As we all sit back and watch the various layers of the U.S. war effort unfold, it is hard enough for us to conceptually grasp the level of loss and violent despair unfolding each minute for our troops in the middle east. Even for family members of soldiers, who risk their lives daily, they may have a different perspective on the madness, but nothing can or will ever compare to the horror each individual soldier experiences.
The reason I bring this up is to shed a little light on a situation we are all facing that is certain to explode like a hidden IED, tripped by an unsuspecting soldier. Four letters we’ve all heard before but you better be ready for since they are about to change the world we live in…PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a bomb being constructed in the middle east as you read this and will be triggered to explode gradually over the next 20 years. Believe me, if you think I’m being dramatic, watch the approaching explosion and think back to this post if you survive it.
Visit http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-ptsd-overview.asp for a peek at what we will all be faced with but when you’re reading this, remember that only recently has the the U.S. Military’s powers-that-be begun to recognize the the fact that PTSD exists…that is pathetic and unacceptable. While it is wonderful that it is finally being given credibility, the resources set aside for treatment is a pittance compared to what will be needed. Ironically, each returning veteran will have a ticking PTSD IED inside each one of them that can ‘go off’ at any second. Whether an acute PTSD reaction occurs on the street, at work, at school, at church or at home, you can bet your ass that if WE ALL aren’t equipped with a basic understanding of how to deal with it, we will be suffering as a society for generations to come.
Sadly, PTSD cannot be treated like other behavioral disorders and daily we hear reports of treatment facilities failing patients and their families on a daily basis by attempting to treat PTSD along with other behaviorally impaired patients…THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!! These individuals and their families need specialized treatments with professionals specifically trained to deal with PTSD. Do the math, with the numbers of returning veterans, we are in for a shit-storm if we don’t get a handle on this thing and the government has its hands full.
That is why I’ve assembled a team at TSN, who has created a program called HEROES WELCOME. I will share more about the specifics in the next few weeks but in essence, we are assembling the best PTSD experts and centers on the planet and offering treatment for both the victim and their family. As a society and a field, we have a unique opportunity to learn from the past (Viet Nam) and truly help diffuse a generational bomb. This is not a bullshit sticker on a bumper, this is a way for us all to actually support our troops and save our own society.
This is the seed and you are all aware that TSN is growing a solution so don’t pretend you haven’t been informed. If you are interested in learning more or have something to offer, contact Jed Wallace for details since he will be coordinating the effort on my behalf. I encourage you to do some serious research and soul searching – be a part of HEROES WELCOME and do your part to support the veterans that have given their lives, limbs and personalities to protect our freedom…now it is our turn!
I just spent the weekend in Cape Cod, at the Symposium for addictive disorders. I had the honor of being invited to participate in a small focus group hosted by the event organizers, C4.
The primary objectives for our discussions were the exploration of outcome-based treatment and to develop outcome studies to help guide interventions in our respective programs. During the discussions, I was reminded of my thoughts just after the Parity Act was passed last year. I believe that while it is a good thing that this industry is being recognized as a legitimate professional field under the medicine and healthcare umbrella, it is also a call for us to grow up as professionals.
The whole concept of alcoholism/addiction being considered as a legitimate disease has come a long way thanks to the work of Dr. Benjamin Rush in the early 20th century. His early and beleaguered progress paved the way for the AMA to declare alcoholism/addiction a disease in the 1950’s, its inclusion in the DSM, and currently a place where Congress has mandated that insurance companies must treat this disease as any other medical illness; how far we have come.
Likewise, treatment has come a long way from Bill Wilson’s first experience in the sanatorium, Dr. Silkworth’s early work with members of AA, Therapeutic Communities, the Minnesota Model, and ultimately what we currently have today, which is an amalgam of all the above. Most statistics currently show the success rate of current treatment interventions at about 30%. I could write for hours about statistics and as we all know, most studies are flawed at best. That said, my thoughts are this while strolling around the conference and seeing all of the centers with all of their marketing, it seems like it is all focused on aesthetics and amenities. With all of the spring break-like slogans, we have this view,we are on this beach, we have a pool, or we have tennis courts, my question is this – if you went to a conference for hospitals, would you see the same kind of messaging? In other words, they build their programs on what medical interventions they are using and the research that backs up the efficacy of using these interventions, not what the view from your bed will be.
