ARSR NEWS: DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH

September 08, 2010

Eight years ago: I got a call from a social worker who was at the VOA shelter in Lansing.  She asked me to visit a homeless man with AIDS.  When I arrived, the man needed $5.00 in co-pays for five prescriptions.  The social worker seemed perplexed as to how to remedy this complex situation.  I reached in my pocket and handed the guy five bucks, shook his hand and left.  This was the beginning of what is now ARSR. We have directly served nearly 800 newly recovering, homeless addicts/alcoholics since 2002. 

Today, we are working on a number of projects: some are designed to create self- supporting revenues, while others are designed to expand services to the ever-increasing demand in our community for safe/sober housing and support services.  There is little to no public funding for what we do.   We thank the Capital Region Community Foundation and The Ingham County Community Agency Fund for their assistance this year ($7,500.00 total). What are we doing today?

Gregg’s Hope is our DETOX project:  Gregg’s Hope is dedicated to individuals who have lost their lives to addiction, as well as to the families who now suffer the loss of that loved one.  Still in the planning phase, this project is going to be a 24/7, medicated, social DETOX, located somewhere in Lansing.  Dr. Barry Saltman, CEO of Care Free Medical is helping us. Right now there are two options for someone in need: Sparrow/St.Lawrence Campus for those with insurance and CEI-CMH Birch Tree for those that do not require medication in the DETOX process.  This leaves a huge gap in services for someone with no insurance who is about to withdraw from heroin, prescription opiates, benzodiazepines or chronic, long-term alcohol use, not to mention many other drugs.  The burden still lies with the hospital emergency rooms, EMT’s, Police and Fire Departments.  We are working on funding and a suitable location.

ARSR Treatment Services, East Lansing:  We are providing Outpatient Substance Abuse and Dual Diagnosis Outpatient and Case Management services to MPRI parolees, Court referrals and walk- in clients. Peer to Peer Support and Recovery Coach Services are on the horizon.

ARSR Treatment Services, East Lansing, Veteran’s Services:  Justin McClean, our newest Board Member, is spearheading our Veteran’s Services Program as Director, liaison and counselor.  He is a highly decorated (Bronze Star w/ V Device for Valor in Combat) disabled, SSG, US Army Ranger, Veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and a Social Work undergraduate student at Michigan State University.This Program will also provide support to spouses of Veterans. Crystal Miller, an ARSR Board Member and a former military spouse, is designing this Program. We are working together with The Honorable Judge David Jordan, 54-B Veteran’s Court, Matt Brundage, Chief Probation Officer and John Caterino, US Navy, retired, on this project. Ronald Smith, MD, Ph.D, Director of Psychiatry, Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD and Matthew T. Smith, J.D.-Clark-Hill, retired Major, USMC, are serving as our advisors for ARSR Veteran’s Services program

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ARSR Treatment Services, Grand Haven office: We had an opportunity to replace an existing agency that closed their office in Grand Haven.  Doy Dowsett, E-4 USMC, is in charge of the operation.  We provide Outpatient Substance Abuse Education and counseling to Court-Ordered clients in that region.  Veteran’s services will be added soon.

ARSR has teamed up with Olson Enterprises: A skill-building résumé company dedicated in assisting people to better prepare to seek gainful employment. They offer a Certificate of Technical Achievement (CTA) tailored specifically to each client. The “value add” is the use of a skill database that allows them to identify and articulate all the skills in the client's work history making them more attractive to a prospective employer. The client will receive a personalized CTA Notebook in a workshop setting preparing them to use the tools they provide to their advantage. The skill-based résumé is a lifelong process. As the client adds skills to their work history, Olson has the capability to modify existing skills and add new ones, as the situation dictates. The client thus has the ability to maintain a relevant CTA throughout life. Please visit http://olson-enterprises.org for more information on how they can help you.

MC2 is our web designer: http://www.mcsquaredllc.com  MC2 also has a production company called Life in Lansing www.lifeinlansing.com . They are considering doing a television series, which would follow the real lives of a few JSP residents, documenting what life is like for a newly recovering, homeless addict/alcoholic, fresh out of treatment, jail and/or the street.

