Drug treatment program for Latinos wins national recognition
By Keila Torres, Connecticut Post, 06/08/2009
BRIDGEPORT -- In the 1990s, the national problem of drug abuse grew substantially.
In Connecticut, particularly Bridgeport, the problem affected Latinos disproportionately to others, said Jose Ortiz, director of the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services' Office of Multicultural Affairs. "Seventy percent were Latinos, mostly Puerto Ricans," he said.
Despite this, the numbers of Latinos seeking treatment was low. "Our folks were not banging down doors to get treatment," Ortiz said.
In response to this issue, the government afforded federal dollars for a five-year pilot program designed to provide Latinos with "cultural-specific" treatment.
"Latinos didn't seek treatment so we had to do outreach. That gave birth to Proyecto Nueva Vida [Project New Life]. What was astounding was we were able to get 1,619 new admissions into treatment that first year. That's a crazy number. It's a life-saving program," Ortiz said.
This month, PNV was selected as one of the top six programs throughout the nation for Latino mental health and addiction services by the Community Defined Evidence Project, a University of South Florida effort funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
According to the description in the university's Child and Family Studies page, the project seeks to "eliminate disparities in behavioral health for the Latino population" by "discovering and developing measurement criteria to find what really works for Latinos within the context of their own communities and culture."
From April 28 to May 1, Linda Callejas, the project director at the university, visited Bridgeport and interviewed PNV clients and staff. Through this effort, PNV will be used as a model for other projects throughout the nation and will be included in a national directory of successful programs for Latinos, Ortiz said.
PNV is funded through DHMAS and is a collaboration between three agencies -- the Co-op Center of the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, CASA Inc. and Optimus Health Care. CASA provides both outpatient and inpatient drug treatment, while Optimus offers medical and HIV treatment. Co-op gives assistance with getting IDs and job training.
All the services are provided through one intake process, instead of clients having to sign on with the agencies separately.
But PNV services don't end after with scheduled meeting or help session. The staff maintains an open-door policy and is available when needed, not just during scheduled office hours. This way, clients feel a sense of community or kinship with the staff.
"Latinos don't bond with institutions. They bond with people," Ortiz said.
The PNV staff and community residents who volunteer with the program are known to help people move into new homes, refer clients to a job and help clients with resumes. "You don't treat the condition. You treat people and they have needs," said Jose Torres, coordinator of recovery support for CASA.
PNV also provides social gatherings, like a monthly family forum, picnics, sober dances and concerts.
This year, 86 percent of the people who entered the program completed treatment.
"What we do is we basically help each other find peace with ourselves in the early stages of recovery," said Victor Rodriguez, a Stratford resident in recovery for 15 years, who participates in the PNV mentoring program, which meets once a week.
Felicita Claudio, 46, a Bridgeport resident, said she's been with the mentoring program since it started six years ago and has been free of drugs four years and counting. "There's a lot of support both on a professional level and on a personal level. I feel at home. I've been with them for so long they are my family," she said.
The staff said they hoped the exposure afforded by the national study would ensure the program attracts the attention of additional funding sources. "We've been struggling but even with a bare-bones budget, look at the results," Ortiz said.
Daisy Rodriguez, 48, from Bridgeport, who has been an addict most of her life, attended her first mentoring session last week. "I want to get better. At first, I had too much pride [to seek help], but now I don't. I like seeing the Hispanic community group together to confront this illness," she said in Spanish.
For more information about PNV, call Jose Torres at 339-4112.
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