TASC News--2007 Archives
TASC VP Peter Palanca Elected to IADDA Board
TASC Vice President Peter Palanca has been elected to serve on the board of directors of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).
IADDA is a statewide advocacy organization that works to increase the public’s understanding of substance abuse, addiction, and recovery.
CSAT Director Promotes Recovery, Commends TASC's Work
(Chicago, September) Dr. H. Westley Clark, director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), urged attendees at TASC’s 30th anniversary luncheon to continue to advocate for treatment and recovery services for those with alcohol and drug problems.
Dr. Clark commended TASC for helping non-violent, drug-involved offenders access recovery services for 30 years and praised TASC for being “on the frontier of change and social responsibility.”
CSAT promotes the quality and availability of community-based substance abuse treatment services for individuals and families who need them.
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TASC’s Benneth Lee Receives National Recovery Award
(Washington, D.C., September) Benneth “Benny” Lee, community liaison and reentry specialist for TASC, was honored at the Johnson Institute’s America Honors Recovery luncheon for his work in guiding others toward long-term recovery.
The luncheon, held in late September at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., honored six individuals who use their own recovery experiences to help others affected by alcohol and other drug addiction.
Read more...
TASC President Serves as Expert Panelist for Recovery Month Webcast
(Washington, D.C., July) TASC President Melody Heaps is part of a panel of experts examining the relationship between addiction treatment and recovery and the criminal justice system.
To view the webcast click here.
Congressman Danny K. Davis Encourages Boost in Treatment Provisions
(Washington, D.C., July) Congressman Danny Davis joined SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline and other expert panelists to discuss the role of civic and elected officials in fighting substance abuse and dependence during a Recovery Month webcast aired this month.
To view the webcast click here.
TASC Featured on National PBS Program
(June) Illinois' Sheridan Correctional Center was recently featured on the PBS weekly news program, NOW with David Brancaccio. The documentary, Maximum Capacity, offers hopeful solutions to the problem of prison overcrowding and recidivism.
The Sheridan Correctional Center is a national model program which offers substance abuse counseling and treatment, educational and vocational programming, addiction recovery services, job placement assistance, and intensive post-release supervision. TASC, in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Corrections and numerous community partners, helped to design and establish the Sheridan program.
TASC provides intensive post-release supervision and clinical case management for participants in the Sheridan program. This role was demonstrated by Tommie Johnson, TASC's Recovery Support Services Coordinator, in the documentary.
To view the documentary, please visit http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/322/.
TASC, Senator Cronin, and Local Communities Collaborate to Combat Underage Drinking
(Elmhurst, May) In partnership with State Senator Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst), Breaking Free, and two DuPage high schools, TASC recently co-convened community forums that gave teens and parents the opportunity to discuss solutions to underage drinking. The events were held at Glenbard South High School and York Community High School in early May.
“We can learn from one another by sharing information and talking openly about the issue,” said Senator Cronin. “Our aim is to give parents and teens practical strategies for keeping friends and family members safe and healthy.”
The Center for Health and Justice at TASC Launches New No Entry Report
(Springfield, May) The Center for Health and Justice at TASC (CHJ) launched its newest report--No Entry: Improving Public Safety through Cost-Effective Alternatives to Incarceration--at a press conference in Springfield, Illinois in early May.
State Senators Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) and Donne Trotter (D-Chicago), and State Representative William Delgado (D-Chicago) spoke in support of the report's proposed policy changes and encouraged other lawmakers to approve the requested initial down payment of $10 million to provide treatment for 2,200 non-violent, drug-involved individuals.
The report offers public policy recommendations for bringing to scale the state's capacity to treat thousands of non-violent, drug-involved offenders. It also offers six principles to guide the development of public policy related to drug use and crime.
See www.centerforhealthandjustice.org to download the report.
TASC Executive VP Receives National Appointment
TASC Executive Vice President Pamela Rodriguez was named one of nine juvenile justice experts across the nation to serve on the federal Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Chaired by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the council is an independent organization in the U.S. executive branch that coordinates all federal juvenile delinquency prevention and detention programs.
The nine practitioner members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Majority Leader, and the President of the United States.
IADDA Announces Campaign to Ban Marketing of Alcopops to Teens
(Chicago, January) The Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA) announced at a January press conference its newest campaign to push lawmakers to ban alcopops marketing to teens.
TASC staff members statewide encouraged the public, through various media outlets, to support the ban of alcopops advertising to youth.
TASC is a member of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association.