Joe & Shirley’s Place: We are always full with a waiting list.  As of next fall, Jason Beatty, D.O., our Medical Director, will be able to provide medical services to more of our JSP residents that have no coverage for flu, colds, viruses, gaps in psych medication prescriptions, etc.  Dr. Barry Saltman and the Care Free Medical staff have been so helpful.  Dr. Robert Strathmann, D.D.S., and his staff have served our JSP residents with excellent dental care, as well. Most of our residents are on probation, several are on parole and many have children in Foster Care, CPS or custody situations.  ARSR advocates and case manages heavily for JSP residents, as well as for others in need. LeeAnn Beatty is the Director of JSP and the primary case manager.  We field student interns from several colleges at JSP, giving them valuable experience.

Most of what we do is not billable:  We average $360.00/mo cell phone bills, $500.00/mo gasoline bills, $7,000.00 property taxes, $7,500.00 insurance bills, on and on.  If “time really is money” we have racked up hundreds of thousands in unpaid wages. I bought a new Silverado last September.  It now has 32,000 miles on it. It’s my office!  This is case management in its purest form!  There is no money to fix leaky roofs, replace items or remodel.  Last year we helped about 100 individuals on approximately $130,000.00.  I was paid $10,000.00. LeeAnn works for free!  She and I have struggled since I left my secure, $43,000.00 job with benefits at CEI-CMH, a year and a half ago.  I had to choose between that job and the people we serve through ARSR.  I have no regrets (I do miss the money)!

When a family member calls: a mother, a sister, a heroin addict, a probation officer, and we connect with the family or person in need, then it’s a given that we will “go to the mat” for them to try and connect services, to save a life.  Obviously, many, many folks do not make it the first, second, third… time around!  We concentrate on the next one in line.  If they are not dead or incarcerated and they want to get clean and sober, we will try again. Many ARSR recipients have gotten their lives back as a result of their own hard work, the people in the Recovering Community, assistance from ARSR and your financial support.   

As I hope you can see: We are working to secure more and improved services for those in need in our community.  We are striving to become a more financially, self-sufficient agency.  Now is the time that we really need your hard-earned dollars.  We take pop cans/bottles, cash, checks or you can use your credit card www.arsr.org and click on the “Donate” button.

 I thank you in advance.

Sincerely,

 Dave Beatty

Executive Director

Addiction Relief & Supported Recovery, Inc.

ARE YOU ON PROBATION?

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 MAKE A DONATION!

FOR EVERY $20.00  WORTH OF CANS/BOTTLES  YOU DONATE YOU WILL RECIEVE 8 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE! 

 HERE’S HOW:    

(1) CASH IN YOUR CANS/BOTTLES:

- TURN THEM IN FOR CASH & KEEP THE RECIEPTS.

- CALL (517)-242-2120; WE WILL TAKE YOUR INFORMATION.

- WE WILL ARRANGE A TIME & PLACE TO MEET WITH YOU.  BRING US THE CASH AND RECIEPTS. WE WILL BRING A LETTER

 AND FILL OUT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE FORM FOR THE COURT. 

-FOR EVERY 200 CANS/BOTTLES THAT YOU COLLECT, YOU WILL RECEIVE 8 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. 

(2) TELL:

YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COLLEGUES ABOUT www.arsr.org  TAKE UP A CAN/BOTTLE COLLECTION.  DONATE THE MONEY TO ARSR.

* USE A CREDIT CARD :CLICK ON THE DONATE BUTTON AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS (YOU WILL RECEIVE AN E-

MAIL CONFIRMATION).

*MAIL YOUR CHECK OR MONEY ORDER, BOTTLE RECEIPTS AND/OR COMMUNITY SERVICE FORMS TO ARSR, PO BOX

25001 LANSING, MI  48909-5001 OR E-MAIL US AT This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it WITH SCANS,

*WE WILL SEND YOUR PROBATION OFFICER CONFIRMATION OF YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE.