winter/spring 2014 www.power-recovery.com

a resource to educate the community & empower

women on their journey of recovery

Just before leaving POWER, Alissa, a young mother of a three-year-old

son, left this note in her bedroom for the next “Alissa” to read. It says

a lot about the transformation that takes place thanks to the hard work

women do when they are at POWER:

Like many POWER clients, Alissa came to us angry and certain that she wouldn’t be staying for long. But also like many others, Alissa’s outlook began to change during treatment. Much to her surprise, she stayed for six months.

Raised in a family with a history of addiction, Alissa started experimenting at age 14 with prescription drugs and alcohol. Eventually, heroin became her drug of choice. She came to POWER House after several attempts at rehab. Over the course of her stay, something wonderful began to happen: Alissa came to realize her own value. On the first anniversary of her mother’s death, she grieved with support from staff and her peers. According to her therapist, “Alissa came to us broken and, after working harder than most of us can imagine, she left us whole and healthy.”

Today Alissa works full time, lives in her own apartment, and spends precious time with her son. Thankful for her life in recovery, she “pays it forward” by returning to POWER House regularly to visit and eat dinner with the residents. She looks forward to what lies ahead for her son and for herself as she strengthens her foundation in recovery.

Success StoryAlissaBy: Kate Gross, POWER volunteer

All I know about recovery is that it is

something we choose: a way of life

we have to be ready to embrace in

its entirety. No person or institution

can make us “ready” for recovery; we

have to want it. But how can a person

reach this point? One must reach a

“bottom” of some sort, perhaps. One

has to be in enough pain to want to

change, but even then – especially

then – it may be difficult to choose

health over self-destruction. Working

with those who are going through this

process, one must know that each

person’s journey in recovery, and each

person’s reasons for embarking on

that journey, are unique. It may

take one person years of being “in”

recovery — going to meetings,

working with sponsors, talking to

others — to finally grasp that the

journey is one he or she is meant

to be on.

Recovery

To whomever gets this room,Embrace this road you’re about to walk down. Whether you realize it right now or not, this room is your safe haven. This house is your home for the next six months. The road that lies ahead of you will be bumpy. You’re gonna cry, scream, and slam this door numerous times. But at the end of every day you’re safe.You have been given another chance to make your life better. They told me it gets easier and better in time and I laughed at them. Truth is, it does! Just breathe and take it one day at a time.Good luck! Alissa

“We can

change the world and make it a better

place. It is in your hands to make a difference.”

~ Nelson Mandela

Board of Directors Jan Bamford, President Eileen Simmons, Vice President Susan S. Everingham, Secretary Erin M. Felix, Treasurer Tina Flowers Sherree R. Goldstein Judith Griggs, PhD Christine Hoover Dorothy P. Ingersoll Nancy Kurdyla Judith R. Owen Stephen P. Paschall Mary Prezioso Yumna Rathore Margaret Sitko John Wilds, PhD Roger Yost

Advisory Council Arthur M. Scully, III, Chair Jan Bleier Paul E. Block Darieth Chisolm Christopher Dunn Dr. Andrea Fox Judge Livingstone M. Johnson Gayle Manning Grant McLaughlin Terry Miller Tom Murphy Boyd Murray Raj Narendran Jan Pagliari Norma Raiff Kristi Rogers Mindy Shreve Lora Sigesmund Wanda Sowell Joy Starzl Jim Turner Dr. Abraham Twerski Virginia Volponi Mike Walsh, PhD Sheila Washington Brenda Joyce Waters Karen Farmer White Lois R. O’Connor, Emeritus

Administration Rosa Davis, MSW, ACSW Executive Director

Diane Johnson, RN, BSN Associate & Clinical Director

Madelon Edelstone, MEd Associate & Development Director

Debra Raubenstrauch, MPM Director of Finance & Operations

Olivia Zitelli, SPHR Director of Human Resources, HR-C

POWER welcomes questions, comments, and suggestions from our readers about programs, services, and topics discussed in our newsletter. Please send all inquiries to:

Madelon Edelstone Associate & Development Director 412.243.7535, ext. 215

Emily Stimmel Development & Communications Associate 412.243.7535, ext. 223

Contributing Writers Rosa Davis, Executive Director Karen Clark, Volunteer Coordinator Diane Johnson, Associate & Clinical Director

Design by: SJH Design

dear friends,The new year is a time when many of us resolve to change, whether that change is small or truly transformative. The women who turn to POWER for help are choosing to change almost everything in order to reclaim

their lives for themselves and for their families.

