January 15, 2009, my life changed forever. I was informed my beautiful daughter, Jennifer had died. I feared this day would come and it did. My life changed in an instant, the day Jennifer died. When I discovered Jennifer was suffering with a disease called Substance Use Disorder/Chronic Addiction, I started contacting doctors, treatment centers, therapists, and faith-based programs. I knew nothing about addiction. I only knew that certain drugs are addictive and that people die from these drugs. I learned a lot about drugs, addiction, substance treatment and relapse. I learned that people suffering from addiction, often times end up arrested, incarcerated and frequently fail at their attempts to get clean on their own will power. Most need professional help and treatment to recover. Jennifer was also a single parent to her precious only son, Trey Andrew Reynolds. We became legal guardians for our first grandson, Trey, because his father was not in his life the first 5 1/2 years of his life. Many times, grandparents become legal guardians for their grandchildren, when their parent is suffering with Substance Use Disorder. Jennifer was more than her disease. She was a beautiful person inside and out. She was a loving mother to her son, she was a loving and caring sister, daughter, granddaughter and friend to many. Her life, her suffering for 13 years with a Substance Use Disorder and her death changed my life. I prayed many prayers for Jennifer to … [Read more...]
CARA Family Day- February 28th thru March 1, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
May- 2016 I joined 129 other families across the country on Capitol Hill in D.C. who also lost a family member to overdose. We advocated for additional resources to address addiction and raise awareness of this disease. We had the opportunity to meet with Members of Congress and discuss this important issue. Thanks to Addiction Policy Forum, I will be attending the second annual CARA Family Day- Feb.28, 2017 thru March 1st, 2017 and on Feb.28th at 4:00PM, I will be testifying to our U.S. Congressman and sharing my daughter, Jennifer's story and advocate for other families who are directly affected by overdose and substance use disorder and share my support of CARA and ask for support of this life saving legislation. (**see letter below) Join us for CARA Family Day! The second annual CARA Family Day will be held this February 28th thru March 1st in Washington, D.C. Join hundreds of families across the country impacted by addiction, and advocate for additional resources to address addiction and raise awareness of this disease. Families will have the opportunity to meet with their Members of Congress to discuss this important issue. Learn more and register to attend TODAY at: http://www.addictionpolicy.org/carafamily-day-2017 Doc Feb 17, 2017, 10-27 AM(1) … [Read more...]
Happy New Year- 2017
The Jennifer Act sends warm wishes for a "Happy New Year"! As I take a look back to 2016, it was another productive year. I was honored to be invited by Governor Mike Pence, to be a special guest and attend the Governor's State of the State Address ceremony Jan.12, 2016 at the Indiana Statehouse. Raising Drug Awareness and Educating our youth has been at the top of the list for 2016. I have enjoyed working with the staff and students at local schools in Indiana for Red Ribbon Week. The kids are learning about substances, tobacco, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, self esteem, bullying and peer pressure. Educating Foster Parents about substance addiction and how it is a family disease was an important topic to cover. Presenting at the Attorney General's Drug Abuse Summit at the Indiana McKinney School of Law with State Representative Steve Davisson was one of the highlights of 2016. Receiving the Heroes for Recovery Award -2016 by MHAI (Mental Health America of Indiana ) was another highlight of this year. Lobbying for the CARA bill on Capitol Hill with 129 other families who lost their child to an overdose was another special moment of this past year (2016). I am appreciative to Addiction Policy Forum for organizing this in Washington,D.C. Participating with Lt. Governor Holcomb at the ground breaking ceremony in Indianapolis at Community East Hospital's new health wing (treating substance addiction and mental health) was another important … [Read more...]
Happy “37th” Birthday- Jennifer Marie Reynolds
Sending a heavenly birthday wish to my beloved daughter, Jennifer Marie Reynolds, born December 29th, 1979 at Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington, Indiana. Happy Birthday, Jen. I am comforted to know you are warmed by the radiant love and light of our Lord in your heavenly dwelling. In heaven there is no more pain, suffering or sorrow and your soul is at peace. Life goes on, but there is a great absence and void without you. Trey is 15 years old now and a freshman in high school. Even though we have been alienated from him, we look forward to the day he reunites with us, his family. I'm sure you would be so proud of him. You would be so proud to see Sarah, Nate and Josh as parents, raising their own children. Your nieces and nephews are beautiful children and growing up fast. I know one day, I will see you again in heaven. I have honored your life by sharing it with many others. Your life has helped many others, with passage of legislation, educating our youth and raising much needed awareness of mental health and substance disorders. I pray you are surrounded by heavenly angels and our LORD. Until we meet again, I'm sending you all of my love, ~Mom~ December 28, 2016 … [Read more...]
Christmas Message To My Grandson Trey- December, 21 2016
Dear Trey, Hello and Merry Christmas! I hope this Christmas greeting finds you well. You are always in our thoughts and prayers. Memories of Christmas' with you, always come up in our conversations. Thankfully, we have cherished photos and videos of you and your mother. I'm sure your life is busy as a high school freshman this year. We look forward to hearing from you. Enjoy a blessed holiday season and a Happy New Year! We will be heading to the Tampa Bay area January 1st to our home. Feel free to call me, text or email me anytime. My cell: (727) 542-5071 email: trey2years2001@yahoo.com sharon@thejenniferact.com Merry Christmas! Love you, Trey!! Grandma & Pop Pops … [Read more...]
