Please take me off your mail list.
-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara Rawlings
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 4:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [EFTC] Sad News from Norway.
Great Rowdy. Well done for all this. I think it's exactly what's needed
and I hope it helps these Norwegian bureaucrats to see the wider picture and
change their minds.
best wishes
Barbara
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rowdy Yates" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 2:03 PM
Subject: Re: [EFTC] Sad News from Norway.
Hello
Apologies for my delay in responding. I've been at the EWODOR Symposium in
Thessaloniki and only returned late last night. I received Anthony's
original message on the last day of the Symposium and made a special
announcement. It is a huge understatement to say that people were
surprised. I think the feeling in the room was one of shock and despair.
It feels doubly crushing that this should happen to one of our most
respected and high profile members just at the time when therapeutic
communities and the recovery movement seemed to be staging a real comeback
across Europe and senior politicians have begun to voice their support for
recovery (and their disillusionment with the costs and results of substitute
prescribing). It would seem that that message has yet to trickle down to
service commissioners and particularly the the Health Sector where there
continues to be a great deal of resistance to change and a deeply-rooted
scepticism towards recovery and TCs.
I really don't think that we should let this go unchallenged. I suggest
that we issue a joint EWODOR (European Working Group on Drugs Oriented
Research) & EFTC press statement deploring these developments and pointing
to the cost savings that can be achieved by recovery-oriented therapeutic
communities. I believe that there continues to be a belief that residential
treatment is more expensive than its community-based (ambulatory)
counterpart - despite the evidence that it is actually cheaper. I further
propose that this press statement should be in the form of an open letter to
the Norwegian Government's Minister of Health - who I think is currently
Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen (someone will need to correct me if I have this
wrong).
I will draft a short press-release this week and agree it with the Boards of
both organisations. Clearly we have very little control over what the big
news agencies choose to take up but the strength of feeling from the
membership of two major European addiction networks ought to count for
something here.
In addition, I plan to write an open letter to all the current residents,
conveying your thoughts and feelings and offering our support in this
difficult and unsettling time. I am very concerned that in the worry over
the future of the service and redundancy issues for the staff we risk losing
sight of how devastating this will be for those who currently call this
house home (sometimes the first time they have really had one).
With best wishes and fraternal greetings.
Rowdy Yates
Acting President
European Federation of Therapeutic Communities
Scottish Addiction Studies
School of Applied Social Science
University of Stirling
Scotland
T: +44 (0) 1786-467737
F: +44 (0) 1786-466299
W: http://www.dass.stir.ac.uk/sections/showsection.php?id=4 (home)
W: http://www.drugslibrary.stir.ac.uk/ (online library)
________________________________________
From: Therapeutic Communities [[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Anthony Slater [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 20 May 2012 14:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [EFTC] Sad News from Norway.
Dear friends,
It is with a very heavy heart that I have to inform you that Phoenix House
Haga, Norway has lost its funding from the South Eastern Regional Health
Authority in Norway.
The decision was communicated last Monday from the Health Authority.
If it is not possible to manage to get this decision overturned before the
end of June, then the funding that Phoenix requires will cease from July 1st
2012, as I understand it at this time.
Although I recognize that drug free therapeutic community treatment is not
for everyone at all times during recovery, I am left astounded that a
treatment programme with such a long history of effectiveness during this
last 21/22 years, is to be closed by the stroke of a pen via civil servants.
As many or most of you will know, for health reasons my direct involvement
with Phoenix Haga has been limited over this last 12 months, however
although I’m now retired from Phoenix Haga, I am committed to assist Phoenix
Haga as much as is required through this very difficult time. Phoenix Haga a
not for profit therapeutic community was open in 1990 and admitted the first
resident group in August of the same year.
Former residents of Phoenix have created an action page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/457976380883491/ which can be found ( just
look for an icon of a loud speaker and go from there) the page has over
17.000 hits at present and very moving statements sharing people’s feelings
and experiences. Although I realize that many of list members will not be
able to read the Norwegian language, please believe me when I say that the
messages truly embody the spirit of the therapeutic community.
I am able to visit Phoenix Haga on Monday 21/May and hope to be briefed on
the present situation plus receive the contact details of the relevant
political offices, persons and civil servants to continue to challenge what
is a devastating blow to many peoples present and future recovery.
On behalf of the community of Phoenix Haga, graduates, staff’ families, the
board of directors, I call upon and implore all friends and associates to
support us during this very bleak time in our history.
Sincere thanks in advance,
Anthony Slater ( Former director –Phoenix House Haga, president E.F.T.C.)
--
The Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year 2009/2010
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland,
number SC 011159.
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