Our Mission
We give people, especially youth, the knowledge and tools they need to make better-informed and more positive life choices.
The Center for Humanistic Change is prepared to help support you and our community during the COVID-19 crisis. Our primary concerns, like yours, are the safety, health, and well-being of our dedicated staff, contractors, and those with whom we engage. For this reason, we are suspending the delivery of programs on-site and instead will offer those programs remotely, using virtual platforms.
We’re able to do this thanks to the forward-thinking commitment and unfailing support of Lehigh and Northampton Counties, as well as other funders, who recognize the value of our services and who want to ensure that Lehigh Valley residents remain healthy emotionally, as well as physically. Toward that end, we are offering selected courses to students, faculty, business and community staff/groups, and parents/individuals, remotely and at no cost to you. The courses, which are available to individuals or small groups, will be offered in 30-, 45, or 60-minute segments.
To schedule a program, simply email preventioncoordinator@thechc.org or call 610-443-1595 to leave a voicemail message in the general mailbox. One of our staff will get back to you to discuss your needs and arrange a time to deliver the program to your students or members of your team. For single-session video options, please click this link to our website: COVID-19 Online Programs and Resources. We will be posting them as they are recorded.
Please know that we’re here to support you during these unprecedented times. Brighter days are coming. Until then, be safe.
Sincerely,
Arlene J. Lund
Executive Director
POLICY UPDATE
Nonprofit organizations are on the front lines addressing this pandemic, but we are also at risk due to evaporating revenue, new demands, and major disruptions in charitable giving.
Tell your member of Congress to provide emergency aid to nonprofit organizations in any COVID-19 legislation, including expanding charitable giving and providing organizations with grants, loans, and tax credits.
Visit the Independent Sector Policy Action Center to tell your legislators that Congress must provide emergency aid to nonprofit organizations and help secure billions of dollars in critical funding for our communities.
555 Union Boulevard, 2nd floor, Suite #7, Allentown, PA 18109
(across from PA Department of Human Services)
Parking and entering is in the rear of the building. Enter under "Auditorium" sign.
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Please click on the yellow strip at the top of this page to see our latest videos.
We have an immediate need for Independent Contractors/Group Facilitators, especially folks who have daytime availability. For more information: https://www.thechc.org/about_us/employment/
We give people, especially youth, the knowledge and tools they need to make better-informed and more positive life choices.
We believe that, given the right tools, individuals and groups can make positive choices and positive changes. Click here to learn more.
Our programs are designed to further our mission and provide much needed services for our constituents.
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Fundraisers and events help us raise awareness and generate crucial resources to serve our community. Join us at our next event and see how you can get involved.
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The Wolf Administration is encouraging Pennsylvanians to review the expiration date of their prescription medications, including NARCAN, a brand of the lifesaving overdose-reversal drug naloxone. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the extension of the shelf life of NARCAN Nasal Spray from 24 months to 36 months.
“We are committed to ensuring that naloxone is widely available to help those with the disease of addiction,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Naloxone has one role, and that is to save someone who is suffering from an overdose. It is essential that every Pennsylvanian consider obtaining naloxone to help save a life.”
Since 2014, Dr. Levine has signed standing orders related to naloxone for the public, first responders and most recently a standing order for community organizations to distribute naloxone through mail order. Additionally, the Wolf Administration has sponsored two public giveaway events as part of Stop Overdose in Pennsylvania: Get Help Now week, where nearly 10,000 kits of naloxone were distributed.
“Naloxone has been a key component of battling the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania,” said Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jen Smith. “The Wolf Administration has worked hard to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to naloxone, are trained to safely administer the drug and potentially save a life.”
Launched in November 2017, the Naloxone for First Responders Program provides NARCAN to priority first responder groups across the Commonwealth utilizing a network of Centralized Coordinating Entities (CCEs). Since inception, CCEs have distributed more than 67,000 kits of NARCAN to first responder groups, resulting in more than 15,463 reported overdose reversals to date.
“The news that the FDA has approved NARCAN’s shelf-life is most welcome, as it ensures that the naloxone that we have already distributed can be relied upon to combat overdoses for an additional year,” said Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Executive Director Michael Pennington.
