FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 7, 2004
WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE?
LEARN HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH ON NATIONAL ALCOHOL SCREENING DAY,
APRIL 8, 2003
HHC operates 16 satellite screening sites in New York City
New York, NY - For most adults, moderate alcohol use causes few, if any, problems. But for some, any alcohol use may lead to significant health problems. Trying to figure out the risks associated with alcohol use is not easy because alcohol affects your body differently at different times. To protect yourself, it is important to understand where you should draw the line when consuming alcohol, particularly if you have a family history of alcohol abuse. What's more, that limit can change over time and circumstances, such as if you are trying to get pregnant, if you develop a medical condition or if you take certain medications.
To help determine where you should draw the line, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is offering free anonymous education and screening programs at as part of National Alcohol Screening Day, Thursday, April 8. HHC will operate screenings at sixteen (16) satellite sites.
Screening times are 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., unless otherwise indicated.
- Bedford Stuyvesant Alcoholism Treatment Center - NYC Community College, Jay Street, Brooklyn
- Bellevue Hospital Center - 462 First Avenue, F Link, Main Lobby
- HHC Central Office - 125 Worth Street, First Floor Lobby
- Coney Island Hospital Center - 2601 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, Main Lobby, Clinic Waiting Area (4N-39) **
- Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center - 100 North Portland Ave., Brooklyn, Main Lobby, Third Floor OPD Clinic *
- East New York Diagnostic and Treatment Center - 2094 Pitkin Ave., Brooklyn, Main Lobby, Primary Care Clinic
- Elmhurst Hospital Center - 79-01 Broadway, Queens, Main Lobby, H Building
- Gouverneur Health Care Services - 227 Madison St., Main Lobby *
- Harlem Hospital Center - 506 Lenox Ave., Women's Pavilion, MLK Building, Ronald H. Brown Ambulatory Care Center **
- Jacobi Medical Center - 1400 Pelham Parkway, the Bronx, Ambulatory Care Center, Nurses' Residence
- Kings County Hospital Center - 451 Clarkson Ave., Brooklyn, U Building, Primary Care Clinic
- Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center - 234 Eugenio Marie de Hostos (149th Street), the Bronx, Main Lobby, ,OPD Registration Area
- Metropolitan Hospital Center - 1901 First Ave., First Floor CMHC Building, Second Avenue entrance
- North Central Bronx Hospital - 3424 Kossuth Ave., the Bronx, Main Lobby
- Queens Hospital Center - 82-68 164th St., Atrium of New Hospital, 164th Street entrance
- Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center - 760 Broadway, Brooklyn, Main Lobby, Broadway entrance *
* Programs begin at 9 a.m.
** Programs end at 4 p.m.
As part of the program, participants will hear an educational presentation on alcohol problems, complete a written self-test, and have the opportunity to talk privately with a health professional, all for free. An educational video, pamphlets, brochures and flyers will be available, as well as referrals to local treatment and support resources for those who need further evaluation.
The goal of National Alcohol Screening Day also is in keeping with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's Take Care New York initiative, which strives to educate the public on the potential risks associated with behavior that negatively affects the longevity and quality of life for all New Yorkers. Through education, awareness and understanding, individuals can learn about the potential health risks associated with alcohol consumption to help make informed decisions about that behavior.
"Alcohol screening programs at the HHC are an important part of the Mayor's new Take Care New York initiative, one of the 10 steps to a longer and healthier life," said HHC President Dr. Benjamin Chu. "Last year, 3,300 people participated in the event, with 1,100 individuals receiving anonymous screenings and referrals. HHC expects to do even better this year."
National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), held in April as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, is a program of the nonprofit organization Screening for Mental Health, Inc. in collaboration with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Screenings will be held across the country at approximately 5,000 screening sites, including hospitals, alcohol and addiction treatment centers, primary care offices, and colleges.
For additional information about alcohol screening programs at HHC or event schedule, visit our web site at nyc.gov/hhc. HHC medical experts are available for interviews.
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