Armstrong-Indiana Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc.
Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2006-2007 

Special Announcement:  Executive Director Retirement

Charlene Givens, Executive Director, retired from her position with the Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc. on June 30, 2007.

Charlene has worked in the drug and alcohol field for a total of 29 years.  Since February 1981, Charlene has been the Executive Director of the Commission, serving the prevention, intervention, and treatment needs of the residents of Armstrong and Indiana Counties.  In her tenure, the Commission has grown from a small county program with four employees and a small budget to a private, non-profit corporation with 14 employees and a budget of over $2,800,000. 

            The Commission congratulates Charlene on being the recipient of the following recognition awards:

·                  Affiliate of the Year by the County Commissioner’s Association of PA

·                  William J. Schofield Award for outstanding and uncompromising dedication and service to the addiction field by the Institute for Research, Education & Training (IRETA)

·                  ARC Manor’s President Award

·                  Open Door’s Bernie Smith Community Service Award

The Commission announces the promotion of Kami Anderson, Deputy Director, as Charlene’s successor to the Executive Director position as of July 1, 2007. 

Introduction 

The Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc. (AIDAC) is the Single County Authority for Armstrong and Indiana Counties.  In this role, the Commission is responsible for facilitating the provision of a comprehensive and balanced system of quality substance abuse prevention, intervention, and treatment services for the two-county area.   The Commission seeks to eliminate the abuse and misuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by empowering systems to develop, maximize and manage the human, physical, and financial resources of Armstrong and Indiana Counties. 

The Commission is a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation and is classified as an Independent Executive Commission that contracts directly with the PA Department of Health.  The Commission is also responsible for assessing needs, planning, developing, and coordinating programming to meet service needs and then monitoring and reviewing the outcomes.  Administrative staff responsible for insuring contractual compliance, reporting and fiscal operations include and Executive Director, Deputy Director, Administrative Assistant II, Chief Fiscal Officer and Clerk Typist II. 

The Commission has a functional Case Management Unit responsible for the provision of case management services which include:  screening, assessment, placement, level of care determination and intensive case management services.  The Case Manager Supervisor oversees the case managers who are located in the outpatient programs in the main population centers of each county.  The Student Assistance Program (SAP) Case Manager serves as the drug and alcohol liaison for 22 SAP teams and provides on-site assessments for students referred by the teams and other school personnel.  The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and Indiana County Drug Treatment Court case manager work primarily with Level 3 and 4 offenders who have been diverted to treatment. 

The Commission is responsible for the Tobacco Prevention Education and Cessation Program in Armstrong and Indiana Counties.  A Project Manager is responsible for provision of services as well as oversight of the project.

The Commission operated the State Incentive Grant, which ended in September 2006.  The Deputy Director oversees the Drug Awareness Prevention Partnership Coalition, which was created through the grant and is still active. 

The Commission continued the activities of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board grant for the enforcement of underage drinking laws.  The Coalition formed through the grant, Collective Action Against Underage Drinking (CAAUD), assists in efforts to mitigate the effects of underage drinking. 

The Commission is governed by a fifteen member volunteer board of directors and two non-voting members.  The officers for FY 2006-2007 were: President:  Magisterial District Judge Susanne Steffee, Vice President:  Rebecca Barna, Secretary-Treasurer: Dr. Kim Husenits.  Other board members for FY 2006-2007 were:  Dr. Carleen Zoni, Chairperson of the Program Review and Budget Committee; Dr. Christine Black, Chairperson Personnel Committee; Michael Steffee, Chairperson Nominating Committee; Roberta (Robin) Davis, Matthew Kruluts, Commissioner Patricia Evanko, Greg Lobb, Joe Fullerton, Commission Richard Fink, Dennis Demangone, Dave Vojna, and Dr. Andrew Shim.  Ex-officio members were Connie Michaels, District Health Nurse; and Jill Pless, President of the Service Provider’s Advisory Task Force. 

