seattle has a shift in its approach to queer recovery

http://www.shiftrecovery.org/

Shift is a peer recovery network supporting dynamic recovery paths by uniting our LGBTQ community to experience freedom through empowerment.
Shift is a multi-agency collaboration that provides administrative, emotional, and supervisory support for volunteers and clients in the Seattle/King County area who are Lesbian /Gay /Bisexual /Transgender /Queer / Questioning (LGBTQ) people struggling with drug/alcohol abuse and addiction issues. This peer recovery network was awarded a 1.5 million dollar Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)/ Recovery Community Services Program (RCSP) grant in October 2007 to be used in the first four years of the network's existence. This is the first SAMHSA/RCSP grant awarded to support LGBTQ people in the recovery process. Shift represents a collaboration of agencies, namely Multifaith Works, Seattle Counseling Service, Gay City Health Project, and Dunshee House, each of which brings unique experience and services to the Network. This Network was built to bring the strengths of each agency together MW provides emotional and practical support by providing clients with Shanti and CareTeam volunteers, SCS acts as the referral source for the Network and provides treatment services, GCHP hosts sober social events and community forums, and DH houses recovery support groups and facilitator trainings.
While staff members from each collaborating agency provide support and guidance for the Network, the intent of Shift is to create a safe space for peers to walk together in their journey of recovery. Peer volunteers are people in recovery from drug and/or alcohol addiction who understand the dual stigmas of being an addict and a sexual minority. There is an emphasis on volunteer recruitment, training, and leadership skills development for peer volunteers, as well as the widest possible array of recovery support options for peer clients. The target client population ranges in age, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, and services rendered will be free of charge. By combining services, the collaborative team creates a continuum of care that addresses the spectrum of needs within the LGBTQ recovery community without duplicating specific services. Peer clients also receive information about existing services of any current peer support programs. within King County. Shift?s aim is to support existing programs while expanding their reach into the LGTBQ recovery community

A little more about Multifaith Works:

Multifaith Works defines recovery as "A personal commitment to a collaborative process which incorporates mental, spiritual, and physical health and balance in response to addictive and/ or self damaging behavior."
Multifaith Works has the amazing opportunity in providing those who are newly sober and have a commitment to their recovery a way out of isolation by placing them with a Recovery CareTeam or a Shanti Volunteers.

What are Shanti's and Recovery CareTeams?

The Shanti Program provides one-on-one volunteer-based emotional support. Shanti Recovery Volunteers are experienced in providing support to people affected by alcohol and substance abuse issues.
Our service is aimed at easing the burdens and improving the well-being of people who are living with the challenges of staying sober. We also support their partners, spouses, and family members.  Each Shanti relationship is unique and depends on the needs of the client. The carefully-matched pair usually spends a few hours each week together.
Loneliness, anxiety, depression, and fear can be overwhelming.  By providing supportive listening and companionship, our volunteers help empower clients to identify and meet their own needs.  Our one-to-one support is free, confidential, and always non-judgmental.
A Recovery CareTeam is a group of four to seven compassionate individuals who provide practical, emotional, and spiritual support to a person working through recovery issues. Volunteers come to us as individuals or may be based out of spiritual communities, recovery communities, universities or civic groups.
Recovery CareTeams are matched with people working through addiction issues, referred to as CarePartners. CareTeams build supportive relationships with CarePartners by listening, offering encouragement, and establishing meaningful personal connections. CareTeam activities are directed by the needs and interests of the CarePartner and skills of the volunteers. Support may include: transportation to appointments, phone calls, birthday parties, help with moving, and shared meals.

HIV ONE ON ONE

The idea of an experienced HIV positive person working with a newly diagnosed person is not unique. It makes a lot of sense on many levels. There are so many things to learn and absorb as one enters the HIV treatment arena, i.e. names of meds, blood test results, acronyms to name just a few. Also, however, there are habits that need to change for one to become successful with their own healthcare. Recommended doctor visits must increase from the sporadic ones that most people engage in, or on an as-needed basis, to regular checkups with blood draws involved to monitor the progress of the virus. This usually becomes once every 3 to 6 months in most cases and is a far cry from the now and then behaviors prior.

