Monday, April 15, 2002

The Age Factor: How Age Discrimination Laws will Impact City Law Firms

The Age Factor: How Age Discrimination Laws will Impact City Law Firms

Law firms are to change due to the impact of the most significant piece of employment law in 30 years, according to research commissioned by City law firm Fox Williams among senior and managing partners of the top 100 law firms in the UK.

London, UK (PRWEB) December 13, 2006

Law firms are to change due to the impact of the most significant piece of employment law (http://www. foxwilliams. com/practiceareas/) in 30 years, according to research commissioned by City law firm Fox Williams (http://www. foxwilliams. com/) among senior and managing partners of the top 100 law firms in the UK.

The introduction of the new age discrimination act will mean that partner remuneration will become less dependent on experience and more related to partner performance. Partners of all ages could expect formal ejection from the partnership if their performance is not up to scratch.

The new age discrimination act should also result in more partners staying in law firms beyond their 50s unless a law firm can justify having a compulsory retirement age or can demonstrate inadequate performance. Firms which have paid insufficient attention to remuneration systems or retirement may find themselves at the wrong end of age discrimination claims.

The age discrimination act (http://www. foxwilliams. com/news/) will usher in a harsher, more performance driven culture among these traditional bastions of gentility and will wreak a profound cultural change that will undermine the collegiate nature of partnerships, elevating performance and productivity above the more traditional values of experience and loyalty.

Key findings of research

PQE

Two thirds of partners think that their current use of PQE (post qualification experience) for pay reviews is still justified.

On the recruitment front, three out of four law firms concede that there will have to be less emphasis on PQE in future. The age discrimination act may also affect senior lateral hires from other firms. Some considered that, without a guaranteed retirement age, they might be more reluctant to hire older laterals.

Lockstep

The lockstep system, by which partners are rewarded by length of service, is present amongst most law firms. Around half of the law firms questioned have a lockstep period of five years or less while other schemes are much longer.

Surprisingly, 24 out of 25 expect that lockstep will survive this legislation intact. The reason it will remain, say a majority of partners, is because their system is based, in part, upon performance or merit. One firm believed that lockstep was justifiable because it had obtained the partners' consent and support.

Retirement and succession planning

The majority of respondents saw the major issue of the age discrimination act as retirement age. The age discrimination act means that the imposition of a compulsory retirement age for partners will need to be justified according to very stringent criteria. The 24 out of 25 firms surveyed who admitted to having a fixed retirement age stated that it was required in order to encourage more young people to join firms.

"The only way to retain a healthy business is for partners to retire at a reasonable age so that young people will want to join. We want them scratching at the door."

Managing performance

Now that age alone can no longer be used to justify retirement or remuneration, law firms were almost unanimous in saying that they will have to make sure that they have a formal and rigorous performance appraisal system in place.

Although all but one of the firms surveyed had appraisal arrangements, over 90% of respondents said that they would need to establish a better, more formal system in future.

"We need to be more bureaucratic in how we go about our measurement of partner performance, establishing benchmarks, better documentation."

Claims

Another contentious area that the age discrimination act brings is the potential for unlimited claims against firms by disgruntled partners for breaches of the age discrimination act. This gives partners a powerful weapon that could be used to negotiate better retirement terms. When asked would partners use this weapon? 24 of our 25 interviewees said 'Yes'.

Cultural change

18 out of 25 respondents felt strongly that the new law would create unwelcome cultural change for law firms.

"Things will be less cosy. And it might weaken partner loyalty and partnership cohesion."

Background

The new age discrimination act, which came into force on October 1 2006, is having a major impact on the employment practices of legal firms and on their partnerships. It is the single most important piece of employment law in 30 years.

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 make it unlawful to discriminate against employees or partners on the grounds of age. They override any agreements between the parties (including partnership agreements). Both old and young are now able to bring a claim for breach of the new legislation and the compensation that can be awarded is unlimited and could run into millions.

This sobering thought is currently concentrating legal minds, many of whom have yet to take on board these changes. This survey aims to throw light on how law firms of varying sizes are coping with the huge implications of this highly contentious body of law.

