Nonprofit Management, Program Administration No comments yet

Abstinence: Still the Best Choice?

By on February 21st, 2012

Carrie Nation on the war path for the Women’s Christian Temperance Union

As a person who has struggled with addiction to alcohol and drugs, I would be foolish to drink. But what about the Christian who has never had this problem? Is there anything wrong with what is considered social drinking? I believe there are at least five compelling reasons why abstinence should be the norm for all followers of Christ:

A. The cost to society. Nationwide one in four families is experiencing alcohol related problems. It is estimated that 20-25 percent of all hospital costs result directly from alcohol misuse and abuse. People without Christ drink mainly to fill a spiritual void that only Christ’s presence can fill. Therefore, Christians who do know Him ought to stand out in this fallen world by not being identified with this destructive spiritual counterfeit.

B.   The children. By the time they turn 14, 30 percent of boys and 22 percent of girls drink alcohol, many weekly or even daily. Alcohol-related trauma is the leading cause of death for those ages 1 to 19. There is a spiritual principle that what one generation excuses in moderation the next can excuse in excess. We must protect our children by setting the example of abstinence.

C.   The weaker brother. Paul wrote, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall” (Romans 14:21, NIV). At a Christian drug rehab center where I was director for 1 0 years, our board, staff, and volunteers were expected to abstain from alcohol. Why? To set a good example to those who were struggling to recover from alcohol and drug addiction. We never wanted them to think, He’s a strong Christian; if it’s OK for him to do it, it must be OK for me to do it too.

D, The danger. If it were discovered today, ethanol (the active ingredient in beverage alcohol) would have to be tested by the FDA before it could be marketed to the consumer. It would likely be listed as a controlled substance, sold only by doctor’s prescription. In almost 15 years of working with alcoholics I have found only one common denominator-all started as social drinkers. No one plans to become an addict. No one can safely assume he or she is immune from the seductive and addictive nature of ethyl alcohol. This is especially true if one has a history of family alcoholism. Not drinking at all is the one guaranteed way to keep from becoming an alcoholic.

E.   Our enemy. We are in a life and death struggle for our souls. In 1 Peter we are admonished, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, NASB).   We have enough difficulty discerning Satan’s activities when we have a clear mind. But if our spiritual sensitivity is clouded by intoxicants, we are more open to his deception and control. No wonder we need to take Paul’s exhortation to heart: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18, NIV).

 

Addiction Counseling No comments yet

The Importance of Reconnecting

By on February 20th, 2012

I have often been asked why the topic of “reconnecting” is such a common theme in my writings and addiction recovery training sessions.   To that I can answer, there’s no more disconnected people anywhere that the homeless addict.   By the time he finds himself on the streets, he has succeeded in burning every relational bridge behind him.   This lack of social support will keep him locked in a downward spiral because no one recovers from addiction and homelessness by themselves.   Real changes occur when such a person is able to reconnect, first, with God, then himself and, finally, with other safe people with home he can continue the journey toward wholeness.

A.   Common assumptions about the causes of homelessness – Most often in discussing the needs of the homeless and what must be done to help them, the following are assumed to be at the root of their situation:

  • Lack of affordable housing
  • Government policies/Welfare Reform
  • Poor economy
  • No employment opportunities
  • Education/language barriers
  • Prejudice against minorities/women

B.   The real reason people become homelessness – Certainly, the issues listed above represent real challenges faced by homeless people, they are not the root cause of homelessness.   In their landmark book, A Nation in Denial (Westview Press, Boulder, CO 1993), public policy analysts Alice Baum and Donald Burnes shatter many of the myths surrounding the root causes of homelessness.   They contend that the condition labeled “homelessness” is best described as a state of “disaffiliation” or complete alienation from meaningful human relationships and the social support systems most people have working for them.   As Christians, we might also say that it means lacking a sense of “community” or “belonging.”

C.   Causes of “disaffiliation” – Based on their research, Baum and Burnes conclude that at least 65-85% of all homeless adults suffer from chronic alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, or some combination of the three, often complicated by serious medical problems.   Of the nearly 1/3 of homeless adults who suffer from chronic psychiatric disorders, half are “dually diagnosed” – suffering from addiction to alcohol and/or drugs, as well as mental illness.

A lack from meaningful human relationships is one of the core issues of addiction.   Dishonesty, blame shifting, irresponsibility, and outright abuse of those closest to them are all a part of the downward cycle of addiction.   Mental illness adds even more stress and strain to family relationships.   So, it is little wonder that most homeless people become alienated from their loved ones.

D.   “Re-connection is the antidote for “disaffiliation” – Dean Sherman, missionary trainer with Youth With A Mission states “The quality of our lives is totally dependent on the quality of our relationships with other people.”     This is why rescue mission recovery programs are most effective when they are very relationship oriented.   In essence, this can summarized in what I’ve called the three re-connections of recovery – 1) with God   2) with themselves and 3) with others (especially loved ones).   Most rescue mission programs do a very good job with the first reconnection – with God – which really differentiates what they do from all of the secular efforts to help the homeless.

