Magellan the RBHA for Maricopa County. We meet monthly for a SAPT meeting, which is a special federal funding category that focuses on substance abuse prevention. These are vital federal dollars that make treatment accessible for those clients who do not have AHCCCS or other insurance to get the help that they need. Some interesting topics that are in need of further exploration came up in our meeting. Next week will also be filled with more and more meetings, right in the midst of finals! It will be a tough push for the finish line, but I am so excited that it is almost here.
Other tasks that have been on my plate this week has been going to several community meetings with our many collaborators, primarily with Magellan the RBHA for Maricopa County. We meet monthly for a SAPT meeting, which is a special federal funding category that focuses on substance abuse prevention. These are vital federal dollars that make treatment accessible for those clients who do not have AHCCCS or other insurance to get the help that they need. Some interesting topics that are in need of further exploration came up in our meeting. Next week will also be filled with more and more meetings, right in the midst of finals! It will be a tough push for the finish line, but I am so excited that it is almost here.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Graduation Prep
It’s hard to believe that graduation is only two weeks away! While I am thrilled, I feel that the time is racing closer and I need the clock to slow down to accomplish all that I need to for finals. As more and more tasks get crossed off of my list, I have started to believe that I actually might make it! I believe that I have grown exponentially this semester and I am excited to continue my education, but there is no doubt that this is a significant milestone along the way. With so much going on this semester, I have had limited time for fun. I have focused on school and keeping physically active with a very limited social life.
So, this week I was excited to have a little bit of fun with two of my girls that are also graduating from COPP this semester. ASU held a graduation cap competition for various categories of “decorations” if you will. We chose to create a group cap message using the Latin saying from Julius Caesar, “Veni, vidi, vici.” (I came, I saw, I conquered). Which is of course what we have done! Anyway, Tuesday night was a night of bedazzling fun and ASU crafting in preparation for the big grad day! Check out the pics below.
So, this week I was excited to have a little bit of fun with two of my girls that are also graduating from COPP this semester. ASU held a graduation cap competition for various categories of “decorations” if you will. We chose to create a group cap message using the Latin saying from Julius Caesar, “Veni, vidi, vici.” (I came, I saw, I conquered). Which is of course what we have done! Anyway, Tuesday night was a night of bedazzling fun and ASU crafting in preparation for the big grad day! Check out the pics below.
Redirection and Positive Reinforcement
This week has been incredibly busy despite the changes in my workload. In large part this has been due to the training of new staff, my role as director being more visible and available, and current fundraising and grant demands. In essence, the work with my role really never ends. This role sort of serves to deescalate potential crises that come up within our work. Even while engaging in all these activities, I have still met individually with a few of my personal clients that have been struggling with the adjustments and transitions including group and counselor changes.
Some of the bigger tasks have included writing my first audit response, which my CEO was pleased with and has been sent into Magellan (the RBHA) for review. Hopefully the steps we have taken for correction will suffice. Additionally, there has been a need for the redirection of several staff members with high absenteeism and some ethical violations. This is the part of my job that I enjoy the least. It is not easy to be a leader and provide redirection. Our agency has historically been small and has relished a family atmosphere, so it is even more challenging to implement these formalized strategies because it has not been the norm for the organizational culture of NCADD. However, these formal corrective action procedures are necessary as our agency continues to grow. Nonetheless, it is uncomfortable to redirect and some employees within the organization that have needed redirection resist it.
But, I must say that since these few redirections have happened, those that have been redirected have responded and have adjusted their behavior. I believe that it is important for people to know exactly where they stand in terms of how their behavior is being viewed and it also a teaching opportunity for improvement. On the other hand, it is also vital to acknowledge employees through positive reinforcement. I have been able to do that with several employees this week and their response was wonderful to watch.
Some of the bigger tasks have included writing my first audit response, which my CEO was pleased with and has been sent into Magellan (the RBHA) for review. Hopefully the steps we have taken for correction will suffice. Additionally, there has been a need for the redirection of several staff members with high absenteeism and some ethical violations. This is the part of my job that I enjoy the least. It is not easy to be a leader and provide redirection. Our agency has historically been small and has relished a family atmosphere, so it is even more challenging to implement these formalized strategies because it has not been the norm for the organizational culture of NCADD. However, these formal corrective action procedures are necessary as our agency continues to grow. Nonetheless, it is uncomfortable to redirect and some employees within the organization that have needed redirection resist it.
But, I must say that since these few redirections have happened, those that have been redirected have responded and have adjusted their behavior. I believe that it is important for people to know exactly where they stand in terms of how their behavior is being viewed and it also a teaching opportunity for improvement. On the other hand, it is also vital to acknowledge employees through positive reinforcement. I have been able to do that with several employees this week and their response was wonderful to watch.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Post Grad Plans...Travel
Inevitably the question for an upcoming graduate is typically, “What are you going to do now that you have graduated?” The cliché response would of course be, “I am going to Disneyland!” Well, this graduate is not going to Disneyland, but a summer of travel and rejuvenation is ahead for me. I am definitely a girl who loves a big, urban city; hence, the UMS degree as one of my majors. Thus, I am looking forward to a week long grad trip to NYC at the end of May. I have a bit of a gypsy in me, so anytime I can get out and experience other places I am very happy. It is also time for another celebration because my cousin will be getting married in Brooklyn, which I am thrilled about. It should be a lovely trip and the City is always amazing right before the humidity of summer sets in.
My next trip is a combined business and pleasure trip. I have a conference to attend in San Diego for three days. It is the premiere conference concerning women with struggles with addiction. I am traveling with a dear friend and colleague from the office and so we decided to extend and make it a trip to remember! We are both bringing our significant others and we are renting a lovely beach home in beautiful La Jolla for a week. I have never stayed in La Jolla, so I am looking forward to staying in a new locale. I have stayed in the heart of San Diego about a thousand times, but this will be new. It’s been awhile since I have had some good California beach time and I for sure need it. Indeed, I have always had a dream to learn how to surf, so I will definitely be taking that opportunity when I travel in July.
I find it difficult to be still and inactive, so I also plan to take piano lessons this summer before it’s back to the grind in the Fall. I hope all of you have a wonderful summer that will bring you amazing memories following a grueling year of growth!
