Selected Media Coverage from CRC New Life Lodge Tennessee Event
October 9, 2009
October 13, 2009
Former drug czar promotes treatment at New Life expansion event
By Josh Arntz
A retired four-star general was in DicksonCounty on Friday to continue a war on drugs.
However, the “war” that retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey is promoting isn’t the Reagan-style, militant focus of the mid-80s. McCaffrey, after all, was the nation’s drug czar under Bill Clinton in the late 90s. His focus, as a cabinet member under Clinton and now as part of BR McCaffrey Associates LLC, has been on treatment of the drug users.
"If you believe that this is the biggest public health challenge facing this country or the biggest challenge facing our justice system or the problem that is the most detrimental to our work force, then treating it only makes sense," said McCaffrey, who is also a West Point professor and a national security and terrorism analyst for NBC News.
On Friday, McCaffrey was joined by Rick Chandler, Dickson public safety director and chief of police, and other drug prevention and treatment officials at New Life Lodge, an alcohol and drug treatment center located in Burns. A 25th anniversary celebration and a groundbreaking for a $4 million facility expansion were held.
The facility currently houses 140 beds for its patients, 40 of which are for adolescents. The expansion will increase capacity to 80 adolescent beds with a new dorm, along with a new school, administration building with a dining hall and recreation area.Some of those at New Life are DicksonCounty residents. Though rural, the county is not immune to drug activity and substance abuse.
Over the past five months, a new methamphetamine-cooking method has been reported in the county, a psychedelic mushrooms bust happened in Burns and a 100-plant marijuana grow house was found by law enforcement.
“I think it’s (the extent of drug use in the county) actually spiking somewhat, due to the fact that more and more people are moving into the county,” said Rick Chandler, Dickson public safety director/chief of police. “This area is usually a few years behind other areas, but the meth use is one of the things that’s really starting to spike in our area.”
Dr. Barry Karlin, chairman and CEO of CRC Health Group, which operates New Life Lodge, was also a speaker at the event. McCaffrey has been elected to the CRC board of directors.
Chandler, Karlin and McCaffrey testified to the need for drug and alcohol treatment programs, while also addressing the tripling use of prescription opiates and painkillers, like OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet and Percodan, and the lack of available drug abuse treatment for Tennesseans.
“Enforcement is not the only way to do it (drug prevention),” Chandler said. ‘You’re going to have to go to other aspects of it, and you sometimes forget about that. You just want to lock them up and throw away the key, and you don’t solve the problem.”
Karlin, citing information from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said about 485,000 Tennesseans need drug treatment but don’t receive it, compared to 23.9 million people nationwide.
“Tennessee is in the top 20 percent of states in this country in terms of the treatment gap,” Karlin said. “This state has done a tremendous job of trying to make funds available through Medicaid and other programs to support people who can’t otherwise afford treatment.
“But, there’s no way they can keep up with it… and that’s (a lack of funding) why you have this huge treatment gap,” he added.
McCaffrey pointed to the poor pain management techniques practiced by physicians and the availability of prescription opiates and painkillers as the reason for the incredible increase in drug abuse.
“If you use them (prescription opiates) and you take off the protective coating for time release, it’s the most intense heroin experience imaginable, and it’s cheap and it’s available,” said McCaffrey. “You can steal it out of your mom’s medicine cabinet, or go to seven doctors in seven different communities, or crooks, like crooked pharmacies who are peddling thousands of bottles of this drug.”
A combination of medications and behavioral therapy, along with increased funding and research by pharmaceutical companies is leading to better treatment, McCaffrey said. Researchers are exploring experimental drug vaccinations to help break cocaine addiction.
According to Karlin, 68 percent of those who are treated at New Life Lodge remain clean and sober one year after their stay. The center has treated 12,500 people over its 25 years.
Link to story:
THE NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN
October 12, 2009
Counselor recalls her own addiction
By Nicole Young • THE TENNESSEAN
BURNS, Tenn. — Before Judy Lapps became a drug counselor atNew Life Lodge, she was an addict.
Over the past eight years, Lapps has drawn on her past more than a few times to help her patients, she said.
"We have some come through six or seven times," she said. "In my case, it was twice."
Lapps was first admitted to New Life Lodge in 1991. The mother of three was an alcoholic and a self-described people pleaser.