From Sharon Blair- “Thank You” For The Heroes For Recovery Award- 2016
Thursday, December 15, 2016, I was presented with the Consumer Advocate- Heroes For Recovery Award-2016. This award is presented by MHAI (Mental Health America of Indiana) in partnership with Choices. Heroes are chosen by a selection committee. I am honored to receive this award and be recognized for my volunteer work to improve lives of others struggling with substance use disorder and my focus on drug prevention, education and legislation. This mission work is dedicated in memory of my daughter, Jennifer Reynolds, who struggled with a chronic substance use disorder (SUD) for over a decade. Jennifer was not able to overcome the brain disease called "addiction" and sadly died prematurely, January 15, 2009 in Largo, Florida. That day changed me life. Thank you to all who nominated me and to the committee who selected for the Indiana Heroes For Recovery Award-Consumer Advocate- 2016. I appreciate it. -Sharon Blair (Jennifer Reynolds Mother) Heroes For Recovery Awards Call for Nominations Luctor et Emergo - "I struggle and emerge". Everyday throughout Indiana, individuals from all walks of life struggle with the challenges of mental illness. And every day, countless unsung heroes work to help them emerge from those challenges. As Dr. William Menninger once said "Mental health problems do not affect three or four out of every five persons, but one out of one." Whether we struggle with mental illness and/or … [Read more...]
Dramatic Increases in Maternal Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
NIH -National Institute on Drug Abuse has some alarming stats of babies born addicted to heroin and opiates. We have cut down on the pill mills but that produced an increase in heroin use. This happens because pregnant mothers are addicted and do not want to experience withdrawal (dope sickness), so they will use heroin as a substitute/replacement for their prescription drug addiction. -Sharon Blair (Founder of The Jennifer Act) Text Description of Infographic Use of opiates during pregnancy can result in a drug withdrawal syndrome in newborns called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). A new study to determine the extent, context, and costs of NAS found that incidence of NAS is rising in the United States. There was a five-fold increase in the proportion of babies born with NAS from 2000 to 2012, when an estimated 21,732 infants were born with NAS —equivalent to one baby suffering from opiate withdrawal born every 25 minutes. Newborns with NAS were more likely than other babies to also have low birthweight and respiratory complications. The number of delivering mothers using or dependent on opiates rose nearly five-fold from 2000 to 2009, to an estimated 23,009. In 2012, newborns with NAS stayed in the hospital an average of 16.9 days (compared to 2.1. days for other newborns), costing hospitals an estimated $1.5 billion; the majority of these charges (81%) were paid by state Medicaid programs, reflecting the greater … [Read more...]
H.R. 6 – 21ST CENTURY CURES ACT
It's official! The President signed the CR, which included $500 million dollars to fight the opioid epidemic. The Senate passed the CR in a vote of 63-to-36, funding the federal government through April 28, 2017 ################################################################## H.R. 6 - 21ST CENTURY CURES ACT This week the US House of Representatives will consider H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes $1 billion dollars in grants for states to fight the opioid epidemic and related areas of addiction. The bill also includes key addiction, mental health, as well as criminal justice reform provisions. If passed, this legislation reinforces key principles in CARA around a comprehensive response and authorizes additional funding for communities. 7 WAYS THE 21ST CENTURY CURES ACT IMPROVES OUR RESPONSE TO ADDICTION Authorizes $1 billion dollars for states in grants to address addiction through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, prescription drug monitoring programs, opioid treatment programs, and other key components; Creates federal drug courts, which will help better serve the 6.8 million people involved in the federal criminal justice system; Encourages integration of care for substance use disorders with primary care for patients with mental and/or substance use disorders by making it a condition for state-level grant dollars; Creates a new program for alternatives to incarceration for individuals with substance … [Read more...]
Blessing Prayer- By: Sharon Blair
Dear Lord, Open doors so we can be a blessing. Show us someone today who needs a smile Put others in our path that You know need alittle more Help us Father, be your light. You know who needs a blessing A listening ear,a kind touch, A tear shed for another's pain. Isn't that what you want us to do? Help us Father, see a need. It's such a hurried world today, Lord slow us way down. We want to plant seeds of kindness, seeds of giving, seeds of helping, seeds of love. Show us how to look at all people as brothers and sisters in Christ. It is then that we can begin a blessing. A blessing comes in different ways~ a gift, a card, a visit, a call. A small act of kindness, is the best gift of all. You have put it on my heart to share this with others. Why? Beacause we forget that the little things mean so much. It's the little things that make such a big difference. It's about praying It's about visiting the forgotten, the sick, and those in jail, It's grieving with another. Open our hearts and minds today Stir us, Lord, to look alittle closer~ Help us to begin blessing others Amen~ Written By: Sharon Blair … [Read more...]
Nov. 20, 2016- The Holidays And Absent Family Members
The holidays are fast approaching and many memories come flooding back. We remember those loved ones who are no longer with us. Personally, In the past seven years, I have lost my daughter, Jennifer in 2009 and my grandson, Trey (Jennifer's only son) has been absent from our family since November- 2008. My daughter and my grandson are loved and dearly missed by me and our entire family. To lose a child to an accidental overdose is very tragic. To also be alienated from your grandson is a double tragedy. When your child dies and is a single parent, the other parent may choose to remove the child from their natural maternal grandparents after the death of other parent. By making this choice, the parent is also alienating the child from two loving Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and maternal Great- Grandparents. This is a very selfish choice for the child. To deny a child the love from extended family members is not considering the child's feelings and frankly is, cruel. You cannot replace childhood memories nor can your deny them a loving family without that affecting the child in the future. It's heartbreaking and confusing when a child's parent dies. It's doubly tragic when they also lose all of their family members at the same time. To my dear grandson, Trey Andrew Reynolds, (Yusuf Trey Ahmed), I want you to know you are always in my heart, always in my thoughts, and I am looking forward to the day you can re-connect with me and all of us again. I … [Read more...]
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