            The Service Provider’s Advisory Task Force consists of management staff of the local sub-contractors and meets on a monthly basis with management staff from the Commission.   The role of the Task Force is to discuss current ATOD trends and any SCA/provider issues that need addressed.  Staff training is a major focus of the meeting, as well as contract requirements, service delivery, and fiscal concerns.  The President of the Task Force serves as a non-voting member of the Commission Board.

An organizational chart by title is included on the following page (2A)

SINGLE COUNTY AUTHORITY:

Armstrong/Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc.
10829 U.S. Route 422
P.O. Box 238
Shelocta, PA  15774
724-354-2746
Kami Anderson, Executive Director
Susanne Steffee, Board President 

Case Management Unit of AIDAC, Inc.
10829 U.S. Route 422
Shelocta, PA  15774
724-354-2746
Joseph Diskin, Case Management Supervisor 

OUTPATIENT TREATMENT:

ARC Manor                                                              The Open Door
200 Oak Avenue                                                       334 Philadelphia Street
Kittanning, PA  16201                                                Indiana, PA  15701
724-548-7607                                                                                                                                 724-465-2605
Kay Owen, Executive Director                                 Vincent Mercuri, Executive Director 

ARC Manor Satellite Office:                                 The Open Door Satellite Offices:
116 Main Street                                                      155 East Market Street
Leechburg, PA  15686                                             Blairsville, PA  15717

                                                                            71 South Main Street                                                                                                                Cherry Tree, PA  15724

INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT and
ENHANCED INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT:

ARC Manor                                                              The Open Door
200 Oak Avenue                                                       334 Philadelphia Street
Kittanning, PA  16201                                                 Indiana, PA  15701
724-548-7607                                                                          724-465-2605
Kay Owen, Executive Director                                   Vincent Mercuri, Executive Director 

PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION and
ENHANCED PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION:     

ARC Manor
200 Oak Avenue                                                      
Kittanning, PA  16201                                             
724-548-7607                                                                      
Kay Owen, Executive Director                                  

RESIDENTIAL:

ARC Manor                                                             
200 Oak Avenue                                                      
Kittanning, PA  16201                                             
724-548-7607                                                                      
Kay Owen, Executive Director 

PREVENTION:

ARC Manor                                                              ARIN Intermediate Unit
200 Oak Avenue                                                       2895 Route 422 West         
Kittanning, PA  16201                                                Indiana, PA  15701
724-548-7607                                                            724-463-5300
Jill Pless, Assistant Director                                       Kathy Monko, Program Coordinator

The Open Door
334 Philadelphia Street
Indiana, PA  15701
724-465-2605
Maria Dietz, Supervisor 

INTERVENTION (Hotline Services):

ARC Manor                                                              The Open Door
200 Oak Avenue                                                       334 Philadelphia Street
Kittanning, PA  16201                                                Indiana, PA  15701
724-548-7607                                                           724-465-2605
Kay Owen, Executive Director                                  Vincent Mercuri, Executive Director 
 

In addition, the AIDAC contracted with the following out-of-county providers: 

HOSPITAL-BASED DETOX AND REHABILITATION:
UPMC Braddock Hospital
Stepping Stones – Meadville Medical Center 

NON-HOSPITAL DETOX:
Conewago/Wernersville                                           Turning Point - Franklin
Cove Forge Behavioral Health System                        Twin Lakes Recovery Center
Gateway Rehab Center                                            White Deer Run - Allenwood
Pyramid HealthCare                                                White Deer Run - Lancaster
Transitions at Wilkinsburg                                        White Deer Run - New Perspectives

NON-HOSPITAL RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION:
Conewago Place                                                      Transitions - Wilkinsburg
Conewago – Wernersville                                         Turning Point - Franklin
Cove Forge Behavioral Health                                  Twin Lakes Recovery Center
Gaiser Addiction Center                                          White Deer Run - Allenwood          
Gateway Rehab Center                                            White Deer Run - Lancaster           
Pyramid HealthCare                                                White Deer Run – New Perspectives
Pyramid HealthCare - Belleville 