So, as we continue to fight for fair treatment of this disease and parity to be considered as any other illness, we need to grow up as an industry. We need to start building evidence-based treatment centers, regardless of whether they are on the beach, in the mountains, have a pool. It has been said that substance abuse success rates are lower than those of pancreatic cancer, if we were trying to leverage the insurance companies to pay for chemotherapy regimens that were bringing in those types of results, we would be laughed at. It is time to grow up for all of us.
That’s what we are doing at TSN. This is why we work very hard to get longer lengths of stay for our clients. The entire body of research that has been done on this disease indicates that the longer a person stays engaged in treatment, the better the chances for a successful outcome. We are also working hard to ensure that clients stay engaged in some level of care for at least the first year. We fight for inter-provider communication since the research says that this type of engagement and communication brings about better results. We are very grateful for organizations like C4, who are promoting thought and communication among us, while encouraging us to grow up professionally.
At TSN we know we have a long way to go even though we consider ourselves to be on the cutting edge. This knowledge has motivated us to develop more research-based projects and join other organizations to push forward and get better outcomes by using better interventions, while eliminating interventions, which are not productive. I pray that as an organization we never fall in love with our ideas so deeply that we refuse to allow the evidence to determine our direction.
I just returned from an executive retreat in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. What a blessing! I spent a lot of time just sitting on the porch staring at the most unreal view. When I look at a picture of that view now, my first thought was that I really spent a lot of time up there doing nothing. Then it suddenly occurred to me that I actually spent a lot of time connecting with the people who are most important to me, my family, my colleagues and their families. What could be more important than that? In a world that is filled with deadlines, strategic planning, crunching numbers and trying to bring in the next project, sometimes my priorities get clouded.
I am fortunate to be involved in an occupation where people’s lives are impacted on a deep and meaningful level, but it is easy to get lost in the mundane details and lose sight of the bigger picture. I remember when I first got into recovery many years ago, I had this epiphany one day when I was getting all upset about something so insignificant, I can’t even remember what it was now, but it suddenly dawned on me to ask myself this question, “Is what I am so upset about right now going to matter in 100 years?” The answer of course was no. What if I could always live my life that way? How many things would I have done differently?
When I returned home my little girl started school for the first time. As her mother and I dropped her off at her classroom I was suddenly hit with the fact that my little baby girl has grown up so much. It seems like the last four years have passed in just the blink of an eye. I ask myself now how much of those past four years have I spent worrying about something I had no control over? How much of that time have I spent trying to force some person, place or circumstance to follow my will? How much time have I spent on things that will be totally irrelevant in 100 years? If I spend time with my daughter, I can develop her self esteem so that she can impact her children’s lives, and so on. That certainly will matter in 100 years.
TSN has the same opportunity. If we invest the bulk of our time in our clients’ lives, they can have a positive impact on others, and so on. I can’t change the media and their bloodlust, I can’t change politicians and their twisted behavior, but every day I am blessed with the opportunity to impact at least one 4 year old girl’s life in a positive way and fortunately, the opportunity to impact many lives in a positive way. So next time you catch yourself frustrated or angry over something, ask yourself, “Will this matter in 100 years?” Chances are good that it won’t, but if it will, do what you can about it and move on; if it won’t, don’t spend another minute on it. Go find yourself some little kid or some hurting human being and do what you can to have a positive impact. At the bare minimum, find a porch and enjoy the view.
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And, we’ve created ways for YOU to get involved and show your support!
Background
For the past five seasons, A&E has produced the Emmy-nominated series Intervention. Viewer response has been extraordinary and the network has witnessed first-hand both the impact of addiction and the possibility for recovery. Inspired by our work on the series and in the community, A&E created The Recovery Project to raise awareness that addiction is a treatable disease and recovery is possible.
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It will come as no great surprise that we at TSN have a vested interest in Healthcare Reform. Beyond our company-wide involvement in the movement of the Parity Act and successfully leveraging fair and equal treatment from insurance companies for issues of mental health and substance abuse, I personally went to Washington, D.C. to lobby congress for passage of that bill.
Needless to say, I have been watching closely as President Obama has been pushing his health care reform and my thoughts on it and his approach can be derived from his behavior at his most recent press conference. At the end of the press conference he was asked about the incident in Cambridge involving the professor and local police. While the incident itself was unfortunate from any perspective, his ‘off the cuff’ reaction may be a good indication of how he operates. He started off by saying (I am paraphrasing) something to the effect I don’t have all the facts here BUT; he then followed with his now infamous line about the Cambridge Police acting “stupidly”. I hope I speak for everyone when I say that I want anyone with access to “the button”, to stop at I don’t have all the facts and stop right there before firing off some incendiary response or reaction. To add fuel to a smoldering fire, recently in a chat with several liberal bloggers, the President openly admitted to not knowing everything in the bill he is pushing so hard for. I am starting to believe our President may be a “shoot first, ask questions later” kind of guy.