Grant Writing
This week has also been busy with meetings and information gathering to write for a $400K grant through SAMSHA. This grant is designed to serve women being released from the Department of Corrections and seeks to reduce recidivism after release from prison. NCADD has recently developed a collaboration with adult probation and we have been effectively serving this population and have been returning positive outcomes. Not one of out clients that have been released have returned to prison since the development of the relationship one year ago. While this is still a new process, these early outcomes indicate that this collaborative approach is making a difference in the lives of the women that we are serving.
We have a saying in our business: “The work we do with our clients is a gift, it’s the documentation that we get paid for.” This basically means that as helpers we love to do work directly with our clients, but we definitely have to work at getting paperwork done. Thus, grant writing is a painful exercise for our organization. Considering that we are a relatively small non-profit, our ability to staff a full time grant writer is not in the budget. Thus, we are left to accomplish this task with minimal guidance. I have spent the week in several meetings and trainings on the particulars of this grant. Due to the nature of the funding, we have hired a writer for a portion of the grant, which has been helpful because she keeps us focused and on a timeline. We will have to keep our fingers crossed and see what happens. If we get funded, we ought to be able to help a whole lot of women!
We have a saying in our business: “The work we do with our clients is a gift, it’s the documentation that we get paid for.” This basically means that as helpers we love to do work directly with our clients, but we definitely have to work at getting paperwork done. Thus, grant writing is a painful exercise for our organization. Considering that we are a relatively small non-profit, our ability to staff a full time grant writer is not in the budget. Thus, we are left to accomplish this task with minimal guidance. I have spent the week in several meetings and trainings on the particulars of this grant. Due to the nature of the funding, we have hired a writer for a portion of the grant, which has been helpful because she keeps us focused and on a timeline. We will have to keep our fingers crossed and see what happens. If we get funded, we ought to be able to help a whole lot of women!
Transitions
Well, training is complete and the gals are hard at work orienting to their new positions. I have to say that it has been quite the challenge to juggle all the changes. As we students are fast approaching finals and graduation, adding in the complexity of my work has made me quite a busy girl. One of the ways that I have tried to make training a better experience is by creating a “scavenger hunt” of training and cross training opportunities, especially so the new hires could feel a sense of autonomy in the process. They are both thrilled to be working with us and have expressed their excitement to be a part of the team.
As for me, it has been a little bit sad to let go of part of my job and pay it forward to the new gals. I am very attached to the human service work that I do, which is direct service with clients. The clients that I work with were also struggling with the change and are having a tough time with the adjustment. I have reminded them that they can come and see me any time that they have a need and that I will be sitting in on groups and co-facilitating, which seems to have put their minds at ease. I know that this is a good change because it will allow me to be more effective at supervision, which is also vital to our organization. I have found that staff is coming to me more now that I am more available and they truly do have vital questions that need answers and support. This is still an essential way to serve our vulnerable population. Next week will be the first week that I will not have a group, but I will still be seeing three clients individually and I do also facilitate an adolescent group on Thursday evenings, so they will also keep my skills sharp.
As for me, it has been a little bit sad to let go of part of my job and pay it forward to the new gals. I am very attached to the human service work that I do, which is direct service with clients. The clients that I work with were also struggling with the change and are having a tough time with the adjustment. I have reminded them that they can come and see me any time that they have a need and that I will be sitting in on groups and co-facilitating, which seems to have put their minds at ease. I know that this is a good change because it will allow me to be more effective at supervision, which is also vital to our organization. I have found that staff is coming to me more now that I am more available and they truly do have vital questions that need answers and support. This is still an essential way to serve our vulnerable population. Next week will be the first week that I will not have a group, but I will still be seeing three clients individually and I do also facilitate an adolescent group on Thursday evenings, so they will also keep my skills sharp.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Training...
This week has been focused on training at various levels. Our two new employees have been getting oriented to our team and process and seem as though they will be a good fit. I believe that a mark of a great organization is a meaningful training process. Training is essential for the effectiveness of the team and for the new hire to feel confident engaging in their work. It is challenging at NCADD because we are an organization that avoids micromanagement like the plague, but at the same time it is important to offer supportive guidance for the team. That’s why I believe in positive leadership that operates from a horizontal structure, rather than from a rigid, vertical, hierarchal process.
Thus, our training process reflects this. What I have created is a sort of training scavenger hunt if you will, that places the autonomy of accomplishing tasks with the employee, but also pinpoints specific needs that ought to be accomplished by the employee to be fully oriented to the company. As I have described throughout this blog, our organization is growing with multiple facets that make up the whole. It is vital that those providing direct service fully understand important features of our organization, so that they might translate it to out clientele. Indeed, by hiring the new staff I will now be able to better be available for supervision and support for the entire team. I happily welcome our new staff to the team and look forward to what is to come!
Thus, our training process reflects this. What I have created is a sort of training scavenger hunt if you will, that places the autonomy of accomplishing tasks with the employee, but also pinpoints specific needs that ought to be accomplished by the employee to be fully oriented to the company. As I have described throughout this blog, our organization is growing with multiple facets that make up the whole. It is vital that those providing direct service fully understand important features of our organization, so that they might translate it to out clientele. Indeed, by hiring the new staff I will now be able to better be available for supervision and support for the entire team. I happily welcome our new staff to the team and look forward to what is to come!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Changes and New Beginnings
Well as I mentioned previously, we had to terminate a long time employee on Friday. I must say that it is incredibly painful because one is definitely aware of the effect that this change will inevitably have on that person’s life. The employee was devastated and clearly surprised. Nothing makes that part of a job easy. I used to be incredibly critical of people in leadership, but being on the other side and in that role now I have a deep appreciation of the scope that must be considered when making decisions. When one is privy to only some information, it makes it difficult to see and appreciate all angles of decision.
This week will be equally as busy as the last because now I have two people to train and we are back to school (although I never really stopped over the holiday break). It will also be a sad week because I am having to let go of an incredibly special part of my job, which has to do with direct client contact. I will be giving up my group with young adults and transitioning it over to one of the new employees that I have hired. While this will alleviate a significant amount of stress, I know that my clients will be sad and distressed by the change. However, by doing all of this, it will open my time to supervise more effectively and to become more involved with the larger scope of our operations. I am ready to embrace this change.
This week will be equally as busy as the last because now I have two people to train and we are back to school (although I never really stopped over the holiday break). It will also be a sad week because I am having to let go of an incredibly special part of my job, which has to do with direct client contact. I will be giving up my group with young adults and transitioning it over to one of the new employees that I have hired. While this will alleviate a significant amount of stress, I know that my clients will be sad and distressed by the change. However, by doing all of this, it will open my time to supervise more effectively and to become more involved with the larger scope of our operations. I am ready to embrace this change.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Karen Casey Event: Success
Before I discuss the results of our fundraising endeavor, I want to take a quick moment to make an observation about Spring Break. I wish I actually had a break! There, I’ve said it. My complaint is complete. This semester has been a true endurance trial for me and it only continues to get tougher. I simply cannot believe that we only have a month and a week to graduation. When I think about it, I get both excited and a little freaked out because I do not feel that there are enough hours in the day to complete all that I have to do. However, I know I will make it; I just have to take it one thing at a time. Thus, my Spring Break has been consumed with work and school prep. I am working on writing a 25 page research paper on the symbolism of the hijab from the secular and post structuralist perspectives. I am really excited to write this paper, but the research is pretty greuling. However, I feel pretty confident that I can get through it. I have set a timeline for writing so hopefully that will help.
However, this blog is not centered on my current scholastic adventures, but rather on my exploration in the real world. As I had mentioned previously, we held a fund raising event last Saturday and it was a wonderful success. It was a little tough having to spend my entire Saturday there with all the reading I have on my plate, but I think it was totally worth it. The speaker was wonderful and we made a lovely profit to apply to single women without medical coverage to get life saving preventative care. It was also a great way to market our program and marshal community support behind our non-profit. There are many people who attended that want to be get involved to support our treatment community and we truly value each person who takes an interest.
This work week has been quite hectic as we have had many collaborative community meetings, internal structural changes, and funding increases. The pace is incredible, but it also completely rewarding. We are in the process of writing for multiple grants and in fact, we are in the early stages of pursuing the largest grant opportunity that we have ever decided to take on. I am really looking forward to learning from and being a part of that process. On a sad note, tomorrow morning I will have to be a part of terminating an employee. I think one of our peers, Javid recently wrote about this necessary evil. One of the things that makes this so challenging is that our work community is much like a family and it is incredibly painful to make this decision. However, we must always ethically keep our clients needs first. I think if I always allow that philosophy to be my guiding compass, I will probably not go wrong.
Anyway, we shall see how it all goes tomorrow. At least after the termination, late in the afternoon we will be hiring two new team members who I believe will be an amazing fit for our organization. It truly doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable, though. Que sera, sera!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
GRE Math Bootcamp
I am conflicted about my next step in terms of my educational plans and I have been trying to clarify in my mind what I ought to explore next. For the engagement in a career services activity, I have chosen to explore taking either the GRE or the LSAT. Presently, I am in a master’s program through the political science department, which I will achieve in the Spring of 2013. That is essentially one year from now and I am trying to prepare for what will happen after that. I am interested in international human rights law and justice, especially as it relates to gender. For some time I thought I might like to get a PhD and remain in academia, but I am leaning towards wanting to be an activist rather than being so distant from the issue in cipher of academia. Therefore, since I have some time to decide, I thought I might use the career services portion of this class to look further into taking the GRE or the LSAT.
Thus, today I took a prep class offered through ASU by Princeton Review for the math section of the GRE. It was held at the downtown campus in the UCENT from 10am to 1pm. The instructor was Andrew Ruiz and he was both knowledgeable and charismatic, which made the class more palatable. While math is not my strong suit, I am also no slug either. The topics covered were basically related to basic mathematics principles. They provided you with a 20 page packet that included concepts such as number properties, absolute value, factoring, percentages, and basic algebraic principles. The class was preparation for both the GRE and the GMAT. Andrew explained that the differences between the tests was that the GMAT does not allow any calculator whereas the GRE does allow one and that the GMAT has a much more significant math component. I spoke with him after class and he explained the structure of the GRE. He noted that it is 5 sections, one of which is called an experiential section that does not count toward your grade. There are typically two math and two verbal sections with a writing component thrown in for good measure. There are 20 problems for each math section and you area allowed 35 minutes to complete. The timeframe is limited to 30 minutes for the verbal components.
What I liked the most was that he didn’t try to overly sell me on their product.He genuinely seemed to want to help and answer questions to help with demystifying the test. He strongly encouraged us to at minimum take a practice exam first, so that you might feel more oriented going into the exam. He noted that ASU offers them throughout the year. I am going to provide the link to the graduate studies calendar in case anyone is thinking about graduate school and needs to take the GRE or the GMAT. In two weeks I will take the practice LSAT. I am a little worried, only because I have done absolutely nothing to prepare for it. I will definitely be going in blind, but I think it will be helpful to know where I am at and what I should think about doing to prepare. Sometimes I perform a lot better without preparing too much because it lessens the pressure.
Here is the link to the calendar: http://graduate.asu.edu/
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Interviews...Time for a New Hire
I am happy to report that business is good at NCADD and we received an increase in funding to show for it. This is especially exciting news for me, because as a leader in the organization I have essentially been working two full time jobs. My CEO has approved funding allocation to hire a part time counselor (32 hours a week) as an audition for a possible permanent position with benefits at the conclusion of the fiscal year (June/2012). While this is thrilling, in the short term it has made my schedule even more complex as we have been inundated with responses to the add. I have scheduled eight interviews for next week and I am looking forward to learning about each of the candidates. We have such an amazing team that I feel it is essential for me to ferret out the right person to fit into our work culture. Thus, next week will be busy with school and work. I am very much looking forward to a little Spring Break fever!
For those who might have an interest, the results of our audit process was very positive. As I mentioned, we had four audits in one and it was quite the process. During our process review with the auditor, we were informed that we were exemplary in most standards and only fell below threshold in 4 areas. We weren’t below by much, but it does require that we write a response to Magellan and explain our corrective action strategies. It is a wonderful feeling to have your work validated by the external forces that control funding!