"I was functioning for five years and became chronic, downing straight vodka around the clock, for another five," she said.
"I was a stay-at-home mom. My children were gone. My job was gone and I thought no one would know if I stayed home and drank all day."
After a while, Lapps said, the alcohol didn't work anymore and she entered treatment, but she wasn't serious about recovery.
In 1993, after a relapse, she got serious, and, a year later she divorced her husband of 29 years.
"He was my higher power," she said. "But I couldn't be dependent on him anymore.
"It's a slow way back after being an addict. Brian couldn't fix me. My children couldn't fix me. I didn't know who I was anymore. My whole life had to change because I had my life in a bottle.
"I had to fill myself with something and I chose recovery."
Ten years later, the couple remarried in the chapel at New Life Lodge. Today, Lapps is happy, but she knows there are many who share the pain she once had but are unable to get the help she did.
According to a recent study published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 24 million Americans need but do not receive treatment for drug and alcohol addictions. Fewer than 4 million people receive treatment.
In Tennessee, 485,000 people are in need of treatment, but aren't getting it, the study says.
The state ranks in the top fifth of states with the highest numbers for all age groups of nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers.
Opiates drugs of choice
Alcoholism accounts for only about 10 percent of Lapps' patients. The vast majority, about 40 percent, say their drug of choice is an opiate, such as the prescription painkiller OxyContin. On Friday, New Life Lodge had a groundbreaking ceremony for a $4 million expansion of its facility — an effort to improve Tennessee's treatment gap.
Once completed in late 2010, the new facility will accommodate 200 patients, including 80 teens. At present, there are 140 beds, most of which are full on a regular basis, said Joe Pritchard, vice president of CRC, parent company of New Life, and acting executive director of the Burns facility.
At the groundbreaking were Barry McCaffrey, former national drug czar; Tennessee Assistant Commissioner of Mental Health Bruce Emery; Dickson Police Chief Ricky Chandler; and Dr. Barry Karlin, CEO of CRC Health Group.
"If you believe that this is the biggest public health challenge facing this country or the biggest challenge facing our justice system or the problem that is the most detrimental to our work force, then treating it only makes sense," said McCaffrey, now a national media expert on drugs and terror and a West Point professor.
Karlin said Friday's events celebrated, honored and remembered the patients, families and staff who have gone through treatment.
"Drug abuse is a chronic illness, just like diabetes and hypertension," he said. "The state of Tennessee is committed to ensuring that children and adults get the very best in care, but this disease is powerful."
To date, New Life has treated about 12,500 people in its 25 years in service.Sixty-eight percent of adolescents who have gone through the program have remained clean and sober a year after their release, Karlin said.
"Treatment works," he said. "These disorders are treatable diseases, and recovery programs are as effective as treatment for other chronic conditions."
Link to story:
LIVE RADIOInterview with Dr. Karlin and Gen. McCaffrey on WJCW 910 AM (News/Talk – Gray, TN)
Listen to interview:
LIVE RADIO Interview with Dr. Karlin and Gen. McCaffrey on Steve Gill Show - WLAC 1510 AM (News/Talk – Nashville, TN)
Listen to interview:
WSMV NBC-TV Nashville interview with Dr. Karlin and General McCaffrey – Piece on News Friday, October 9, 2009
(Tape of news segment that aired is ordered --following is story on WSMV website:)
WSMV NBC-TV:
DrugTreatmentCenter Announces Expansion
Growing Drug Problem Increases Need For Beds
BURNS, Tenn. --Tennessee’sdrug problem isn’t going away. In fact, one treatment facility needs more beds to handle all of the patients it sees.
New Life Lodge sits on more than 100 acres near Burns, Tenn.
The facility has 140 beds, but often they’re all full.
This isn’t only a problem in Tennessee. According to Dr. Barry Karlin, twenty-four million people across the country aren’t getting the treatment they need.
“Right nowmethamphetamine is a big problem right here in Tennessee. The abuse of prescription pain killers is a big problem”, said Karlin. “We have to adapt to what's going on in the market right now.”
After a significant expansion, New Life Lodge will have more than 200 beds by the end of 2010.
If someone in your family needs help, you can reach New Life Lodge at Newlifelodge.com.