I supported Obama, in large part, based on his campaign stance, when he voiced his concerns with socialized medicine and did not agree with taxing healthcare benefits, which if you remember, was actually John McCain’s platform during the election. The fact is, I haven’t had time to thoroughly review the proposed legislation to say whether I agree or not. The sad part is – neither has our President by his own admission. President Obama says he is pushing for all the uninsured people, who he has heard horror stories from. 5 years ago I was admitted to the hospital through the ER; at the time I had a lapse in insurance coverage and was uninsured. It was determined that I needed emergency open heart surgery to replace two valves. I had the surgery and they saved my life. Maybe I was just lucky, but I believe there are others with similar stories, who we don’t hear about. Our last President slammed through legislation by using fear tactics and intimidation. What we got was the Patriot Act and what we lost were many of our Freedoms, which were provided under the Bill of Rights – put in place by our founding fathers. Now, we are faced with another major change to our country’s basic foundation, and it looks and smells like the same tactics are being used. I feel it is time we all slowed down a bit and took a hard look at what we are doing. I have friends from the UK, friends who grew up in Cuba and have been to Canada many times, I can tell you that from my conversations with them and the people of Canada, these types of socialized medicine schemes don’t end well. You ultimately end up with those who can afford it getting adequate healthcare through private systems and the majority getting substandard care through an overburdened public system.
This brings about the complete annihilation of the middle class and divides the society into haves and have not’s. I am not saying healthcare does not need reform, but I am saying that it is not something we need to rush into until we do indeed have all of the facts. If President Obama would have practiced this principal before making his comments about the Cambridge police, he wouldn’t be eating crow and doing quite as much backpedaling. I am afraid if we pass this legislation, it will not be as easy to correct the miscues as say, going on CNN and saying, “whoops my bad”. I think we all need to stop paying so much attention to Jacko and start paying attention to things that really matter. Maybe if we would have done that 8 years ago a lot of young men who died in Iraq would still be alive today.
It will come as no great surprise that we at TSN have a vested interest in Healthcare Reform. Beyond our company-wide involvement in the movement of the Parity Act and successfully leveraging fair and equal treatment from insurance companies for issues of mental health and substance abuse, I personally went to Washington, D.C. to lobby congress for passage of that bill.
Needless to say, I have been watching closely as President Obama has been pushing his health care reform and my thoughts on it and his approach can be derived from his behavior at his most recent press conference. At the end of the press conference he was asked about the incident in Cambridge involving the professor and local police. While the incident itself was unfortunate from any perspective, his ‘off the cuff’ reaction may be a good indication of how he operates. He started off by saying (I am paraphrasing) something to the effect I don’t have all the facts here BUT; he then followed with his now infamous line about the Cambridge Police acting “stupidly”. I hope I speak for everyone when I say that I want anyone with access to “the button”, to stop at I don’t have all the facts and stop right there before firing off some incendiary response or reaction. To add fuel to a smoldering fire, recently in a chat with several liberal bloggers, the President openly admitted to not knowing everything in the bill he is pushing so hard for. I am starting to believe our President may be a “shoot first, ask questions later” kind of guy.
I supported Obama, in large part, based on his campaign stance, when he voiced his concerns with socialized medicine and did not agree with taxing healthcare benefits, which if you remember, was actually John McCain’s platform during the election. The fact is, I haven’t had time to thoroughly review the proposed legislation to say whether I agree or not. The sad part is – neither has our President by his own admission. President Obama says he is pushing for all the uninsured people, who he has heard horror stories from. 5 years ago I was admitted to the hospital through the ER; at the time I had a lapse in insurance coverage and was uninsured. It was determined that I needed emergency open heart surgery to replace two valves. I had the surgery and they saved my life. Maybe I was just lucky, but I believe there are others with similar stories, who we don’t hear about. Our last President slammed through legislation by using fear tactics and intimidation. What we got was the Patriot Act and what we lost were many of our Freedoms, which were provided under the Bill of Rights – put in place by our founding fathers. Now, we are faced with another major change to our country’s basic foundation, and it looks and smells like the same tactics are being used. I feel it is time we all slowed down a bit and took a hard look at what we are doing. I have friends from the UK, friends who grew up in Cuba and have been to Canada many times, I can tell you that from my conversations with them and the people of Canada, these types of socialized medicine schemes don’t end well. You ultimately end up with those who can afford it getting adequate healthcare through private systems and the majority getting substandard care through an overburdened public system.