On Saturday I will be taking a GRE math bootcamp. I am not even certain that I need it, or that I will even take the GRE (it might be LSAT for me), but I thought that it couldn’t hurt to brush up on some of those rusty mathematics skills. I’ll keep you posted on how it all goes.
For those who might have an interest, the results of our audit process was very positive. As I mentioned, we had four audits in one and it was quite the process. During our process review with the auditor, we were informed that we were exemplary in most standards and only fell below threshold in 4 areas. We weren’t below by much, but it does require that we write a response to Magellan and explain our corrective action strategies. It is a wonderful feeling to have your work validated by the external forces that control funding!
On Saturday I will be taking a GRE math bootcamp. I am not even certain that I need it, or that I will even take the GRE (it might be LSAT for me), but I thought that it couldn’t hurt to brush up on some of those rusty mathematics skills. I’ll keep you posted on how it all goes.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Kaeng Raeng...Crazy Cleansing Fun...(oh, and some work/school stuff, too)
- As I have mentioned previously, I have been focusing on balance and that has included health. I planned on completing a cleanse that I had heard about on Alicia Silverstone’s website (www.thekindlife.com) called Kaeng Raeng. My biggest motivation to do a cleanse has been due to getting pretty sick in January and wanting to clear out all of those nasty toxins. Kaeng Raeng is a vegan cleanse that allows you to maintain a raw vegan diet while cleansing, no crazy fasts. I took the test that they offer online and I chose the six day veteran cleanse. I started it last Saturday and I must say it was a challenge, but definitely worth it. One of my dirty little secrets is that I am a coffee connoisseur (okay, not so secret) and the first three days without my regular dosage was quite a test. You are allowed to have black coffee or tea, but I simply cannot bring myself to drink black coffee. Thus, I lived on green tea all week. My planning was perhaps not the best because I had several important midterms this week in addition to regular class work and my brain was definitely fuzzy at times. After I broke the three day barrier I felt tons better and my skin felt amazing! So, the basic routine is a shake in the morning, afternoon, and evening. It consists of vitamins, amino acids, probiotics, non GMO soy protein, and a full serving of fruit. It also contains no additives or processed ingredients. Best of all, it does not disrupt normal life. I was able to effectively manage work and school, even if I was a bit tired. It is about 24 - 32 ounces of liquid per shake, so you are definitely pretty hydrated and ultimately required a few extra bathroom pitstops throughout the day! I also kept up my daily work out regimen, which is not typical of cleansing from what I have heard. I did lose some weight on it and it is also indicated as a kick start to weight loss. I’ll be excited to see the benefits now that I have completed it. Anyway, they suggest cleansing once a month. I think that might be a bit of overkill, but I am going to try to incorporate it in once every three months or so. It’s definitely worth it!
- In addition, this week I have officially started the last class to complete my 23 credit hour schedule. It makes for quite a juggling process to manage it all. It is sort of surreal that graduation is now only two months away, even though I will be continuing on with my studies. This is probably the busiest I have ever been, but I believe it is times likes these that we build mastery by learning from challenging situations. As I mentioned in my previous blog, work has been a little crazy with the auditors visiting and evaluating our standard of practice. However, we have such a great team and I truly work for the most amazing CEO, thus I know that regardless of the outcome of the audit, we will make the necessary corrections and move ahead. Also, we are now hiring another counselor, so I have put an add in the paper and we will start interviews soon. The interviewing process is always incredibly vital because of the cohesion of our team. We definitely have a collective vision at NCADD, therefore if we bring the wrong element into the mix, it can often be catastrophic to morale. However, I do enjoy the process of interviewing and it is also a sign of our progress and growth as an agency.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
AUDITS...Enough Said
One of the least favorite parts of my work is the constant auditing procedures that are a regular part of our work. As a counseling program, we are licensed by the Office of Behavioral Health Licensure (OBHL), also we receive funding from public funding from the local Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA), which requires that we have several different audits including a data validation audit, clinical audit, substance abuse audit, ad infinitum. The typical procedure is that we will receive an email about a month in advance requesting the charts from a list of our consumers (typically about 50 - 60 charts) and the auditors commence to examine our work. This is an incredibly tense time at our agency and I will regularly be called in by our CEO and the auditor to answer procedural corrections.
Alas, because we are all human there is always some type of error, which requires corrective action plans to be submitted to the RBHA to address areas of concerns for them. This can be anything from incorrect documentation to improper billing procedures. Thus, this makes me one busy gal right now. Wish me luck on my auditing endeavors.
Alas, because we are all human there is always some type of error, which requires corrective action plans to be submitted to the RBHA to address areas of concerns for them. This can be anything from incorrect documentation to improper billing procedures. Thus, this makes me one busy gal right now. Wish me luck on my auditing endeavors.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
An Evening with Karen Casey
As I mentioned in my previous blog, our agency has faced some budget cuts and we have had to diversify our strategies for funding. We have become more creative with our fundraising and had a successful theater event earlier this year. We have planned another event that will actually be held at the England Building by ASU’s downtown campus.
Since our program is based on recovery concepts, we have secured a woman named Karen Casey who is an expert on meditation and reflection. This is an important step in 12 step programs and Ms. Casey has written a book entitled “Each Day a New Beginning,” which is a daily meditation book to help folks in recovery learn the process of meditation. I am including the info on the event on this blog and a link to order tickets.
Tickets are now available for NCADD Presents Karen Casey
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Karen Casey is the bestselling author of over 20 inspirational titles, including Each Day a New Beginning. She will be in Arizona on March 17 to share her guidance.
Tickets can be purchased through Sustain.
Since our program is based on recovery concepts, we have secured a woman named Karen Casey who is an expert on meditation and reflection. This is an important step in 12 step programs and Ms. Casey has written a book entitled “Each Day a New Beginning,” which is a daily meditation book to help folks in recovery learn the process of meditation. I am including the info on the event on this blog and a link to order tickets.
Tickets are now available for NCADD Presents Karen Casey
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Karen Casey is the bestselling author of over 20 inspirational titles, including Each Day a New Beginning. She will be in Arizona on March 17 to share her guidance.
