Tis the Season of Gift Giving.....Or is it? The question of whether or not to accept gifts from clients is another complicated dilemma that challenges the minds of many a clinician. What is your policy about gift giving? What, if any, is your agency’s policy about gift giving? Here are some common answers I hear:

In his book entitled, Clinical Supervision in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling, David J. Powell---- states, “Indeed, forensic experts in the mental health field have concluded that high-quality clinical care, grounded in genuine empathy and alliance building, is the best form of malpractice prevention.”

With its glorious beaches, amazing mountains, fruit­ful valleys and many other attributes, thousands flock to ­California (also known as the Golden State) every year in pursuit of the American Dream. Unfortunately, it only takes a few days in the State’s Capitol to realize everything is not golden.  
After more than five years of significant budget deficits, the California Legislature and the Governor are polling at record lows, and residents are angry. California faced a $19.1 billion budget deficit at the start of the 2010-2011 budget year, and as this article went to press in August, the state had been operating without a budget for more than a month.

The Legislature has made billions of dollars in cuts over the past two years, and they are struggling to find more ways to cut. Some programs have been eliminated, and many that remain have been cut to the bone. In previous budgets, budget holes were closed by raising taxes and making cuts. However, Republican legislators that voted for budgets that raised taxes have been targeted and have seen their legislative careers end. These repercussions almost guarantee that Republicans will not support any new taxes in future budgets, thereby creating a “cuts only” budget scenario.

In addition to the revenue and cut standoff, California also faces a situation where, despite facing a $19.1 billion deficit, it isn’t in bad enough shape. A year ago, budget negotiations moved more quickly because California had to begin issuing IOUs. The reality of literally being unable to pay the State’s bills added pressure to find solutions to last year’s budget deficit. However, reports at press time indicated that California was still able to pay its bills and would not be operating in the red until October, without a budget in place.

Also, the State is receiving more revenue than was originally projected—though not nearly enough to solve the budget crisis—thus relieving some of the the urgency to pass a budget. One added pressure point would have been the reduction of state worker salaries to the federal minimum wage, which Governor Schwarzenegger ordered in June.  That issue is being fought over in the courts, and therefore, is not in effect.  Should the courts allow the state worker wages to be cut to federal minimum wage until the state budget is passed, the pressure will increase on Legislators to move more quickly to find budget solutions.  

Additionally, the Governor’s furlough program—which he declared to be effective beginning in August and lasting until the Legislature passes a budget—is more scaled back than previous furloughs, in that it does not affect revenue collection departments, nor does it include the 37,000 workers in six unions which have already reached labor agreements that include higher out-of-pocket employee pension contributions. The new three unpaid days per month furloughs will affect the remaining six unions who have not reached labor agreements with the Governor, accounting for approximately 150,000 state employees.

Essentially, California is in bad shape budget-wise. Unfortunately, things aren’t bad enough to create the necessary pressure for accomplishing a budget deal quickly. So, is it possible that we really could have a new Governor before a budget? Anything is possible, but in addition to the recently added furlough pressure, there is a political reality that makes that scenario unlikely: the November elections.

Incumbent lawmakers already face very low approval ratings, and heading into elections without a budget in place—meaning California is more than four months into a fiscal year without a budget—is not likely to please the voting public, and lawmakers know this.

There is no doubt California will survive and will regain its status as the Golden State.  The big question is: how long this process will take?  

Louie Brown is a partner in the law firm Kahn, Soares and Conway, LLP, and is the Government Relations Lobbyist for CAADAC.

In today’s workplace cultural competency is a must, not only because we are entering into a global economy, but because an increasing number of employees are entering into the workplace from a vast variety of cultures and geographic regions. With those new faces come different perspectives and unique ways of approaching leadership and workplace situations. Unless those different perspectives are understood and valued, an environment of distrust, confusion and fear threatens to erupt in the form of conflicts, lawsuits and communications breakdowns.

At its 30th Annual Conference (Sept. 30-Oct. 3), the California Association for Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (CAADAC) is pleased to announce a unique workshop and training, in which participants will learn that cultural competency requires not only an awareness of cultural differences, but also many other cultural competencies, including: cross-cultural communications skills, community development expertise and an awareness of social issues and contexts.

Through the use of films, role plays and a variety of experiential exercises and personal stories, participants will learn: how to turn judgments into curiosity; the art of inquiry instead of statements; the art of listening and responding; how to de-escalate a conflict within minutes; a variety of ways to reframe perceptions; and how past experiences influence perceptions and reactions.

