Arkansas CARES Holds Reunion for Families Event Marks National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Recovery Month
Oct. 8, 2004 | Families who have battled the cycle of drug and alcohol abuse celebrated victories and gave support to others during the recent Arkansas Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services (CARES) reunion.

Home
Oct. 8, 2004 | Families who have battled the cycle of drug and alcohol abuse celebrated victories and gave support to others during the recent Arkansas Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services (CARES) reunion.

Gathering at the River Market Pavilion on the sunny Sunday afternoon of Sept. 12, clients and former clients of Arkansas CARES enjoyed food, magic shows, crafts and making family portraits. They also listened to poignant messages from a former client and from Joycelyn Elders, M.D., professor emeritus of pediatrics in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and former U.S. Surgeon General.

“It was a joy to see healthy, successful, drug-free families celebrating together,” said Cynthia C. Crone, instructor in the UAMS colleges of Medicine and Public Health and executive director of UAMS Arkansas CARES. “Some of the mothers at the reunion went through the Arkansas CARES program back when it first started and others have recently completed the program. Regardless of how long they have been in recovery, they are winners to their families.”

September was National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Recovery Month. This year’s theme was “Join the Voices for Recovery Now”. This 15th annual awareness campaign encourages Americans to eliminate the stigma surrounding alcohol and drug use disorders and celebrate the stories of those in recovery. It calls attention to those who have overcome denial, stigma and other barriers to recovery, and as a result are leading healthy and productive lives.

Arkansas CARES is a division of the UAMS Department of Psychiatry. It is a nonprofit residential prevention and treatment program for mothers who are affected by substance abuse. The program is unique because children come into treatment with their mothers. The mothers’ treatment serves as a prevention measure for their children to break the cycles of addiction, poverty and dependency. The program has served families across Arkansas since 1992 and has sites in Little Rock and North Little Rock.

Crone said Arkansas CARES appreciates the individuals, businesses, churches and community organizations that made the reunion possible. In addition to. Elders and the Arkansas CARES Advisory Board chaired by Joanna Seibert, M.D., professor of pediatrics in the UAMS College of Medicine, donors included Lee Johnson, owner of J’s Place Restaurant, the City of Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department, photographer Ed Barham, magician Al Swiney, Department of Community Punishment and youth from Temple B’Nai Israel and Asbury United Methodist Church.

Powered By Traffic Booster Absolute News Manager Plug-in by Xigla Software

This article has been moved here