A Community Fighting Back Against Alcohol Addiction -- San Antonio

---

Reducing the rate of alcohol related fatal crashes is something the local police or government cannot do on their own.  The most effective way to reduce the incidents of these deaths is through community-wide interventions as well as environmental strategies to reduce alcohol availability. The National Institutes of Health reports that researchers have studied the statistics of communities that have received "fighting back" grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and have seen the positive effects of community involvement. The Robert Wood foundation has had a clear goal for the last 35 years ...

To help society transform itself for the better.

San Antonio is one such community that received a "Fighting Back" grant and implemented a comprehensive system of substance abuse prevention. With that grant they were able to make a drastic impact on the city, its residents and future residents who will call Alamo city their home.  Mark Houston Recovery was built upon the principal of fighting back. The dedicated professionals there who work day in and day out against alcohol addiction and alcohol relapse prevention have had their own personal stories of fighting back. Mark Houston himself fought back from his addictions and has since dedicated his life to helping others with alcohol addiction fight back. Most importantly as you journey on your road to recovery you'll know that this is not a fight you'll have to battle alone. Mark Houston Recovery will be there with you.

Alcohol Relapse Prevention -- Community Style

From 1990 to 2003 San Antonio implemented Fighting Back® to amazingly positive results. Of the many things the city, the community and the citizens got to see first hand was:

• An establishment of more than 79 community organizations and funding for more than 400 organizations for programs that specifically dealt with community problems like alcohol addiction, substance abuse and drunk driving.
• A 22 percent decline in alcohol-related crashes involving Blood Alcohol Concentrations (BAC)
• Increased awareness and demand for substance abuse treatment
• A decreased percentage of crime in the targeted area of the program (southeast San Antonio) from 1992 to 1998

All of this due to the concerted efforts of community organizations, local law enforcement, city government and local residents who having dealt with the damage of alcohol addiction and drug abuse in their community was able to make a change for the better. Mark Houston Recovery wants to help you make a change for the better. We know you've tried alcohol rehab centers, or maybe you haven't because you're too apprehensive. We like the community of San Antonio recognize your desire to get better and we'll support you and help you the best way we can.

A Personal Story About Fighting Back

Many times with programs like Fighting Back® there are also great personal stories of triumph. Like the story of 24-year-old Darryl Boyce who started as a volunteer with the program and eventually became an employee. Moving from Manhattan, Darryl grew up surrounded by a family of drug addicts and alcoholics who had tried and failed at treatment and alcohol rehab centers and Darryl himself had been involved in gangs. The program changed his life and his way of thinking. "Before I met Fighting Back, I had to watch my back, basically. I was doing a lot of wrong. Now that I'm here, I'm a little bit more educated to what's going on. I know what affects my community. I know what affects me as a person." Mark Houston Recovery knows Darryl's story because many of the people you will work with have experienced similar stories. But like Darryl, they decided to make a change and now they're here to help you make a change. 

About San Antonio

San Antonio makes it easy to remember the Alamo because the city is there to remind you of this great American battle for freedom. Home to this historic shrine of Texas liberty the second largest city in the state and it's almost 2 million residents enjoy a unique architecture and layout because of the city's status as a historic urban center. Named after the Italian Saint Anthony of Padua the city's continuing population growth has given rise to plans for annexing another 40 square miles by 2009. Nestled in the heart of downtown is the Alamo shrine and despite the city's many other attractions (River Walk, Night In Old San Antonio) is its most well know known landmark.  In recent history this home city for the San Antonio Spurs was a temporary home  for the New Orleans Saints after Hurricane Katrina.  San Antonio is also one of the few cities in the U.S. that has very strong military presence with several bases located there including  Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Houston and Randolph Air Base. With both a modern feel and a historic appearance San Antonio can truly call itself cultural gateway to the southwest.