E.   Reconnecting with the Family of God – Reconnection with the Heavenly Father also comes with the promise of a new sense of “belonging” as a member of the Family of God.   A well-organized long-term residential program can be the first place newly recovering people can experience this sense of community.   An important component of rescue mission programs is preparing formerly homeless people to reconnect with the church.     The best approach to this is to find “Rescue Mission Friendly” Churches and train sponsor families within them to help clients find their place in a spiritual community.   Building a significant relationship with the local church must begin in the earliest stages of a long-term program and continue up through graduation.

Maurice Vanderberg, long-time director of Kansas City’s City Union Mission had this vision – “Our goal is to see that every program graduate becomes a mature, contributing member of a Christian community.”   With this in mind, no one should ever graduate from a residential recovery program until he or she is firmly planted in a local church.

D.   The role of Christian Recovery Support Groups – One of the most powerful words in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is the very first word of the First Step – “”We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.”   Few things are more powerful incentives for recovery than the realization that others have experienced the same struggles as we have – and overcame them.   One of the challenges of the rescue mission program is integrating the principles of spiritual life and addiction recovery.

In light of this, I am convinced that Christian recovery support groups are probably the most effective bridge between the rescue mission program and the Christian community.   These groups provide recovering homeless individuals with a combination of personal support and group accountability.   They promote an atmosphere of positive reinforcement, support and hopefulness.   This “family” atmosphere into which newcomers may comfortably” fit it”.   There is no better place to find sponsors in the community who can support program participants after they graduate.

Program Administration No comments yet

Achieving the Best Client to Staff Ratio

By on February 20th, 2012

What is the best client/staff ratio for a rescue mission program?

As I have interacted with rescue missions in a speaking and consulting role over the years, this is one of the questions I am asked most often.   It is certainly one of the most important questions as well.   Most rescue mission administrators work diligently to make every donated dollar stretch as far as possible.   Truth is, staff salaries make up the most substantial portion of their budgets.   So they need to know these funds are being spent wisely.   Front-line staff members can feel overwhelmed by many the unmet needs they see around them every day, knowing that a few more qualified people could aka big difference.

So, I would like to take a few moments to set forth a few simple principles that may help answer this question.

A.       Know what you want to accomplish — An emergency shelter with minimal counseling and   scheduled program activities needs a few basic supervisor staff members.     A residential program that focuses on helping participants achieve life-term change by overcoming addictions and deeper inner problems will require much more staff attention.   Sorting through exactly what outcomes you are striving for will not only help to determine how many staff members are needed.     Additionally, it will also help in deciding what type of staff people are needed.     Maybe the type of programs called for social workers and certified additions counselors instead of individuals just finishing Bible School.

B.         Troubled people need lots of attention –   Real and lasting life-change is not something that happens all on its own.   I believe with all my heart only God can produce lasting change in the lives of wounded people.   Yet, I also believe that He does it through people who serve as His representatives to the hurting.   Especially in the first year or so of sobriety,   He uses us to help people in recovery to understand the basics of the Christian life and begin the process of life-long growth.   One-on-one counseling time, group sessions, classes, and corporate times of worship and praise are all ways that God’s Spirit can reach into their lives to bring healing and the power to overcome their problems.   At some rescue mission, many of these activities are outsourced to community agencies and resources. Other have found qualified volunteers to help with them.   But, in more cases, it takes people who are on the payroll to conduct meetings, to teach, and to counsel.

C.         Achieving real, lasting change, is a lot of work –  Troubled people need lots of time to learn, to talk, and sort out the issues of their lives.   This can cause a bit of tension, though, because rescue missions tend to depend on residential program participants   to keep their operations running. Some have even had their program people working full-time in these activities 8-10 hours a day, while offering just a few evening activities. When this is the case, I have to ask “Is the mission there for the client or the client there for the mission? “

I am pleased to say that this is not as common a situation today as it once was.   Most rescue missions have come to recognize that today’s homeless clients need much more help than those who sought out their services a even a decade ago.     Most are truly looking out for the client’s best interests.   Still, for most of them, it may be time to consider actually hiring outside people to do some of the tasks traditionally done by clients.   If a program has been experiencing less than hoped for client success, this step may allow people in their programs to have extra time to do the hard work of early recovery.

D.       Troubled people need individual attention  — One simple “rule of   thumb” that indicates when a program is understaffed is this: does every participant have at least an hour each week in a one-on-one counseling session with a qualified staff member? If this is not happening, it may be better to have a smaller program than to have a building full of people whose lives are barely being impacted.

Every person in a long-term program needs to have one staff member who serves as their primary counselor and advocate.   The next question that follows, of course is, “how many clients can one staff person handle?”   A 1:14 ratio is common in most secular treatment programs.   Additionally, I see and example in our Lord Jesus.   He know He had three short years to invest in the lives of just a few people in whose care He would leave the future of the Church.   He chose twelve.   Could that number be significant?   Someone once pointed out to me that Jesus wasn’t doing case management – and these were pretty stable people to being with.   But, I think the point in all this is that we need to be realistic in how many troubled people one staff member can work with at any one time.

In conclusion, I think it is very important for us to remember the needs of the people who come the rescue mission.   Giving them the time and the attention they need to more from homelessness and defeat to a stable, Christian life ought to be our primary goal.   Whether it means paring back on bed space or increasing the staff budget, the outcome will surely be more lives permanently changed to the glory of God.