While we’re in the business of helping clients change, we are constantly looking for ways to improve the care we provide. Here are some high-lights of what’s been going on behind the scenes this year and what’s ahead in 2014 at POWER:

• We’ve been learning about how the Affordable Care Act may impact the delivery and reimbursement of behavioral health care. We kicked off our new strategic planning process in the spring and we’ll convene later this winter to develop our strategic objectives, many of which will be focused on adapting addictions treatment services to this newly structured health care system.

• We know physical and behavioral health are interrelated, and in 2013 we launched a health and wellness initiative for both clients and employees. Thirteen employees were trained as Health & Wellness Coaches and we continue to integrate physical health initiatives in all aspects of care — especially important since research shows that individuals with a behavioral health condition die 25 years earlier than the general population!

• After a nearly three-year process, the agency’s electronic medical records (EMR) system is 95% implemented. In the coming months, we’ll finalize our report-writing capabilities and integrate service records with billing functions, creating a more seamless and accurate documentation process.

• POWER now conducts follow-up outcomes surveys thanks to work with Dr. Hide Yamatani and new employee, Joey Nyame – POWER’s first AmeriCorps member. Surveys are conducted at admission, at discharge, and at 30 days post-discharge. We look forward to analyzing data and using this important information to continuously improve our care.

• As a gender-responsive, trauma-informed provider, POWER added an important component to its continuum of care by accepting women in our residential treatment program who receive medication-assisted therapies, including methadone. This is especially important for pregnant women addicted to opioids who can only safely deliver their babies while on methadone.

• 2014 will find us assuming ownership of POWER House, our 25-bed treatment facility located in the former St. Anselm Convent. After renting for 22 years, we were approached by Word of God parish with an offer we couldn’t refuse!

Change is everywhere! One step at a time, women are working toward recovery, POWER continues to make improvements designed to meet the challenges of a changing environment, and you are helping to transform the lives of women and their families.

My thanks for your support over the past year and best wishes for a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2014!

Rosa Davis, MSW, ACSW Executive Director

Kudos & Special ThanksKudos to Joey Nyame, POWER’s Outcomes Coordinator and AmeriCorps member, for her recent acceptance into the University of Pennsylvania School of Education’s graduate program in school and mental health counseling.

Special thanks to the Campus Women’s Organization at the University of Pittsburgh, who named POWER the beneficiary of its annual V-Day production of The Vagina Monologues. POWER will receive 90% of the ticket sales from the performances. And thanks to the POWER staff who worked at the information table and spoke to students about addiction and trauma!

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

We’re thrilled to announce that Levin Furniture owner Robert Levin and his wife, Dr. Kerry Bron, will serve as Honorary Chairs! Robert has been a great friend to POWER for several years, helping us furnish rooms at POWER House and supporting both POWER Promises and Sunflower POWER as a major sponsor.

As usual, the highlight of the event will be the program, in which the inspirational stories of three POWER grads will be told by local news anchors. Brenda Waters, KDKA-TV anchor and POWER Advisory Council member, will emcee the event, and Tom Murphy will drive the bidding in our live auction with his energy and enthusiasm. Also returning are DJ Adele Georgetti and Tallulah’s Catering.

As always, guests will have the opportunity to bid on silent and live auction items and raffle baskets with a variety of themes. We’re also raffling off a Judith Ripka necklace featuring canary crystal heart stones on a 17-inch sterling silver chain. Raffle tickets are available for $10 each or $25 for three. To enter, please send your payment with contact information or call 412.243.7535, ext. 222 to pay by credit card. The winner will be drawn at POWER Promises and need not be present, but entries require a phone number and email address.

Executive Director Rosa Davis says, “After two decades, POWER Promises continues to inspire us with stories of hope and the amazing accomplishments of POWER’s alums!”

In order to be true to our mission to “help women reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction” and give priority to pregnant women, POWER embarked this past year on a plan to accept women into POWER House who receive medication assisted treatment

(MAT) such as methadone. Methadone has long been the standard of care for women who are pregnant and opioid- dependent; in fact, methadone treatment was recommended by a National Institutes of Health consensus panel in 1998 because it protects the fetus from withdrawal symptoms.

According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), “Research shows that when treating substance-use disorders, a combination of medication and behavioral therapies is most successful.”

Women on methadone who are accepted into POWER House must: be enrolled with a Narcotic Treatment Provider; also be

addicted to alcohol or a non-opioid drug, or pregnant and stabilized on methadone for the opioid addiction; and meet Pennsylvania’s placement criteria.