ADOLESCENT NON-HOSPITAL RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION:
Cove Forge                                                             Twin Lakes Recovery Center
Gateway Rehab Center                                            White Deer Run
Pyramid Ridgeview Adolescent Center

WOMEN W/CHILDREN NON-HOSPITAL RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION:
Gaudenzia Erie                                                         Samara House of CYWA 

NON-HOSPITAL DUAL DIAGNOSIS RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION:
Cove Forge                                                             Transitions at Wilkinsburg
Pyramid HealthCare                                                 White Deer Run                                   

HALFWAY HOUSE:
Abstinent Living at the Turning Point                         Highland House
of Washington                                                         Lighthouse for Women
Another Way                                                           Moffett House
Gaudenzia Erie                                                        New Directions @ Cove Forge
Clem-Mar House                                                       Pyramid HealthCare
Cove Forge Renewal Center                                     Pyramid – Pine Ridge
                                                                             Tom Rutter House

OUTPATIENT METHADONE MAINTENANCE:
SPHS Behavioral Health – Torrance                            Discovery House-Curwensville                   
Discovery House-Cranberry                                       Discovery House-Washington Blvd.

                                                Administration 

            The Commission continued to be active in the fiscal year 2006/07on a statewide basis through the Executive Director’s (Charlene Givens) participation on the PA Association of County Drug and Alcohol Administrators (PACDAA) Executive Committee, Personnel, Student Assistance Program (SAP) Guidelines Committee, SAP Commonwealth Approved Trainers Board of Directors, and Prevention Workforce Development work group; the Deputy Director’s (Kami Anderson) leadership in the SCA Fiscal Officer Conference and participation on the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs (BDAP) Fiscal Manual Committee and the Case Manager Supervisor’s (Joseph Diskin) participation in the PA Case Management Network (PACNet) and on the BDAP Case Management work groups.  The management staff was active on the local level with membership and participation in the following:

Training was made available to SCA and agency personnel in the two county drug and alcohol service delivery system via workshops and seminars sponsored solely by the Commission or in partnership with the Service Providers Advisory Task Force.  The training programs included:

Confidentiality
          Ethics                                                                                                                              
          Drugs 101                                                     
          Forensics and Addiction

The Commission awarded a mini-grant of $500 during the fiscal year 2006/2007 to the Indiana Regional Highway Safety Project for a Safe Driving Competition for students from the two-county area.

            The Commission formed a Safety Committee during the fiscal year 2006/07 that meets on a monthly basis.  Members of the Committee attended trainings in Safety Committee Dynamics, Hazard Identification, and Accident Investigation.  Quarterly site inspections are conducted by members of the group to maintain a safe worksite.  

Prevention

The Commission spent $331,835 in funding for Prevention Services during the Fiscal Year 2006/2007.  The money was allocated to the Commission’s three area Prevention providers: ARIN Prevention Unit; ARC Manor; and the Open Door.

The goals for the FY 2006/2007 are as follows:

            Goal # 1: By June 30, 2008, reduce the availability of ATOD among youth and young adults in Armstrong and Indiana County by 5%.

            Goal #2:  By June 30, 2008, reduce favorable attitudes toward the problem behavior among youth ages 5-18 in Armstrong and Indiana County by 5%. 

To accomplish these goals, the Commission and its three Prevention providers continuously worked on their objectives in the areas of education, information dissemination, alternative activities, problem identification and referral, community-based process, and environmental activities. 

Over 1,593 direct service hours were provided in education and training in the areas of critical life and social skills such as decision-making, refusal skills, critical analysis of media messages, and the effects of ATOD usage.  Presentations were made through Act 211 ATOD education using the Too Good For Drugs and Life Skills curriculum; Alcohol and Driving Course; alternative school programs; after school skills groups; Underage Users’ group; minority youth groups; school personnel presentations; and Teen Leadership Training. 

During the FY 2006/07, 256 staff hours were spent on information dissemination activities that provide awareness and knowledge of the nature and extent of ATOD use, abuse and addiction and their effects on individuals, families, and communities.  Contacts were made through Community Health Fairs and presentations, media campaigns, public service announcements, phone contacts, pamphlets, brochures, and video distribution. 

