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TUFF Addiction Social Services™
Our Mission
Our goal is to break the repeated cycle of addiction with guidance, tools and support, and by providing the options and availability of hope, motivation and clarity for a more independent lifestyle, that can work for the benefit of the individuals future journey of sobriety and re-entry into the world
TUFF Addiction Social Services™ (TASS) provides comprehensive assistance to persons in early recovery. We provide tools and resources for successful re-entry into the world with renewed independence and freedom. TUFF Services is committed to help clients break the cycle of addictive use by providing traditional and non-traditional aftercare tailored to each person's unique needs, strengths and goals. The TUFF Addiction Social Services Program is Officially Chartered and it's existence is validated as an Independent Ministry, through the National Association Of Christian Ministers.
“Aftercare” is a general term used to describe any ongoing or follow-up treatment for substance abuse that occurs after an initial rehab program. No matter the setting, treatment provider, or methods used, the goals of addiction aftercare programs are the same and some include:
- To maintain recovery from substance abuse.
- To find ways to prevent relapse.
- To achieve a life filled with rewarding relationships and a
sense of purpose.
The physical impact of addiction is often accompanied by several psychological changes—affecting thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that may persist even after the substance is removed from the body. Many complete their recovery programs, only to find themselves back on the streets where they originated, due to lack of motivation, direction or guidance.TUFF Addiction Social Services ™ will assist by offering many "fresh start" opportunities and some include:
- Vital Documents (Birth Certificate, Social Security Card and State I.D. and/or Driver's License)
- Resume Creation (Create or update any current or old documents on hand)
- Interview Education (Teaching techniques for different interview types and employment environments)
- Felony Removal Assistance (Through many local organizations such as: Hope For Prisoners, etc.)
- Employment Opportunities (Assist with resume submissions, job searches, Job Connect and other organizations)
- Education Opportunities (Through FIT and many other local college and educational opportunities)
- Sober Living Opportunities (Assist with placement to safe and productive sober living locations)
- Second Chance Housing (Properties willing to provide housing to those with: bad credit, evictions, felonies, etc.)
- Utility Assistance (Working with many local agencies within our community with temporary assistance)
- Transportation Assistance (Donation based assistance with local transportation agencies and organizations)
- Spiritual Care (Interfaith *non-denominational* Certified Pastoral Counseling support, tools & resources)
- Out-Patient Counseling (Provided by many local Certified and Licensed agencies)
- Self-Care Fulfillment (Yoga, Trauma Yoga, Meditations, Essential Oils, Reiki, Diet Wellness, etc.)
Reflections On Spiritual Care
Spiritual Care as Part Of Addiction Recovery
By: Rev. Bryan Ostaszewski
All of us have a sense of morality. Even immoral people have some code of their own morality. Our morality may come from our belief in a higher power or it might come from some deeply held set of values that we learned from our parents, relatives or friends. When we see that our daily actions do not balance our own code, we begin to see ourselves as being immoral. The decline into addiction usually always involves a decline in an individual’s morality. This usually stems from our actions that include: lying, stealing, cheating, deception, dishonesty, being selfish and can also be part of something traumatic that was experienced in our life. The recovery from one’s addiction most always will involve re-connecting to the former belief system that gave them balance, self-confidence and self-worth.
However, please understand that spirituality does have different meanings to different people in all walks of life. So, then it is certain that people will include spirituality (spiritual care) in their recovery programs differently. For some it may mean a specific belief and practice involving one God or gods. This usually involves a continuous practice of ritual and understanding. And for these individuals, bringing a spiritual belief or faith into their recovery, may be much easier; as they can consult with their spiritual leaders or community of their belief or faith.
For others, any notion of a God does not serve or provide a meaning or purpose to life. The person’s value system might place more important emphasis on kindness, fairness, service to others and even materialistic values. These individuals do not have a community that may support their specific beliefs, which allows the individual to feel even more alone and isolated. The spiritual environments of each person must also be considered. Everyone may perceive situations in life completely different based on how the belief system or lack thereof, was as part of their childhood. For some, spirituality was forced upon them causing traumatic issues, with little understanding, while others were left to fend for themselves.