Tickets can be purchased through Sustain.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Healthcare Cuts
A significant piece of legislation touted by Governor Jan Brewer as an answer to Arizona’s budget problems has culminated in a high court ruling this week. Before I share about this ruling (I will provide a link to the news coverage from the AZ Republic), I want to give you some background.
I believe that one of the things that makes the United States and other developed nations great is that they are welfare states. Consider this definition of a welfare state from the Britannica Encyclopedia:
“(A) concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. The general term may cover a variety of forms of economic and social organization.”
Certainly with significant economic challenges being faced in Arizona it is seems easy and simple to cut entitlements. Indeed, those who have need of said entitlements are the most disenfranchised politically and have the least access to lawmakers, in part this is largely due to the daily struggle for survival. When one is concerned about the basics that many of us take for granted, issues in the political spectrum seem incredibly distant and inaccessible, and yet these political decisions shape their lives in incredibly important ways. For lawmakers, this population is an easy target because of misinformation and stigmatization that plagues the poor. People often believe that individuals are poor by choice, that they are simply lazy and take advantage of the system to get everything for “free.” This intolerance and stigmatization only increases in times of economic struggle, as resources lessen and the innate human instinct for survival rears its head, people begin to look out for themselves and remain ignorant of the struggle of the silent poor.
Therefore, it comes as little surprise that Governor Brewer decided to cut AHCCCS (Title XIX) funding for all single Arizonans. This funding cut to healthcare started back in July/2011 and has gone through a series of court rulings since then. Brewer believes that this initiative will save the state a significant amount of money, but my question is at what cost?
A significant amount of funding that our non-profit receives is through Title XIX funding that is allocated through the Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA), which in Maricopa County is Magellan of Arizona. For this fiscal year, all programs that are funded by Magellan took relatively large funding cuts. For our program, it was a 10% contract cut off of the top, and a sort of back door cut by cutting our rate repayment amount. This concept is a bit complicated and certainly outside of the scope of this blog, but nonetheless behavioral health took some huge hits. This did not come as a surprise to our program and we certainly understood the conundrum that both the RBHA and the State of Arizona was/is facing. There are no easy solutions to complex systemic problems. While we are fortunate enough to have a brilliant CFO who was able to preserve all of our jobs (with a pay freeze, not even a cost of living raise), most programs had to lay off people. I mention this because these cuts are to help the state save money, but laying people off during a repressed economy results in those folks being out of work for some time and likely collecting unemployment. This is also a significant cost to the state. And while NCADD has had to operate more efficiently and become more creative with finding funding sources and opportunities, our agency has been deeply concerned with the medical consequences of the healthcare cuts.
Beginning in July, we began to receive single women into treatment who did not have healthcare and were well below the federal poverty guidelines. These women had chronic medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. and the circumstances have not changed. Many of our women are in need of psychiatric assistance and cannot receive needed mental health medications because of their lack of healthcare coverage. We began to see the human cost of the political decision and it has been challenging to overcome. It is important to consider what the ultimate cost is to the state by not approving those in poverty conditions to have healthcare interventions. Consider this: if a diabetic is without insulin for too long, that individual is going to have more significant complications that could, and likely will, lead to hospitalization to stabilize. In addition this population has been forced to misuse the emergency room for routine or non-emergency health concerns due to not having the resources to access medical professionals. These individuals do not have the funds to repay the hospital and the hospitals cannot deny emergency treatment. Thus, while costs may be somewhat cut in the short term, the long term consequences of this decision are highly costly economically, socially, and morally. Consider that the income for a single person living below the federal poverty guideline is $10,890 a year. That equates to $209.42 per week. Could any of us survive on that little? Could you meet your health needs? Do we live in a world where someone who is this poor ought not be helped?
So, what was the ruling of the high court? Well, the high court decided that the answer to my last question is yes and yet, it also decided that the legislature is acting unconstitutionally by acting against a voter approved ballot measure, but that the cuts stand. A strange decision indeed. Take a look at some of the political details in the following article.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2012/02/15/20120215medicaid-issue-before-arizona-supreme-court.html
I am interested in hearing all of your thoughts.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
New Programs at NCADD
I previously outlined our longstanding and stable programs that we have at NCADD. In the past fews years we have grown exponentially and have added specialty programs that serve women and children. I will outline them below:
Healthy Connections for Moms to Be
Healthy Connection is a program for expecting mothers who struggle with addiction. This is a harm reduction case management program that works to connect pregnant and addicted mothers to prenatal care, substance abuse treatment, safe housing, and any other necessary resources. Case managers meet with clients regularly and connect them to resources in the community. May Healthy Connections clients enter into a long term residential treatment program called Center for Hope. This program is approximately one year and provides safe respite and intensive treatment to prepare addicted women for motherhood and long term sobriety. Our case managers also provide home visits to meet clients where they are at and they are often at the hospital when the babies are born. We have a wall of photos of all the healthy babies that have been born since the inception of our program.
Legacy House
The Legacy House program is out newest program and is a home that provides emergency and interim housing for pregnant women with substance abuse issues and also in some cases will serve single women with an interim housing need. The Legacy House is a safe home that can accommodate approximately five women. It is fully staffed with two case managers and also peer support. Clients are required to engage in treatment and also attend outside community based support meetings, as well as enjoy weekend “sober fun” activities to learn how to enjoy life without drugs and alcohol.
Sustain
Our final new program is the Sustain vocational training program. One of the biggest sociological barriers to those with addiction issues is finding and maintaining employment. Typically our clients have an unstable and inconsistent work history, may or may not have felonies or may be unable to pass a background check, and have limited education and usually are without high school equivalency. Sustain offers an answer to some of these barriers by acting as a work training program. It is a recycled retail store with an online shopping component to train clients on a wide array of employable activities. Clients also receive a stipend of goods for their work. Some of the activities include customer service training, cash handling training, computer enhancement skills, and retail skills (sorting clothes, stocking, etc.). This program is managed by a vocational counselor who also institutes a GED preparation group twice a week. Many of our clients have successfully achieved high school equivalency and have found stable and successful long term employment.