Alternative activities that excluded alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use were provided to area residents.  Prevention staff spent 744 hours coordinating drug-free T-Shirt contests, Summer FESTT/Children’s Fair, “Summer Plunge”, youth swim, Reality Tours, Recovery recognition activities and Alumni holiday parties. 

Problem identification and referral services were provided during FY 2006/2007.  This strategy aims at identifying those who had indulged in illegal and/or age inappropriate use of tobacco and alcohol and those individuals who have indulged in the first use of illicit drugs in order to assess if their behavior can be reversed through education.  Over 316 direct service hours were provided through the Underage Users’ group, Life Skills groups, and various community/parental requests for information and training. 

Community-based services aimed at enhancing the ability of the community to more effectively provide and participate in prevention services were provided to area residents.  Local community-based coalition meeting; mini-grants; church and civic group presentations; IUP Child Development and Beverage Management classes; staff training at housing authorities, domestic violence shelters and WIC are examples of community-based services that were provided through 89 direct service hours. 

Environmental activities attempt to establish or change written and unwritten community standards, codes, and attitudes to influence incidence and prevalence of the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs used in the general population.  Prevention staff spent 28 direct service hours participating in various committees and coalitions and in contact with local legislatures, school superintendents, and public officials.   

Community Prevention Collaborative
State Incentive Grant
Drug Awareness Prevention Partnership

            The Community Prevention Collaborative funded through the State Incentive Grant concluded in September 2006.  The coalition formed under this grant, Drug Awareness Prevention Partnership (DAPP), is still meeting on a bi-monthly basis and has been active in the community providing education and public awareness on the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use/abuse (ATOD).  Significant accomplishments within the community include: 

1)         The partnering of the DAPP Summer FESTT (Families Enjoying Safe Time Together) and the Children’s Fair at the Belmont Arena in Armstrong County.  Over 50 agencies provided information on ATOD and healthy lifestyle choices to over 200 families of Armstrong County. 

2)                 The collaborative submission and award of the Underage Drinking Enforcement Grant through the Armstrong County District Attorney’s Office for $11,500.00 by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.  This grant was used specifically to enforce underage drinking laws in Armstrong County through extra police patrols. 

3)                 The Indiana County Reality Tour, an innovative drug prevention and awareness program that takes you into the life of a teen on heroin, began in April 2007.  The experience is meant to be attended by families and is appropriate for ages 10 and up when accompanied by an adult.  Approximately 100 people have attended the Reality Tour between April and June, with approximately 1/3 of them being adults and 2/3 being youth.  The tour is conducted at the Indiana County Courthouse on the 2^nd Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. 

Tobacco Program

The Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission (AIDAC), as Primary Contractor, continued Tobacco Education, Prevention and Cessation activities awarded by the grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH). This grant was a result of the Master Tobacco Settlement with the Tobacco Industry of 1998 and continued to model the Centers for Disease Control Nine Best Practices for Tobacco Prevention and Control.  AIDAC has maintained the grant from 2002 through 2007 as Primary Contractor. 

            For the timeframe of July 2006 through June 2007, The Department of Health provided the following funds for the Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program Grant: Armstrong County was awarded a total of $116,525 and Indiana County was awarded a total of $144,812.

STATE OVERARCHING GOALS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRAM GRANT  

AIDAC once again identified our service providers (sub-contractors). Although similar, the new grant deliverables were modified. The service provider activities were also modified to more effectively meet the needs of the grant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Model is based upon the CDC Nine Best Practices for Tobacco Prevention and Control. They are considered the nine “Components”. The services our subcontractors provided are listed below by component.

            This new grant period demonstrated our effectiveness in reaching the deliverables required by the Department of Health.  Our local presence at community events, in schools and with community partners has gained much public support in every area of our counties.  Our Two County Tobacco Free Coalition has witnessed a large growth of “at large” community members who participate in our outreach programs. Our well designed and implemented outreach plan in the areas of tobacco prevention, education and cessation has resulted in invitations to many community events and opportunities to speak about and/or creatively demonstrate the dangers of tobacco use and how it can be prevented and/or stopped.  Along with our Youth Tobacco- Free Pledge Handprints, Youth create take home “Smoke-Free Zone” doorknob hangers.

