Connecticut Clearinghouse is a library and resource center for information on substance use and mental health disorders, prevention, health promotion and wellness, harm reduction, treatment and recovery, and other related topics. | |
NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS MONTH | |
This National Homelessness Awareness Month, Connecticut Clearinghouse invited Mollie Machado, Behavioral Health Program Manager from DMHAS Housing and Homeless Services, to provide a presentation on housing and homeless services in Connecticut. If you missed it, you can view the recording online at www.ctclearinghouse.org/webinars. | |
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The Homeless and Housing Resource Center offers no-cost webinars, training courses, toolkits, fact sheets and other resources. | | | |
Available Soon at Connecticut Clearinghouse | |
GUARD AGAINST COPD AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE | |
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition caused by damage to the airways or other parts of the lung, making breathing difficult. Smoking is a leading cause of COPD. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, quitting can slow the progression of COPD. | | |
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Younger Adults: Prevention is Key | COPD is less common in younger adults, but it’s never too early to protect your lungs. The most important way to prevent COPD is to not smoke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 75% of people with COPD have a history of smoking. Exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust from the environment or workplace can also increase your risk. | | |
Middle-Aged Adults: Know the Symptoms and Seek Help | Most people are 40 or older when COPD symptoms start. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and fatigue. These are not just signs of getting older, and they’re not the same as seasonal allergies. | If you have symptoms, ask your healthcare provider if you should be tested for COPD. Discuss your smoking habits, family history of COPD, and long-term exposure to lung irritants. Your healthcare provider may recommend lung function tests or imaging to diagnose COPD | | |
If you smoke, get help to quit. You don’t have to go it alone. Family, friends, your healthcare provider, and support groups can all lend a hand. | | |
If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do to slow the progression of COPD and is an important part of COPD treatment plans. Ask your provider about options for quitting. | | |
Older Adults: Take Steps to Manage COPD | Older adults are at greater risk of COPD. If you’ve been diagnosed, follow your treatment plan and take medicines as prescribed. | Lifestyle changes can help people with COPD breathe better. Talk to your healthcare provider about pulmonary rehabilitation, a personalized treatment program that teaches COPD management strategies. Ask about an eating plan that will meet your nutritional needs and what types of physical activity you can safely do. Stay up to date with vaccinations against flu, pneumonia, and COVID-19. | | |
Select Resources Available at Connecticut Clearinghouse | |
SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE LOSS - NOVEMBER 23 | |
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The aftermath of a loved one’s suicide can be full of confusing and painful emotions. You don’t have to cope with your loss alone. There are support groups specifically for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. If you’re struggling, the 988 Lifeline is available to provide support. | AFSP's video series, Living with Suicide Loss, serves as a valuable resource for individuals who have experienced loss, as well as for those seeking guidance on how to support survivors of suicide loss through their grieving process. | | | |
New Resources Available at Connecticut Clearinghouse | |
CHANGE THE SCRIPT RESOURCE VAN | |
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The Change the Script Resource Van meets people where they are to provide them with:
- Medication lock boxes and Deterra pouches to support the safe storage and disposal of medications.
- Harm reduction materials such as naloxone and test strips for fentanyl and xylazine.
- Educational materials on substance use and mental health disorders, prevention, health promotion and wellness, treatment and recovery, and other related topics.
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Contact Connecticut Clearinghouse to order pamphlets & posters, borrow books, ebooks, curricula or DVDs.
We offer mail or pick up. Interlibrary loan is now available. Check with your public library to see if they participate.
Note for libraries: our deliverIT Route is D-152, c/o Plainville Public Library. Please write "Connecticut Clearinghouse at Wheeler" in the Remarks on the slip.
Call 800.232.4424 or 860.793.9791.
Click here to order online.
Click here to download Fact Sheets.
Browse our Library Materials here
View our Recorded Webinars here
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Has your email address changed? Would your co-worker like their own subscription? Click Here | |
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sConnecticut Clearinghouse is funded by the Connecticut Department
of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
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