Apr 12 Col Web copy - Livengrin Foundation

Spring 2012 Vol. VIII #1
“Self sufficiency above all”
New Board Chairman Ciliberto sets the tone for the team
Time for a sports analogy: be it big business or little league, the hard-working
players and good ideas in any organization rise to the top when there’s good
management. Informed, creative leadership brings out the best in everyone.
One key leader who sets the tone for the Livengrin family is confident that what
we’re doing now has us on the right track to a bright future.
The next chapter of Livengrin’s growth and service is being led and supported
by its new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bernard (Ben) Ciliberto. This
Bucks County businessman joined us in 2006 and immediately brought into
play his experience as a builder of more than 3,500 homes. Mr. Ciliberto was
a key player in the design and completion of the rehab residences we opened
last autumn. He was elected vice-chair of the Board in late 2007.
He spoke recently about his role on the Board and the objectives this expanding body is pursuing.
On joining the Board and the evolution of his new position:
“In 2006 when I came on the board, I was fortunate to have a homebuilding company that was fully staffed. That gave me the opportunity to
spend some of my time in a position of service to others. I could also
utilize many resources in all facets of land planning, construction, marketing and finance to benefit Livengrin, as it faced the many challenges of a
nonprofit organization providing its care to so many.
cont. on pg. 4
“Livengrin’s provision of top-notch
care takes place in top-notch
facilities”
HEALTHCARE STUDENTS RUN FOR PATIENT CARE
Our clinical specialists provide a glimpse into our treatment world for
many schools. Among them is the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, a hub for pharmacy and healthcare students. We were proud
to accept the donated proceeds of its Run for Humanity in March. This
5K event, now in its seventh year, is organized by the school’s Omega
Chi Psi chapter. Livengrin’s Shane Moes and Dave Alfe were on hand
to accept the contribution and speak to students, families and university
personnel about what we do and how much we value their support.
photo: Scott Hewitt
Livengrin Foundation, Bensalem, PA
Levittown ~ Doylestown ~ Fort Washington ~ Northeast Philadelphia ~ Allentown ~ Haverford
BOARD CHANGES LEADERSHIP & ADDS TALENT; NEW
FACES JOIN ADMINISTRATION
A private, nonprofit organization founded
in 1966, providing inpatient and
outpatient treatment services, education
and counseling to promote recovery from
alcohol and drug addiction
4833 Hulmeville Road
Bensalem, PA 19020
215-638-5200 800-245-4746
Allentown / Lehigh Valley
610-264-5521
Accomplished Bucks County homebuilder Bernard Ciliberto came to our Board
in 2006. With a tough-questions demeanor and all-out sense of support for our
mission, Ben has been the ideal nonprofit Director - engaged, questioning, philanthropic. We benefited from his experience when it came to planning the new
trio of rehab homes. Having served as Vice-Chair, he was elected Chair of the
Board in September. (Read more in the cover story.)
Steve Leckerman brings analytical and management skills to his new volunteer
post as a member of the Board. This business development executive most
recently managed NCO Group in Horsham, with 35,000 employees in ten countries. He will chair the new Board Development Committee.
Doylestown / Central Bucks
215-340-1765
Fort Washington / Montgomery Co.
215-540-8301
Levittown / Lower Bucks
215-547-1440
Northeast Philadelphia
215-335-3419
Haverford / Main Line
610-642-4604
clockwise:
Morin, Leckerman,
Green, Jabbie
www.livengrin.org
Board of Directors
Bernard K. Ciliberto Chair
Michael D. Chapman Vice-Chair, Treasurer
Daphne G. Floyd Secretary
Michael Astringer Anne Berlin
Eileen M. Bonner, MD
Donald A. Billingsley
Rev. Msg. William A. Dombrow
Scott I. Fegley, Esq. Steven Leckerman
Robert Leipziger Julie B. Negovan, Esq.
Thomas Reinke Peter Rotelle
David Vidovich
Richard M. Pine President & CEO
Honorary Directors
Patricia L. Chapman David R. Johnson*
Richard W. Hartmann*
James M. Stewart*
* Emeritus
Published by Livengrin Foundation © 2012
Photographs © Keith Mason for
Livengrin 2012 except as credited
To receive or discontinue any Livengrin
publication, call 215-638-5200 ext. 146
or email: [email protected]
Charles Morin served as a Director for more than two years, including time as its
Treasurer. In February he resigned to join our staff as Chief Financial Officer. A
CPA, Charlie has had various ownership and other high-level business posts. His
skills with both daily accounting and long-range planning will be a vital part of our
strategic plans for business growth.
Because employees are Livengrin’s greatest strength, we want to hire the best people and keep them. That’s the mandate for Haja Jabbie, our new Director of
Human Resources, who’s come to us with more than a decade of experience in
the nursing home industry.
After an extensive search, Mike Green is our new Director of Development.