We have trained many Health Care Providers in brief intervention and counseling for their patients.  We have a well established Hospital Intervention Program in both county hospitals. This intervention program has been successful in bringing those who wish to quit to resources (both local and statewide) to assist them.

We have trained the majority of our local Junior and Senior High Schools on “in-school” cessation counseling for students and staff who wish to quit. Our Junior and Senior High School Youth and College students have played a large role in taking the message to their peers. These older students have also been effective in influencing the younger children in our counties through their activities in TATU and On Applebee Pond Puppetry demonstrations that use tobacco narratives that positively impact their young audiences. The Pennsylvania Students Against Tobacco (PA-SWAT) have implemented many activities that support and influence on campus prevention and reduction in tobacco use.

Our Intermediate Unit continues to provide evidenced–based curriculum designed to teach youth how to handle peer pressure and trains them in effective refusal skills.

Area tobacco retailers have become partners in prevention with our Retailer Education and Enforcement Program. There has been 100% education for our worksites and restaurants in regards to The Clean Indoor Air Act and outlines their responsibilities as employers under the law.

Our continued campaigns, both local and statewide, have been applauded and have received large amounts of press coverage and continued positive feedback.

Through activities such as those outlined above and many more efforts our local leaders and community members have become familiar with our objectives and have demonstrated continued support for our programs. 

Rural Initiative Grant
Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Program

The Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc. is well into its third year of the Underage Drinking Grant and the continuation of the Collective Action Against Underage Drinking Coalition (CAUDD).  The Coalition attendance at meetings has remained strong with successful accomplishments. 

CAAUD has worked with the Indiana Senior High SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club on several projects.  In February 2007, CAAUD and SADD organized their second annual SADD FEST Battle of the Bands to include contestants from all of the Indiana County Schools.  Bands were encouraged to write an original alcohol, tobacco, and other drug free song.  A total of 10 bands participated including schools from Indiana, Penns Manor, Elderton, Homer Center and Laurel Valley.  There were a total of 422 attendees.

Members of the SADD Club also participated in Project Sticker Shock campaigns placing stickers on cases of beer at three distributors in Indiana County that read, “It is illegal to buy or provide alcohol to those under 21.” 

From the fiscal years 2005/06 to 2006/07, the SADD Club tripled its membership from 11 to 32.  Students from SADD have participated in the Youth Leadership Conference and Rally in Harrisburg, set up information tables in their school on underage drinking awareness, and coordinated a student and faculty kickball tournament to promote healthy alcohol, tobacco, and other drug free activities.

The enforcement of underage drinking laws in Indiana has increased with the implementation of the Underage Drinking Task Force through the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office.  The Task Force filed a total of 329 citations for underage drinking from August 2005 to January 2007.  The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement completed 71% of the Age Compliance Checks for 24 licensed establishments recognized by the grant in the first round of checks and 21% of the checks in the second round.  Of the 17 establishments checked, 82% passed the age compliance check by not serving alcohol to a minor.  Through grant efforts, 53 employees of licensed alcohol establishments received the Server/Seller training component of RAMP (Responsible Alcohol Management Program), totaling 124 employees trained to date.  RAMP trains servers and sellers how to:

Intervention 

The Commission funded two separate 24-hour crisis hotline services.  ARC Manor operated a 24-hour drug and alcohol hotline in Armstrong County that has both a local exchange and a toll-free number.  The hotline responds to crisis/emergency calls and information/referral calls.  The hotline was staffed by paid employees of ARC Manor, which included specially trained therapists, resident managers, and clerical support staff.  1,258 calls were taken by the crisis staff during the fiscal year 2006/07.  Ninety-six percent of the calls were drug and alcohol related.