Addiction is all about isolation and the lack of belief that there may be something greater than themselves. Everyone should have the right to experience for themselves, what spirituality they may connect with best. That experience should be conducted without force, ridicule or judgment. And should allow the individual the freedom and desire to explore all options and possibilities available without influence.
Many belief systems seem to be built around guilt and shame. Those with addiction issues already have this stigma thrown upon them, as they journey through their own sobriety trying to understand that they were never in control while in their addiction. So why would you introduce more guilt and shame upon the individual attempting to find their serenity within their recovery program. A treasure trove of spiritual tools and resources of every kind should be made available to those seeking a new connection to life through their recovery program, again allowing them to pick and choose so they can find their own inner strength and inner peace. I have had firsthand experience observing individuals, as they begin their recovery program. They arrive broken, with no sense of life or self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and care about their appearance. They are just basically surviving one breath at a time.
As you begin to provide spiritual care tools within their recovery, the individual begins to investigate and figure out on their own, their life’s journey for themselves. You find that they become more attentive, open-minded, flexible and willing to want a better life.
Through continued spiritual care, you provide the understanding that “we can’t change what has happened in the past,” though that is the most comfortable place we usually find ourselves in, wallowing in our own destructive failures. But, pointing out that we can learn from our past, creating new boundaries and borderlines. We don’t know about tomorrow, so we then need to focus on what we have right now and realize that we have a second chance to become better than we were before, without judgement, guilt or shame.
This then allows the individual to really see themselves in the mirror for the first time in a positive way and allows them to forgive and love themselves and understand that they are not as bad as their addiction was telling them they were. And then assisting the individual in the process to begin forgiving others and to understand that its ok to feel their pain, because without feeling the pain, they can’t find their own inner peace without going through these emotions.
This is usually where the light of self-discovery turns on and a whole new frontier begins to unfold before them. The individual begins to experience the hunger and delight of happy emotions and a need to believe in something greater then themselves. One of the clients I was working with through his recovery program, toward the end before being discharged, I asked him, “after everything you have gone through, what was the most significant thing you learned about yourself?” The client turned to me and said, “for the first time in my life, I learned that I can be happy about myself and I don’t have to be high!”
Program Testimonies:
The reviews shown are actual comments from those who wished to participate in providing a review of our Addiction Social Services Program. This information is kept on file for public inspection. *Permission and authorization has been obtained and is on file*
I am writing this in reference to the social services program that Chaplain Bryan Ostaszewski created and the assistance I received from him while I was in my 90 day program facility. I was at my recovery facility for 3 months and graduated the program May 1st of 2018. While there working to better myself I had several meetings with Chaplain Bryan. He and his ministry had started a program to help people have a better chance of success after treatment.
With the Chap’s help I received help to obtain my Social Security Card, Driver’s License, OSHA 10 certification card, Forklift operator card, health card, alcohol awareness, rent voucher and arranged for a spot in a sober living home for me. This has all been crucial for my success up to this point and in the future.
I also learned how to not play god in my life and finding a power greater than myself. I can let handle the things in life that I have no control over. I have found out more about myself than I thought possible because of the time Chap spent with me. I cannot express how much I appreciate everything that Chaplain Bryan has done for me. I am leading a good, successful life and I now have the tools to keep moving forward in life and recovery.
--Michael A.
I want to share with you how Chaplain Bryan Ostaszewski and his addiction social services program has impacted my life. I don’t have time to give my whole story, but I think this will get the point across. I have struggled with alcohol and drug addiction for many years. My story is, unfortunately, all too common. I’ve had periods of sobriety, but have always eventually gone back to what has ruined my life so many times. I have had extended periods of sobriety including multiple years. Somehow, I have always been convinced by my addiction that it is my best friend over and over. I have struggled to find the reason why I just can’t stay sober. This is the same question that plagues every addict that truly wants to change.
My life is great when I don’t drink or use. I am educated and have had consistent employment since I started working at age 16. I am 44 now. When I am sober I am a great guy, a model employee, awesome spouse and I will do just about anything to help others. I am also involved with family and friends when in sobriety.