This brings about the complete annihilation of the middle class and divides the society into haves and have not’s. I am not saying healthcare does not need reform, but I am saying that it is not something we need to rush into until we do indeed have all of the facts. If President Obama would have practiced this principal before making his comments about the Cambridge police, he wouldn’t be eating crow and doing quite as much backpedaling. I am afraid if we pass this legislation, it will not be as easy to correct the miscues as say, going on CNN and saying, “whoops my bad”. I think we all need to stop paying so much attention to Jacko and start paying attention to things that really matter. Maybe if we would have done that 8 years ago a lot of young men who died in Iraq would still be alive today.
Pop culture lost a legend last week as icon Michael Jackson died on June 25th. Everyone knows of Michael Jackson and has seen his greatness, but most of us have seen his struggles in the spotlight as well. As examiners perform toxicology tests to find out if prescription drugs played a role in his death, we want to take a look at both the celebrity Michael Jackson as well as everyday Americans that abuse prescription painkillers to get an idea of how universal this problem really is.
Jackson’s Stardom
Michael Jackson was such a big star that reports say an investigation on his death was required, but the fact is that some close friends and professionals have suspected a prescription painkiller abuse by Jackson for some time now. Reports say that Jackson was prescribed medication to manage pain from injuries that occurred from performing. Jackson dealt with a number of accidents during shows in his history of performing, something that took a toll on his body over the years. A lawsuit was filed in 2007 by a pharmacy claiming Jackson owed a large sum of money for painkillers he purchased, and many people that knew him have not denied that he took prescription painkillers. But could it be that, like so many others dealing with pain, he began to abuse the painkillers and mix them, leading to his death? We’ll have to wait for test results before we know for sure the cause of his death, but we do know that many people in our country die in this way.
Pressures Lead to Drug Abuse
Jackson’s celebrity life must have been filled with stress, something that leads many people down the path of drug abuse. Filled with accusations and lawsuits for various reasons, Jackson was used to being hounded by the press, fans, and adversaries. For other people in our country, it might not be the limelight and the pressures that come with it, but it could be stress at work, or the loss of a job, or marital problems that cause someone to medicate their lives with drugs. For many others it is an injury or illness that needs to be managed with painkillers that become so addicting the person can’t stop.
Whatever the issue is that causes someone to be addicted to drugs; one thing we know is that drugs and addiction can happen to anyone. Both the rich and the poor, the executive and the housewife, and people from all walks of life are susceptible to drug abuse. Sometimes it takes the concern of a family member or friend to convince an addict to get help; other times the person may see the devastation drugs cause and get help themselves. However the help comes, it is so important for these people to get treatment before it is too late, because too many deaths occur each year from drug addiction or overdose.
Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most renowned organizations that exist to help individuals recover from alcoholism. Millions have benefited from the programs and weekly meetings, and AA has influenced countless other programs, treatment centers, and those that work with alcoholics.
What may not be so well-known, however, is the history of AA and the events that have occurred to make the organization what it is today.
Bill Wilson’s struggle with alcoholism
Alcoholics Anonymous was created in 1935 by recovering alcoholic Bill Wilson. Wilson had been failing at his Wall Street career because his drinking was so out of hand that he was admitted into the hospital a number of times. Friends tried to help Bill, including his childhood drinking buddy, Ebby Thacher. Ebby had found sobriety through the Christian movement, called the Oxford Group, and he firmly believed it changed his life.
Dr. William Duncan Silkworth of the Towns Hospital in New York City also influenced Bill Wilson with religion, saying that alcoholism is a disease and that only God can cure it. With a newfound relationship of his own with God, Wilson was able to finally quit drinking for good.
Wilson and Smith
Even though he was sober, the temptation for alcohol was still strong. Wilson, on a trip to Akron, Ohio in 1935, met Dr. Bob Smith, another recovering alcoholic, and sought him out for support.
Shortly after that trip, Wilson and Smith co-founded AA. It started small at first, and the two helped about 40 alcoholics during the first two years, working tirelessly with them in their sobriety and also their relationship with God. The organization operated out of people’s homes, and alcoholics often found themselves living for a time with Wilson
The early years
Alcoholics Anonymous was a very faith based organization in its beginning. It called for its members to surrender absolutely to God, to devote themselves daily to prayer or meditation, and to join with other recovering alcoholics in a religious and support group.
