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Endorphin Power Company - Home of Social Invention

General

The Endorphin Power Company is dedicated to improving the lives of people with substance-dependence through the promotion of mental and physical health through exercise, energy consciousness and volunteerism.

History

Endorphin Power Company (EPC) is a nonprofit New Mexico corporation dedicated to the rehabilitation of homeless and substance-dependent people as well as their communities.Although EPC has long term objectives to solve some of the world's most challenging problems,as primary immediate focus is to positively impact the lives of these select individuals.

EPC is composed of highly motivated and creative staff and volunteers who are seeking holistic and long term solutions to endemic social problems. EPC was started by Sam Slishman, M.D., an emergency physician. Dr. Slishman was motivated to establish EPC based on his experience working with the underserved community in the University of New Mexico emergency department. EPC’s Executive Director, Steve Searfoss, has joined the EPC family in January 2009 and brings extensive organizational experience along with the goals of capturing key elements of EPC for future replication. Regina Gallegos joins the Board as Secretary having worked for EPC as the Programs Director for the past 3 years. The Honorable David Currier serves as EPC’s Treasurer and brings years of experience in business, having founded and developed Bound Tree Medical. He also served as a state level Senator in New Hampshire and sits on numerous additional boards.

Currently, every emergency department in Albuquerque provides care and shelter for homeless and substance-dependent individuals. These people often spend their nights on stretchers in emergency department (ED) hallways, exacerbating the chronic overcrowding of Bernalillo County EDs. Rarely do they receive useful care other than shelter and a place to metabolize their intoxicants. Generally, they are simply sent back to the streets once sober without receiving any meaningful rehabilitation. Most simply exit emergency departments until their next crisis brings them back.

At the same time, Albuquerque’s emergency departments receive minimal reimbursement to care for this population. For example, in 2003 the UNM ED collected roughly 15-20% of all the bills it sent out, and rarely are bills sent to Albuquerque’s indigent ever collected.

In addition, emergency department overcrowding results in prolonged wait times for the general public. In 2003, 15-21% of patients in the UNM ED waiting room actually left in frustration without ever being seen.

The primary goal of EPC is to create a center dedicated to basic care for the homeless and substance-dependent of Albuquerque. These populations benefit far more from minor medical care and basic nurture on the part of their caregivers, rather than the services offered within high tech emergency departments.

EPC was founded in March 2003 by Sam Slishman as a result of his experiences working as an emergency physician in the University of New Mexico emergency department (UNM ED). He felt that a treatment center was needed to care for substance-dependent and homeless individuals outside of the UNM ED. His primary aim was to provide better care for these individuals and to simultaneously decompress the ED, thus speeding care for the general public.

In February 2004, EPC decided that the former Charter Hospital on Zuni east of San Mateo would be ideal for such a purpose. However, the $4.5 million asking price was far out of reach. Luckily, EPC volunteers discovered that Bernalillo County was also looking to relocate their existing 26 bed social model detox center called Sobering Services. EPC volunteers subsequently assisted Bernalillo County to make the purchase by gathering neighborhood support. In July 2004, the former Charter Hospital was purchased by the County for $2.5 million and on October 21, 2005 Sobering Services was relocated and renamed “Metropolitan Assessment and Treatment Services” (MATS). EPC volunteers continue to meet with MATS leadership and the relationship with Bernalillo County continues to strengthen. In addition to gathering neighborhood support, EPC has assisted with development of MATS’ policies and procedures as well as transport protocols.

In August 2004, Dr. Slishman also introduced Bernalillo County to Ted Waterman who is a general contractor interested in helping Albuquerque’s homeless. Since their introduction, Mr. Waterman has donated 48 prefab housing units to the County to become transitional housing. In January 2005, EPC hired lobbyist Ed Mazel for $7,500 to help gather additional funds to construct the housing, ultimately resulting in $865,000 of capital outlay from the New Mexico State Legislature. Ed Mazel was hired by Bernalillo County in January 2006 resulting in an additional $850,000 of capital outlay for the project. Ultimately Bernalillo County opted to not use the units, but rather to build a new structure instead which was completed in October 2008. Assuring MATS’ success remains one of EPC’s primary objectives.

In parallel, while EPC volunteers gathered neighborhood support in March 2004, the owner of an 11,000 sq. ft. dilapidated church located across the street from the former Charter Hospital contacted Sam Slishman to express his support. He also offered to sell his church. EPC subsequently purchased the church for $330,000 through a real estate contract to serve as its headquarters and to build a community center for the general public, but geared particularly for helping MATS graduates to remain sober.