The Fox Williams survey covers:

General awareness of the provisions of the age discrimination act Impact of PQE (post qualification experience) on remuneration Attraction and retention of talent Profit sharing and lockstep Retirement and succession planning Compulsory retirement age Managing performance Claims Cultural change The US experience

Methodology

Fox Williams commissioned the Financial Times Research Centre to undertake the research among leading UK legal partnerships. The fieldwork consisted of 25 semi-structured, depth interviews, lasting around 45 minutes with senior or managing partners among the top 100 UK law firms in the UK. The telephone interviews were conducted in October 2006 by consultant-level interviewers, who found a high level of interest among senior lawyers currently grappling with the new laws.

Notes to editors

Tina Williams, Senior Partner, Fox Williams LLP, Direct dial: 020 7613 2502

Roshan Khan, Director of Marketing, Fox Williams LLP, Direct dial: 020 7614 2638

For information about how copies of the report can be obtained, please contact Roshan Khan.

About Fox Williams

Fox Williams is an independent business law firm, serving a diverse client-base ranging from multi-national corporations, PLCs, private companies, financial institutions through to small businesses and individual entrepreneurs. The firm's key specialisms include corporate & commercial, employment law, property, dispute resolution, commerce & technology and partnership. It has an outstanding reputation in partnership law and is highly regarded by both The Legal 500 and Chambers UK directories. The 2007 edition of Chambers' describes the practice as "... a true leader."

About FT Research Centre

The FT Research Centre is the information and market research arm of the Financial Times Group. We provide a spectrum of information services to executives and knowledge specialists, across all vertical sectors, on an ad hoc or subscription basis. For more information, visit the website (http://www. ft. com/researchcentre).

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Friday, April 12, 2002

DISCOVERY CHANNEL TOPS MAMMOTH RATINGS WITH WALKING WITH DINOSAURS

DISCOVERY CHANNEL TOPS MAMMOTH RATINGS WITH WALKING WITH DINOSAURS

(PRWEB) April 20, 2000

--For the second month in a row, network makes ratings history, with 8.0 household rating and average viewership of 10.7 million people –

--Nearly 40 million Americans watched some part of the three-hour special

During its two Sunday telecasts--

--Discovery Channel scheduling encore presentations of Walking With Dinosaurs Thursday, April 20, from 8-11PM and 11PM-2AM--

Bethesda, MD – Discovery Channel’s three-hour special, Walking With Dinosaurs, shattered the all-time cable ratings records set last month by the network’s special, Raising the Mammoth, when Walking With Dinosaurs garnered an 8.0 household rating during its Sunday night premiere telecast, translating into average delivery of 10.7 million people. Based on preliminary numbers, nearly 40 million Americans watched some part of the special during its two telecasts Sunday night (7PM, 10PM).

The premiere telecast of Walking With Dinosaurs (7-10PM) was the most-watched, non-sporting event on cable during the 1999-2000 television season to date and was the most-watched documentary ever on cable television, beating out the records set March 12 by Discovery ChannelÂ’s Raising the Mammoth. The initial telecast of Walking With Dinosaurs also received a higher household rating than FoxÂ’s Sunday line-up and NBCÂ’s Sunday movie, The Chamber. The film delivered more children 2-11 and adults 18-49 than any program on cable Sunday night, and the film outdelivered broadcast networks CBS and NBC among adults 18-49.

 The 10 PM. rebroadcast of Walking With Dinosaurs earned a 3.5 household rating, delivering more than 4 million viewers.

  DiscoveryÂ’s previous highest-rated program, Raising the Mammoth, premiered on March 12, 2000, with its initial airing (8-10 PM) garnering a 7.8 household rating that translated into average viewership of 10.1 million people.

  Discovery Channel has scheduled encore presentations of Walking With Dinosaurs for Thursday, April 20, from 8-11 PM and 11 PM-2 AM.

  “When you combine the highest-quality programming with DiscoveryÂ’s cross-promotional muscle via our on air, online and retail platforms, we have proved we can create the kind of successful events weÂ’ve seen both with Raising the Mammoth and Walking With Dinosaurs,” said Discovery Communications President and Chief Operating Officer Judith A. McHale. “Walking With Dinosaurs was a compelling film and a shining example of our global partnership with the BBC.”