My life when I drink is a totally different story. I don’t care about anyone or anything, except alcohol, including myself. I was a functional drunk and addict for many years. I could still keep relationships and hold a job. That started changing about 10 years ago. I started drinking every waking hour including while at work. This is even more disturbing because a large part of my work day is behind the wheel. I started losing jobs and not paying bills which still has me clawing my way out of financial problems. I have spent so much time in detox centers that I know how the places run better than most of the staff and have often been mistaken for staff. Hospital stays also became common for me. I have lost almost every relationship I’ve had due to addiction also. It is a lonely road to be drunk, homeless and have no friends or family that want to be around you.
I ended up on the streets of Las Vegas in 2017. It was short stints of sleeping in an empty lot followed by detox or a hospital stay. When I had the money I would get a room at a weekly hotel. I contacted a guy I knew and he gave me the number to a sober living house. I ended up moving into this house in December 2017. It was not a good place for me. On January 3rd of 2018 I went to a job interview and walked into a grocery store to check my blood pressure at one of the automated machines as my doctor had asked me to do regularly. It just so happened that a bottle of vodka started calling my name. I drank a pint and stayed gone the whole day thinking I would be sober and nobody would know if I went home at about 6:00. I was wrong. Apparently my eyes were bloodshot and I was asked to do a breathalyzer test. I only had a very small trace left in me but I was told to leave the house. I went straight to the store, bought another pint and went to the field that I was beginning to call home. I slept and drank there for several days. I was robbed at least once, I’m not sure how many times because I lost everything and I was too drunk to remember anything. I didn’t realize it but my life was about to change
The field I was in is only about a mile from a detox center that I had been to several times. I was out of money, out of booze and had nowhere to go. I decided to walk to the detox center. I was admitted for about the 6th time in 5 months and thought about what I was going to do. I had just found out that rock bottom has a basement and I thought my life was over. I had lost everything so many times that I just decided to give up on life. I had met someone that came to talk to us several times at detox. I was surprised that this man actually seemed to care about people that most consider vermin.
The last stint at detox I was at a point that I was considering going back to Omaha where I had moved from about a year and a half earlier. I had lost everything again and had nobody in Vegas to use to have a place to stay or money for alcohol. One of the staff, named Johnny, found a way to get me a free bus ticket to go back. The only reason I’m still in Vegas is that there was a big winter storm about to hit in Omaha and everywhere was overfull. Johnny then told me to go talk to a counselor. The counselor performed an assessment on me and ½ way through asked if I would go to treatment that evening. I had already lost everything so I agreed. At least I would have a place to stay for 3 months.
I arrived at the recovery facility on the night of January 12th. The next day I was told that I needed to see the Chaplain which was surprising because I wasn’t religious at all. I walked into the office and it was the man that spent his time at the detox center. It was Chaplain Bryan. I asked if he remembered me and he said of course he did. We talked for awhile and he did, what I later found out was a spiritual assessment. I had no idea why he gave a crap about my thoughts on religion or spirituality and life in general but he had several questions about those. After talking with him I felt better but still no idea what the angle was that he was working. It turns out there was no angle.
After about 3 weeks at the facility, I was asked if I would like a job with the Chaplain. This volunteer position included access to a phone, computer and coffee so naturally I accepted. My first day on the job was a little awkward because I expected to be bombarded about religion and how wrong my beliefs were. The reality was quite opposite. After I became more comfortable the Chaplain and I began to form a bond that I can’t explain. Then I found out what the angle was, that I referred to earlier. Chap Bryan genuinely cared about people like me and his mission, is to give everyone the best chance possible to live a happy, sober, productive life. He had been helping people not only spiritually, but also to get vital documents and arrange for housing after treatment as well as help finding employment through a resumè workshop and job training programs that he had created. He had been doing much more to help the issues that addicts face in real life than anyone else in my recovery program.
I didn’t need quite as much assistance as many guys at the facility needed except I had no concept of a higher power and I was, for lack of a better term, broken. I thought my life was doomed to one of homelessness and addiction. I found joy in assisting Chap Bryan to help the other clients and every day I started regaining my confidence and belief in myself. I also began to believe that someone, or something must have been watching over me for all these years because I should have been dead or in prison several times. I began to pray and let my higher power take over many aspects of my life. Things quickly got better and better for me. My family and fiance, who had given up on me, began to accept me back. I started to find inner peace that I had never felt.
