This year marks the 40th anniversary ofOdyssey House. Since 1967, Odyssey Househas provided innovative services and achance for a new, drug-free life to thou-sands of teenagers, men and women of allages, and entire families.

Dr. Peter Provet, president of OdysseyHouse, charts the progress the agency has madein providing over four decades of preventionand treatment services:

“In the 1960s, we enhanced the therapeuticcommunity model to treat heroin addiction. Inthe 1970s we began reaching out to drug-abus-ing pregnant women and mothers of young chil-dren. In the 1980s we expanded our programs

to meet the challenge of a crack cocaine epi-demic. In the 1990s we designed special pro-grams for the mentally ill and for a growingnumber of elderly substance abusers.

“In the new millennium we have providedshelter and treatment to homeless addicts, manywith special needs. We will remain at the fore-front of substance abuse treatment in the yearsahead.”

SSpprriinngg HHeeaalltthh FFaaiirrIn recognition of this milestone, Odyssey

House is hosting a number of community-basedcelebrations including a health fair, art show,and family fun run.

Calling it “an innovative program that OASAS is enormous-ly proud to support” Commissioner Karen Carpenter-Palumbo of the New York State Office of Alcoholism andSubstance Abuse Services (OASAS) recently joined youngwomen in treatment and agency supporters and represen-tatives in declaring the new Odyssey House girls-only resi-dential program officially open for business.

The Bronx Lafayette Avenue program offers exclusive girls-only treatment for up to 16 young women with substance abuseand other emotional/behavioral problems. This new gender-spe-cific treatment approach helps teen girls get back on track withtheir schooling and other life goals.

In one of her first official ceremonies as the new OASASCommissioner, Ms. Carpenter-Palumbo said she and GovernorEliot Spitzer were pleased to support the new girls program be-

cause they “believe that everyone in New York State should beprovided with a solid foundation in life, and at Odyssey House’sLafayette Avenue program, these young women are being given

Saving lives, rebuilding families, restoring communities Spring 2007

Inside this issue:

New Board Members pg. 2

Holistic HealthcareServices pgs. 4 & 5

Celebrating Women’s HistoryMonth pg. 6

Donating to Darfur pg. 7

Continued on page 3

Continued on page 2

www.odysseyhouseinc.org

OOppeenniinngg DDaayy ffoorr TTeeeenn GGiirrllss PPrrooggrraamm FFooccuusseess oonn SSuucccceessss

Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo and Dr. Provet join youngwomen in treatment at the opening of the new program.

New Dental Clinic Opens atFamily CenterIInn aann eexxcciittiinngg eexxppaannssiioonn ooff oouurr ccoommpprreehheennssiivvee hheeaalltthhccaarree sseerrvviicceess,, rreessiiddeennttss iinn ttrreeaattmmeenntt ccaann nnooww ggeett tthheeiirr ddeennttaall nneeeeddssmmeett aatt aa bbrraanndd nneeww oonn--ssiittee cclliinniicc llooccaatteedd aatt tthhee OOddyysssseeyy HHoouusseeFFaammiillyy CCeenntteerr ooff EExxcceelllleennccee iinn EEaasstt HHaarrlleemm..

Celebrating 40 Years of Strength in Community

See page 5

Giving Girls a Better Future

Page 2 Odyssey House news

New Board Members Bring Business Know-How

Odyssey House residents recently volunteeredat a community safety forum sponsored by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.Residents are actively involved in participatingin community events.

“It’s important for us to show that we’ve progressed in our recovery and that we’re willing to give back to the community in anypositive way we can,” said Raynee Davis, a resident in treatment at Odyssey House.

Maria de la Rosa, deputy director of community affairs in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, applauds their efforts.

“It’s difficult to be successful in recovery andre-enter society again,” she said. “OdysseyHouse does a great job in helping individualsto rebuild their lives again.”

Celebrating 40 Years of Strength in Community

Residents Give Back to Community

The first event, a spring health fair, will be held on Sunday afternoon on May 20th in EastHarlem along East 121st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.