POWER New Day Outpatient has been treating women who are on MAT for years, and since we know that opiates are the number one drug of choice of women seeking treatment at POWER, it was a natural transition to begin accepting women receiving MAT into POWER House.

I am proud to say that we have taken a step forward in enhancing the quality of care we provide to women in treatment for addiction and I am grateful to staff for working diligently to ensure that women receiving medication assisted therapy who need residential treatment for addiction will find an open door at POWER House.

Diane Johnson, RN, BSN Associate & Clinical Director

Health & WellnessClinical Perspective

Save the DatePOWER Promises — now in its 20th year — will be held once again at Rodef

Shalom Congregation in Oakland on Thursday, May 22, 2014 at 5:30 p.m.

volunteer newsThank you POWER

volunteers!

Southbrook Middle School gift wrappers

The POWER Alum Association gave clients holiday gifts of stuffed bears with inspirational messages.

Union Baptist Church volunteers include Maya and Marcus Bailey and Nyjar Wilkerson (front row) and Danel Paye, Tiffany Parker, Marlana Eboh, Donna McClendon, Loretta Reed, Ella Scales, Cynthia Davis, and Lorraine Phillips.

Ahmir Sanders, Janiah Chambers, and Shana Wilson at Union Baptist Church’s clothing giveaway for POWER clients

POWER founder Terry Miller with outpatient manager Willy Oakley

Two of the 31 volunteers who wrapped presents for Rosemary Hulsman’s holiday gift project

Pat and Dan Kaley collected holiday donations of toys for clients’ children from Victorian Finance and Phlocking of the Phaithful.

Laura Abbate works on the development database.

St. Louise de Merillac volunteers Lora Rutkowski and Becky Hinniger deliver hoodies.

Tootie Stetter at Rosemary’s gift wrapping project

Students from South Brook Middle School helped wrap Rosemary’s gifts.

Gail Buchman and Jamie Grimes load holiday gifts from Holy Wisdom Parish.

“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate,

and when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

– Anonymous

To become a POWER volunteer, please contact Karen Clark at kclark@power-recovery.com or 412.243.7535, ext. 214

One in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime. Source: www.safehorizon.org

Staff member Karyn Bradley serves dinner to Discovery Christian Church volunteers Lauren Ketterer, Chris Ryan, and Steve Yurjevich who ate dinner with House residents and brought them Christmas cookies and gifts.

Laura Abbate works on the development database.

NCJW, Pittsburgh Section’s Lynn Tomasits and Linda Wells present the fashion show at the business education seminar hosted by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

GSK’s Carol Jeffrey speaks at the business education seminar to POWER clients about dressing for success.

KDKA-TV’s Rick Dayton emcees the fashion show at the GSK business education seminar.

Charlotte Slack and Ripley walk with House residents.

Bethany Higginbotham Mori consults with POWER about fitness.

Madelon Edelstone, Debra Ignelzi, and Dr. Gerard Love

Kirsten Arnold collects birthday bag items and walks with House residents.

Discovery Christian Church volunteers: Chris Ryan, Lauren Ketterer, Steve Yurjefich, Karen Lunger, Taylor Yurjefich, Tammy Kopper, Jessica Yurjefich, Chris Flamos, Beth Mitesser, and Karen Mitesser

Recognition is based on cumulative gifts, including United Way pledges, made from

January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. Thank you for your generous support

throughout the year! A full list of donors can be found at power-recovery.com.

Donor Honor Roll

Garden of Promises $1,000+Amcom Office Systems

Anonymous

Jan Bamford

Ritchie Battle

Bethel Park Printing

BNY Mellon

BNY Mellon Community Partnership

BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania

Clapp Charitable & Educational Trust

Kathleen D’Appolonia

James D. Darby, Jr.

The David S. & Karen A. Shapira Foundation

Duquesne University

East End Food Co-op

Elsie H. Hillman Foundation

Erin Felix

First Commonwealth Bank

FISA Foundation

Tina Flowers

The Forbes Funds

Giant Eagle, Inc.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

Tom & Ellen Golonski

Judith R. Griggs

Diana Harbison & Samuel P. Harbison, III

The Heinz Endowments

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Hyman Family Foundation

John R. McCune Charitable Trust

Judge Livingstone M. Johnson & Lee Brun Johnson

KPMG LLP

Mike & Diana Larson

Levin Furniture & Robert Levin

Local Goodness

Lovett Bookman Harmon Marks LLP

Gayle Manning

Massey Charitable Trust

Lynn McCarthy

Terry Miller

Tom & Mona Murphy

Lois O’Connor

Judi & Ron Owen

Jan & Richard Pagliari

Peter T. & Judith C. Schurman Fund of the Cornell University Foundation

PNC Charitable Trust

Point Legal LLC

Debbie Raubenstrauch & Dan May

Richard King Mellon Foundation

Kristi Rogers & Jody Schurman

Roy A. Hunt Foundation

The Sarah Kristin Owen Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation

Charles & Betsy Schumacher

Arthur M. Scully, III & Debbie Scully

Cindy & David Shapira

Eileen Simmons

Sitko Bruno, LLC

Soroptimist International of Pittsburgh Inc.

