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An all-volunteer, non-profit organization
In This Issue:
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex problem with an impact that extends far beyond the obviously-affected individuals. CPFHR is dedicated to helping the families, caregivers, and children of individuals with SUD. Family members may be profoundly impacted by SUD but are often invisible to the system and the community. We believe that providing evidence-based resources and support, children and families can thrive despite parental SUD. We believe that together we can create and sustain compassionate community pathways to family health and recovery. With each new day, there is hope.
As we approach the end of 2021, we look back with gratitude on a year of growth
and opportunities, and we are excited to share our upcoming plans.
Phase 1. The results of our first research study were published online in the peer-reviewed Journal of Family Issues on August 18, 2021. Portions of the work were previously presented at local, national, and international conferences. 

Citation: Tye, J., Meiers, S.J., Olsen, G., Moore, M.J., Aleman, M.J., Chawla, V. (2021).
Supporting Children and Kinship Caregivers in the Context of Substance Use Disorder: Perspectives of Key Professionals. Journal of Family Issues. 
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0192513X211038067.                                   
 
We would like to say THANK YOU to the 23 professionals who participated in the study. Their willingness to share their time and expertise provided valuable insights into the challenges faced by children and caregivers affected by family SUD, and confirmed that resources and services for these families are inadequate.
 
Phase 2.  A new protocol (Social processes of children and kinship caregivers in SUD: The SPOCK SUD study) is currently being developed to directly assess the needs of children and caregivers influenced by SUD in the family. The protocol will involve surveys and interviews with eligible caregivers and children, aged 8 or greater, of a parent with SUD who are being cared for by adult kinship givers.

We hope to offer an ongoing weekly Family Recovery Group beginning in January. In preparation we reviewed the scientific research and solicited input from the community. The research review revealed:
  • Resources and support for families affected by SUD are limited, and available resources are often underutilized. Many families struggle alone.
  • Evidence suggests that groups with a primary focus on the family are more effective than those focusing on how the family can support their loved one with SUD, and that both educational and peer support approaches can be effective.
To gain perspectives on what might be most helpful to families, we conducted "listening sessions" with a wide variety of community members. Participants included mental health providers, treatment professionals, social workers, health care providers, criminal justice professionals, persons with SUD, and family members with "lived experience."

We have developed a combined educational and peer support model based on what we’ve learned. Each week, group participants will have an opportunity to learn from an expert on some aspect of SUD and/or participate in peer support sessions.  
 
As soon as we have a location and start date, we will let everyone know!

CPFHR has a special focus on children, caregivers, and families who are often adversely affected by a loved one's SUD.  We are working to increase community understanding of SUD, reduce stigma, and facilitate compassionate and effective community responses.

We recognize that this multifaceted problem will require a collaborative community response to mitigate the terrible toll of SUD.  To this end we have met with and provided presentations to a variety of community organizations, professionals, and concerned citizens.

Discussions have focused on identifying gaps in services, addressing existing challenges, and developing strategies to provide better supports and resources to families of individuals with SUD. We are committed to continuing this work and expanding collaborative efforts in the future.
Strategic planning with Consultant Maureen Jameson has helped focus the efforts of our small volunteer group, and we feel very fortunate that she has volunteered her time to help us move forward. After a career at Gunderson Lutheran Health System, Maureen joined World Services, Inc. As a consultant, she helped develop strategic plans to improve healthcare all over the world, including Russia, Africa, Central America, Russia, and Tanzania.
                 
Maureen: I’m truly humbled to participate with the volunteers providing leadership in CPHFR, who seek to support families impacted by substance use disorder. Their initiative to create evidence-based strategies to support vulnerable minors and their caregivers resonates with my personal story, and I’m grateful to bring my experiences in planning and program development to support their initiative. As cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead so aptly observed, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” It is my honor to collaborate with this small group of thoughtful citizens as they seek to change the world for community members in need.
    Kristelle and her husband
We are delighted to announce that Kristelle Behle joined us in August as a full-time project coordinator.  She has spent 12 years working with Olmsted County as a foster parent and has direct experience working with children and families.

Her 1-year position is supported in part by Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA; the domestic equivalent of the Peace Corps) through Minnesota Recovery Corps, a program designed to serve individuals who are trying to sustain recovery. 

With Kristelle on board, CPFHR’s ability to advance our work to address the unmet needs of families, caregivers, and children affected by SUD has greatly expanded.

The impact of SUD is staggering and rapidly escalating. In Minnesota, sustained increases in preventable deaths due to SUD have been well documented. Deaths attributable to alcohol increased by 1/3 between 2000 and 2010, and more than doubled between 2010 and 2020. The number of deaths due to drug overdose increased approximately 10-fold from 2000 to 2020.  In Olmsted County, alcohol-attributable deaths increased by 77% and drug overdose deaths increased by 61% from 2019 to 2020.  The incidences of these deaths are similar to those reported for Minnesota as a whole.  The figure and table below are based on a 2021 presentation by Olmsted County Public Health Services (Epidemiology, Surveillance, and Preparedness Team & Health Promotion Team).

These figures are just the tip of the iceberg.  They do not account for individuals with SUD whose deaths were attributed to other causes or those did not die of their disease.  Nor do they reflect the invisible, untold numbers of children, caregivers, and family members who are directly affected by a loved one’s SUD.
Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on what we are thankful for, and support causes that reflect our personal values. With so many important causes to donate to, it can be hard to know how to prioritize contributions.

We are working to make a difference in the lives of families in our community who are affected by a loved one’s SUD.  

If our efforts resonate with you and reflect your personal values, please consider supporting CPFHR with a gift.
 
Volunteer your time. As an all-volunteer organization, we value your contributions (e.g., submitting ideas for our website, joining our Community Advisory Committee, volunteering for a project).  More info: https://www.cpfhr.org/get-involved

Mention CPFHR to others who may be interested.  https://www.cpfhr.org

Contribute money.  We are entirely funded by donations and small grants, including a Winona State University Foundation Special Projects Award, and we take no tax dollars.
 
100% of your donation goes to furthering our efforts to help families impacted by SUD.
Your donation is tax deductible within the limits of the law.
Thanks Very Much for Your Consideration!
Copyright © 2021 Community Pathways to Family Health and Recovery, all rights reserved.


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