CFLR In Action

Utica, New York (December 2024) – Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. (CFLR) recognizes that many find that the holidays bring as much stress as they do joy. But there are ways to ease through the season. According to a survey by the American Heart Association, holidays are stressful for many, with 79% of people focusing on creating special moments for others at the expense of their own needs. 63% find the holiday season more stressful than tax season, and 71% regret not taking time to relax.

CFLR provides services to help reduce holiday stress:

Grief Recovery Method: Helps individuals process loss during a season that often amplifies grief.

Mental Health First Aid: Teaches how to identify and manage stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges during the holidays.

Talk Saves Lives: Prevention education program covers suicide and what research has found to be relevant risk factors of suicide and strategies that prevent it

Peer Services: Recovery coaches engage with individuals that are in inpatient treatment settings, treatment courts, family courts, hospital settings, live independently, and more.

• O.P.E groups: offers weekly mutual aid groups by engaging individuals socially, with a recovery focus, in activities and enhance the 4 pillars of recovery; home, health, community, and purpose
• Virtual Peer Support: Managing holiday-related challenges like financial pressures or maintaining sobriety can be difficult, but virtual or in-person peer-to-peer support can provide a helpful and compassionate resource.
• New York State’s EPICS (Enhancing Peer Integration and Community Supports) initiative for treatment court systems: initiative integrates peer services into treatment courts by forming a change team to assess local needs, develop tailored protocols, and provide peer support at all stages.

Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be the area’s leading expert in advocacy, prevention, counseling, and employee assistance programs. Along with supporting individuals and families struggling with addiction and recovery, mental health, and behavioral issues, CFLR’s goal is to inspire hope, provide help, promote wellness, and transform lives. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com

Rome, NY (December 2024) — The Center for Family Life and Recovery (CFLR) is thrilled to announce the successful award of two significant grants aimed at strengthening its vital role in the Oneida County Family Treatment Court (FTC) System. These grants – the Oneida County FTC Family Support Navigator and the Oneida County FTC Family Peer Coach Services – are both subject to the approval of the New York State Offices of the Attorney General and Comptroller.

The Family Support Navigator program is designed to enhance family units and promote overall well-being by facilitating improved communication and community engagement. This initiative aims to educate families, both adults and children, on crucial topics such as the science of addiction and recovery, Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) communication tools, boundary setting, and how to access community resources. Through this program, CFLR will provide families with the necessary education and tools to foster growth and resilience during challenging times.

In addition to the Family Support Navigator, the Family Peer Coach service will empower families by connecting them with a peer mentor, advocate, and/or life coach. This role is pivotal in empowering families by connecting them with an experienced advocate who can share their lived experiences, provide guidance, and support them in navigating the healthcare and social support systems for their children. By sharing personal experiences and insights, the Family Peer Coach will advocate for the participants of the Oneida County Family Treatment Court, helping them to realize their potential and achieve their goals.

CFLR’s Program Administrator, Colleen Callaghan-Kirkland, and Prevention Director, Francesca Esposito, have worked diligently to secure these grants, which will significantly enhance the support structures available to families involved in the Oneida County FTC. Francesca expressed, “These grants represent a tremendous opportunity to strengthen the support systems for families navigating the challenges of addiction and recovery. By connecting families with compassionate, knowledgeable advocates and providing vital education, we can empower them to create healthier futures. At CFLR, we are committed to fostering resilience, unity, and hope within our community.” Both Colleen and Francesca, have dedicated their efforts toward fostering an environment that encourages family unity and recovery.

Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be the area’s leading expert in advocacy, prevention, counseling, and employee assistance programs. Along with supporting individuals and families struggling with addiction and recovery, mental health, and behavioral issues, CFLR’s goal is to inspire hope, provide help, promote wellness, and transform lives. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com

Utica, New York (October 2024) – Oneida County Suicide Prevention Program is hosting a logo contest for a new logo for the Oneida County Suicide Prevention Program. They invite 7^th-12^th graders in Oneida County to submit their creative designs now through November 15^th.