Janice Glenn, program director at the Odyssey House Haven and one of the health fair or-ganizers, said the level of interest in participating in the fair shown by local medical, social serv-ices, and public safety organizations “speaks to a deep commitment we all share in helpingfamilies access health and wellness services.”

Further information on the health fair is available at: www.info@odysseyhouseinc.org, or bycalling Odyssey House Admissions at: 212-987-5100.

Continued from page 1

Two new members withwide-ranging experience in finance and marketinghave joined the boards ofOdyssey House and OdysseyFoundation: Herman Laretand Mark Mozeson.

Mr. Laret has an extensivebackground in financial serv-ices and is managing directorof Credit Suisse. Before em-barking on a career in busi-ness, Mr. Laret studiedmedicine at Leiden Universityin The Netherlands where heearned a doctorate degree.

Mark H. Mozeson is a co-founder and IntegratedServices Practice Leader atArchstone Consulting. Mr.Mozeson has 24 years of industry and managementconsulting experience special-izing in Life Sciences. Aformer partner at DeloitteConsulting, where he was aleader within the Life SciencesPractice, Mr. Mozeson is aserial marathoner, tournamentbackgammon player, and as-piring writer.Mr. Herman Laret Mr. Mark Mozeson

Key members of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office community affairs teamCalvin Solomon (far left), director, and Maria de la Rosa (center), deputy director,present Odyssey House residents with certificates of appreciation for their volunteerefforts.

Save the date! “Run for Your Life” 5K Family Fun Run, September 23rd. Proceeds benefit men, women, and children in recovery. Join us at Icahn Stadium for the

2nd Annual Recovery Month Event. More at: www.odysseyhouseinc.org

Spring 2007 Page 3

New Program Gets Teen Girls Back on Track

the tools to succeed in becom-ing self-sufficient, independ-ent members of society.”

Addressing a large gather-ing of community leaders,Odyssey House board mem-bers, staff, and family mem-bers, the Commissioner wenton to praise the teen girls for“their bravery and commit-ment to change.” She addedthat “During the course of theirtreatment, these young womenare receiving an education, notjust in school but in life. Mostimportantly, they are buildinga foundation for a betterfuture for themselves, theirfamilies and their loved ones.”

TTeeeenn ggiirrllss ttaakkiinngg mmoorree rriisskkss According to a 2006 report

by the Office of National DrugControl Policy (ONDCP),teenage girls are trying mari-juana, alcohol and cigarettes athigher rates than boys.

Although there is no singlereason why girls are smoking,drinking and abusing drugsmore, experts agree thattoday’s girls live in an increas-ingly stressful environment.

“Research shows that girls

are more likely than boys tobecome dependent on drugs,and the earlier girls begin usingdrugs, the more likely theirconsequent problems will besevere,” said Dr. Provet,President of Odyssey House.

GGiirrllss--oonnllyy sseerrvviicceessOdyssey House opened

Lafayette Avenue in response toan increase in the number ofadolescent girls with substanceabuse and related behav-ioral/mental health problems.Based on the enhanced thera-peutic community treatmentmodel, adolescent girls live andlearn in a peer-driven environ-ment that provides a family-likestructure and support.

The girls-only center isstaffed by a multi-disciplinaryteam of counselors, teachers,and healthcare personnel whogive residents the individual-ized support and attention

they need to grow into healthyyoung women. Treatmentservices focus on nurturingareas in a teenage girl’s life thatare often impacted by sub-stance abuse including: school,mental health, self-esteem,family and other relationships.

“This program helped meget back on track and think

positively. My counselorshelped me understand thatthere is a life outside of addic-tion and helped me realizehow much potential I have,”said Kristina Sellers, a residentin treatment at LafayetteAvenue. “I feel like I am un-derstood, treated with respect,and I am growing up.”

Continued from page 1

With the support of a private grant from the Elizabeth and BaretsO. Benjamin Charitable Foundation, each teen girl who completestreatment (9-12 months of residential treatment including voca-tional and educational training) will receive a laptop computer as agraduation gift.