  Walking with Dinosaurs has been a major, multi-platform entertainment event. In addition to the television premiere on April 16, people can visit the Discovery Channel website for a special area devoted entirely to dinosaurs; Discovery Kids, the weekend morning block on Discovery Channel, is featuring kid-based activities, sweepstakes and special programming -- both on-air and online -- and there has been a full array of Walking With Dinosaurs related products available in stores, including a four-color coffee table book published by Dorling Kindersley. Outside of the U. S., Walking with Dinosaurs premiered April 16 on the Discovery Channel in Latin America and Canada.

  “Dinosaurs rule!” said Discovery Channel Executive Vice President/General Manager Mike Quattrone. “Seriously, we wanted to create a family event around this spectacular series, and by all indications, we were successful. We are very proud and pleased to have been able to do this.”

Walking With Dinosaurs, a coproduction with the BBC, depicts dinosaurs in the wild, just as if they were lions, rhinos or monkeys. One of the most ambitious television ventures ever undertaken, the three-hour special covers 155 million years of prehistory and uses advanced computer animation, state-of-the-art animatronics and the latest scientific findings to recreate the sights and sounds of dinosaurs walking the Earth.

  Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI) is a privately held, global diversified media company headquartered in Bethesda, MD. Powered by the worldÂ’s largest original, non-fiction production engine, DCI operates three distinct business units including:

 Discovery Networks, U. S., consisting of Discovery Channel (78 million subscribers), TLC (72.5 million subscribers), Animal Planet (57 million subscribers), Travel Channel (39 million subscribers), Discovery Health Channel, Discovery People, Discovery Kids Channel, Discovery Science Channel, Discovery Home & Leisure Channel, Discovery Civilization Channel, Discovery Wings Channel, and Discovery en Español. The unit also markets and distributes BBC America;

 Discovery Networks, International, consisting of 33 different feeds transmitted worldwide in 24 languages includes Discovery Channel, Discovery Kids, Discovery Home & Leisure, Animal Planet, People+Arts, Discovery Sci-Trek, Discovery Travel & Adventure, Discovery Civilisation and Discovery Wings;

 Discovery Enterprises Worldwide, consisting of Discovery Channel Interactive Media, Discovery Channel Video, Discovery Channel Publishing, Discovery Channel Education and Discovery Channel Retail;

  DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders -- Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: LMG. A/LMG. B), Cox Communications (NYSE: COX), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the company's founder, chairman and CEO.

Contact: Karen Baratz 301/771-5711

-OR - Lynn McReynolds 301/771-4795

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Thursday, April 11, 2002

Everest Summiteer and Entrepreneur, Alan Hobson To Speak At 2007 Quality New Mexico Conference March 8 & 9

Everest Summiteer and Entrepreneur, Alan Hobson To Speak At 2007 Quality New Mexico Conference March 8 & 9

Mt. Everest summiteer, entrepreneur, best-selling author, Alan Hobson, will speak at Quality New Mexico Conference in Albuquerque, March 8 & 9. Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Recipients Mesa Products and North Mississippi Medicall Center will outline 'best practices' on performance excellence. The focus is education and motivation about improvement for small and large business, school, government, health care, and non-profit organizations.

Albuquerque, NM (PRWEB) January 12, 2007

Mount Everest summiteer, worldwide adventurer, entrepreneur, and international bestselling author, Alan Hobson, will speak at the 2007 Quality New Mexico Conference & New Mexico Quality Awards Ceremony, March 8 & 9, Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town.

The keynote address, "Triumph of Tenacity", is part of the annual Quality New Mexico conference of education and motivation about improvement and performance excellence for small and large business, education, government, health care and non-profit organizations.

Hobson's life story is a portrait in passion, persistence, and peak performance spanning four decades. The nine-time All-American gymnast, and marathon runner, set out at age 29 to realize his greatest childhood dream.

It took him 10 grueling expeditions to high altitude, a decade of intense fundraising, training, and organizational effort to attempt the summit of Mount Everest. His expeditions required millions of dollars to finance, organize, and execute; and stretched Hobson's leadership, team building, sales, and communications abilities. On the third attempt, he gazed out at the curvature of the Earth as the horizon bent in his peripheral vision at 29,035 feet.