Contest Details are as follows:

• Themes: Hopeful Helpers, You Are Not Alone, Caring Communities
• Prizes:$500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd place, $100 for 3rd place
• Deadline: November 15^th, 2024
• Submission: Designs in JPEG or PNG format can be sent to ocsupp@cflrinc.org or mailed/delivered in person to 800 Park Avenue 9th floor, Utica.
• Winner Announcement: On November 21st at 7 PM, at 201 West Dominick Street, Rome 13440, CFLR will select a winner and announce the winner. Save the date and join CFLR in Rome.

For further details on this Logo Contest, please contact Fran Esposito at (315) 733-1709 or email her at FEsposito@cflrinc.org.

Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be the area’s leading expert in advocacy, prevention, counseling, and employee assistance programs. Along with supporting individuals and families struggling with addiction and recovery, mental health, and behavioral issues, CFLR’s goal is to inspire hope, provide help, promote wellness, and transform lives. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com  

Utica, New York (October 2024) — For the first time since 2020, the United States has witnessed a significant decline in overdose deaths, with a 10.6% decrease reported between April 2023 and April 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This decline is projected to save approximately 20,000 lives by the end of 2024, marking a hopeful turn in the fight against the opioid crisis.

“The trends are definitely positive,” remarked Dr. Keith Humphreys, a renowned drug policy researcher at Stanford University. “This is going to be the best year we’ve had since all of this started.”

Experts attribute this welcome news to several key interventions, including the expanded availability and affordability of medical treatments for fentanyl addiction. “Expansion of naloxone and medications for opioid use disorder — these strategies worked,” said Dr. Volkow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

The Center for Family Life and Recovery (CFLR) has been a pivotal force in supporting individuals and families impacted by addiction in the Utica, Herkimer, and Rome areas of New York. By providing advocacy, prevention, counseling, and training, CFLR promotes wellness and transforms lives, reinforcing the message that “when there’s help, there’s hope.”

“By focusing on education, early intervention, and increasing access to life-saving resources, like Narcan and Deterra bags, we have been able to make a real difference in our community. We have seen firsthand how prevention can save lives and inspire hope, and we are committed to continuing this work to ensure even more youth, families, and individuals are protected from the impact of addiction,” said Francesca Esposito, Prevention Manager with CFLR. The success of these interventions highlights the importance of continued support and funding for community-based programs that offer tangible benefits to those in need.

Through an initiative to raise awareness on overdoses, in 2024, CFLR’s Recovery Team has hosted 270 Narcan training sessions in a variety of formats including in-person, virtual, and one-on-one sessions. This outreach successfully trained 187 individuals, significantly enhancing community knowledge. With a distribution of 514 Narcan kits, CFLR empowers participants to be proactive in taking action, fostering a greater awareness, and response to overdose situations.

Dr. Rahul Gupta, the White House drug czar, called for increased funding for addiction treatment and healthcare services, especially in marginalized communities where overdose deaths remain disproportionately high. “There is no way we’re going to beat this epidemic by not focusing on communities that are often marginalized, underserved, and communities of color,” Gupta stated.

While the national decline in overdose deaths is a cause for cautious optimism, experts agree that there is still much work to be done. “It’s something we should feel pleased about,” said Dr. Rachel Winograd, director of addiction science at the University of Missouri St. Louis. “But we must continue our efforts to sustain and build on this progress.”

CFLR remains committed to its mission of inspiring hope and promoting recovery. The organization encourages the community to support its ongoing efforts through donations and participation in events such as the recent Tim Foley Recovery Classic Golf Tournament and Light of Hope ceremony.

For more information about CFLR and how you can help make a difference, visit Center for Family Life and Recovery.

Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be the area’s leading expert in advocacy, prevention, counseling, and employee assistance programs. Along with supporting individuals and families struggling with addiction and recovery, mental health, and behavioral issues, CFLR’s goal is to inspire hope, provide help, promote wellness, and transform lives. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com