FLORIDA: DIGEST OF THE JENNIFER ACT A bill to be entitled- Florida The Jennifer Act An act relating to substance abuse services; providing a short title; amending s. 28.241, F.S.; providing a reduced filing fee for involuntary admissions proceedings under the Marchman Act; providing for distribution of proceeds; amending s. 397.321, F.S.; requiring that the Department of Children and Family Services strive to ensure that there are secure facility beds available to each county in the state in sufficient quantity to meet the normal demand from that county; amending ss. 397.321 and 397.332, F.S.; transferring specified duties and responsibilities for oversight of providers of substance abuse services from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Office of Drug Control; providing for a type two transfer of specified duties from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Office of Drug Control; amending s. 397.6797, F.S.; increasing the time allowed after an emergency admission for an assessment of the need for further treatment; amending ss. 397.6772, 397.6773, and 397.6798, F.S.; conforming provisions to the increase in the period allowed for assessments; amending s. 397.754, F.S.; specifying requirements for initial processing of inmates by the Department of Corrections for substance abuse needs; providing that, to the fullest extent possible, inmates be given the choice between faith-based and non-faith-based substance abuse programs; providing an … [Read more...]

A lot of people have been contacting me and asking me how they can support my efforts of The Jennifer Act. I have business cards, postcards and car decals to mail anyone who is interested in supporting The Jennifer Act. As a con·stit·u·ent, let your state elected legislators hear from you! Thank you for your support. Meaning of Constituent: any one of the people who live and vote in an area : a member of a constituency ▪ She's pledged to help constituents. ▪ Many senators have received calls from constituents who want them to vote in favor of the law. 2 : one of the parts that form something … [Read more...]

Hello Friends, Dr. Drew from CNN is looking for a family who is currently in crisis of substance addiction and in need of help and direction. Dr. Drew will be helping families tomorrow night on the air. If you would like to be a part of Dr. Drew's show tomorrow night (April 26, 2011) Please contact: Mr. Bill Hinkle at: Email: Bill.Hinkle@Turner.com I also have the phone contact if you need it. This is a wonderful opportunity for a family to receive help and direction from Dr. Drew! Please contact the Dr. Drew show as soon as possible. There is help and hope for you or your loved one. Sharon Blair SharonBlair3@gmail.com Dr Drew's Facebook Page Dr Drew's CNN Page … [Read more...]

I wrote this poem when Jennifer was alive and heavily addicted. I knew without long term treatment, she was not going to live. I was right. She died, Jan.15, 2009 at age 29. The Dealer fighting the enemy for just a penny rebuking the dealer who is a stealer of my child's soul It takes it's toll, the climb is steep a mother weeps yet there's more where is the joy in this sorrow to the dealer may I borrow my precious child for just one day to have her back I will gladly pay to see her smile she used to laugh and roller skate there was no hate what have you done to my little girl whose heart was pure with a blonde pony tail what used to be is no more satan has filtered through the door I wait for a call a knock on the door it is over now the dealer won he stole my child it weighs a ton BY: Sharon Blair Prayer:Lord, thank You that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we always have hope for today and tomorrow. Give us strength to share that hope with the world throughout the year. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. When you were dead in your sins … God made you alive with Christ" (Colossians 2:13) … [Read more...]

By Associated Press, Tuesday, April 19, 10:01 AM Please read this. I have worked for 2 solid years on this very issue since my daughter, Jennifer died- Jan.15, 2009 at age 29 in Largo, FL. I am working very hard on legislation to address this epidemic in America! Your support of The Jennifer Act is very much appreciated. It is a matter of life and death! In Indiana: Senate Bill No22. Sharon Blair MIAMI — The White House drug czar wants doctors, states and law enforcement working harder to stop America’s deadliest drug-abuse problem: highly addictive prescription painkillers. They are killing more people than heroin and cocaine combined as they foster a slew of illegal “pill mill” clinics centered in Florida. The federal government on Tuesday announced its first-ever comprehensive strategy to combat the abuse of oxycodone and other opioids, aiming to cut misuse by 15 percent in five years. That goal may sound modest, but it would represent a dramatic turnaround: Emergency room visits from prescription drug overdoses doubled from 2004 to 2009, when they topped 1.2 million, according to federal health officials. ( Alan Diaz / Associated Press ) - In this April 15, 2011 photo, a protester carries a sign protesting against a pain clinic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Florida is the epicenter of the deadly rise in abuse of oxycodone and similar addictive painkillers, with doctors in the Sunshine State prescribing far more of the drugs than all other states combined, according to the … [Read more...]