"Half the dream is done," the then 39 year old radioed to his base camp. "If we're persistent enough, we can do the dreams."

Then, in August 2000, Hobson set out on his ultimate challenge. Diagnosed with acute leukemia and given less than a year to live he used the lessons learned on Everest. He chose to undergo a blood transplant from his brother and has been cancer free for over four years.

"My 'inner Everest' has dwarfed the outer one", he says quietly. "I see life now from a new perspective. Success isn't about height. It's about depth."

The full conference workshops and seminars are designed to educate New Mexico in performance excellence principles. Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipients from throughout the nation, Zia Award recipients from New Mexico, and performance excellence experts will detail their results and best practices in small and large business, education, government, health care, and non-profit organizations. For a complete listing of presenters, their companies and schools, and their subjects see the Quality New Mexico website.

Quality New Mexico is a 501(c)3 nonprofit membership organization with a program to educate New Mexicans about performance excellence in small and large businesses, education, government, health care, and non-profits to promote the state to realize greater economic success and achieve excellence.

In 1994, Quality New Mexico became the official administrator of the New Mexico Quality Awards. The program is patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Quality New Mexico offers education and training on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence and offers training on becoming volunteer examiners. QNM training has been called the best in professional and organizational development training.

Registration and more information at www. qualitynewmexico. org or by calling 505.944.2001. More information on Alan Hobson is available at www. climbback. com.

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Wednesday, April 10, 2002

‘A Man’s Guide to a Healthy Body’ and ‘Healthy Cooking Techniques’ highlight free workshops to help Oakland/East Bay residents kick off a healthy 2004

‘A Man’s Guide to a Healthy Body’ and ‘Healthy Cooking Techniques’ highlight free workshops to help Oakland/East Bay residents kick off a healthy 2004

Free workshops on two hot health topics: ‘Men’s Health’’, and ‘Healthy Cooking Techniques’ are slated for the 2nd annual “To Your Health” workshop series in Oakland and Alameda organized by Wilma Chan, California Assembly Majority Leader.

(PRWEB) January 7, 2004

Free workshops on two hot health topics: ‘Men’s Health’’, and ‘Healthy Cooking Techniques’ are slated for the 2nd annual “To Your Health” workshop series organized by Wilma Chan, California Assembly Majority Leader.

The first workshop on January 22nd, ‘Every Man’s Guide to a Healthy Body: Advice from the (health and sports) Pros’, will be held in Alameda at the Harbor Bay Community Center, 3195 Mecartney Rd. It will feature football great Craig Morton and other special guests who will address important men’s health issues. Doctors and health educators from Kaiser Permanente will discuss the latest research on maintaining and regaining physical fitness, prostate health and other men’s health issues. The workshop starts at 7:30pm. Reservations are recommended.

The February 8th workshop, ”Healthy Cooking: Who Says Cooking Healthy Can’t Taste Great?” will be held in Oakland. It will feature Bay Area chefs who will guide participants through three hands-on cooking demonstrations. Cooking lessons include Chinese Favorites at 1pm, African American and Southern Classics at 2:15pm and California Cuisine at 3:30pm. The workshops are being held at Lakeside Garden Center on Bellevue Ave. next to Lake Merritt in Oakland. Each of the three cooking workshops is limited to 50 people and advance reservations are required.

Last yearÂ’s workshops brought together nutrition experts to demystify diet fads and discuss good nutrition and doctors to discuss options for women taking hormone replacement therapy. More than 400 people attended the workshops.

The workshops are expected to fill up fast. For information or to RSVP, call the Office of Assemblywoman Wilma Chan at 510-286-1670 x23 or email: garrett. dempsey@asm. ca. gov

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Monday, April 8, 2002

Medical Practice Management Podcast and Blog Site SoundPractice. net Huge Success Facilitates New Design

Medical Practice Management Podcast and Blog Site SoundPractice. net Huge Success Facilitates New Design

In just 12 weeks since its May 2005 launch, SoundPractice. net (www. soundpractice. net), has established itself as the undisputed leader for medical practice podcast and editorial content and, as a result, redesigned its site to stay ahead of the RSS curve.

