22 | SEPTEMBER 9 • 2021
OUR COMMUNITY
T
his September marks the
32nd National Recovery
Month, an annual obser-
vance to recognize and educate
the American public on addic-
tion and/or men-
tal health and to
promote recovery.
This year’s theme
is Recovery is For
Everyone: Every
Person, Every
Family, Every
Community. And
it reminds people in recovery
and those who support them that
no one should ever feel alone in
the journey. Although everyone’s
journey is different, we are all in
this together.
Yes, even if you’re Jewish!
As a young child, I was told
that we couldn’t become alco-
holics or addicts because our
faith, traditions and community
served to protect us. Fast for-
ward many decades later in my
present role as an addictions
therapist; I know that while
faith, family, community are
protective, they are not an invin-
cible shield. Addiction can be
found in households and com-
munities regardless of income,
education, observance or togeth-
erness.
The Jewish Addiction
Resource Alliance (JARA) is a
relatively new group, developed
over the last few years after
Jewish Family Service hosted
a day filled with learning and
resources. The most critical
takeaway from that day? That
there are members of our Jewish
community who are struggling
with their addictions, and there
are loved ones who are feeling
alone and isolated. Membership
in either group transcends level
of religious observance.
Through JARA, represen-
tatives from local prevention
coalitions, treatment facilities,
clergy and community members
are banding together to develop
innovative programming and
gather resources that members
of the Jewish community can
feel comfortable seeking.
Of the estimated 2,684 over-
dose deaths in Michigan in
2020, 1,768 are attributed to opi-
oids. This represents an increase
of 16% over 2019, yet less than
the nationwide average of 30%
as reported by the United States
Centers for Disease Control
(CDC).
The Michigan Opioids Task
Force and Michigan Department
of Health and Human Services
(MDHHS) have partnered in
several initiatives to bring these
numbers down even lower. The
MDHHS 2021 Opioids Strategy
is multi-faceted in its approach
with specific initiatives targeting
prevention, treatment, harm
reduction, criminal justice and
pregnant and parenting users.
The data is being used to ensure
equity in access to treatment.
You can read more about it at
michigan.gov/opioids.
One example of this
multi-faceted effort is to increase
access to Naloxene, (common-
ly known by its brand names
Narcan or Evzio), which, when
used within the first 30-90
minutes of a suspected opioid
overdose, can reverse the effects.
Naloxene is found on all EMS
responders, in ERs and in many
pharmacies without a prescrip-
tion. Administration is simple
to learn and a short training is
encouraged. In fact, anyone in
the community can take advan-
tage of a free training on Sept.
19. (See sidebar.)
While I cannot say with cer-
tainty how many lives can be
saved, I will borrow this quote
from the Talmud (Sanhedrin
37a), which has been requoted
in the movie Schindler’s List:
“Whoever saves one life, saves
the world entire.
”
Maureen Lyn Bernard, LMSW, ACSW,
CADC, CCS, is a clinical therapist at
Jewish Family Service.
Save a Life:
National Recovery
Month
Maureen
Lyn Bernard
Free Drive-Up
Narcan Training
Training takes place
from 1-3 p.m., Sunday,
Sept. 19, at Henry Ford
West Bloomfield Hospital—
Maplegrove Center (6773
W. Maple Road).
Attendees will receive
training on the prop-
er administration of the
intra-nasal Narcan over-
dose reversal drug. You
must be at least 14 years
of age to receive a Save a
Life kit, which includes two
doses of 4 mg nasal Narcan.
Registration is appreciat-
ed but not required: tinyurl.
com/driveupmaplegrove.
For more information, call
(248) 221-7101.
Offered by the Alliance
of Coalitions for Healthy
Communities, Greater West
Bloomfield Community
Coalition, Tri-Community
Coalition, Henry Ford West
Bloomfield Hospital and
Maplegrove Center, Jewish
Addiction Resource Alliance
and the West Bloomfield
Fire Department.
Jewish Addiction
Resource Alliance (JARA) is
a coalition of organizations,
agencies, congregations
and people represent-
ing points along the vast
spectrum of addiction and
recovery. JARA’s vision is to
eliminate the stigma asso-
ciated with addiction within
the Jewish community
through education, resourc-
es and support to the indi-
vidual, the family and the
larger community.
For more information,
contact the JFS Resource
Center at (248) 592-2313 or
resourcecenter@jfsdetroit.
org.