Wesley Sowers, MD & Sara C. Hamel

Square Café & Sherree Goldstein

Thomas Marshall Foundation

University of Pittsburgh

UPMC, UPMC Health Plan & Community Care Behavioral Health

Virginia Volponi

John Wilds, PhD

Zonta Pittsburgh North Foundation

Benefactors $500-$999Anonymous

Burke Family Foundation

Calvary Episcopal Church

Celerity LLC

Pamela Cochenour

Ann Davis

Bob & Barb Dunkelman

Madelon Edelstone

Fair Oaks Foundation Inc.

Joe Fleckenstein

Hans & Leslie Fleischner

Tina Flowers

Andrea Fox & Kenneth Thompson

Eileen Freitag

GlaxoSmithKline Foundation

Gymkhana Gymnastics

Jean Haller & Henry Haller, III

Janet Hayes

Julie Hecker

Elsie & Henry Hillman

Christine Hoover

Diane F. Johnson

Betty L. Lamb

Liberty Insurance Agency

John Lovelace

Elinor McLennan

Kaarin A. Van Ausdal

Verizon TelecomPioneers

Sheila A. Washington

Roxanne Wolk

Friends $250-$499All Covered

Anonymous

Jim & Alison Bischoff

Richard Bress

BYS Yoga

James Connolly

Susan Cramer

Lou D’Angelo

Susan S. Everingham

Milton & Sheila Fine and The Fine Foundation

Drs. Andrea Fox & Kenneth Thompson

Fragasso Financial Advisors

Gene Sanes and Associates

Betty Ginsburg

Carol Haley-Smith

Kevin & Laura Horner

Robert Howard

Pat Kaley

James Koroskenyi

Jacqueline Koscelnik

Littles Shoes

Gayle Manning

Barrie Mars

Grant McLaughlin

Victoria Medved

Elizabeth O’Leary

Suzanne Parks

Mary Prezioso

Quest Diagnostics

Revive Marketing Group

Riverside Design Group + Plates with Purpose™

Linda Barry Robertson

Florence Rouzier

Save the Date Creative Services, LLC

Rhonda Schuldt

Lora & Perry Sigesmund

William & Jeannette Smith

Kathryn Socash

Studio Booth

Anne Tilley

Tudi Mechanical Systems

The Honorable Jack Wagner

Paula Zawadzki

Olivia Zitelli

In Honor of…Caesar Azzam

Howie Choset

Winnie Bagley

Gen & Hugh Davidson

Jan Bamford

Jack Bamford

Ann Davis

Jackie Kalocay-Hogg

Dr. & Mrs. Paul Bianculli

Rosemary Hulsman

Jessica Burns

Gen & Hugh Davidson

Karen Clark

Judith Ruszkowski & Ken Regal

Gen Davidson

Karen & Alan Waggoner

Rosa Davis

Jeanine DeBor

Chris, Barb & Emma Dunn

Rosa Davis & Madelon Edelstone

Madelon Edelstone

Annelyn & Richard Baron

Sherree Goldstein

Stacy Doepken

Lynn McCarthy

Charles & Betsy Schumacher

Ann & Alan Harris

Georgia & Bob Hernandez

Rosemary Hulsman

Sy & Deb Beozzo

Dottie Ingersoll

Dorothy Aiken

Sheila Johnson

Gen & Hugh Davidson

Terry Miller

Gen & Hugh Davidson

Kris Nipaver

Gen & Hugh Davidson

Lois O’Connor

Anonymous

Ken & Coreen Bahney

Jim & Alison Bischoff

Deb & John Blohm

Susan Cramer

Barbara Float

Robert Howard

Lois Mikus

Marsha Nicholas

Matthew & Carol Nicholas

Betty & Gail Robbins

Marjorie Sherts

Henry D. Sundermann, Jr. & Hilda Sundermann

Dr. Donna Wood

Lisa Pollice

Madelon Edelstone & Rosa Davis

Charleen Roland

Anonymous

William & Jeannette Smith

Bonnie Rubin

Roxanne Wolk

Keith Schmiedlin

Jan Bamford

Arthur M. Scully, III & Debbie Scully

Anonymous

Elinor McLennan

Sr. Joyce Serratore

Beverly Banovatz

Cindy Shapira

Milton & Sheila Fine

Ron Tiberio

Ann Davis

Tina Verba

Gen & Hugh Davidson

Karen Waggoner

Gen & Hugh Davidson

George Yokitis & 2013 WPIAL Champions – Vincentian Academy Royals

Mindy Shreve

In Memory of…Angelo Adragna

Rosa Davis & Madelon Edelstone

Don Bailey

Mindy Shreve

John Bingler

Marsha Bingler

Jan Bress

Bruce Americus

Mark Bailey

Adalyn Pakler Baraff & Robert Baraff

Nancy & William Berkowitz

Charles & Patsy Bluestone

Norman Bress

Richard Bress

Jeanne Caliguiri

Rosa Davis & Madelon Edelstone

Ellen & Bob Garvin and Family

Andrea Geraghty

Linda Kaufman

David Lambert

Cindi & Pierre Larouche