Phoenix, MD (PRWEB) August 10, 2005

In just 12 weeks since its May 2005 launch, SoundPractice. net (www. soundpractice. net), has established itself as the undisputed leader for medical practice podcast and editorial content and, as a result, redesigned its site to stay ahead of the RSS curve.

"Visitors using major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN will find that SoundPractice virtually 'owns' the term and category 'medical practice podcast' when considering references to The Journal of Medical Practice Management in podcast and blog directories such as iTunes, ODEO, Technorati, Bloglines and MedReader," Greenbranch Publishing President Nancy Collins said.

As a result, SoundPractice has had a facelift. "We redesigned the site in a few significant ways to make it easier and more meaningful for our visitors to use. We put all RSS feeds on the home page for easy copying/pasting and in anticipation of greater search engine interest. WeÂ’ve included a new streaming player to hear our podcasts without using podcast software. We added a section for Kent Bottles, our Editor-in-Chief, to add daily community interest news items. Finally, weÂ’ve been very aggressive in adding interesting and timely content to this site.

"The Journal of Medical Practice Management has a 20-year track record of providing the information that physician and administrators need to help their practices thrive. With the addition of www. soundpractice. net we are pleased to provide practice management content as podcasts and RSS feeds. Greenbranch Publishing has the opportunity to lead the change of how the medical practice management community gets their information, and we feel very strongly that we have an obligation to educate our community about these technologies," Collins added.

When asked about SoundPractice from his role as interviewer and as a physician, Kent Bottles replied "The daily act of blogging and interviewing thought leaders for podcasts has really transformed the way I try to keep up to date with subjects and ideas we all need to better manage our practices and care for our patients. I was pleasantly surprised when a blog about physician salaries attracted eight comments from readers, including one from Uwe Reinhardt, the Princeton economist."

"I am really excited about being able to interview content experts for podcasts that make www. soundpractice. net a one stop shop for cutting edge content for busy physicians and adminstrators," he added.

Here is a current listing of Podcasts that can be found at www. soundpractice. net, free of charge:

 Time-of-Service Payment: Customer Service and Cash Management, Tom Hajny  The Business Case for Complementary Medicine Services with John Ritch, Exec. Dir. of The Wege Institute  Perspective from Both Sides: Provider and Payer - Shaun Soller, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan  Levels of Care Discussion with Kent Bottles and Lori Portfleet  Bonus and Profit Sharing in The Medical Practice, Interview with Bernd Kutzscher, MD  Medical Blogs: An Interview with Kevin Pho of KevinMD  Physician Workforce Issues: Interview with Atul Grover, M. D., of The Lewin Group  The Importance of Private Practitioners in the Education of the Next Generation of Physicians, Interview with David Leach, MD, Ex. Dir ACGME  Recognizing and Dealing With Impaired Clinicians Part 2 - Treatment Options, William Reid, MD  Recognizing and Dealing With Impaired Clinicians Part 1 Recognition and Reporting, William Reid, MD  Setting Trouble-Free Policies for Parental and Sick Leave, Laura Sachs Hills  Guidelines for Corporate Covenants and Physician Employment Agreements, Steven Peltz  Preliminary Screening of Job Applicants in 5 Steps, Laura Sachs Hills  Avoiding Leasing Pitfalls, Karen Zupko and Melissa Lupella  The Physician as Witness, Daniel Small  An Editorial on Healthcare by Marcel Frenkel, MD, Founder, The Journal of Medical Practice Management  Governmental Focus on Fraud and Abuse with Rob Falk, JD  Developing Personnel Policies to Keep You Out of the Courtroom: The Role of the Office Policy Manual, Joan Roediger  Ten Things to Do When Investigated By Regulatory or Government Agencies, Glen Crick  A Patient, an Internet Article and Thou, Rob Falk  EMR Pitfalls: Avoiding Costly Purchasing Mistakes by Jeffery Daigrepont, The Coker Group  The Electronic Health Record: Is Now the Time For Your Practice to Invest in Its Future? Interview with Dr. Peter Basch  Strategies for Computerizing Your Medical Office Interview with Robert C. Tennant  Financial Advice on Medical Building Construction

"We designed SoundPractice not only as a podcast site, but as a 'contributor blog' and we are exceptionally fortunate to have assembled a powerful group of contributing experts," Collins concluded.