Chap Bryan asked me to help him streamline the process of helping people with the life necessities and spiritual growth. We came up with a very simple program that in a matter of minutes let him know what to focus on for each individual. We had many successes in the short time we implemented the program. It was met with resistance by others but Chap still moved forward with it every day. I am so proud that I was allowed to be a part of his mission.
In short, Chaplain Bryan gave me my life back. I have an inner peace and self worth that I’ve never had to this extent in the past. I have found a higher power that I let guide me and steer my life in the direction it’s supposed to go. Chap Bryan also helped me to get back the job that I love by talking with the owner of the company on my behalf. I am currently in a sober living house that he helped secure for me. I have complete faith that if I ever need anything he will be there for me as well. The biggest thing I have gained from meeting Chap Bryan is he is a man that is truly my brother and best friend. I am forever indebted to this man!
---David M.
Is 30-day Rehab Enough?
Though it’s what most treatment centers have based their therapy on, the 30-day drug and alcohol treatment model is just that – a model. There’s no proof that 30-days is a magic number for rehabilitation. Considering the number of people who relapse after these programs, there may be more evidence of their failings than their successes. The truth is, 30-days should be the beginning of a process that incorporates personalized recovery methods.
Treatment programs are most effective when they are part of a continuum of care. This is especially true of alcohol dependence, which is a chronic problem. Chronic issues need solutions that take time. Acute problems are treated more successfully with acute solutions, but all addictions are unique to the individual. Unless you get to the root cause of what’s fueling the addiction, relapse is almost guaranteed – and the root cause likely needs time for proper diagnosis.
How Individuals Can Stall Recovery
Most new research regarding treatment plans suggest that the 30-day treatment model is clinically inappropriate and perhaps even destructive for long-term recovery. One reason for this is that people who suffer from addiction need time to understand their illness. Most programs suggest that the first step toward recovery is admitting there’s a problem. For many, that alone takes time. Addicts abuse drugs and alcohol to protect themselves from certain painful truths; it is the nature of an individual suffering from addiction to conceal the reality of the problem and deny its existence.
Hopefully, those entering treatment programs understand that they need help – but even then, the vast majority of people have a shallow understanding of their problems and what led them to substance abuse. If an addict does become a patient in a treatment program, he or she will often construct barriers to control, inhibit, and eventually stop the treatment plan. For example, patients may amend treatment plans with conditional clauses that define the duration, nature, and setting of treatment.
How 30-Day Programs Can Set People Up For Failure
Common patient objections to longer programs include needing to return to their lives, families, and jobs as soon as possible – only to return to rehab after relapsing. Patients choose the path of least resistance and leave the 30-day recovery program feeling strong, but the failure rate in these situations is startling. Many come away with negative feelings about their treatment.
Patients are not entirely responsible for adopting this attitude toward recovery programs. Many underestimate the hold that addiction has on them, so they assume that the fastest treatment is the best. The 30-days to recovery is often viewed as just that – endure treatment for 30-days and you will achieve long-lasting recovery.
Because the 30-day treatment model is by definition limited, patients tend to limit their sobriety efforts during this one-month period. This compartmentalized drug and alcohol addiction treatment model does not give patients the tools that they need for long-term recovery – instead, it increases their likelihood of relapse and may tank their drive to become healthy again. Each seemingly failed attempt at a new life hurts future chances of change. ***NOTE – 30-day treatment programs CAN be very helpful and some individuals can achieve long-lasting recovery in the shorter rehab problems, though the chances of success are greatly increased at the 90-day level.
Why 90-Day Drug And Alcohol Treatment Programs Are A Better Choice
Like any chronic disease, time is crucial to healing. Addiction is no different, especially as more research suggests that addiction itself is a disease. The standard must shift from short-term addiction treatment to longer-term addiction treatment. New standards for treatment programs should have a minimum duration of 90 days and a desired course lasting a full year, beginning with a patient’s first day of recovery.