In announcing the award at the center’s recent opening, OdysseyHouse Chairman, George Rosenfeld, said “we hope this gift willboth encourage young women to stay in treatment and receive the benefits of the program’s intensive services, and then whenthey leave us, will fuel their future educational and vocationalendeavors.”

In an achievement Odyssey House Chief Operating Officer and run-ning team leader John Tavolacci calls “a huge accomplishment formen and women in recovery,” 16 Odyssey House residents and fivestaff completed the grueling 2006 New York City Marathon. And inan agency-wide effort, dozens of residents and volunteers turnedout at the Odyssey House-managed Mile 19 Water Station in EastHarlem to cheer the runners on and cool them down for the finalpush to the finish in Central Park.

HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel profiled the Odyssey Housemarathon team. The 10-minute segment offered a behind thescenes look into the many months of training, challenging personallives, and ultimate success of these runners who beat the odds andchanged their lives.

Odyssey House resident Mark Williams, a central character in theReal Sports segment, credits his participation in the Odyssey Housemarathon team with helping him through the treatment process.

“Honestly…I can attribute my entire recovery to the treatment programs and running,” Mr. Williams said.

HBO Captures Challenge andSuccess of Odyssey Marathoners

HBO Real Sports correspondent Mary Carrillo (center) and her TVproduction team celebrate with Odyssey House Chief OperatingOfficer John Tavolacci (second from left), and members of theagency’s marathon running group.

Computer Gift Rewards Commitment

“…these young womenare receiving an

education not just inschool, but in life.”

Alfred Billing has a long history of battling addiction. Heentered the Odyssey House ElderCare program, his firsttreatment program, at the age of 64. During a visit to oneof Odyssey House’s on-site medical clinics, Mr. Billingfound out that he had hypertension and Hepatitis C.

Many men and women in treatment at Odyssey House needto address medical problems that were largely ignored or neg-lected while they were abusing drugs.

Odyssey House operates three full-time on-site primarymedical care clinics licensed by the New York State Departmentof Health. On-site clinics provide a continuity of care and limitthe time residents spend outside the treatment community seek-ing medical attention. It has also increased the accessibility totreatment by allowing those with multiple or major medicalproblems the opportunity to receive substance abuse services.

Medical Director, Dr. Robert Raicht, head of Odyssey House’shealthcare system, says onsite medical services make a differ-ence to treatment outcome. “Residents are healthier, better ableto focus on recovery goals, and stay in treatment longer.”

All residents undergo a physical exam and medical historyduring their first few weeks of treatment. Each clinic providesindividualized patient care managed by a team of doctors andnurses who oversee residents’ medical needs throughout theirstay in treatment. The medical team routinely deals with healthissues that are often linked to drug abuse. These include hyper-tension, high blood pressure, diabetes, nutrition, Hepatitis B orC, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. The medical team handledover 53,900 medical visits in 2006 alone.

Odyssey House’s medical services emphasize health educa-tion as well. Medical providers equip residents with knowledgeabout healthcare treatment and prevention. Once residents re-enter society they are better able to successfully manage theirhealth care needs.

Mr. Billing is grateful for the medical services. “I had a pri-mary care doctor when I was home that didn’t do as much forme as my Odyssey House doctor,” Mr. Billings said. “Here mydoctor devotes herself solely to the care of her patients and sheworks diligently to provide us with quality care.”

Page 4 Odyssey House news

SSuuppppoorrttiinngg aa hheeaalltthhyy rreeccoovveerryy iiss aa pprriioorriittyy aatt OOddyysssseeyy HHoouussee.. EEaacchh mmaann,, wwoommaann,, aanndd cchhiilldd iinn oouurr ttrreeaatt--mmeenntt pprrooggrraammss hhaass aacccceessss ttoo qquuaalliittyy mmeeddiiccaall,, ddeennttaall,, aanndd mmeennttaall hheeaalltthh ccaarree.. TThhiiss eeddiittiioonn ooff OOddyysssseeyyHHoouussee NNeewwss ttaakkeess aa llooookk aatt tthheessee oonn--ssiittee sseerrvviicceess,, ttaallkkss ttoo ssoommee ppaattiieennttss aabboouutt tthheeiirr hheeaalltthh nneeeeddss aanndd tthheehheeaalltthh pprrooffeessssiioonnaallss wwhhoo ssuuppppoorrtt tthheemm..