Link to article:
LIVE RADIOInterview with Dr. Karlin and Gen. McCaffrey on WQKR 1270 AM Good Morning, Portland(News/Talk – Portland, TN)
TAPED RADIO Interview with Dr. Karlin and Gen. McCaffrey on WPLNNashville Public Radio 90.3 FM (NPR – Nashville)
LIVE RADIO Interviewwith Dr. Karlin and Gen. McCaffrey on the Phil Valentine Show WTN 99.7 (News/Talk – Nashville)
CRC PRESS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 2, 2009
Contact: Bob Weiner/Rebecca Vander Linde 301-283-0821 or 202-329-1700
FRI. OCT. 9 11:15 AM NEWS CONFERENCEWITH 4-STAR GEN. & FORMER DRUG CZAR BARRY MCCAFFREY, VIP’S AT BURNS, TN NEW LIFE LODGE 25TH ANNIVERSARY, EXPANSION, DRUG CRISIS NEWS:
999 Girl Scout Road, Burns, TN37029
WILL ADDRESS ABUSE TRIPLING OF “NEW HEROIN” PRESCRIPTION OPIATES LIKE OXYCONTIN, ONE HALF MILLION TENNESSEANS LACK TREATMENT WHO NEED IT ACCORDING TO HHS
VIP’S INCLUDE FORMER DRUG CZAR MCCAFFREY, NATIONAL AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, TREATMENT LEADERS, CRC HEALTH CEO BARRY KARLIN,
TENN. ASST. MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSIONER BRUCE EMERY, POLICE CHIEFS
GROUNDBREAKING & BALLOON LIFTOFF AS ONE OF COUNTRY’S PREMIER DRUG TREATMENT FACILITIES TO DOUBLE ADOLESCENT PROGRAM, ADD $4 MILLION BUILDING
(Nashville and Burns, TN)—At 11:15 PM on Friday, Oct. 9, Burns, Tennessee’s New Life Lodge, one of the country’s premier drug and alcohol treatment facilities, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary with a news conference announcement of doubling its national model adolescent program, groundbreaking of a $4 million expansion, balloon liftoff, and discussion of the ongoing drug crisis.
VIP’s participating from around the country will include Four-Star General and former U.S. Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey, state and local officials including Tennessee’s Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Bruce Emery, police chiefs, national and local treatment leaders, and Dr. Barry Karlin, CEO of New Life Lodge’s parent company, CRC Health Group, the country’s largest substance abuse and behavioral treatment provider with 140 facilities nationwide.
In addition, participants at the events will discuss the crisis which remains, including the tripling of prescription drug abuse of opiates such as OxyContin, the “new heroin”, in addition to cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, designer and “club” drugs, and alcohol. SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of HHS) reports that Tennessee is among the highest ten states for non-medical abuse of prescription drugs. According to the federal HHS, almost a half million Tennesseans – 485,000 – need but do not receive drug and alcohol treatment, and 23.9 million people across the U.S. lack treatment.
As part of the events, pop/blues artist John McAndrew, who has sung for NATO heads of state, will perform.
New Life Lodge is located at 999 Girl Scout Road. Burns TN 37029, tel. 615-446-7034 or 866-836-8125.
Gen. McCaffrey, now a national media expert on drugs and terror and West Point professor, stated, “We celebrate the success of treatment but must address the continuing crisis – and New Life Lodge is a model of the way forward. The national and state treatment gaps remain a huge challenge. 23.9 million Americans need but do not receive treatment for illicit drug or alcohol problems according to the latest numbers from HHS. Less than four million receive treatment. In Tennessee 485,000 people need but do not receive treatment.”
Dr. Karlin said, “New Life Lodge is a national model facility with an outstanding adolescent program, and we are proud the facility is doubling its badly needed adolescent capacity pointing the way to recovery.” He added, “The October 9 events signify that we celebrate, honor and remember the patients, families and staff who have gone through treatment, and carry hope for those still suffering from the disease. Drug abuse is a chronic illness just like diabetes and hypertension. Treatment works.”
Joe Pritchard, CRC Vice President who oversees New Life Lodge, and ten-year former Nashville resident, will emcee the events.
Source: Robert Weiner Associates301-283-0821/202-329-1700