When you consider what is involved in addiction care, the 30-day model is simply too short to be truly effective. A full-year treatment plan composed of transitional levels may make the most sense and be the strongest defense against relapse. Treatment in this manner would consist of:
- Inpatient Detox
- Stabilization
- 30 days of Residential Rehabilitation
- 90 days to Nine Months of Extended Treatment
- Outpatient Care
- Post Care Groups
- Individual Therapy
Those participating in a 30-day treatment model may feel pressured to accomplish too much in too little time, leaving the highest intensity of treatment as the only option. A transitional model, on the other hand, offers a refreshing, multi-intensity level plan, resulting in a successful long-term outcome.
Longer Treatment Plans Increase Recovery Chances
A 30-day model ushers the patient through the rehabilitation process, but it neglects the recovery phase. The transitional level, long-term recovery model offers a continuum of care spanning over all phases of addiction, from rehab to recovery. Moreover, the transitional plan would help guide the patient through issues faced in early recovery in a safe clinical setting, as opposed to the 30-day treatment model that ends before the recovery phase ever begins. Unlike the 30-day treatment model, the transitional treatment model places a patient on track to be self-supportive, family involved, and career equipped.
Objections To A Long-Term Treatment Model
Some patients criticize a longer treatment model for being, well, too long. But addiction takes time to develop. Considering how long it takes to become dependent should give some people insight into what it will take for them to get clean. If patients are serious about long-term recovery, they must invest time for it.
Patients may object to treatment by claiming that it will impede their lives, careers, and families. But it will be much worse if they go for treatment and then fail. The best response to any of these objections is to tell the truth: that long-term addiction treatment is the best option for long-term addiction recovery. The more time people spend working toward an addiction-free life, the higher their chances of recovery are.
How 90-Day Models Are Different
The more we understand about addiction, the more it becomes apparent that time is crucial. In fact, The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) explained that recovering addicts show the most improvement at about three months of treatment. More treatment is better, but those first three months are crucial to healing.
Additionally, NIDA claimed 90-day addiction treatment programs should be the new standard for successfully treating substance abuse disorders. A 90-day addiction treatment model is necessary to experience substantial improvement. More time is better, but 90 days can mean real improvement – which isn’t really possible in 30-days.
If there are still skeptics of the 90-day model, consider the plethora of deeply rooted issues that lie under the surface of an alcohol addicts treated condition: traumatic life events, family breakdown issues, bi-polar, depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, personality disorders, and suicidal ideation. As we’ve mentioned, addiction doesn’t exist in a vacuum. What has lead a person down the path of substance abuse must be dealt with before treatment can truly begin. Uncovering such painful factors takes time.
What Is Treated During a 90-Day Addiction Rehab Program?
Addiction treatment in a 90-day rehab program can be provided for substance use disorders as well as behavioral addictions and, in some cases, eating disorders. These can include but are not limited to:
- Heroin addiction.
- Alcohol addiction.
- Marijuana addiction.
- Cocaine addiction.
- Prescription drug addiction.
- Bulimia.
- Anorexia.
- Gambling addiction.
- Sex addiction.
- Love addiction.
Treatment is available for other types of addictions as well. However, not every treatment program will be able to accommodate the full range of addictive disorders, so will be important to seek assistance from one that can tailor a program to specifically address your issues.
After you go through detox and rehab and prepare to reenter the world, it can be difficult to know what's next
For so long, your life has centered around drugs or alcohol, but when you have the opportunity to redo everything from scratch, it can be difficult to know how or where to begin. To help you stay sober, we’ve taken some common concerns about life after recovery and responded with advice from experts and people who have been in your shoes.
How can I repair the damage I’ve done at work?
When a substance use disorder has taken up your energy for a long period of time, it’s possible that your job performance suffered. Spending your time focusing on work can give you a renewed sense of worth and a way to fill your time. Remember, though, that being a workaholic can be unhelpful, too. You can easily burn yourself out or become so stressed that you to back to substances to cope.
Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, or other meetings can provide solace and a feeling of community on a regular basis. Also, T.R.Y Recovery Yoga, Reiki, and other meditations can also be an extra motivator. This way, you don’t feel as if you’re alone in your struggles or experiences. AA and NA will also help you find a sponsor, someone to turn to when you’re fighting cravings. Once you feel competent enough, you can also sponsor someone else, which many people find to be helpful with their own sobriety.
