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United Campus Ministry papers, 1970-1972

1971-08-24 Conference with Drug Abuse Personnel Page 1

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Conference with Drug Abuse Personnel
At Mt. Pleasant
Wed., Aug. 24, 1971
Roger Simpson, Al Helder

1. Setting: Roger & Al conferred informally with Holly Bousek (Social Worker), Ruth Betts (Counselor), Jeffrie Silverberg (Head Drug Abuse section) in office of Hollie (Most cordial, open, friendly attitude toward us)
2. They described the processes for entry of drug-users to Mt. Pleasant.
-referred by courts
-self-referrals accepted if active user
-V-5: confidential referral (records kept locked; "top secret")

3. Program includes (this is not an inclusive summary)
-medical work-up, psychiatric evaluation, drying-out
-group therapy; individual therapy
-vocational rehab.
-recreational rehab. 7 therapy, drug ed., lectures, films

4. Re-entry process from Mt. Pleasant back to society
-very difficult to find agencies in local community to which the person upon leaving Mt. Pleasant, can be related.
- IOWA CITY- JOHNSON CO. AREA, WITH PROBABLY THE HIGHEST % OF DRUG ABUSERS, SENDS FEW PERSONS TO MT. PLEASANT
- IOWA CITY AREA: VIRTUALLY NO HELPING AGENCY, ENTITY TO WHICH PERSONS CAN BE RELATED (FOR HELP, SUPPORT, ETC.) AS THEY LEAVE MT, PLEASANT.
 -they would welcome some contact in Iowa City area where persons could find sympathy, support, (and not be, by default) circumstantially pressured to seek out drug users for companionship, etc.
-Often, it seems, it is helpful if the person leaving Mt. Pleasant can be directed to a County other than that from which he (she) originally came, in order to start fresh, without the handicap of the old, familiar drug –dependent milieu.

5. SUGGESTIONS ON HOW IOWA CITY-JOHNSON CO. CITIZENS COMM. ON AL. COULD HELP:
  Al & Roger requested the answers to two specific questions:

A) Is there a need for some such helping group as the Citizens Comm? Answer: “yes” unequivocally
-little or nothing is being done of a helping nature
-the need (number of persons at drug dependency level) is great
-other areas are trying this
-likely the technique used for helping problem-drinkers can be used with drug-abuse
-need to make a start; avoid duplication of structures, over lap, etc.

B) What initial steps could be used to get a program started?
-try a weekly “rap session”: identify persons interested  
announce informally, clear schedule for space at Halfway House
Jeffrie would be willing to help start, provide leadership
(He lives in Iowa City and can be called in PM., 351-1685)
(he would be free for this on weekends)
-some lectures, elementary ed, efforts (in conjunction with some of the “rap sessions” perhaps in addition to that)
-identify some of the professionally competent persons in area who could assist informally (and for free) to help design some program for helping drug-abusers.

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Resume Conference with Drug Abuse Personnel At Mt. Pleasant Wed., Aug. 24, 1971 Roger Simpson, Al Helder 1. Setting: Roger & Al conferred informally with Holly Bousek (Social Worker), Ruth Betts (Counselor), Jeffrie Silverberg (Head Drug Abuse section) in office of Hollie (Most cordial, open, friendly attitude toward us) 2. They described the processes for entry of drug-users to Mt. Pleasant. -referred by courts -self-referrals accepted if active user -V-5: confidential referral (records kept locked; "top secret") 3. Program includes (this is not an inclusive summary) -medical work-up, psychiatric evaluation, drying-out -group therapy; individual therapy -vocational rehab. -recreational rehab. 7 therapy, drug ed., lectures, films 4. Re-entry process from Mt. Pleasant back to society -very difficult to find agencies in local community to which the person upon leaving Mt. Pleasant, can be related. - IOWA CITY- JOHNSON CO. AREA, WITH PROBABLY THE HIGHEST % OF DRUG ABUSERS, SENDS FEW PERSONS TO MT. PLEASANT - IOWA CITY AREA: VIRTUALLY NO HELPING AGENCY, ENTITY TO WHICH PERSONS CAN BE RELATED (FOR HELP, SUPPORT, ETC.) AS THEY LEAVE MT, PLEASANT. -they would welcome some contact in Iowa City area where persons could find sympathy, support, (and not be, by default) circumstantially pressured to seek out drug users for companionship, etc. -Often, it seems, it is helpful if the person leaving Mt. Pleasant can be directed to a County other than that from which he (she) originally came, in order to start fresh, without the handicap of the old, familiar drug –dependent milieu. 5. SUGGESTIONS ON HOW IOWA CITY-JOHNSON CO. CITIZENS COMM. ON AL. COULD HELP: Al & Roger requested the answers to two specific questions: A) Is there a need for some such helping group as the Citizens Comm? Answer: “yes” unequivocally -little or nothing is being done of a helping nature -the need (number of persons at drug dependency level) is great -other areas are trying this -likely the technique used for helping problem-drinkers can be used with drug-abuse -need to make a start; avoid duplication of structures, over lap, etc. B) What initial steps could be used to get a program started? -try a weekly “rap session”: identify persons interested announce informally, clear schedule for space at Halfway House Jeffrie would be willing to help start, provide leadership (He lives in Iowa City and can be called in PM., 351-1685) (he would be free for this on weekends) -some lectures, elementary ed, efforts (in conjunction with some of the “rap sessions” perhaps in addition to that) -identify some of the professionally competent persons in area who could assist informally (and for free) to help design some program for helping drug-abusers.