I think it is important to note that our program is holistic. Each of these programs interact with each other and clients may be involved in many facets of each in order to rise above the depths to which they have fallen. What we offer is comprehensive, evidence-based, and effective. In these last few posts I have tried to illustrate the components of our program. My relationship to each of these programs is both as a supervisor and an implementor. I clinically supervise each of these programs and also facilitate a young adult group. I will describe my interactions in future posts. I am going to add a link for Sustain and also for program description.
http://www.sustainchildrenstoysandclothes.com/
http://www.ncadd-phx.org/programs.html
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Color Run Experience!
Last week I took part in the craziest 5k run in town! It’s called the Color Run and it was the first time it was held in Arizona. We had a team that participated that included my mom and sister. It was such a beautiful day and because my sister is attending graduate school in Monterey it was such a wonderful memory maker!
Here is how it worked. It was a white shirt dress code at the starting line because every k that you ran resulted in a color fun explosion thrown onto your person. By the time you completed the event, you were covered in various colors from head to toe. It was such a fun experience and a great way to stay in shape. It was held at Tempe Beach Park and all different types of people and families attended, and even some dogs participated in the run. I am not exactly sure that they were convinced with the ginormous color clouds that had to be run through, but in general they seemed to have a good time. Check out my pic below at the end of the run.
I have been very focused on balanced living for the past year, which has included healthy nutrition and regular exercise. I attend a semi-private training class at Sommet Fitness (http://www.sommet-fitness.com/) with two friends at 5am two days a week. I find if I don’t work out first thing, it gets more challenging to fit it in by the end of the day. I also try to get some cardio in three times a week, but since this semester started I have found it difficult to fit it all in. The weather has been so amazing and it has offered such a great opportunity to enjoy Arizona’s halcyon outdoors. It is idyllic and I love to take advantage of it. I have a yellow lab (Chloe - 6 months now) and we are currently caring for a friend’s chocolate lab (Zeus) and both love to go hiking with me. I know that keeping focused on fitness gives me the energy to do all that I do. I have become so much stronger this past year and I love all that I am able to do physically.
I have been feeling a little sluggish these past two weeks after getting over an illness, so I think I am going to try a vegan cleanse suggested by Alicia Silverstone on her website, www.thekindlife.com. If anyone has ever done a cleanse, I would be interested in hearing how it went for you. I think I am going to try the 6 day cleanse and see how it goes. It would be nice to rid myself of all those crazy toxins. The cleanse I am thinking of doing is called kaeng raeng (http://www.kaengraeng.com/).
Anyway, Happy Super Bowl Sunday! Here’s to great commercials and even better football.
Here is how it worked. It was a white shirt dress code at the starting line because every k that you ran resulted in a color fun explosion thrown onto your person. By the time you completed the event, you were covered in various colors from head to toe. It was such a fun experience and a great way to stay in shape. It was held at Tempe Beach Park and all different types of people and families attended, and even some dogs participated in the run. I am not exactly sure that they were convinced with the ginormous color clouds that had to be run through, but in general they seemed to have a good time. Check out my pic below at the end of the run.
I have been very focused on balanced living for the past year, which has included healthy nutrition and regular exercise. I attend a semi-private training class at Sommet Fitness (http://www.sommet-fitness.com/) with two friends at 5am two days a week. I find if I don’t work out first thing, it gets more challenging to fit it in by the end of the day. I also try to get some cardio in three times a week, but since this semester started I have found it difficult to fit it all in. The weather has been so amazing and it has offered such a great opportunity to enjoy Arizona’s halcyon outdoors. It is idyllic and I love to take advantage of it. I have a yellow lab (Chloe - 6 months now) and we are currently caring for a friend’s chocolate lab (Zeus) and both love to go hiking with me. I know that keeping focused on fitness gives me the energy to do all that I do. I have become so much stronger this past year and I love all that I am able to do physically.
I have been feeling a little sluggish these past two weeks after getting over an illness, so I think I am going to try a vegan cleanse suggested by Alicia Silverstone on her website, www.thekindlife.com. If anyone has ever done a cleanse, I would be interested in hearing how it went for you. I think I am going to try the 6 day cleanse and see how it goes. It would be nice to rid myself of all those crazy toxins. The cleanse I am thinking of doing is called kaeng raeng (http://www.kaengraeng.com/).
Anyway, Happy Super Bowl Sunday! Here’s to great commercials and even better football.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
NCADD-Our Programs
Well, this semester is definitely going to be an endurance trial for me. I am currently taking two Master’s courses (American Global Power: Religion, Gender, and Human Rights and The Qur’an and Women) , both of which are pretty intensive and require A LOT of reading! However, I am learning so much and I am so excited to be a part of such intelligent and respectful discourse. Nonetheless, this workload and course of study has caused me to neglect this blog this past week. Add to that, I have been terribly sick, but I am finally feeling soooo much better. It is so important to practice self care when engaging in all these activities.
Anyway, for this entry I really want to focus on breaking down the programs that exist under the NCADD umbrella. But first, I also want to clarify my role, so that you may keep this in mind as I describe the programs. As I think I mentioned in my first post, I am the Clinical Director for NCADD and my role is to manage each of these programs, which includes staff, quality management, documentation, program implementation, etc.
To begin, when I began working for NCADD six years ago, it was a small non-profit that served a relatively small clientele and employed about 14 people full time. In six years time, we now employ 35 people full time and we have also increased our part time population. This is in large part due to the exponential growth that we have had with our programs. Six years ago we had two programs operating: an outpatient substance abuse treatment program and Weldon House (a transitional living environment for women and children).
OUTPATIENT: The basic elements of the outpatient counseling program include weekly groups and individual counseling for those clients that seek out our services. These groups and services are facilitated by licensed and/or master’s level therapists and social workers who implement an established curriculum with their own interpretation and approach. This program is broken down into three levels: Level 1: an introduction/education/group orientation level, Level 2: a process group to address core issues that typically cause substance abuse, Level 3: an aftercare and support level. Most of our population is referred from Child Protective Services (CPS) and Terros Families First for substance related concerns that impact children in terms of neglect and abuse. This is an often stigmatized population and our work is focused on care and compassion to those that are sick and suffering.
