Recent email to membership

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    • #12650
      Marie Arnberg
      Participant

      Is anyone else having trouble retrieving the message emailed to membership from the board (1/29 and 2/1). The message appears to be a Word document only retrievable through Zoom, which I cannot get in to. Have looked around the membership portal in hopes of finding something posted here but without any success.

    • #12764
      Victoria Taylor
      Participant

      Dear NADA Members:

      We are celebrating the 50th Year Anniversary of the Lincoln Hospital takeover. The takeover resulted in the establishment of Lincoln Detox and the introduction of acudetox to the South Bronx and the world.

      Lincoln Detox ignited the fire of a revolution in U.S. healthcare. It focused on individual patient rights, community rights, and the human right to compassionate healthcare. It challenged the core of a callous biomechanical, reductionist, pharmaceutical and profit driven healthcare paradigm.

      Ironically, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) also marks a 50th Year Anniversary. An excerpt from its official publication (American Journal of Psychiatry; 178:7; July 2021; page 595) states:
      “Over 50 years ago, in The American Journal of
      Psychiatry Sabshin et al. laid out clear plans (directed
      specifically at White psychiatrists) to address
      institutional racism in psychiatry… this means
      making available the necessary resources of money,
      manpower, and authority—not just in the current token
      amounts…Unfortunately, most if not all of these
      recommendations were largely ignored.”

      This APA self-assessment highlights the chronic institutional racism that remains contemporary, rigid and deeply embedded—and it highlights an ongoing impotence to do anything about it. As a beneficiary of the Lincoln Legacy, our NADA organization and members are fortunate and grateful to have a philosophy and a toolkit that can offer impactful solutions to all who can hear and will listen.

      In 1985 NADA incorporated with a mission scope limited to addiction/substance use disorders. In 2009 our mission scope
      broadened to explicitly include what most ADSes and RTs already knew–NADA protocol (NP) helps patients, providers, populations and programs in all of psychiatry, SUD and BH/MH care. It does so effectively, efficiently, and inexpensively. The NP record of safety and its risk/benefit profile is unequaled.

      From Crisis and Trauma to Stabilization and Maintenance to Recovery and Wellness, NP has demonstrated efficacy across the host diagnoses (= trans-diagnostic) and across the host of symptoms (= pan-symptomatic) for many problems of patients, populations, providers and programs we serve.

      As an 501C3 incorporated organization, this favored status and NADA’s very existence as an organization are at serious risk if its finances are not properly accounted for and managed. Ensuring that this does not happen is a central and foundational duty of NADA’s Office and Board. NADA Board’s oversight of Office operations is a major priority. For more than a year your Board has intensely focused on this and have strengthened our standing in this regard.

      It is critical that Members, Board and Office all remember and never forget the promotional materials provided for our stellar November 19, 2021-Back to the Future NADA history series event. Personally, the statement made and question posed have haunted my thoughts for a very long time:
      “In 1978, the city of New York forcibly removed the political collectives
      that founded the People’s Detox Program at Lincoln Hospital.”
      “Why was this revolutionary health program a target of city and state
      officials for shutdown?”

      I ask that we all revisit the question now. This time however with an eye to your current NADA leadership’s roles and responsibilities. What excuse might again be used to compromise our success in manifesting our mission and goals as ADSes, Registered Trainers, and educators/advocates? To my mind, it is our fiscal strengths and vulnerabilities that are most pertinent at this time–and our “Back to the Future” theme is not only historical. Two period documents reveal the following:
      • March 31, 1973 Evaluation of Program: “ Lincoln’s program goals, and contracted services as they are set forth in it’s work plan, are vague and subject to loose interpretation…should require the program to present a stricter, more detailed work plan…”.
      • May 5, 1977 memo to NYC Director of Budget: “It is inexcusable and incomprehensible for the Lincoln Detox to compel Health and Hospitals Corporations to fund it simply because it will not submit such reports….I hope you will be able to eliminate this waste of City money. While it appears that Lincoln Detox could be an effective and valuable drug treatment program this will only happen if Health and Hospitals Corporation—for the first time—requires public accountability and strict compliance with regulations”.

      First, the removal of the collectives. Then in 2016, a final shutdown of our beloved Lincoln Detox itself. It was told to me many times by Michael Smith “They were jealous of us because of our successes where they failed. They wanted to shut us down from the time we opened and have never stopped trying to do it.” At the time of Lincoln’s closure I introduce a rallying cry of “Lincoln-Without-Walls !” As an heir to Lincoln’s Legacy, NADA must not only strive to survive. We must position ourselves to thrive.

