Council & Recovery News

The Council Awarded Grant for Health Reform Education

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc., and PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization--Achieving Community Together) are pleased to announce that we have been granted SAMHSA's Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) State Peer Award to build a statewide network among other peer-run organizations for health reform education on the provisions of The Affordable Healthcare Act. 

The SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) award is timely because open enrollment for health care reform begins on October 1, 2013. The task of The Council and PRO-ACT is to ensure individuals who have been disproportionately left out of the healthcare system will be aware of eligibility and enrollment. "According to the Pennsylvania Health Access Network," said Beverly Haberle, The Council Executive Director, "more than 75% of people who will qualify for subsidies in the Health Exchange do not know that they can get this support." 　 

The statewide efforts of The Council and PRO-ACT are now underway and will include:

• Collaboration with other peer-run statewide organizations, including PRO-A, The RASE Project of Lancaster and Message Carriers of Pittsburgh
• A two-day seminar in Harrisburg with partners and legislators
• Educational webinars
• Social media
• Development and distribution of educational materials
• Educating the community that "Help Is Available" to navigate the system
• A major educational emphasis organized by PRO-ACT's Public Policy Committee at the PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! 2013 on September 21 in Philadelphia at Penn's Landing

The Affordable Healthcare Act will provide access to treatment for substance use disorders to millions of patients who never before had the option. The Council and PRO-ACT are proud to be awarded the opportunity to help make the recovery community aware of the resources available to them and to help enroll people in the system. Enrollment begins October 1, 2013, and coverage begins January 2014.

Council Staff Recognized for Making a Difference

Lisa Wedge and Dawn Tucker were honored by the Board of Directors with the “You Make a Difference Award” on Friday, November 16th at The Council’s Board meeting.

Lisa has gone above and beyond the scope of her job and has truly excelled to support The Council. In recent months, Lisa has been challenged to take on extra duties in the fiscal department and during Pumpkinfest. Through Hurricane Sandy, Lisa worked persistently to ensure that payroll was completed and bills were paid; this was done while The Council was closed and the computer network was off line.

Dawn Tucker has worked as a SAP Consultant for the past five years. During that time Dawn has established herself as a valuable resource to schools and families. She has a natural ability to work with students and their families, linking them with resources and supports to help meet their needs. Dawn is respected by her peers and co-workers and is recognized for the excellent work she provides to students of Bucks County.

Retired Board Member Thomas Newman Receives Bronze Key After 30 Years of Dedicated Service

Thomas M. Newman retired from The Council’s Board of Directors after 30 years of dedicated service. At the June 22, 2012 Board Meeting Mr. Newman was awarded NCADD’s Bronze Key Award, a national recognition award granted by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence for outstanding contributions to the field. The Bronze Key is the highest local award presented by affiliates and was awarded to Mr. Newman in appreciation of more than 30 years of service to The Council, first joining the board in January of 1982. Mr. Newman was the Board Treasurer since April of 1983 and has volunteered his time for many Council sub-committees.

Board President William F. Wiegman presents Thomas M. Newman with NCADD award.  

The Council leads the addicted from shame to recovery

Posted: Monday, December 26, 2011 The Intelligencer 

The Council leads the addicted from shame to recovery By Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer Calkins Media, Inc.

For some, miracles are a rare occurrence. But not for Beverly Haberle.

"I see miracles every single day," said Haberle, executive director of The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania. 

Haberle has led the growing organization, formerly known as the Bucks County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, for 32 years. She calls addiction "a very shame-based illness that families cover up and hope it goes away."

A private, nonprofit, the council provides a wide range of services to reduce the impact of addiction, but its efforts go beyond that with help for many health issues for families, schools and businesses.

"As a resource for people, they're the best-kept secret in the area," said Cathie Cush of Newtown, who has worked for the organization. "I'm amazed in talking to people in the recovery community that more people don't avail themselves of council's services."

Earlier this month, the newspaper asked readers to nominate a nonprofit organization that does great work in Bucks and Montgomery counties and could use some good publicity to support its endeavors. The council received several nominations.

"People need to know there is an organization, a non-judgmental organization, who can provide assistance to people who have a problem," said Tom Lear, a board member for three decades. "It can be for a personal problem or for a family looking to help someone. And if we don't have a specific program to help, most of our people have knowledge to direct them to the right location so they can speak to a human being right away."

William McDonald is one of Haberle's miracles. Back in 1985, the Warminster man's family set up an intervention because of his alcohol abuse.

Friends and family sat in a circle and "pretty much told me what a slob I'd become," McDonald said, recalling how he'd hurt the people he loved. "The addicted person makes the family almost as sick as they are. It's not a pretty thing. It's not something I would want to go through again. But it got me sober."

McDonald later became a volunteer for the council with an offshoot it establish known as PRO-ACT, Pennsylvania Recovery Organization — Achieving Community Together. PRO-ACT works to reduce the stigma of addiction while ensuring the availability of adequate treatment and recovery support services.

McDonald eventually became a mentor at Bucks County prison in a program known as TASC — Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities.

"The idea of recovery from addiction is to help others," he said. "That's how we maintain our sobriety. The council and PRO-ACT gave me a tremendous opportunity to do that."

He's not alone. Haberle said the council's hotline gets 2,000 calls a year. That's in addition to the 2,500 calls a month it receives at its centers.

And it does more than interventions. Haberle said it helped 12 women this year at high risk for fetal alcohol syndrome. There are also programs for parents who want to make sure their children stay drug free.

Lear, of Lower Makefield, said the council is looking into gambling problems as casinos have sprouted up in the five-county area. "Compulsive gambling is a problem in communities that spreads out to all places and is such a detriment," he said.

And this time of year, with the holidays playing such a dominant role, can be particularly difficult for some.

"Holiday time, that tends to exacerbate the issues," Lear said.

The council, founded in 1975, holds its main fundraiser, Pumpkinfest, at Fonthill Park in Doylestown each fall. Earlier this month it received a proclamation from the Bucks County commissioners for its "Tree of Hope." In a ceremony at the county courthouse, heartfelt reflections were shared by those celebrating freedom from addiction; others dedicating rays of hope to people still struggling; and to lives lost to addiction.

Haberle, in her 40th year of being alcohol free, is one of the miracles she talks about. And she's been a miracle for others.

"That woman is just tireless," McDonald said. "She is unbelievable."