Since purchase in May 2004, EPC volunteers have been renovating the center. On October 29, 2005 EPC had its opening day. Regular AA, NA and other 12 step meetings now take place within the center as well as yoga classes, and other activities aimed at supporting the community and helping former inebriates to maintain sobriety.

In February 2007, construction began on EPC’s property to build transitional housing using 20 of Ted Waterman’s housing units. Construction was completed by December 2007 and the official opening ceremony took place on February 29, 2008. Since that time, EPC has gradually refined it’s transitional housing program called Endorphin Power University (EPU) which is structured around the 4 pillars of education, fitness, fellowship and service.

EPC’s organizational model places a strong emphasis on volunteerism while engendering dignity and compassion for the less fortunate. EPC's permanent staff are supplemented by its large pool of volunteers including doctors, nurses, techs, social workers, students, and many others who are eager to work night and day. In time, EPC's volunteers and staff will be composed largely of its target population. Working for EPC will be therapeutic in and of itself for many of MATS' and EPC's patients and guests.1

EPC’s operating budget for 2009 is roughly $140,000. These funds pay for mortgage, utilities, insurance and 8 staff each who are paid $500 per month, plus payroll and health insurance. Expenses including security, patient transport, and purchase of the County's detox facility are incurred by Bernalillo County government, under the direction of Mr. John Dantis and the County Commission. Deciding to collaborate with Bernalillo County was the most important step EPC ever made. By helping MATS to succeed and by assisting graduates of MATS to maintain their sobriety, EPC will realize its mission. In short MATS helps people to get sober, EPC helps people to stay sober.

Phases

Focus 1: Outreach Focus 2: Detox center (MATS) Focus 3: Community Center Focus 4: Housing Focus 5: Exercise Focus 6: Human power and other renewable energies –thinking outside the box

Programs

The Endorphin Power Company’s mission is dedicated to improving the lives of people, with special focus on the substance-dependent and homeless, thus alleviating many of the challenges faced by current emergency medical systems. Additional purposes are the promotion of mental and physical health through exercise, energy consciousness and volunteerism.

The community has welcomed EPC along with the Metropolitan Assessment and Treatment Services (MATS) detoxification center into the neighborhood. MATS is adjacent to EPC (across the street) and we have formed an incredibly potent collaboration. Anyone with an addiction related problem has somewhere to go. If someone presents to EPC intoxicated, he or she is escorted to MATS. Once discharged from MATS, newly sober individuals have EPC as a safe environment to help them establish sober friendships.

The Community Center launched October 29, 2005 serves Metropolitan Assessment and Treatment Services (MATS), EPC residents, volunteers and the South San Pedro neighborhood residents. The Community Center has a community kitchen, used by the18 residents, six meeting rooms, a gym, library and computer lab. All are available for use by the residents of EPU and the South San Pedro community. The center is home for more than 22 recovery groups, Yoga Classes, Computer Training, Art Classes, Acupuncture Clinic, Childhood Obesity Classes, Familias Fuertes, Lecture Series, Dance Nights, Book Club, South San Pedro Neighborhood Association meetings and many other activities fostering community development. EPC serves hundreds of community members per week – offering a sober living community environment.

EPC’s Transitional Housing Program - Endorphin Power University (EPU) enrolled its first residents in December of 2007. EPU is located in The Waterman Power House (WPH) which has 18 dormitory style, single occupancy, transitional housing units. These units are available to help newly sober individuals stay sober and transition back into society. EPC is a therapeutic environment, which stresses exercise, education, volunteerism and community as means of therapy. The Waterman Power House is a community of people interested in helping each other stay sober and overcome their addictions. The residents themselves use the phrases "sober living community" or "transitional living community". All residents living in the Waterman Power House comprise the Community Council and attend one mandatory, meeting at 8:15 pm every Wednesday to discuss events of the week and to vote on admitting new residents. “Founder”