The Opioid Command Center, established in January 2018 when Gov. Wolf signed the first opioid disaster declaration, continues to meet each week to discuss the opioid crisis. The command center is staffed by personnel from 17 state agencies, spearheaded by the departments of Health and Drug and Alcohol Programs.
Earlier this month, the Opioid Command Center released its strategic plan, highlighting accomplishments to date and providing a roadmap for the continued work to help those with substance use disorder. The plan, available here, includes five goal areas: prevention, rescue, treatment, recovery and sustainability.
Efforts over the past several years, working with state agencies, local, regional and federal officials, have resulted in significant action to address the opioid crisis.
The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) has reduced opioid prescriptions by 34 percent and has virtually eliminated doctor shopping.
The number of people receiving high dosages of opioids (defined as greater than 90 morphine milligram equivalents per day) has dropped 53 percent since the PDMP launched in August 2016.
The Opioid Data Dashboard and Data Dashboard 2.0 has provided public-facing data regarding prevention, rescue and treatment.
11 Pennsylvania Coordinated Medication Assisted Treatment (PacMAT) programs are serving as part of a hub-and-spoke model to provide evidence-based treatment to people where they live, with just under $26 million dedicated into the centers.
More than 45 Centers of Excellence (COE), administered by the Department of Human Services, provide coordinated, evidence-based treatment to people with an opioid use disorder covered by Medicaid. The COEs have treated more than 32,500 people since first launching in 2016.
The waiver of birth certificate fees for those with opioid use disorder has helped more than 4,800 people, enabling easier entry into recovery programs.
A standing order signed by Dr. Rachel Levine in 2018 allowed EMS to leave behind more than 2,400 doses of naloxone.
Education has been provided to more than 6,600 prescribers through either online or face-to-face education.
882 drug take-back boxes help Pennsylvanians properly dispose of unwanted drugs, including 178,540 pounds of unwanted drugs in 2019.
The Get Help Now Hotline received more than 39,000 calls, with nearly half of all callers connected directly to a treatment provider.
The state prison system has expanded their Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program which is viewed as a model program for other states.
A body scanner pilot project was successful in reducing overdoses and violent crime in community correctional facilities. Body scanners are in place in more than 30 locations and are currently being expanded to additional facilities.
Several agencies have worked together to collaborate on the seizure and destruction of illicit opioids across Pennsylvania.
Education and training on opioids have been provided to schools. Future plans are in place to make opioid education a standard component of their school-based training.
The coordination with seven major commercial providers has expand access to naloxone and mental health care, while also working to make care more affordable.
Naloxone has been made available to first responders through the Commission on Crime and Delinquency, with more than 63,400 kits made available and close to 12,700 saves through that program. More than half of those saves, 6,633, occurred in 2019.
EMS have administered close to 42,300 doses of naloxone and more than 10,000 doses were made available to members of the public during the state’s naloxone distribution last year.
More information on the opioid crisis can be found on the Department of Health’s website at health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
CHC’s Board Member, Ken Charette, and Director of Development, Theresa Krohn, were selected by Lehigh Valley Business as the recipients of the 2020 Forty Under 40 Award. This award is given to 40 young professionals in the Greater Lehigh Valley chosen for their contributions to their companies, industries and communities. Each of the honorees was selected for his or her commitment to business growth, professional excellence and the community. An independent panel of judges reviewed the nominees and gave them scores based on their achievements.
Ken and Theresa will be recognized at the Forty Under 40 awards reception and ceremony on Wednesday, April 22 at Bear Creek Resort. The event is sponsored by DeSales University’s ACCESS and Master of Business Administration programs. They will also appear in the Special Publication of the Forty Under 40 Awards in the April 20 Lehigh Valley Business publication.
Did you know Pennsylvania's overdose rate is higher than the national average? Anyone can become addicted. Anyone.
CHC is offering our HOPE for the Workplace program to all area businesses, small or large, at no cost. You can schedule this employee benefit for 2019.
Contact Pam James at 610-443-1595 or pjames@thechc.org.