There were five elements to the original AA program. These included total abstinence from alcohol, acknowledgement of Jesus as their Savior, obedience to God’s will, growth in fellowship with God, and help for other alcoholics. Meetings were very spiritual and those that joined AA often talked of the healing power of God.
AA today
Since those days, AA has grown and changed a lot. It still advises against all alcohol consumption, and focuses on moral character and personal change. But today members are usually encouraged to find their own higher being that can help with their sobriety.
The Twelve Steps are a notable part of AA, walking an individual through the process of being sober for life. Part of that journey still consists of helping other members. Members that have been sober for a while may sponsor a newer individual. These people are paired up and can help each other when they are feeling like quitting. The moral support that occurs at AA is one of its most useful tools.
It seems that Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice has a bit of an alcohol awareness focus this year. Dennis Rodman was fired from the Apprentice this season, mainly because of his abuse of alcohol on the show. The episode caused a stir among viewers because it showed Rodman, former basketball great, unsuccessfully trying to manage his team of celebrities while drinking himself silly.
Anyone that has watched Dennis Rodman on previous episodes knows that he was just as difficult to manage on the Apprentice as he was as a basketball player. But when he took on the task of being a project manager and helping his team run a hotel for a night, his alcohol abuse definitely got in the way. Every time he went to the kitchen of the hotel to work on his task, he got himself a drink. He became unable to cope, and bailed out on the rest of his teammates in order to go out and drink some more. Getting up the next morning was difficult, as we can all imagine, and trying to function at “work” was not possible with a hangover.
Rodman’s teammates, consisting of Clint Black, Hershel Walker, and other celebrities, had enough of his drunken antics, and Donald Trump did also. Dennis was fired in the boardroom later that day.
The following episode showed Khloe Kardashian, star of her family’s reality show, being fired because Trump found out she had a previous DUI.
Alcoholism affects millions
Losing a job over alcohol abuse. Sound familiar? Nearly 14 million Americans abuse alcohol or are alcoholics. That’s 1 in 13 adults. More than 50 % of Americans say that at least one of their close relatives has a drinking problem. It is a disease that affects nearly all of us.
For all those out there that have been let go from a job because of alcohol abuse, maybe it didn’t sound just like Donald Trump’s signature phrase “You’re fired!”, but it probably has more real consequences than a reality tv show. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse ruins lives. Many people try to juggle their addiction to alcohol with their job and their family, but it is very difficult to do well in other areas when alcohol is running your life. Many employers see a decline in job performance when someone is struggling with alcoholism, and hangovers and even drunkenness during work hours are not tolerated very well by the boss. It is important for someone that has a drinking problem to get professional help as soon as possible to help them get past the addiction. There are many treatment facilities that can help, and places like Alcoholics Anonymous are well-known for their success in helping to keep people sober.
Whether you are a fan of the Apprentice or not, the show should be recognized for helping shine a light on the issue of alcohol abuse. The Rodman episode ended with a link to Alcoholics Anonymous for those that are looking for help, and a concluding statement informed watchers that Dennis Rodman is getting treatment for his alcohol problem.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Every year at this time we take a few weeks to consider the affects of alcohol and alcoholism in our country. Alcohol is one substance that can affect every age group and every demographic of people in some way. There are countless organizations and facilities that work to help people overcome alcoholism, and many support groups that help people deal with their loved ones’ alcoholism.
Risks for Alcohol Abusers
Alcohol abuse is serious anytime it occurs, but there are some individuals that often put themselves or others at risk because of their drinking.
· College students often binge drink when they go out partying, often risking alcohol poisoning or alcohol related crimes on those nights.
· Those that choose to drink and drive put not only themselves at risk, but all the other motorists they get near.
· Pregnant women endanger their own child if they drink, increasing the risk of mental, behavioral, and physical disabilities of the fetus that is exposed to alcohol.
· Senior citizens that are lonely may soothe themselves with alcohol, risking heart problems and complications with medications.
· Middle age men and women may be long-time alcoholics that struggle to keep a job, and may put their kids and spouses at risk because of abuse at home.