On Sun, Apr 17, 2011 at 2:51 PM, Miriam beck wrote: Hi Sharon First of all i want to say im so sorry for your loss ,i am currently studying loss and grief at college in the uk and i was wondering if it would be possible if you could compile an e-mail for me to read out to read to the class ,my group is currently researching "coping with the loss of a child as a result of addiction" i understand there are groups currently available in the uk and services but after visiting your web page and seeing the comments and advice you have given to people its amazing that such a tragedy (and a long difficult one)can become a positive for other people ,and although addiction is difficult and stressful usually for the people who aren't addicted id like to have your view on how you came to turn your devastation around into helping others ,ive visited a few web pages and contacted a couple of groups but people are somewhat angry still ,i think you are an inspiration and i think its very selfless of you to be able to put your own anger at your loss aside to help and understand other people . ill understand if you are jut too busy but i think it would be beneficial in the learning process if we had your thoughts and take on it,i was going to have a speaker come in and speak for us but i would like to have you as my speaker ,ill just read out what you have to say , the talk would include things like personal statements,from the beginning of emotional rollercoaster,what … [Read more...]

The 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan expands upon the Obama Administration's National Drug Control Strategy and includes action in four major areas to reduce prescription drug abuse: * Education [prevention]. A crucial first step in tackling the problem of prescription drug abuse is to educate parents, youth, and patients about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs while requiring prescribers to receive education on the appropriate and safe use, and proper storage and disposal of prescription drugs. * Monitoring [enforcement, prevention and treatment]. Implement prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in every state, and enhance PDMPs to make sure they can share data across states and are used by healthcare providers. * Proper Medication Disposal [prevention]. Develop convenient and environmentally responsible prescription drug disposal programs to help decrease the supply of unused prescription drugs in the home. * Enforcement. Provide law enforcement with the tools necessary to eliminate improper prescribing practices and stop "doctor shoppers" or drug-seeking behavior. Copy and Paste this into your browser. http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/prescriptiondrugs/index.html … [Read more...]

My daughter, Jennifer, died 2 years ago, Jan.15, 2009 at age 29. People frequently ask me on my website about grief, grieving, loss and so on It is a very individual experience and process for each person. Some seem to heal faster or quicker, some it takes longer. The important thing is to process grief and experience grief in a healthy way that is best for the person in mourning. No one can tell another person how to grieve, how long to grieve, what to do, etc. I guide people with what has influenced me the most and what has improved my state of mourning and deep loss. By sharing this with others (only when asked) I find it is healing for me and for others who are asking. I know a Mother's heart beak whose child has died. That is a fact that I do know. Mothers who have not buried their kids and have never seen their kids dead, do not know what this experience is like. When I first drafted The Jennifer Act, I did not know that I would be asked about grief and loss. God had several plans for The Jennifer Act and this is one of the ministries I touch on, with tenderness and empathy. Sharon Blair (Founder of The Jennifer Act) … [Read more...]

On my website, I hear from mainly two groups of people. A.) Families who are in crisis of a loved one addicted to illegal drugs, prescription pain medications (opiates) or alcohol B.) Families whose family member has just died from a drug/alcohol overdose and they want to help me support The Jennifer Act so their grief and agony of death to substance abuse does not happen to another family. - The addicted need help to overcome their addiction. The opiate addicts need a place to detox (withdrawal) from their opiates, (including methadone) and the alcoholic need to DT from alcohol in a monitored facility. Many addicts and alcoholics are indigent. With that being said, having assistance/ATR Vouchers for substance treatment services is a huge step in getting an addict/ alcoholic the help they need. Step one is detox and withdrawal. An addict fears "dope-sickness" and an alcoholic fears the shakes, tremors and sickness. This is what keeps the addicted/alcoholic in their self destructive cycle. My goal is to bring this subject to the light with information, education and legislation to assist those who are in a life and death crisis. Death did occur to my daughter, Jennifer Reynolds, Jan.15, 2009. She died of an accidental overdose after suffering with the disease of addiction for many years. Thank you for your help and support of The Jennifer Act. We can do more to intervene and save lives. This is my advocacy, to save lives. Access to Recovery According to the … [Read more...]

Drug czar: Many needed to combat pill abuse | The Associated Press | News | Washington Examiner.   The Obama Administration's Public Health Approach to Drug Policy http://www.huffingtonpost.com/r-gil-kerlikowske/the-obama-administrations_1_b_816786.html Please read this [click and paste into your browser] and do all that you can to support The Jennifer Act. … [Read more...]