However, your whole life can’t revolve around work and recovery. You also have to have fun, which is still possible without substances. A recovering individual known as Meredith, says, “My idea of fun continues to change as I try different things and have new life experiences. I usually have the most fun with other people, doing things like playing volleyball, listening to live music, going on bike rides, playing board games, going to improv shows or the movies, bonfires, swimming, and taking day trips out of town. I am able to have fun when I am alone too, doing things such as yoga, baking, and do-it-yourself crafts. Ultimately, though, fun is about your attitude. I could probably have fun doing anything if I was with the right people and had a positive mindset or attitude.”
The rapper Eminem also battled with a substance use disorder that centered around painkillers. After he went through detox and entered recovery, he had trouble sleeping without using drugs. He began to run 17 miles per day and using exercise DVDs, too. This approach could work for you as exercise creates the endorphins that substances once supplied, and, if you join a class of some sort, you have access to a new social circle.
Ultimately, this is your decision. You’re the only one who can choose whether or not it’s in your best interest to spend time with people who continue to use. But bear in mind that a third of people in recovery relapse due to pressure from others.
Also, remember that people who still use might not like that you’re in recovery. They might feel rejected or guilty, and dealers won’t want to lose your business. If you do decide to keep seeing people who use, there are certain facts to keep in mind and certain skills you’ll have to practice:
- People who know you’re in recovery and continue to offer you substances do not have your best interest at heart.
- Learn how to say “no” immediately and convincingly.
- Practice saying “no” with a loved one in a way that doesn’t invite follow-up questioning
- Change the subject so the conversation doesn’t remain on drugs.
The rapper Eminem also battled with a substance use disorder that centered around painkillers. After he went through detox and entered recovery, he had trouble sleeping without using drugs. He began to run 17 miles per day and using exercise DVDs, too. This approach could work for you as exercise creates the endorphins that substances once supplied, and, if you join a class of some sort, you have access to a new social circle.
If you’re intimidated by the idea of trying to find a job after rehab, there’s less you have to worry about than you think. Know that the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act keep most employers from refusing to hire anyone because they’re in treatment for or in recovery from a substance use disorder unless the disorder would prevent the applicant from performing their job safely and competently.
Furthermore, employers are not permitted to ask whether or not a job applicant has ever abused substances, has had a substance use disorder, or is or has been in through rehab. However, an employer can rescind an offer of employment based on a positive drug screening, so be sure that you’re going into a job interview with a clean record, or paperwork noting the reason for any potentially positive results.
You also have the right to take medical leave for substance abuse treatment if you need it under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), but you must have been worked for a covered employer for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours in that time. Your employer also has to provide reasonable accommodations to help you with recovery alongside your job, including making a schedule that allows you to attend treatment.These laws only apply if you’re not currently using substances, so staying sober is key.
When you have a substance use disorder, your relationships (romantic and otherwise) will suffer. To mend them in your time of recovery, consider involving your loved ones in your treatment. Research has shown that when you do, the treatment itself can be more successful. It’s also important to remember that substance abuse disorders result in a loss of trust. To repair the relationship, you have to repair the trust. It will take time, and the amount of time varies from person to person.
“Honesty and open communication help to pave the way for a better relationship in the future, and one day, if both parties work at building a new foundation of trust, the wall between you will disappear. ”
When you enter recovery, it may be to your benefit to try moving into a sober living environment. Studies have shown that people living in such a house for a long period of time (between 15-17 months) saw higher attendance in educational settings, more days spent working, and more days spent taking necessary medications. Other studies have shown that the better your life in recovery is, the less likely you are to relapse.
Now that you know what has worked for others, you can apply it to your own life, taking what best fits you or what you’d like to try. Although life past addiction can be intimidating, hopefully now you can move forward with improved confidence, ready to fill your blank slate with new meaning.
If you would like to register to take advantage of the social services provided, please complete the e-mail form below. You can also contact us at: (800) 649-0925. We are here to provide comfort, guidance and support!
Additional Self-Care Resources:
© The Tuff Addiction Social Services ™ (TASS) AKA- "Addictions AfterCare Program" was created and developed by: Rev. Bryan Ostaszewski and TUFF Services Ministries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
(All Content Protected From Any Unauthorized Use)