WELDON HOUSE: This program is the brainchild of our current CEO Thelma Ross and is truly unique. It consists of 17 apartments/town homes that are fully furnished. Clients that are accepted to the program have traditionally completed some form of residential treatment or have engaged in out patient counseling services for a period of time and have displayed some desire for change. Clients that enter into the program are on an orientation period for 30 - 60 days. During this time, communication with family and friends is limited, so that the client will focus on acclimating to the community and begin adjusting to the rigorous treatment schedule. Due to the community nature of Weldon House and the vulnerable populations that live there, family members must go through a screening process in order to visit the community. The primary intent of Weldon House is for each client to have their own home to learn, in a supportive environment, how to be a sober mom. After clients complete orientation they transition into Level I, which consists of attending primary treatment groups four days a week, weekly individual counseling, parenting group, life skills group, dual diagnosis group, DBT, and possibly other ancillary services depending on the client needs. Treatment is completely individualized and is person-centered. One of the primary goals of Weldon House is to assist clients in achieving self sufficiency as an answer to some of the shorter term resolutions that are often explored with indigent clients. Many programs are limited by time constraints and often answer the resource challenge through referrals to minimum wage jobs that leave clients in poverty conditions and increases recidivism into welfare programs. Weldon clients work with a vocational counselor to begin educational and vocational development, so when they discharge from the program they have a marketable skills set that can sustain a single parent family without being reliant on state welfare. Graduates of our program have entered into a variety of careers including veterinary technicians, accounting, social work and counseling, nursing and medical careers. Many clients come to us without high school diplomas or equivalency, however, most graduates of Weldon leave with a minimum of a GED. When clients move into Level II, their treatment schedules decrease and their vocational programming intensifies. When clients complete training and begin work they successfully transition from the program. This is individualized for each client.
I might add here that clients at Weldon attend their treatment at the NCADD outpatient program, but there is a therapist that is the provider for the program along with case managers and peers supports. Also, outpatient clients have access to the same ancillary groups as Weldon House. Also, it may be important to note that NCADD-Phoenix is gender specific. Anyway, these were the programs in place when I began working with NCADD. Since then, we have added three more programs and we continue to expand. I will discuss those programs in greater detail in my next blog!
Anyway, for this entry I really want to focus on breaking down the programs that exist under the NCADD umbrella. But first, I also want to clarify my role, so that you may keep this in mind as I describe the programs. As I think I mentioned in my first post, I am the Clinical Director for NCADD and my role is to manage each of these programs, which includes staff, quality management, documentation, program implementation, etc.
To begin, when I began working for NCADD six years ago, it was a small non-profit that served a relatively small clientele and employed about 14 people full time. In six years time, we now employ 35 people full time and we have also increased our part time population. This is in large part due to the exponential growth that we have had with our programs. Six years ago we had two programs operating: an outpatient substance abuse treatment program and Weldon House (a transitional living environment for women and children).
OUTPATIENT: The basic elements of the outpatient counseling program include weekly groups and individual counseling for those clients that seek out our services. These groups and services are facilitated by licensed and/or master’s level therapists and social workers who implement an established curriculum with their own interpretation and approach. This program is broken down into three levels: Level 1: an introduction/education/group orientation level, Level 2: a process group to address core issues that typically cause substance abuse, Level 3: an aftercare and support level. Most of our population is referred from Child Protective Services (CPS) and Terros Families First for substance related concerns that impact children in terms of neglect and abuse. This is an often stigmatized population and our work is focused on care and compassion to those that are sick and suffering.
WELDON HOUSE: This program is the brainchild of our current CEO Thelma Ross and is truly unique. It consists of 17 apartments/town homes that are fully furnished. Clients that are accepted to the program have traditionally completed some form of residential treatment or have engaged in out patient counseling services for a period of time and have displayed some desire for change. Clients that enter into the program are on an orientation period for 30 - 60 days. During this time, communication with family and friends is limited, so that the client will focus on acclimating to the community and begin adjusting to the rigorous treatment schedule. Due to the community nature of Weldon House and the vulnerable populations that live there, family members must go through a screening process in order to visit the community. The primary intent of Weldon House is for each client to have their own home to learn, in a supportive environment, how to be a sober mom. After clients complete orientation they transition into Level I, which consists of attending primary treatment groups four days a week, weekly individual counseling, parenting group, life skills group, dual diagnosis group, DBT, and possibly other ancillary services depending on the client needs. Treatment is completely individualized and is person-centered. One of the primary goals of Weldon House is to assist clients in achieving self sufficiency as an answer to some of the shorter term resolutions that are often explored with indigent clients. Many programs are limited by time constraints and often answer the resource challenge through referrals to minimum wage jobs that leave clients in poverty conditions and increases recidivism into welfare programs. Weldon clients work with a vocational counselor to begin educational and vocational development, so when they discharge from the program they have a marketable skills set that can sustain a single parent family without being reliant on state welfare. Graduates of our program have entered into a variety of careers including veterinary technicians, accounting, social work and counseling, nursing and medical careers. Many clients come to us without high school diplomas or equivalency, however, most graduates of Weldon leave with a minimum of a GED. When clients move into Level II, their treatment schedules decrease and their vocational programming intensifies. When clients complete training and begin work they successfully transition from the program. This is individualized for each client.
I might add here that clients at Weldon attend their treatment at the NCADD outpatient program, but there is a therapist that is the provider for the program along with case managers and peers supports. Also, outpatient clients have access to the same ancillary groups as Weldon House. Also, it may be important to note that NCADD-Phoenix is gender specific. Anyway, these were the programs in place when I began working with NCADD. Since then, we have added three more programs and we continue to expand. I will discuss those programs in greater detail in my next blog!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
NCADD: History
Since this is an internship blog, I suppose it would be appropriate to describe the history of the business that I will be describing in this blog. I am incredibly fortunate to work for an amazing local non-profit that believes in the empowerment of women and stigma reduction. I have been a part of this organization for six years and have grown professionally through this company. In fact, this agency was the impetus for me to return back to school to enhance my political awareness and ability to support NCADD and the clients we serve.