The workshop will be conducted by nationally acclaimed lecturer and Master Diversity and Communications Trainer, Lee Mun Wah, a Chinese American community therapist, documentary filmmaker, Special Education educator, performing poet, Asian folkteller and author. He is also the Director of StirFry Seminars & Consulting, which works with corporations, government agencies, educational institutions and social agencies to facilitate diversity issues through healthy and authentic cross cultural relationships.

In 1993 Lee Mun Wah’s first film on Asian Americans, Stolen Ground, won the San Francisco International Film Festival’s Certificate of Merit Award for Best Bay Area Documentary. He also has received awards for his three-part film series, The Color of Fear, as well as his latest film, Last Chance for Eden, a two-part film series on racism and sexism. Most recently, Lee Mun Wah released his first book, The Art of Mindful Facilitation (2004).
Thousands across the United States and worldwide have attended his workshops and trainings, and in 1995, Lee Mun Wah was featured on Oprah Winfrey. Lee Mun Wah believes when we value others for their uniqueness and differences, then we enhance the possibilities for our children and ourselves.

Also at the conference, CAADAC will hold its Annual Presidents Dinner and Awards. Please be sure to submit nominations for the following awards listed: The Hall of Fame Award, The George C. Cobbs Jr Award, The James Fulton Award  and The Joseph A. Giannantonio II Award.

Rhonda Messamore, CADC II, ICADC is the Executive Director of the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (CAADAC).

The California Foundation for the Advancement of the Addiction Professional (CFAAP) is a foundation with a mission to advance the addiction profession in California by encouraging cutting-edge research and development, disseminating scientific and technical information and fostering peer support and reviews, while promoting the highest standards of education, quality treatment and prevention services in the state.
“California represents the highest number of addiction professionals in the nation and is currently experiencing a workforce crisis,” said Foundation Chair Warren Daniels. “It is time to develop our profession in a new, inventive and educated way.”

CFAAP’s board bases the premise and goals for the foundation on the current needs of the state. The foundation, an addiction research and development organization, does not identify or discriminate on constituency involvement. Interested individuals, agencies, institutions or groups may become involved and become sponsors/contributors. The organization—founded, in part, by the leadership of CAADAC—focuses its activities on the state of California, and educates professionals and the public to increase dialogue and elevate standards of care in addiction treatment, workforce development and in the peer review process.

CFAAP’s activities focus on the following:

Research and development
• Ensure that adequate federal funding is provided for research and development for addiction treatment.
• Work with professionals to encourage research collaborations to develop new technologies.
• Work with physicians, addiction professionals, institutions and medical societies to ensure that time and resources are provided to investigate new ideas and technologies.
• Provide information and assistance to physicians, addiction professionals, institutions and treatment centers on how to obtain available research and development funding.
• Provide forums for exchange of information and new ideas.
• Support and promote a research component in academic addiction studies programs.
• Provide awards for research and development specialists.

Dissemination of information
Organize, conduct and sponsor regional meetings with scientific and educational sessions and publish the proceedings, as appropriate.
Sponsor journal publications on clinical and scientific research in addiction studies.

Promote and sponsor the publication of textbooks and reports to act as mediums for standards and as primers for new subfields and specialties related to addiction studies.

Disseminate objective evaluations of new modalities and technology.

Develop and distribute, through electronic media (e.g., Internet bulletin boards, video tapes and compact disks), information on scientific and educational addiction profession endeavors and the activities of CFAAP.

Disseminate appropriate information for educating the public about the practice of addiction treatment.

Education
• Recommend standards for addiction profession curricula and promote non-graduate and post-graduate programs.
• Maintain a comprehensive database of programs in the addiction profession.
• Promote the establishment and quality assurance of treatment facilities to ensure a satisfactory level of clinical competence.
• Hold education courses at annual meetings and at joint meetings with other organizations and educational providers.
• Organize and sponsor local and regional workshops and symposia on addiction treatment, including implementation of new techniques.
• Compile databases with educational and technical source material.

CFAAP has contacted the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the California Office of Statewide Health and Planning Development Department, to gain their support for development of California’s addiction and prevention workforce. For more information, visit www.cfaap.org or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Rhonda Messamore, CADC II, ICADC is the Executive Director of the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (CAADAC).