Contributors include:

 Kent Bottles, MD, Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Medical Practice Management  Judy Capko, President, Capko & Company  Rob Falk, JD, Powell, Goldstein, LLP  Tom Hajny, Accelerated Receivables Management  Betsy Nicoletti, President, Medical Practice Consulting  Bryan Bergeron, MD,  Joel Blau, CFP, and Ronald Paprocki, JD, Mediqus Asset Advisors, Inc.

About SoundPractice. net:

Soundpractice. net, "Sound Ideas for Your Medical Practice" is unique in its emphasis on combining archived material from The Journal of Medical Practice Management with one-on-one interviews with thought leaders in the medical practice management community conducted by Kent Bottles, MD.

About The Journal of Medical Practice Management:

Published six times a year, the subscription-based The Journal of Medical Practice Management www. mpmnetwork. com focuses on delivering "how-to" advice for increasing medical practicesÂ’ profitability. With an emphasis on working smarter and more efficiently, each issue features a host of proven strategies for dealing with fiscal management, marketing, information technology, benefits and compensation, legal and tax issues, office operations, coding, and human resources that practice administrators, practice managers and physicians face on a daily basis. The Journal has become one of the most widely recognized, independent and authoritative voices in the industry.

About Greenbranch Publishing, LLC:

Greenbranch Publishing, LLC, with headquarters in Phoenix, Maryland, is a privately held firm founded in 1998. The company is a leading publisher of medical practice management titles, electronic media and audio conferences for physicians, practice administrators and office practice managers.

More information can be found at www. mpmnetwork. com, www. mpmjournal. com, www. mpmbuyersguide. com, www. soundpractice. net www. greenbranch. com

For More Information, Contact: Nancy Collins

President & Publisher

Greenbranch Publishing, The Journal of Medical Practice Management

PO Box 208

Phoenix, MD 21131

(800) 933-3711

Www. mpmnetwork. com

Www. soundpractice. net

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Sunday, April 7, 2002

White House Invites Mountainside Alcohol and Addiction Treatment Center to Washington D. C

White House Invites Mountainside Alcohol and Addiction Treatment Center to Washington D. C.

Mountainside Treatment Center in Canaan, CT was recently honored with an invitation by the White House to meet with the Office of National Drug Control Policy and its Director, John Walters.

CANAAN, CT (PRWEB) August 25, 2005

Mountainside Treatment Center in Canaan, CT was recently honored with an invitation by the White House to meet with the Office of National Drug Control Policy and its Director, John Walters. In attendance at the meeting were Mountainside board members Don Van Dyke and Chief Executive Officer Terence Dougherty, Chief Financial Officer Martin Fedor along with Adele Smithers-Fornaci. Adele Smithers-Fornaci, along with Mountainside board members Terence Dougherty, Larry Kudlow, and Don Van Dyke has been working to advocate the vital importance of abstinence-based treatment for alcohol and substance abuse. Also in attendance at the White House meeting was Lance Leggitt, Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Health Policy along with respective White House staff members.

Recognizing the growing international recognition that Mountainside Treatment Center has been receiving, the White House invited its representatives to discuss future expansion and the ground-breaking initiatives that are generating phenomenal success with not only the residents of the treatment center, but the surrounding communities that participate in Mountainside's Outreach Program. Of particular interest to White House representatives was the Outreach Program, wherein residents of the treatment center go into high schools on a weekly basis to share their experiences with nicotine, alcohol and drug dependence. This progressive approach to prevention builds self-esteem in the residents who participate and provides the students with an honest account of the pitfalls of alcohol, nicotine and substance use. Prevention is an important part of Mountainside's philosophy. "Having residents earnestly share their story and communicate their hope has a profound impact on these kids" says Executive Director Bruce Drever. John Walters commended Mountainside for continuing to perform this service for our nation's youth, while also providing affordable treatment.

Faced with an overwhelming demand for treatment, Mountainside discussed their future plans for capacity expansion. The Office of National Drug Control Policy supports Mountainside in its efforts and is supportive of the upcoming expansion of its facilities. Currently with a fifty-bed capacity, Mountainside is planning to increase its program to 130 beds. With a waiting list that is approximately 30 people at any given time, the expansion of Mountainside will be able to provide for those desperately in need of affordable treatment for alcoholism and addiction.