The Open Door’s 24-hour crisis hotline service responded to the needs of the people in Indiana County.  Paid staff and Crisis Intervention Specialists are available on a 24-hour basis.  The crisis intervention and information service was specifically designed to be supportive to individuals experiencing a drug and alcohol crisis.  However, the staff often deals with a variety of other crisis issues.  The Open Door responded to 1,414 crisis calls during the 2006/07 fiscal year.  Sixty-five percent of the calls were drug and alcohol related. 

Safe Driving Schools were provided in both counties for DUI offenders.  ARC Manor operated the Safe Driving School in Armstrong County and the Open Door provided the service in Indiana County. 

Medical Assistance Managed Care

            The Drug and Alcohol and Mental Health Administrators from the six county consortium comprised of Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties continued their oversight of the HealthChoices Program.  The counties subcontracted with Southwest Behavioral Health Management (SBHM) Corporation to manage the program and provide oversight of the Managed Care Organization (MCO), which remains Value Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania

(VBH-PA), a subsidiary of Value Options.  The management team of the Commission continued to serve on the following HealthChoices oversight committees:

§         Drug and Alcohol Subcommittee

§         Opiate Workgroup

§         Finance Committee

§         SBHM Personnel Committee

§         SBHM By-Laws Committee

Reinvestment funds were set aside for risk and contingency and to supplement drug and alcohol services for Medical Assistance eligible persons and enrollees.

Case Management 

During the fiscal year 2006/2007, the Armstrong/Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission Case Management Unit offered the following five programs to individuals suffering the effects of substance abuse/dependence:

            Level of Care Assessment (LOC)

  Intensive Case Management (ICM) and Resource Coordination (RC)
           Restrictive Intermediate Punishment Program (PCCD)
           Drug Treatment Court Program (DTC)
          Student Assistance Program (SAP)

All four of these programs experienced overwhelming demand again this year.

         LOC functions include screening, assessment, placement, and continued stay utilization review.  In addition, there are routine crisis calls from individuals, family members and friends in need of information.   Case managers often travel to meet clients at schools, hospitals, jails, and other agencies.

The Case Management Unit completed three hundred and eighty-seven (387) assessments for inpatient treatment.  Arc Manor, in Armstrong County, completed one hundred and sixty (160) assessments for Partial Hospital, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient treatment.   The Open Door, in Indiana County, completed four hundred and fifty-four (454) assessments for Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient.   These three providers completed a total of one thousand and one (1,001) assessments in FY 2006/2007.  Each individual is assessed in the areas of medical, legal, family/social, education/employment, mental health and drug and alcohol. 

Individuals are screened and those appearing to be in need of outpatient services are referred for an assessment.  The outpatient providers gather information, apply the PCPC or ASAM, and offer clients an option of appropriate treatment agencies.  During the assessment process, each client is offered ICM/RC services and re-offered ICM/RC services during the treatment episode.

The Case Managers of the Armstrong/Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission have offices located at Arc Manor in Armstrong County and The Open Door in Indiana County.  This close relationship ensures that clients receive the most appropriate level of care in a very timely manner. The key to this successful relationship between the Case Managers and the local providers has been the understanding of each other’s function, face to face communication and, most importantly, working together on the goal of  meeting  the needs of  the client.

The ICM/RC programs have become a very important part of our consumer’s lives. The ICM/RC programs are voluntary for individuals who have been affected by drugs and/or alcohol.  In addition to the substance abuse concerns, drug & alcohol clients experience a variety of specialized needs.  Some of these needs include housing, transportation, childcare, budgeting skills and assistance with employment and education.

Thirty-seven (37) consumers were admitted to ICM over the past year. RC services were provided to consumers on an average of fifteen (15) active clients each month.  Many of these individuals received transportation arrangements, resume building skills, prescription medication co-payments, and support when scheduling GED training.  These simple resources helped each client to make necessary changes in their lives.  These changes have led to improved self-sufficiency on the way to sustained recovery.

On July 1, 2006, the Commission was again awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for the Restrictive Intermediate Punishment Program.  This program focuses on Level 3 and Level 4 offenders who, due to the presence of a substance abuse problem, are sentenced to the program in lieu of jail.  The goals of the program are to assist in the reduction of jail overcrowding and reduce the incidence of relapse while ensuring appropriate treatment and access to supportive services.