SSuuppppoorrttiinngg RReeccoovveerryy wwiitthh

The Odyssey House FamilyCenter of Excellence is oneof few Enhanced Ther-apeutic Communities thatallow mothers or fathers tolive with their young chil-dren while participating inintensive residential treat-ment. Children living inOdyssey House receive thesame level of comprehen-sive care as their parents,including access to on-sitepediatric medical care.

Dorian Phillip is a newmom. She came to theOdyssey House FamilyCenter program when herdaughter Elainna was onlysix days old. She was pleas-antly surprised to find outthat Odyssey House offeredon-site pediatric services.

“I’m glad that Elainna’spediatrician is right here,”Ms. Phillip said. “I’m a firsttime mom so I get nervousabout my baby’s health, but

the doctor is always availableto answer questions and ad-dress Elainna’s health careneeds.”

A team of nurse practi-tioners handle well-babyvisits and annual checkups,routine childhood immuniza-tions, hearing and eye exams,nutrition counseling, andasthma check ups. Due toparental alcohol and/or drugabuse, most of the children atOdyssey House are high risk.All children are screened fordevelopmental delays andspecial needs.

“Our nurse practitionersgo over and above the call ofduty,” said Diane DeCarolis,nursing supervisor. “Theyteach parenting skills andbasic child care workshops.They are also very involved inthe treatment process andwork closely with the sub-stance abuse social workersand counselors.”

Meeting Residents Healthand Wellness Needs

Doctor in the House

“Residents are healthier, better able to focus on recovery goals, and stay in treatment longer.”

Spring 2007 Page 5

HHoolliissttiicc HHeeaalltthhccaarree SSeerrvviicceess

A large crowd of OdysseyHouse partners and sup-porters recently attendedan open house ceremony tolearn about the up-to-the-minute services available toresidents in treatment.

“We are going to bring thefull might of the largest dentalcollege in the country to sup-port Odyssey House’s dentalclinic,” said Dr. Mark Wolff,Chair of the Department ofCariology and ComprehensiveCare at the NYU College ofDentistry.

Two honor students fromthe NYU dental school will

intern at the Odyssey Housedental clinic each year, andNYU will also provide assis-tance in developing researchstudies that focus on oralhealth care within the sub-stance abuse treatment popu-lation.

Joseph C. Mitchell, presi-dent and CEO of the Fan Foxand Leslie R. SamuelsFoundation, Inc., gave a$120,000 grant for an innova-tive ElderCare dental service.

“It’s truly wonderful towork with an organizationthat provides resources for re-covery among an invisible

population,” Mr.Mitchell said.

TTaacckklliinngg DDeennttaallPPhhoobbiiaa

Doris Ellison,a resident intreatment in theOdyssey HouseElderCare pro-gram, is typicalof many sub-stance abuserswho neglect theirteeth either fromfear of going tothe dentist, orlack of access todental care.“Before treat-ment, I hadn’tseen a dentist inten years,” saidMs. Ellison.

Frank Dominelli, vice pres-ident and director of healthcare, said Odyssey House wasmaking dental care a prioritybecause “poor oral health islinked to a higher risk for de-veloping heart disease, dia-betes and other seriousconditions.”

CChhiillddrreenn’’ss CClliinniicc The clinic also offers pedi-

atric dentistry services andoral health education for chil-dren and families in OdysseyHouse’s Family Center pro-grams. As many as 100 chil-dren live at Odyssey Housewhile their mother or father isin treatment.

Opening of New Dental Clinic Widely Welcomed

Family Center mom Diana Patterson helps herdaughter Ashanti open the new clinic with (leftto right): Dr. Mark Wolff; Mr. Joseph Mitchell;Dr. Sylvester Evangelista; and Dr. Peter Provet.The three-year-old had her first dental cleaningat the new clinic.