Mountainside Alcoholism and Addiction Treatment Center is located in the Berkshires at the base of a mountain in Canaan, Connecticut. Some alcoholism and addiction services provided by Mountainside include intermediate to long term inpatient treatment, addiction prevention, community outreach, and job training. If you are interested in learning more about Mountainside's drug addiction or alcoholism treatment services please contact us through the information provided below.

Mountainside Treatment Center provides affordable substance abuse treatment services. We utilize innovative methods in order to achieve stellar results.

A list of drug addiction services provided by Mountainside is:

In-patient drug addiction treatment - intermediate to long term treatment for alcohol and substance abusive persons.

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Prevention - Mountainside has an Outreach Program where senior residents go into high schools and teach the lesson of prevention to students.

Phase IV program [ Half-way house] - Mountainside has a long term addiction treatment program where residents live a half-way house setting and take part in a job training program. As part of the program residents are given a job in the Mountainside Cafe which is a public restaurant that Mountainside bought for job training purposes. Residents hold a job, open a bank account, and are expected to adhere to specific criteria that focus on life and living skills.

For more information please go to www. mountainside. com.

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What's Missing in All Weightloss Programs

What's Missing in All Weightloss Programs

Many people complain of uncontrollable cravings for sweets, breads and even alcohol. Overgrowth of Candida causes intense cravings for sugar and starch, which is why many people cannot follow a weight loss diet. Dr. Shahani's book helps readers achieve good GI health.

Walnut Creek, Calif. (PRWEB) June 14, 2005

With the U. S. weight loss market forecast to hit $61 billion by 2008, Nebraska Cultures, Inc. announced that many popular weight loss programs on the market today might be missing an essential component when it comes to responsible weight loss.

In their newly released book entitled “Cultivate Health from Within: Dr. Shahni’s Guide to Probiotics,” researched and authored by Khem Shahani, Ph. D., with a foreword by Frederic Vagnini, M. D., F. A.C. S., it becomes obvious that a critical factor in maintaining your ideal body weight is to make sure that your digestive system is functioning properly. A healthy digestive system increases energy and improves your metabolism, both critical factors in a responsible weight loss program ensuring that weight loss occurs and stays permanent.

Often overlooked, but always obvious, are the conditions of being bloated and gaseous--a sure sign that your digestive system is not “properly tuned.” People often complain that as they diet and exercise they somehow do not seem to be reducing the bulge in the stomach area. Yeast overgrowth may be a major factor in promoting mid-section weight gain, as well as sap energy from your body. Many people complain of uncontrollable cravings for sweets, breads and even alcohol. Overgrowth of Candida causes intense cravings for sugar and starch, which is why many people cannot follow a weight loss diet

The book informs the reader how to take control of yeast overgrowth, and, according to “Cultivate Health from Within," In modern times, proper balance of friendly bacteria is not an easy feat to accomplish. Diets rich in sugar, cortisone and cortisone-like drugs, birth control pills, immuno-suppressive drugs and antibiotics, have been major culprits in affecting a naturally healthy digestive system" and promote excessive, unwanted yeast growth in the body and unwanted weight gain.

Many people are unaware that they consume antibiotics daily, without a doctor's prescription, in the foods they eat. Antibiotics are routinely used as supplements in animal feed or the treatment of sick livestock. Consequently, humans who eat these types of animal products may be destroying their beneficial bacteria allowing yeasts to proliferate without their knowledge, which compromises proper GI Tract health and promotes undesired weight gain.

A responsible weight loss program should always include the use of the most effective strain of pro-biotics, which can create an environment in which yeasts cannot survive. This timely information is described in great detail in Khem Shahani's book, “Cultivate Health from Within.”

Spokesman for the book, Frederic Vagnini, M. D., F. A.C. S. stated, "Khem Shahani's pioneering research and dedication to the understanding of pro-biotics, as stated in the book, will benefit all people, young and old, for decades."

Contact: Angie Jones

Jones Int'l

760-773-3232

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