Media & News:

Residence XII News Archive

Expansion planning update
In early fall Residence XII completed a fundraising feasibility study with the assistance of the Collins Group. The biggest take-away was that although Residence XII is viewed as a vital community resource, it is unlikely in the current economic climate that we could raise the more than $7 million dollars needed for our current expansion plans. The board and management team are now working on refining our expansion and fundraising strategies.

Fourth Annual Power of Recovery Luncheon
(image to right)
More than 500 people attended the Power of Recovery Luncheon on September 29, 2010 at the Bellevue Hyatt. The event raised more than $145,000 in support of Residence XII's mission to treat women and families facing the disease of addiction.
A second sober house
Another one of Residence XII's rental homes became available in the fall and it is being converted into a second sober house. The house should be ready early next year. The first sober house opened in July and has remained full.

Residence XII in the media (image to right)
A columnist for the New York Daily News cited Residence XII as one of three top notch gender specific treatment programs in the country. During October and November we also ran a radio and advertising campaign and saw a boost in Internet traffic and phone calls.
Kirkland City Council supports Recovery Month
Residence XII, Fairfax Hospital and Lakeside-Milam were recognized by the Kirkland City Council at its Sept. 1 meeting by signing a proclamation designating September as Recovery Month in Kirkland. Executive Director Sharon Chambers accepted the proclamation on behalf of Residence XII. You can view her acceptance at here (timeframe 1:02:16 to 1:08:05). FYI: Download time may be very slow.
2010 Nichols Leadership Award Winner – Mary Blackburn Ibach
For more than 35 years Mary Blackburn Ibach has pioneered services for families struggling with alcoholism and addiction, and on June 14 she received the Ann Nichols Leadership Award for excellence in the field of addiction treatment. Ibach’s many achievements and contributions to the field include:

• Treatment Director of The Promises in Yakima County, the first gender specific program in the nation that was specifically dedicated to treating chemically dependent adolescent girls.
• Helping to establish Residence XII’s second inpatient program in Vancouver, WA, where her clinical skills, leadership and great joie de vivre were unforgettable.
• Leading a program at Bellevue’s Evergreen Center for Family Therapy called “My Family, Myself” that helped hundreds of families learn about addiction and how to help a loved one in her own unique way.
• Establishing a Parent Support Group at Overlake Hospital providing alcohol and drug education and support to parents struggling with chemically dependent children.
Her peers and friends say Ibach personifies the best of women and the best of chemical dependency professionals. She has given much to improve the lives of women, girls, families and youth affected by alcoholism and drug addiction, and had made her unique footprint in the world of chemical dependency. More important, Ibach gives quietly, without ego or need for recognition.
Donations Needed for Residence XII Sober Living House
Residence XII is eagerly seeking donations of bedroom furniture for a sober living home slated to open in the next few months. The home is owned by Residence XII and is just adjacent to the facility. Until recently it was utilized as a rental property. Upon vacancy the Res XII Board decided converting the property into a sober living home was a great opportunity to further the organization’s mission of providing comprehensive services to meet the unique needs of women.
More details and other donation needs will be shared in upcoming communications. The most immediate need is for bedroom furniture, specifically:
• Single bed frames
• Side tables
• Lamps
• Chests of drawers
If you have any items to donate or questions, please call 425-823-8844.
Director's Corner Winter 2010: The What and Why of Parity Legislation
As we move through the holidays and winter, there is a great deal of publicity and political maneuvering occurring in an attempt to hammer out a comprehensive health care reform bill for our country. Less obvious is that this will also become the vehicle for the enactment of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. This sweeping legislation is intended to improve access to mental health and addiction treatment. A basic overview of the Wellstone/Domenici Parity Bill is as follows. (Read More)
Residence XII Receives “Exemplary” Accreditation from CARF
Recognizing the organization’s commitment to improving the quality of the lives of women served, CARF awarded Residence XII with a three-year accreditation in November of 2009. This is the first time Residence XII requested and received certification for mental health services in addition to alcohol and other drugs/addictions. CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, is an international organization which surveys facilities to ensure that they are fully and productively using professional standards to maintain and improve the quality of their programs. The survey is conducted by independent industry professionals who spend two days at each agency where they review procedures, systems and physical facilities as well as interview staff and patients.
Prescription Drug Abuse--A Growing Problem
For a number of years the abuse of prescription drugs has been making headlines as the general public learns of the consequences of taking these powerful medications. When we hear of people driving under the influence or committing domestic violence, we have assumed that alcohol was the problem, but now a growing list of celebrities admitting presciption drug abuse highlight this increasing social problem.
A Holistic Approach to Addiction Therapy: Yoga
For the past nine years Phyllis Moses has taught yoga to the patients at Residence XII. Her work is an important element of Residence XII’s holistic approach to the treatment of addiction in women. In March, Phyllis was asked to speak at the Annual Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research which is sponsored by the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
Recognized for "blazing the trail to show how it can be done"
Residence XII, an alcohol and chemical dependency treatment center in Kirkland, Washington, received a 2008 Science and Service Award from the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). The award recognizes exemplary implementation of treatment for mental illnesses or substance abuse. SAMSHA stated that Residence XII has “worked to improve [the] community and the lives of individuals by providing the best service possible.”