      Above, we have read the APA’s shameful self-assessment in the domain of institutional racism confronted at great cost but also with demonstrable successes by those who rallied around Lincoln—our Black Panthers, Young Lords, and White Lightning. Can the APA do no more? Apparently not. Can we do no less? We can and we must.

      This Message from the President highlights NADA’s fiscal health and the work of making us healthier, more resilient, stronger and well. Your current Board inherited vulnerabilities—and potential consequences—that had to addressed as Priority #1. We have done that with the vigor, due deliberation, expertise, good will, and unshakeable determination that this difficult task required.

      Since the time of NADA’s humble beginnings in 1985 until the time of my second inauguration as NADA’s President in 2018, our fiscal operations and capacities had changed little. The Office had continued working as a “mom and pop” operation at best. This time around neither the Board nor I could be satisfied with this as good enough.

      We are modernizing now. Many improvements are already in place and others preparing to launch before end of 2022. The following list in not exhaustive but provides a few examples:
      • Banking: we are moving from a small local bank with limited capacities
      to one favorably aligned with our national/international needs and reach.
      2) Digitalization: soon electronic access for ADS/RT application, certificate, reporting and renewal processes will be in place. This is a change from the archaic “pen and paper” processes to which you are accustomed.
      3) Taxes: there were deficiencies in tax reporting, lapses in accurate and timely tax filing. A corrective action plan has addressed this and remains in place. A new Executive Committee position of CFO (Chief Financial Officer) is being created.
      4) Committee Charter Alignment: A master template providing guidance to all NADA Committees is currently under Board review. This will clearly articulate alignment with our share mission, vision, values and goals. It will be the “hub of the wheel” in coordinating individual Committees for more efficient use of shared resources and foster synergies in taking best advantage of individual Committee strengths.
      5) Website Enhancement: negotiations with website contractors are underway. Functionality will be enhanced, the user interface made more intuitive and easier to navigate.
      6) Legal Counsel Retainer: given the large and growing nature of NADA activity, interest, and concerns it is wise that we retain a lawyer for guidance and assurance that we are always on solid ground. The Board has retained legal counsel this purpose in the short term and are disposed to contract abiding legal counsel.

      With respect to the NADA Board’s oversight of organizational and Office operations you may rest assured that we are acting to apply the lessons we have learned over time. We want to hear from all of you about any ideas/concerns you may have around our continued organizational stability and progressive opportunities for NP advocacy, training, treatment access and growth. In doing so, we must continue to observe the Four Guiding Principles that your Board has emphasized thus far:
      • It is all about the data and facts that must be addressed in order to secure NADA’s fiscal future and to assure that past lapses and deficiencies are corrected and made whole.
      • It is all about establishing transparent and enduring operational policies and procedures that will protect the present and guide us confidently into the future.
      • It is not at all about seeking to blame any people or persons. We all learning together what is required and necessary in this “3rd Phase” of Lincoln Legacy. Innocent mistakes may be made and we will learn from those together.
      • It is all about applying the best practices that fit our needs and, ultimately, maintaining highest standards of responsibility, reliability, integrity and accountability.

      We are at a crossroads and are navigating that crossing with all the care, confidence, and skills that we need. Stay tuned (and join a Committee!!!).

      Wishing everyone much luv and peace,
      kc

    • #17794
      dr.chester
      Participant

      I’m
      Having difficulty in getting information to you I do not want posted I’ve internet (ie: cc #) a month ago my ENTIRE identity was stolen. I’ve had to freeze all credit bureaus, get me DL, which number I’d being changed this week, new credit card, and new social security number. My info was stolen thru internet. I can send a picture of my DL to verify age, but have had the last few memberships as seniors ones. Then, if the best way to get you my credit card number is throu your urgent confidential line, I’m willing to do that, but skeptical about posting the card number on any site. No one has returned my messages as best way to resolve this matter, and to continue w/ my work I need a valid certification. I’ve made several calls, left two messages. Would someone please guide me to the best of options in regaining my, mow, expired membership, as of April 1, 2023. Contact me at dr.chester@protonmail.com to give me directions to continue keeping my identity safe from hackers.

      Kindly,

      Dr Chester Dickerson, MD, DOM, LAc ADS (expired April 1, 2023), CFMP, NCCAOM

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