Director of Odyssey House Dental Clinic, Dr. Sylvester Evangelista,with ElderCare resident Doris Ellison.

Odyssey House’s holistic approach to sub-stance abuse treatment includes mentalhealth services. All Odyssey House residentsundergo a mental health assessment whenthey first enter the treatment program.

“For a resident to truly embrace the recov-ery process, he or she must deal with a host ofother issues that can affect sobriety includingmental health issues,’ said Dr. MatthewWarner, director of mental health services atOdyssey House. “Substance abusers are oftencoping with problems like depression, anxiety,attention deficit and post traumatic stress dis-

order. If a condition is left untreated it can trig-ger a relapse.”

OOffffeerriinngg aa SSaaffee ““HHaarrbboorr””Residents with mental health problems par-

ticipate in counseling and group therapy; someare prescribed medication to manage their con-dition. Residents who are coping with severeand persistent mental and chemical dependen-cy undergo treatment at the Odyssey HouseHarbor. The Harbor provides intensive sub-stance abuse and mental health education andcounseling and offers on-site primary and psy-chiatric medical services.

When Mental Illness Affects a Successful Recovery

DDeennttaall ccaarree sseeeenn aass eesssseennttiiaall sseerrvviiccee ffoorr ssuubbssttaannccee aabbuusseerrss

“If a condition is left untreated it cantrigger a relapse.”

Women’s History Month isan important occasion atOdyssey House. Many ofthe women in treatmentprograms are coping withissues that are often corre-lated with substance abuse,including low self esteem,anger, sexual trauma andabuse, and a history of do-mestic violence. In recogni-tion of Women’s HistoryMonth, Odyssey Househosts events throughoutMarch that are aimed at bolstering self-esteem,encouraging female bond-ing and providing positiverole modeling.

This was the first time thatTheresa Ann Fewell, a resi-dent who has been in treat-ment at Odyssey House for sixmonths, celebrated Women’sHistory Month.

“The events gave me an op-portunity to bond with otherwomen and feel the spirit ofunity,” Ms. Fewell said.

BBrriinnggiinngg BBrrooaaddwwaayy MMaaggiicc This year’s Women’s

History Month celebration atOdyssey House culminatedwith a visit from acclaimedsinger/performer ElisabethWithers. Ms. Withers playsShug Avery in the Broadwaymega-hit The Color Purple, arole which earned her a TonyAward nomination.

“Having Elizabeth share inour Women’s Day Celebrationwas just perfect,” said HarrietWade, social worker in theFamily Center program. “Shereally cares about the womenin our program who are working so hard to improvetheir lives.”

Ms. Withers shared thestory of her road to successwith women and teen girls intreatment at Odyssey House.She commended the women

on having the strength to takecontrol of their lives and thendelighted everyone with a gen-erous donation of 150 compli-mentary tickets for the womento see her hit show.

HHoonnoorriinngg SSttrroonngg WWoommeennToby Thompkins, author of

The Real Lives of Strong BlackWomen, also came to Odyssey

House during Women’sHistory Month to discuss theinspiration for his book andgenerously donate copies forresidents in the program.

Other Women’s Historymonth activities included a women’s encounter group, a domestic violence work-shop, yoga classes, and amakeover day.

Kate Holden (center), author of In My Skin, spoke with teen girlsand women in treatment at Odyssey House. The Australian writershared the true story of her descent into heroin addiction, and thelong battle to reclaim her life. In My Skin, which was recentlyreleased in the United States, made it to number 3 on theAustralian best seller list.

Page 6 Odyssey House news

Author shares her story of addictionand recovery

Women’s History Month Celebrations

Toby Thompkinsdiscussed his

national bestsellingbook with Odyssey

House residentsduring Women’sHistory Month.

Broadway actress Elisabeth Withers brings a message of inspirationand hope for Women’s Day.

Volunteer Aja-Monet, a poet who hasperformed in venues across New YorkCity, is leading a poetry writing work-shop for the teen boys at the OdysseyHouse Leadership Center.