Mike will head our efforts with individuals, foundations, corporate philanthropy,
and the Board and alumni. As a nonprofit administrator and consultant for thirty
years, Green has shaped the fundraising efforts of Devereux, the Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America.
Getting the newsletter but not our email announcements?
Visit www.livengrin.com and fill in the box on the homepage. Or call us
at the number in the column to the left <<.
Getting our emails but not home delivery of the news? Visit the
website Contact page and click on the “receive newsletter” link!
45th anniversary celebration
A long, meaningful day for us last September 25 culminated with a dinner for 380 (center) featuring comedian Richard Lewis. (Clockwise fr. upper left) Lewis visits with patients, and later shares his personal story
onstage; honoree Dr. Thomas McLellan; Lewis tours our new rehab residences; treatment advocates Deb
Beck, PA Rep. Gene DiGirolamo with CEO Rick Pine; guests at the silent auction; emcee Ed Cunningham
of WHYY; Lewis with Board chairperson Dr. Eileen Bonner and her successor Ben Ciliberto.
Gala photos by Scott Spitzer
Board Chair Ciliberto outlines priorities
continued from cover
“Over the past four years we have wound down and closed out the affairs of my building
company. Now that I get to be “fully retired,” this gives me a new freedom to spend
additional time serving as a board member at Livengrin.
“Right now I have the time and life-experience to serve this mission, and I am grateful for
the opportunity and trust given me to do so.”
On the role of a nonprofit Board of Directors
“I think it's vitally important, first and foremost, that the board show by example how
crucial it is to support Livengrin in its efforts to help those who are suffer from the devastating disease of addiction. Increased interaction between the staff and board will further
the familiarity and understanding by the board members of the disease, and the challenges
for those providing treatment.
“Livengrin's staff and administration will continue to offer
the finest in care. The Board will help facilitate these endeavors - to update and modernize the facilities for providing
care, by expanding the areas geographically in which people
can seek Livengrin's help, and by providing the financial
support and guidance necessary to continue pursuit of these
goals.”
On establishing an agenda and “setting the tone” for Livengrin’s
future:
“In the AA 12-step program, the seventh tradition provides
that each group shall be fully self-sufficient. This tradition
provide some guidance to us in our operations at Livengrin.
We are and have been fully self-supporting in terms of
operations and patient care.
“Capital expenditures, however, need to be funded to
support expansion and deal with decades of deferred maintenance. This will require the additional resources of a dedicated and meaningful development program. I'm proud to say
that all our board members are supportive of the fundraising
program personally and in their position as Directors.
“The recent hiring of a professional with lifelong experience
in development will enable us to put in place a productive
and professional team to pursue our future capital needs.
“Getting the current facilities updated, and expanding into
new uses of our buildings and property, will help ensure that
Livengrin’s provision of top-notch care takes place in topnotch facilities.”
New Multi-Level Framework Provides Additional Structure for Patients
As reported in our last issue, Livengrin has been examining its clinical methodology. By emphasizing overlapping services, we now
easily move a patient from intake to detox, on to rehab and outpatient services. A primary-care process for the medical team assigns a
patient’s healthcare to one nurse for the length of treatment, providing more continuity and trust.
A two-tier system is improving our ability to meet the needs of the rehab population. All patients are in the
first level for approximately seven days, when we can best help them focus on understanding the concepts
of disease and treatment. But, as rehab manager Jack Otto describes, “It’s not about the time element, it’s
measured by specific criteria.
“A patient becomes eligible for tier two when they are found to be making significant effort,” Otto says. “We
want to see them following the rules, displaying emotional stability, showing increased motivation for recovery, attending all the lectures and groups, showing they are active with journals and histories.
“At a certain point a patient should be able to articulate why they need to be in treatment. They can identify
their past traumas and life changing events, and come to terms with how unmanageable they became.
This is a time to involve the family more as well.”
This concept isn’t about dangling the carrot of privilege to encourage artificial results. “We can tell when a
patient is really moving ahead and who’s just putting on an act,” says Otto.
“But we do encourage them with their visitor and phone privileges. Tier-two patients will also have access
to the exercise room, computer center and other new amenities. And they’re expected to set an example
for new patients.”
Rehab’s Jack Otto
.
Life After Livengrin
(#48 in a series)
“I wanted to thank everyone who is a part of Livengrin, especially my counselor. Tomorrow I will be free of alcohol 1 yr. I
appreciate all of your guidance and recommendations. I think the world of you guys. This has been an incredible journey
and I will keep on living my life day by day. To go from drinking a gallon of vodka a day to not having a sip for a year is a
miracle in itself.”
Life does get dramatically better. - G M
A pumpkinesque Harvest Festival for October’s alumni
picnic, Back to Livengrin Day
Media Watch
A lengthy report on WHYY-FM examined
the special solutions we’ve developed for
targeted groups of professionals: nurses and
first responders. Andy Callaghan and Bill
Kennedy of our FRAT program for police,
firefighters and combat veterans, along with
Shane Moes from the healthcare professionals’ track, discussed the needs, challenges
and remedies that inhabit the dependency
problem faced by these groups.