Founder and Chair: Sam Slishman, MD Emergency Physician and Founder of the Endorphin Power Company For my background and some EPC history… Math and physics were my academic passions at Wesleyan University. When I finished a thesis on electronic Rydberg states of helium, it was the last time I felt like an expert at something. But to break out of the basement lab, and to find a little more human interaction, somehow I found myself in med school at Washington University. I learned plenty, but those 4 years were a spiritual low. Despite my perfecting a few new paper airplanes, creative thinking and inventing were pushed aside for rote memorizing, pre-rounding, scut work, and board preparation. Luckily I discovered emergency medicine, which at least kept me interested and awake. And more luckily, the UNM ED training program let me in. As a resident, I discovered the Science and Technology Corporation (STC), of UNM. I unloaded some medical device ideas on them, and a few patents percolated out over the following years. Of the ideas, the "Slishman Splint" went the furthest… even though I have yet to break even… not even close. Once residency was complete, I found myself adrift. I tried a number of different medical gigs over a couple years, taking me from Jackson Hole, to Kona, to New Zealand, to Tasmania, with night shifts at UNM sprinkled in between. I continued to push the splint product along, which kept me thinking and learning. And the experiences of designing, patenting, prototyping, manufacturing, setting up a website, and selling, taught me more than any class in any school. It gave me confidence to ignore naysayers. But it also taught me that I have no business in sales, as I found myself giving away most of my stock to any friendly face. This all leads finally to EPC and the corny story of its beginning. While traveling in Europe on a splint-tuning trip, I found myself under the Eiffel Tower, facing an army of miniature Eiffel Tower "pushers." It made me think about how little these people and their wares contribute to the planet. I didn't resent them. But it occurred to me that I'd rather give them cash to sit on exercycles to generate electricity, than to pay them for stupid little trinkets. Even though not much could be generated, at least it'd be something positive. Plus they'd get an endorphin kick. So in May 2002, I coined the name Endorphin Power Company. Initially I considered building a fitness center aimed at the general public loaded with exercycles on generators. But then realized it could be a good thing for people with various addictions. Perhaps by replacing their exogenous opiates (heroin, methadone, oxycodone, etc) with endogenous opiates (endorphins), they could be helped. For the remainder of 2002, the idea festered in my head. And in December 2002, I faced the decision to stay in Tasmania, or move back to Albuquerque to give it a go. Strangely enough, it was the war in Iraq which tipped the scales. The anti-US sentiment at that time, even in Australia, was so intense that I wanted to come back to build something so drippingly good that no religious zealot, or political party could take issue with it. And I wanted to build something that could eventually be useful everywhere. (Wishful… but why not?) It's yet to be seen if this adventure will turn out as I'd like. But so far the achievement is something I didn't plan. EPC has become a wonderful mechanism for gathering the most caring, creative, non-money-grubbing, good people I've ever met. It seems I've instead invented for myself a quest, and a second family.

External Links www.endorphinpower.org www.endorphinpower.ning.com www.bernco.gov/live/departments.asp?dept=6948 http://www.geocities.com/slishmansplint

References

C Schwartz et al. “Altruistic Social Interest Behaviors Are Associated With Better Mental Health.” Psychosomatic Medicine. 2003; 65:778-785.

“Persons under 65 years of age without health care coverage by State: United States, selected years 1987-2000.” Health, United States, 2002.

“Poverty in the United States: 2002.” U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. September 2003.

“Number of Deaths, death rates, and age-adjusted death rates for major causes of death for the United States, and each State, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Marianas, 2000.” National Vital Statistics Report, Vol.50, No. 15, September 16, 2002.

“Cocaine-related emergency department episodes, according to age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin: United States, selected years 1990-2000.” Health, United States, 2002.

AL Brosse, et al. “Exercise and the Treatment of Clinical Depression in Adults.” Sports Medicine. 2002; 32(12): 741-760.

T Meyer, A Brooks. “Therapeutic Impact of Exercise on Psychiatric Diseases.” Sports Medicine. 2000; 30(4): 269-279.

F Kiefer et al. “Is withdrawal-induced anxiety in alcoholism based on beta-endorphin deficiency?” Psychopharmacology. June 2002; 162: 433-437.

New Mexico Dept. of Health. “Alcohol-Related Hospitalization Charges, New Mexico, 2002.”

David M. Stein, Ph.D “The Effectiveness of Drug and Alcohol Treatment:A Review of the Research Literature” http://www.usu.edu/psychology/people/David_Stein.php

External Links www.endorphinpower.org www.endorphinpower.ning.com www.bernco.gov/live/departments.asp?dept=6948 http://www.geocities.com/slishmansplint Ara8 (talk) 19:33, 1 August 2009 (UTC)