Help for Alcoholics
There is help out there, even for the most serious alcoholics. It might not be easy for an alcoholic to admit they have a problem that they can’t handle, and sometimes it takes a loving family member to arrange for an intervention or help. Once the individual struggling with alcoholism is ready to get help, it will take time to rid their body of the dependence on alcohol. Then, counseling is important to help them get ready to return to every day life. It may also take weekly support group meetings to keep some people free from alcohol for life. But it can be done, and many people have done it. It just takes a good treatment facility and a good attitude to overcoming the addiction.
Help for Families
Those that live with alcoholics and alcohol abusers have daily struggles also. It is terrifying to be the child of an alcoholic because these kids never know if they are going to get beat up or screamed at because their parent is drunk. Parents of college students may watch their kids throw their schooling and future away by abusing alcohol. Spouses see their relationship die out as their loved one constantly turns to alcohol. Groups like Al-anon or al-ateen are great resources for these kinds of families of alcoholics.
These loved ones are the people that most often seek help for alcoholism. Many times it takes the love and knowledge of family to encourage their loved one to enter treatment. It is important to get help as soon as a problem has been identified. Asking for help is the first step to recovery.
This week we mourn the death of Father Joseph Martin, an inspiration for many who are recovering from substance abuse and alcoholism. This co-founder of Father Martin’s Ashley was an icon in the substance abuse treatment industry, helping millions of individuals on their road to recovery.
Early Life
Father Martin was born in Baltimore, Maryland on October 12, 1924. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas elementary school and then Loyola High School, where he was valedictorian of his graduating class. He graduated from Loyola College in 1944.
Martin attended St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore where he studied and was ordained as priest in 1948. Father Martin then entered the Society of St. Sulpice, which is the community of priests devoted to training and educating seminarians. He was assigned to teach high school students in Mountainview, California and soon after moved back to Catonsville, Maryland where he taught at St. Charles College.
Father Martin was struggling with alcoholism at this time, and in June of 1958 he entered Guest House in Lake Orion, Michigan. This facility specialized in treating clergy, and it was there that Father Martin’s life changed dramatically. He met with and learned from Austin Ripley, founder of Guest House, and Dr. Walter Green, another recovering alcoholic. After completing his treatment, Father Martin resumed teaching, while regularly attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Chalk Talk
Father Martin often took the opportunity to speak to people about alcoholism, and his enthusiasm, charm, spirituality, and humor made him an instantly popular speaker. He soon became a lecturer and educator in the Division of Alcohol Control for the state of Maryland. He often conducted seminars about alcoholism for doctors, social workers, and lawyers. The U.S. Navy put Father Martin’s lecture on film in 1972 and called it “The Blackboard Talk”. It soon became known as “The Chalk Talk” and it has been used in countless places around the world, from hospitals and treatment facilities, to professionals, and even in most branches of the U.S. government. Being a leader in the addiction treatment field, Father Martin continued to educate and publish films, tapes, CD’s, and DVD’s to help others struggling with substance abuse and alcoholism.
Father Martin’s Ashley
Father Martin, along with Mrs. Mae Abraham, opened Father Martin’s Ashley in 1983 near Havre de Grace, Maryland. The facility, which followed Father Martin’s philosophy for recovery has always been known for its quality treatment. Two years after its opening, Father Martin’s Ashley was named one of the top 10 addiction treatment facilities in the country by Forbes magazine.
Honors and Awards
Father Martin devoted his whole life to the recovery of substance and alcohol abuse. He received many recognitions and awards. He was the recipient of the Andrew White medal in 1986 from Loyola College for his contribution to the betterment of the state of Maryland. He received the Rutgers Summer School of Alcohol Studies Distinguished Service Award. Father Martin was invited by the Vatican to participate in the International Conference on Drug and Alcohol in 1991, and was also the recipient of the Norman Vincent Peale Award in 1992.
Father Joseph Martin died on March 9, 2009 of heart disease at his home in Havre de Grace. He leaves behind him a legacy of hope and healing for those suffering from addiction.
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I just returned from an executive retreat in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. What a blessing! I spent a lot of time just sitting on the porch staring at the most unreal view. When I look at a picture of that view now, my first thought was that I really spent a lot of time up there doing nothing. Then it suddenly occurred to me that I actually spent a lot of time connecting with the people who are most important to me, my family, my colleagues and their families. What could be more important than that? In a world that is filled with deadlines, strategic planning, crunching numbers and trying to bring in the next project, sometimes my priorities get clouded.
The following episode showed Khloe Kardashian, star of her family’s reality show, being fired because Trump found out she had a previous DUI.