To date, one hundred and nineteen (119) offenders were diverted from jail to the Restrictive Intermediate Punishment program.  Clients participated in inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient counseling, group and individual counseling.  During treatment and after discharge, case management continues to assist clients in achieving their goals.  Of the 119 clients that were admitted into the program, fifty-nine (59) successfully completed, forty-one (41) were discharged from the program unsuccessful and nineteen (19) clients are still active in the caseload.

On January 1, 2007, as a part of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) grant, the Indiana Drug Treatment Court was implemented.  This program combines the authority and sanctioning power of the court with the clinical expertise of treatment professionals. The Drug Treatment Court Team is composed of the Judge, District Attorney’s Office, Probation Department, the Criminal Justice Intensive Case Manager from the Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission, and a Defense Advocate. Intensive Judicial supervision is involved, requiring the client to appear regularly in court before the Judge. Graduated incentives and sanctions are used to reward progress and require accountability of the client.

Treatment, Case Management, and the Criminal Justice System are working together in both counties to ensure that there is adequate supervision, counseling and access to services for clients.  There is weekly contact between the three agencies to discuss issues, brainstorm plans, and share information.  As a result, the communication among these agencies has greatly improved.  In addition, clients are receiving treatment services and improved access to services.

Student Assistance Program (SAP)

                        The Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission’s Student Assistance Program (SAP) was established in 1986 and employs a Liaison who serves as a core team member for 22 SAP Teams in Armstrong and Indiana Counties. During the 2006-07 school year, the SAP Liaison provided 218 hours of consultative services to the 22 Core Teams within the two counties. In 2006-07, 91 students received drug and alcohol assessments. Of the 91 students assessed, 11 were referred to residential treatment, 3 were referred to the adolescent intensive outpatient treatment, 38 were referred to outpatient treatment, 16 were referred to early intervention educational services, 6 were referred to or were currently involved with the mental health system and 17 were not referred to treatment due to no identified drug and or alcohol problem.

            In April of 2007, the Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission held a three day SAP Add-On Training. The training was held for individuals who wanted to become members of a schools’ SAP Core Team. Twenty individuals participated in the three-day training.

            Also in April of 2007, SAP sponsored training on the topics of How Adolescents Get High and Inhalant Abuse. The trainers were Joseph Diskin, Case Management Supervisor of the Armstrong Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission and Officer Jeff Williams, an East Cleveland Ohio police officer. Mr. Diskin discussed current adolescent drug trends.  Mr. Williams discussed the warning signs of inhalant abuse by sharing the story of his sons’ death as a result of inhaling Dust-Off. There were approximately 40 participants at the training.

            In the 2006-07 school year, the Armstrong Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission SAP Liaisons continued providing informational packets to the SAP Core Teams in both Armstrong and Indiana Counties. The informational packets provide the district SAP Core Teams with drug and alcohol related information. The Commission plans on providing the informational packets once again for the 2007-08 school year.

            The primary focus of the Armstrong Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission’s SAP Liaisons are to provide support and comprehensive SAP services to the students, their families and the school districts of Armstrong and Indiana Counties. The Armstrong Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission will continually strive to provide the most up to date and comprehensive SAP services to the students, families and school districts in the two county area.        

Treatment

Once again, the Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission utilized every level of care available to consumers.  These include outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, halfway house, non-hospital based residential treatment and detoxification, methadone maintenance, enhanced treatment and hospital-based residential treatment and detoxification.

Targeted populations include adolescents, pregnant females, women with children, intravenous drug users and mentally ill substance abusers (MISA).  The Commission assisted agencies in designing services for these individuals as well as contracted with programs that specialize in these populations.

MISA clients have the option to be referred to outpatient, IOP, Partial, Non-Hospital Residential and Halfway House.  ARC Manor and The Open Door, local outpatient providers continue to expand the programs that they offer to MISA consumers.