Roberta & Don Mann

Patricia Marley

Shirley Novak

Jerry Rabinowitz

Ceil Rich

Charelle Samuels

Mindy Shreve

Jackie Simons

Michael Smalley

June Swanson

Jack Claycomb

Suzanne Parks

Cabby Conti

Mindy Shreve

Agnes Falleroni

Mindy Shreve

Steven Klepper

Eileen Simmons

Luella Luzarchik

Jan Bamford

Megan Matalka

Pat Kaley & Phlocking of the Phaithful

Brenda Murray

Rosa Davis, Madelon Edelstone & Debbie Raubenstrauch

Mark Ocepek

Mindy Shreve

Joe Palarino

Joan Palarino

Don & Josie Wiley

Shirley Novak

Please report any errors or omissions to 412.243.7535, ext. 223 — thank you!

27% of individuals with substance use disorders experience depression. Source: www.dbsalliance.org

Building POWER’s Future 5% at a TimeBy Nicole DeMartino,

New Business Development Director, MetLife

POWER has always offered planned giving options, but has recently begun to expand the program. One planned giving option, Take

5™, was developed by POWER’s partners at MetLife. Take 5™ is a creative approach to giving that does not require a donor to write a check.

Here’s how it works!If you are employed by a company that provides you with a group life insurance benefit or a retirement plan, Take 5™ simply asks you to consider taking five percent of your beneficiary designation and naming POWER as the recipient. Ninety-five percent of your beneficiary designation remains unchanged, but five percent will help women reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction.

When asked why she decided to make POWER a beneficiary of her life insurance policy, POWER Board member Sherree Goldstein said, “I am passionate about the work POWER does with women in recovery. They are literally saving lives on a daily basis.”

To learn more about planned giving options, contact Madelon Edelstone at 412.243.7535, ext. 215 or email medelstone@power-recovery.com.

“Keep your face always toward the

sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.”

~ Walt Whitman

Shop Our Newly-Expanded POWER CollectionPOWER’s cause-marketing partnership with local artisans, the POWER Collection, is now easier than ever to shop, thanks to our collaborations with Local Goodness Marketplace (localgoodness.com/give), and the Shop at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (6300 Fifth Avenue, Shadyside).

The POWER Collection currently includes items from Amber Coppings

Designs/Xmittens, Caesar’s Designs Fine Jewelry Creations, Riverside Design Group + Plates With PurposeTM, and Keith

Schmiedlin. According to Executive Director, Rosa Davis, “POWER is grateful for the opportunity to expand the POWER Collection. We hope to find a new audience for our message that addiction is a treatable disease, while raising funds for our work with courageous women and highlighting the work of amazing and talented artists.”

Our Mission

Helping women reclaim

their lives from the disease

of addiction to alcohol and

other drugs, and reducing

the incidence of addiction in

future generations

A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the PA Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

Administrative Office 7501 Penn Avenue • Suite 8

Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Phone 412.243.7535 Fax 412.243.8711

www.power-recovery.com

AprilAlcohol Awareness Month

National Volunteer Month

Thursday, April 3POWER Volunteer Appreciation Tea

April 6-12National Volunteer Week

Tuesday, May 6PittsburghGives 2014 Day of Giving

Thursday, May 22POWER Promises — A Night of Hope

donate online

www.power-recovery.com

POWER Line412.243.8755

united way contributor choice

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