The aspiring teen poets are learning towrite poems and practice spoken-word per-formance. The eight-week-long workshopwill culminate in a performance at theNuyorican Poet’s Café.

Spring 2007 Page 7

MISSIONIt is the mission ofOdyssey House to:

Provide comprehen-sive and innovativeservices to the broad-est range of metroNew York’s popula-tion who abusedrugs, abuse alcohol,have mental illness.

Provide high quali-ty, holistic treatmentimpacting all majorlife spheres: psycho-logical, physical, so-cial, family, educa-tional, and spiritual.

Support personal re-habilitation, renewal,and family restora-tion.

Throughout its activi-ties, Odyssey Houseundertakes to act as aresponsible employerand member of thecommunity and tomanage the assets ofthe organization in aprofessional manner.

Donating to DarfurTTeeeennss iinn ttrreeaattmmeenntt sshhooww tthheeyy ccaarree

Teens in treatment at the Odyssey HouseLeadership Center recently raised aware-ness and money for displaced children inDarfur, the war-torn region of Sudan,Africa. Michael Williams, a young residentat the center, said he and the other teenswere so moved by the plight of children inDarfur, they decided to pool their limitedresources and help make a difference.Along the way, he said, they learned some-thing about themselves.

“We thought we were oppressed because ofthe type of neighborhoods we are from in thecity and the difficult lifestyles we were living.But after learning about Darfur we realized thatwe really didn’t know anything about oppres-sion,” Mr. Williams said. “There are children inDarfur who might die if they don’t eat in thenext 48 hours — we don’t have those types ofstruggles in our lives.”

GGrraassssrroooottss FFuunnddrraaiissiinngg CCaammppaaiiggnnIn an effort to positively impact relief ef-

forts, the teens began a fundraising campaign.They set aside 50 percent of their weekly al-lowance for two months to make a donation tothe International Rescue Committee (IRC), whothey praised as the “first ones in and the lastones out.”

They then asked residents at other OdysseyHouse treatment centers, family and friends forsupport. Impressed by the residents’ dedication,the Odyssey Foundation matched the fundsraised to result in a $3,700 gift.

“This remarkable effort demonstrates a ma-turity and level of altruism by youngsters whomany people view as being a drain on society,”said Cesar Sepulveda, director of the LeadershipCenter. “I commend these young men for takingthis initiative.”

Gerald Martone, the IRC’s director of humanitarian affairs, visited the center to per-sonally thank the students and bring them up-to-date on the current situation in Darfur.

“One of the hardest challenges in addressingconflict in Darfur has been the low level of interest by the public. That these young people,in the midst of their own struggles, care enoughto reach out to others is heartening,” Mr.Martone said.

Teens in treatment raised $3,700 to aid childrenin Darfur. International Rescue CommitteeDirector of Humanitarian Affairs, Gerald Martone(center right), accepts the donation on behalf ofthe relief organization.

Power of the Spoken Word

Give to the “Friends of Odyssey House” campaign online at www.odysseyhouseinc.org or contact us at:

Odyssey Foundation, 95 Pine Street, New York, NY. Tel: 212-361-1609.

Aja-Monet with guest poet Taylor Mali (center). Maliwas one of the original poets to appear on the HBOseries “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry.”

Page 8 Odyssey House news

95 Pine StreetNew York, NY 10005www.odysseyhouseinc.orgTel: 212-361-1600

Odyssey House Community-Based Services

Founded in 1967, Odyssey House is an Enhanced Therapeutic Community(TC) providing innovative services and programs for a broad population ofdrug-troubled individuals and families, including:

Odyssey House runs the largest and oldest parent and child residential/outpatient TC program in the country and the only residential/outpatientTC program for senior citizens.

! Mothers & children! Pregnant women! Adolescents! Elders (55 years and older)

! Mentally ill chemical abusers (MICA)! Single adults! Court mandated clients! Homeless adults

For more information about Odyssey House programs, call 212-987-5100 or visit us online at www.odysseyhouseinc.org