Emerging Needs

The SCA has once again experienced an increased demand for treatment by opiate users, specifically heroin over the past fiscal year. The use of cocaine and crack cocaine as the drug of choice has also re-emerged over the last year in both Armstrong and Indiana Counties.   Methadone maintenance and methadone to abstinence programs have been requested on a regular basis.  This trend has been sustained throughout this fiscal year and it is the SCA’s expectation that it will continue to increase.  Because of the lack of availability and accessibility to methadone programs requiring an hour to two of travel, clients have difficulty getting daily transportation and have a hard time holding down a job when several hours of their day is spent in non-productive travel.  While travel is available to clients through the medical assistance transportation program, it is counter-productive to our goal of helping clients obtain self-sufficiency. 

AIDAC has continued with the use of Buprenorphine in office based treatment with an increase of clients choosing this option. AIDAC contracts with two physicians, allowing clients more choices to participate in this program.  With the increase in heroin or other opiate use, the buprenorphine program gives clients another option when requesting treatment for opiate addiction.    

Many clients still opt for drug free residential treatment with the hope of attaining abstinence.

Finally, there has been a general overall increase in demand for treatment.  The capacity in our rural counties is being tested.  Outpatient satellite offices continue to be opened in both counties in an effort to reach out to clients in their community thus eliminating the transportation barrier.  While effective and successful, this has also been a drain on the SCA’s limited financial resources. This increased demand for treatment has continued in this fiscal year.  The trend is expected to continue.
 

Client Demographics 

            The Armstrong/Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission (AIDAC) served a total of 1,018 unduplicated clients in the fiscal year 2006/07.   The breakdown by age, race and sex, is as follows:

                                                                                    Males:                          Females:

                        Asian or Pacific:                     
                                    Age 35-44                                            1                                  0 

                        Alaskan Native:                                                                                                                                                                       Age 25-34                                            1                                  0

                        American Indiana:
                                    Age 25-34                                            1                                  0 

                        Black: 
                                    Age 18-24                                          10                                  2
                                    Age 25-34                                            5                                  1
                                    Age 35-44                                            3                                  1
                                    Age 45-54                                            1                                  0
                                       TOTAL                                           19                                  4 

                        Hispanic:                                                                                            
                                    Age 25-34                                            1                                  0 

                        Other:
                                    14 & Under                                          1                                  0
                                    Age 18-24                                            1                                  0
                                    Age 25-34                                            3                                  0
                                        TOTAL                                            5                                  0 

                        White:
                                    14 & Under                                         4                                  2
                                    Age 15-17                                         26                                12                      
                                    Age 18-24                                       281                                84                                                           Age 25-34                                       200                                61
                                    Age 35-44                                       119                                58          
                                    Age 45-54                                         75                                26          
                                    55 & Over                                         32                                  4
                                      TOTAL                                         737                              247                        

                        Unknown:                   

                                    Age 25-34                                            1                                  0                     
                                    Age 45-54                                            1                                  0
                                       TOTAL                                             2                                  0                                 

                        GRAND TOTALS:                                  767                             251                                   

            The primary drug of choice for the clients served by AIDAC are as follows for the fiscal year 2006/07:

                                    Alcohol                                                           646
                                    Marijuana                                                        146
                                   Cocaine/Crack                                                   89
                                    Heroin                                                              77
                                    Non-Prescription Methadone                                 5
                                    Benzodiazepine                                                   4
                                   Methamphetamine                                                4
                                    Other Opiates                                                      2
                                    Other                                                                  4 

            Due to the CIS System being inaccessible for demographic information, AIDAC is unable to provide the referral sources for our clients for the FY 2006/07.  However, it is estimated that the referral sources are in similar proportion to the previous year, with the percentages as follows:

                                    D & A Abuse Care Provider                              31%
                                    Court (Judge)                                                 22%   
                                    County Probation                                            17%
                                    Self                                                               13%
                                    Community Service Agency                                6%
                                    Hospital/Physician                                             4%                                       
                                    State Parole                                                       2%
                                    Other                                                                5%