Dear Hossein,
March 4, 2022
I am closely following your communication with Dr. George Kolodner and am quite delighted with these communications so far.
My very best wishes to you for the Dideban celebration week and the coming celebration of Nouruz and Ramadan. I know these are important milestones in the life of the Congress 60 community and periods of renewal and celebration of life. I hope that COVID concerns have lowered to the point that these gatherings can once again be fully appreciated.
I have reviewed my emails and comments on our earlier blogs to identify the most frequently asked questions about Congress 60 that we have not addressed in our earlier writings. Attached is a preliminary list of these questions. The list indicates the high level of interest in Congress 60 among readers of my blogs and papers. Feel free to respond to these a few at a time like we have done before and perhaps we can weave these into another blog that we can post in 2022. There is no hurry on these as I will not begin posting blogs again until April or May. I will continue to review my past emails and add other questions in the coming weeks.
I am doing well and continuing to do what I can to support many of the recovery community organizations here in the U.S. and in other countries. It is quite inspiring to see so many recovery initiatives rising around the world. Just this week, I received a photo of a recovery parade in Japan through which individuals in recovery and their families and allies marched to demonstrate that recovery was possible and life transforming. That is remarkable in a culture in which so much shame has historically been attached to addiction.
As I write this I do so with a wounded heart to see war again breaking out in the world and all the suffering and death that inevitably brings. I hope a day will come when such strife and conflict will be an artifact of history and we will all find a way to live with each other in peace.
Please extend my warm regards to your family and to all members of Congress 60.
Friends and Brothers Forever,
Bill
Questions for Hossein for Possible use in 2022 Blog Interview
How do people in need of help get to Congress 60? Is Congress 60 involved in assertive outreach and community education? What portion of referrals to Congress 60 come from physicians or other health and human service organizations?
Is there a waiting list to participate in some branches of Congress 60?
How quickly can people begin participation in Congress 60?What percentage of Congress 60 members have tried other methods of treatment before coming to Congress 60?
Can people who were once involved with Congress 60 but later experienced addiction recurrence return for participation in Congress 60?
If so, are there any special approaches to their treatment?
May people who are prescribed medication for other psychiatric medications fully participate in Congress 60? If so, are such medications continued during the DST treatment?
What percentage of people who begin participation in Congress 60 complete the DST method?How long do people remain involved with Congress 60 after completion of DST treatment?
Does Congress 60 provide any formal mechanisms of continued recovery support such as telephone checkups, alumni support groups, or participation in Congress 60 social activities?
How many salaried staff does Congress 60 employ?
Could the methods of Congress 60 be adapted for use within other addiction treatment or health care agencies? Has this been done before?