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2010 NICHOLS LEADERSHIP AWARD
Addiction among women is increasing. In the past few years women have been quickly closing the gap with men in alcohol and chemical dependency addiction. They are increasingly likely to drink and use drugs at earlier ages than ever before. Medical professionals now know that women progress more quickly towards addiction than men; research indicates this is due to hormonal differences and metabolism. For women, serious substance abuse-related diseases also develop more quickly. Yet women often experience more stigma and shame when attempting to deal with chemical dependency issues.

We are asking you to help recognize someone who has opened doors to women and families in need of chemical dependency treatment. The Nichols Leadership Award, named for its original endower, Ann Nichols, was created to honor an individual or organization working in the field of chemical dependency that has helped women and their families overcome addiction and embrace a life of recovery.
Third Annual Residence XII Luncheon: “Celebrate the Power of Recovery™”
The brand new ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue was the site of the Third Annual Residence XII Luncheon in September, 2009. Fifty Table Captains hosted a total of 500 guests while Roberta Romero, KING 5 Television news reporter and Residence XII alumna was Emcee. Guests were riveted by our client speaker, Stacy, who shared her personal story of addiction and recovery. A reporter from a local newspaper who was a guest at the Luncheon featured Stacy’s story in an article about Residence XII in the Kirkland Reporter newspaper.
The Holidays at Residence XII
The 2009 Candlelight Meeting at the North Kirkland Community Center was a wonderful success. The room was filled to capacity with 250 women in recovery—during the Sobriety Countdown we learned that there were over 850 years of sobriety in the room. We want to thank our wonderful speakers Val R, Shelli H, and Jane L. as well as the alumnae and staff for their skits.
Residence XII Quoted in Seattle Woman Magazine
Seattle Woman magazine recently published an article titled “Substance Abuse Programs Tailored for Women”. As the article states, scientific research has identified both biological and environmental factors that result in the development and progression of addiction, a disease that affects both the brain and behavior. Addiction often begins when use of a substance causes continuing problems in the woman’s life. As users seek out alcohol or drugs more often, they withdraw from activities and experience failed attempts to quit becoming increasingly dependent until the use is compulsive and outweighs any negative consequences. For women substance abusers issues are often very different than for men. Quoting Sue Ross from Residence XII, “Women-only programs provide a safe environment where women can address their alcohol and drug addiction without the shame or stigma found in co-ed environments.” Women have a mutual understanding of each others’ experiences particularly with respect to family life or parenting and women-only groups eliminates the caretaking role that women often assume in co-ed situations. The complete text of the article can be found at www.seattlewomanmagazine.com
Greta Kruger Receives Annual Nichols Award
On May 8, 2009 Greta Kruger received the Ann Nichols Leadership Award for excellence in the field of addiction treatment. Greta first became involved with Residence XII as a volunteer in 1981 and then worked at Residence XII South, Highline Community Hospital for nine years as Department Head. She later served as Outreach & Intervention Manager and is currently a Counselor, specializing in the treatment of Older Women.
Residence XII receives national recognition
(from the Business Watch section of the Journal Newspapers, 01/07/09)
Recognized for "blazing the trail to show how it can be done," Residence XII, an alcohol and chemical dependency center in Kirkland, Wash., received a 2008 Science and Service Award from the National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Woman works to help others fight chemical dependency
(from the Supplement to the Everett Tribune, November 2008)
Almost 10 months sober, Greta Kruger was looking for some volunteer work to keep her out of mischief. Friends urged her to call the founder and director of a new treatment center for chemically dependent women – and that was the beginning of a whole new career and life for Greta. While continuing her work as an Assistant Librarian she began to volunteer at Residence XII doing whatever was most needed. Over the course of three years she filled in as a night clerk, held luncheons to increase community awareness and networked with other treatment centers to educate them about the benefits of gender-specific treatment for women.
Stand Up and Be Counted
(by Jean Enersen, KING-5 News, 09/23/08)
Thirty years ago, few people talked openly about breast cancer. Now its an open topic. Today few people talk about their alcoholism, fearing being stigmatized. But it's known now that alcoholism is a disease. Like cancer, there is treatment. And like cancer there can be recovery.
Preventing Relapse: A Study Examining the Role of Mindful Body Awaressness
A major issue for women in chemical dependency treatment is the link between relapse and a history of interpersonal life stress. A remarkably high proportion of women entering chemical dependency treatment have experienced traumatic violence such as physical, sexual and verbal abuse, resulting in life stress. A recent study reported that 89% of women entering chemical dependency treatment had a history of such trauma. Additionally, authors Herman and Aposhyan suggest that chronic pain complaints may be the physical manifestation of trauma, resulting in a possible overlap of these health issues.
Recovering hope: Residence XII helps restore lives devastated by addiction
(by Cathy Herholdt, Journal Newspapers, 03/04/08)
Virginia kept a secret that burdened and isolated her for two and a half years. No one knew, not even her husband. The middle-aged Eastside woman found herself in the emergency room one Sunday, on death's door. That's when the secret came out—Virginia was an alcoholic.