You can hear the audio file on our website:
www.livengrin.org/media
Callaghan also visited community station
WURD for a FRAT profile.
Dr. William Lorman provided perspective
to a report in the Bucks Courier-Times (after
the death of singer Whitney Houston) on
the dangers of mixing prescription drugs.
CBS-3 called on our experts for a story on
how the government is dealing with the
components of legal smoking materials that
mimic marijuana’s effects.
Alumni reorganize for a stronger Association
Those who are successful in recovery agree that good aftercare and being part of a “new community” after treatment are essential. There’s
no doubting the powerful impact of relationships that are formed in the
therapeutic setting. “Life after Livengrin” isn’t about the end of treatment when someone heads out the driveway - it’s the start of recovery.
The Alumni Association spearheads that effort.
A recent re-organization ensures that this organization for former
patients can operate at its most effective level. The reconstituted group
is made up of men and women of all ages, in active recovery for a minimum of ninety days, who participated in treatment at Livengrin.
There’s a vital role for alumni to play in the coming years here. As a
clinical matter, we’re strengthening the connections between patients
and those who have experience in recovery and can provide examples
of success. On a practical level, they staff our events as volunteers, and
are ambassadors of help and hope out in the community.
The Association meets monthly on a Sunday at 7:15 PM in Shanahan
Hall. (Check the website for dates, usually the “third Sunday” except
for holidays.) An early-recovery topic meeting that often includes current patients is followed by business and events planning.
To learn more or apply for membership, there are three options: visit
the programs section at www.livengrin.org for a quick form; send an
email to “[email protected];” or call Laura Donnelly, staff coordinator for alumni and volunteers, at 215-638-5200, ext. 164.
Making things bright in the winter holidays, alumni (both photos) gave their time, attention and a pizza party to patients
who would rather have been celebrating elsewhere but could
see that rehab was the best place to be. Staffer Charles DiLuzio (below, left) played cuisine inspector on New Year’s Eve.
Students at Holy Family
University are donating
works of art every few
months for rotating exhibitions at our Northeast
Philadelphia Counseling
Center. Faculty advisor
Pamela Flynn gave her
students instruction on
gallery hanging techniques
for the initial installation.
Sitting for an interview with a producer from NBC10, Andy Callaghan (left) is a 23-year member of the
Philadelphia Police and one of the coordinators for
FRAT. The First Responders Addiction Treatment
program is our groundbreaking service that helps
Livengrin work with law enforcement, firefighters,
EMTs and combat vets challenged by dependency,
PTSD and job stress. Andy has been helping shape a
piece for broadcast later in the spring.
clips
The 3rd Run for Recovery saw a dramatic increase in
competitors, sponsors and fundraising for charitable care. Stay
tuned to the website for news on the next Run in September.
At a business breakfast we hosted,
Mark Connelly of Dow Chemical
(third from right), chairman of the
Lower Bucks County Chamber of
Commerce, was among those
hosted by our CEO Rick Pine (left).
In and Around Livengrin ~ 2012
Ride for Recovery
Sunday, June 3 9AM - 4PM
The Foundation for
Addiction Recovery
4833 Hulmeville Road
Bensalem, PA 19020
Allentown ~ Doylestown
Fort Washington ~ Haverford
Levittown ~ N.E. Philadelphia
800-245-4746
email: [email protected]
www.livengrin.org
Livengrin Foundation, Inc. is recognized by
the Internal Revenue Service as a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization. Official registration
and financial information (Certificate 13708)
may be obtained from the PA Dept. of State
by calling (within PA) 1-800-732-0999.
Registration does not imply endorsement.
Our annual poker run, now with a two-state route, and family picnic raises funds
for patient programs. See inside.
Alumni Association
Sundays, monthly 7:15PM Bensalem
For Livengrin graduates, a 12-step format with great ways to stay connected to
recovery and pass one’s experience forward to current patients. In Shanahan Hall;
for details, visit the website or the phone hotline below.
Livengrin’s Big Show
Coming in autumn
Our 2011 gala event was lots of fun, but this one will really be laugh-out-loud. Join
comedians in recovery for a big benefit for our charitable care program. Are you
on our email list for early tickets?
Volunteer Orientation
Bensalem
Regular schedule; call the Alumni Hotline below, or visit www.livengrin.org
Have you visited
INFORMATION LINES: 800-245-4746 or 215-638-5200
Events & Information Requests ext. 310
Alumni Association & Volunteers ext. 312
www.livengrin.org lately?
Our website brings you everything you need to
find help, information and understanding.
Treatment details, locations and phones, news
on events and alumni, special programs for
recovery, and the latest Foundation news and
employment posts - it’s all here.
Open for business: the new website for our FRAT program
(First Responders Addiction Treatment)
www.responderaddiction.com