NCADD stands for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. It is a local affiliate of a national office that specializes in substance abuse treatment, prevention, and community resourcing. The national office began as the National Committee on Alcohol Education (NCAE) by our founder Marty Mann. Marty Mann was known as the “First Lady of Alcoholics Anonymous” as she was the first woman to enter into the ranks of the 12 step program Alcoholics Anonymous. She was born in 1905 in Chicago to wealth and privilege and attended premiere private schools. Ms. Mann eventually moved to NYC after her father lost his wealth, but her drinking and social graces made her active in the New York nightlife until a fall from a balcony left her in traction for 6 months, but was still followed by more drinking. After being hospitalized, Ms. Mann was able to accept help and decided to dedicate herself to three principles of NCADD, which are in large part focused on stigma reduction related to alcoholism.
The three principles that MS. Mann sought to articulate and NCADD still works to impart today are as follows:
1) Alcoholism was a disease.
2) The alcoholic can be helped and is worth helping.
3) Alcoholism is a public health problem and is therefore a public responsibility.
From this has developed a non-profit that seeks to alleviate the struggles of alcoholism and addiction from those who suffer, while also educating society as to the implications of the illness. These principles are heavily integrated into the work that we do at the NCADD-Phoenix office. I will spend the next few blogs describing each of our programs in detail. In this blog, I will include a link to the founders page of the NCADD national office. This will offer any additional information that one might like to learn about Marty Mann and NCADD.
http://www.ncadd.org/index.php/about-ncadd/testimonials-from-the-media/118-our-founder
NCADD stands for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. It is a local affiliate of a national office that specializes in substance abuse treatment, prevention, and community resourcing. The national office began as the National Committee on Alcohol Education (NCAE) by our founder Marty Mann. Marty Mann was known as the “First Lady of Alcoholics Anonymous” as she was the first woman to enter into the ranks of the 12 step program Alcoholics Anonymous. She was born in 1905 in Chicago to wealth and privilege and attended premiere private schools. Ms. Mann eventually moved to NYC after her father lost his wealth, but her drinking and social graces made her active in the New York nightlife until a fall from a balcony left her in traction for 6 months, but was still followed by more drinking. After being hospitalized, Ms. Mann was able to accept help and decided to dedicate herself to three principles of NCADD, which are in large part focused on stigma reduction related to alcoholism.
The three principles that MS. Mann sought to articulate and NCADD still works to impart today are as follows:
1) Alcoholism was a disease.
2) The alcoholic can be helped and is worth helping.
3) Alcoholism is a public health problem and is therefore a public responsibility.
From this has developed a non-profit that seeks to alleviate the struggles of alcoholism and addiction from those who suffer, while also educating society as to the implications of the illness. These principles are heavily integrated into the work that we do at the NCADD-Phoenix office. I will spend the next few blogs describing each of our programs in detail. In this blog, I will include a link to the founders page of the NCADD national office. This will offer any additional information that one might like to learn about Marty Mann and NCADD.
http://www.ncadd.org/index.php/about-ncadd/testimonials-from-the-media/118-our-founder
Friday, January 6, 2012
About Me
Hello to one and all that have taken a moment to choose to visit and read through this blog! I always think it is appropriate before offering one’s own insights and impressions that an individual provide a bit of an introduction, since who that person is will indeed have quite an influence on impressions and interpretations of experiences. So, a little about me! Well, to begin my name is Holly Williamson and I am in my final semester of my undergraduate studies at ASU! Presently, I am completing two degrees, one in Political Science and one in Urban and Metropolitan Studies. In addition to this, I am getting a certificate in International Studies and have begun the BAMA program through the School of Politics and Global Studies. Needless to say, I am quite a busy gal and always have many things going on at once. In addition to being a full time student, I also work full time for a local non-profit in a leadership role. I am hesitant to discuss this role too much in this blog entry, since this role and the agency I work for will be the center of my discussions for the rest of the semester. However, I want to say that I am very passionate about my work and proud to be a part of the agency.
As far as the finer things in life, I absolutely love to travel and I think that I have recently found out that I have a little bit of a gypsy in me. I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a summer semester abroad in Europe (specifically London) and got to travel to several countries and experienced some fabulous cities. I feel that this abroad experience has definitely changed me and given me new insights about the international stage. One of my resolutions this year has been to make a list of all the places that I would like to visit (bucket-list type places) and we are going to assign them numbers. Then, at the beginning of February we are going to use a random number generator (I am such an academic-sigh) to choose the first destination to work towards. So, if anyone has any suggestions on a must see place that was life-changing for you, I would love to hear about it.
I wish I had more time for some basic fun like movies and concerts but to be totally truthful, during active semesters I am so slammed that I am practically a hermit. Thus, I was a little disappointed that out break was so short! However, I did get to read a little novel that I picked up while in Europe (just for fun!) and saw a mindless movie with my little sister. I definitely am also a coffee snob and love Lux coffee! I try support local as often as possible, which I hope most of us UMS majors probably strive to do. Music pretty much equals life to me and I would definitely say that my taste is pretty eclectic. Lately I have been obsessed with the fabulous Adele and love her cover of Lovesong. A definite must on the playlist!
Anyway, I look forward to an amazing final undergraduate semester with you all and look forward to reading your blogs and impressions...
As far as the finer things in life, I absolutely love to travel and I think that I have recently found out that I have a little bit of a gypsy in me. I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a summer semester abroad in Europe (specifically London) and got to travel to several countries and experienced some fabulous cities. I feel that this abroad experience has definitely changed me and given me new insights about the international stage. One of my resolutions this year has been to make a list of all the places that I would like to visit (bucket-list type places) and we are going to assign them numbers. Then, at the beginning of February we are going to use a random number generator (I am such an academic-sigh) to choose the first destination to work towards. So, if anyone has any suggestions on a must see place that was life-changing for you, I would love to hear about it.
I wish I had more time for some basic fun like movies and concerts but to be totally truthful, during active semesters I am so slammed that I am practically a hermit. Thus, I was a little disappointed that out break was so short! However, I did get to read a little novel that I picked up while in Europe (just for fun!) and saw a mindless movie with my little sister. I definitely am also a coffee snob and love Lux coffee! I try support local as often as possible, which I hope most of us UMS majors probably strive to do. Music pretty much equals life to me and I would definitely say that my taste is pretty eclectic. Lately I have been obsessed with the fabulous Adele and love her cover of Lovesong. A definite must on the playlist!
Anyway, I look forward to an amazing final undergraduate semester with you all and look forward to reading your blogs and impressions...
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