And finally there are the emotional hills and valleys that accompany a diagnosis. A person moves through them, much as they move through the loss of a loved one. There is shock, denial and disbelief, anger, bargaining and finally acceptance. Many of us who were diagnosed early on may not have grieved properly as so many of our contemporaries were slipping away completely and we might have been busy attending funerals and helping sick friends, although keeping busy felt like it kept us sane in so many ways. But grieving our former health is normal and almost required before true acceptance kicks in.

This is merely a snapshot of the roller coaster that new Poz persons embark upon and it may be that newly hired and degreed case managers may not have a full grasp on the enormity of emotions and questions involved. But experienced Poz persons are more likely to understand these nuances. We have trekked these emotional “14’ers” as it were, and can make great guides. HIV ONE ON ONE allows us to do this. We need you. These newcomers need you. HIV ONE ON ONE is meant to develop and train people to do just this. Take what we know and reach out and share that knowledge.

The 1st rollout will be a training of “trainers”. This will be geared specifically toward experience poz persons who are also good communicators and will be comfortable teaching the self-management module and the “how to be a mentor” module to groups of people. They should have experience in public speaking and a solid history of recurring and steady healthcare. They would also benefit from the ability to troubleshoot an emotional situation and be comfortable asking for help in such situations. There will be an application process for everyone to ensure transparency and equity in the process. We are hoping to be inclusive of all genders, all races, and all languages.

We are looking for mentors as well, but that training and targeted roundup will happen more toward June 2009. There will be room as we continue to roll out for all who want to be involved to be involved. And we would like each and every one of you to be involved. Even if it’s simply supporting our idea and steering people towards it, we need all of you to consider getting on board. This ride may not be easy, but it doesn’t have to be lonely, either. I hope you’ll consider joining our efforts. Please email rebuiltdenver@yahoo.com to ask for more information and/or to get an application.

today's sound choice is a acoustic remake of young folks by james blunt. i absolutely find it enchanting.

peers

i would like to share a tidbit of some ideas i was introduced to in dc last month and am actively helping to bring some formalized and targeted trainings to denver and to colorado as well. in contrast to the environment that exists in large urban gay centers, there is a stigma and a "closeted" aspect to living with hiv in less densely populated areas, as well as with non-gay identified populations.

what is also commonly reported is that the affected populations have evolved to include sub-populations in addition to men who have sex with men. this is hopefully a very directed response to be mindful of these groups as well. the reality of peer based education and support is becoming more widely accepted.


vid after the jump

sex underground

hiv and meth... hiv and meth.... hiv and meth....

"Lose your mind and come to your senses."
-Fritz Perl

so many men i know have both of these items in their stories. is there a connection? if so, how deeply does it run? in many, perhaps the big question is which came first, the hiv or the meth? are men medicating their feelings around hiv? are they medicating their feelings about themselves with sex and using meth to get that sex? are they medicating with meth and sex? is the sex satisfying when on meth?

only the headlines have receded, but certainly the questions remain. i know very many men in recovery who state the problem is all their disease of addiction/alcoholism. but i wonder if the solution is that simple. are the men who stopped using without the hiv-sex-self esteem issues solved? if you take away the meth are the problems gone too? the gay boiz are still smokin tina and gettin online for pnp. it's fascinating to discern the reasoning. but i'll betcha if ya check the numbers, the greatest percentage of those engaging in pnp with viagra and group sex are those of poz guys. are they mind-erasing the reality of their activities? would they be as callous about barebacking if they didn't have the mind eraser? if meth wasn't blocking their conscience from their sexual activity, would they still be dallying in multiple partners and popping viagra like vitamins in order to go for days?

these are all activities that i have actively engaged in. i guess i am sharing my own experience and questioning a trend. it's no wonder it's found a home underground. and what are we as a culture of gay men doing to work with this? here's what they are doing in seattle...

SOS

i know of 7 people in their 40's who have died this year of complications from AIDS. but beneath that facade was the darker truth of meth and the destruction of their immune systems from heavy usage. their drug use and their sex had gone underground. now they have too.