Health Briefs

To submit a health brief, e-mail submissions to oalife@oaoa.com. Entry deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday for consideration for the following Monday's edition.

Super Sitter
course set
Medical Center Hospital's Spirit of Women has scheduled "Super Sitter," an informative class for those interested in learning more about babysitting from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and Tuesday at the MCH's Wheatley Stewart Medical Pavilion Conference Room. 
This course will cover why play is important, a homemade toy assignment, what to charge, child growth and development, home safety and first aid. 
Students will also receive their heartsaver CPR cards. 
Students interested in the course must be at least 12 years of age and should contact Spirit of women for registration prior to class. 
Cost is $20.
To register or for information, 640-2727 or e-mail spiritofwomen@echd.org.
ON THE NET: www.mchodessa.com 
 
SUPPORT GROUPS
>> MIDLAND The Permian Basin Gamblers Anonymous. Meets at 3 p.m. Sundays at 206 N. Midkiff Road, Suite 1-D, Midland. Call 853-4619.
>> ABLE Center for Independent Living. "Coffee Talk" group meets from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at 3415 Brentwood Drive. Call Kathleen Storey or Daniel Panter at 580-3439.
>> Permian Basin A.W.A.K.E. support group meets from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Permian Basin Sleep Center, 600 N. Washington Ave.
>> Alcoholics Anonymous. Call 580-7868 for times, dates and locations of the meetings.
>> The Odessa Alzheimer's Family Support Group. Meets at 7:15 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday of each month at Sherwood Place, 3939 E. 52nd St. Call 362-5006.
>> HopeKeepers. Meets at 1:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Lutheran Church of the Risen Lord, corner of 21st Street and Grandview Avenue to help people who suffer from chronic pain or illness. Call 362-2549.
>> Parkinson's Support Group. Meets at 1 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at Lincoln Towers, 311 W. Fourth St. Call 366-1593.
>> PECOS The Pecos Alzheimer's Caregivers Support Group. Meets at 4 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Pecos Senior Center, 119 S. Cedar. Call 800-272-3900.
>> The Bariatric Surgery Public Education Seminar. Meets at 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Medical Center Hospital Board Room.
>> The Bariatric Surgery Support Group. Meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at MCH Auditorium. For information, call 640-3550.
>> MIDLAND The West Texans Living with Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia Syndromes. Meets from noon to 1 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Rays of Hope, 900 W. Wall St., Midland. Call 520-3500 or visit www.
fmnetnews.com or www.cfids.org.
>> The West Texas Healthy Marriage Project. Seminars scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday. Admission is free. Call 889-5310 for locations.
>> Safe Place of the Permian Basin support groups. "Love Shouldn't Hurt" meets from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Mondays. "Dynamics of Family Violence" meets from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesdays. "Family, Friends and Survivors" meets from 5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 580-5970, Hot line (24 hours) 432-570-5970 and 800-967-8928.
>> Women of Worth. Meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays at The Crisis Center, 1211 N. Whitaker Ave.The group is for survivors of sexual assault. Call 333-2527, e-mail crisiscenter@nwol.net or see website www.odessacrisis
center.com.
>> The West Texas Twilight Visions for the visually impaired. Meets at 2 p.m. each Thursday at 3106A Kermit Highway. Call Mary Beazley at 366-5090 or e-mail
wttvisions@yahoo.com.

substance abuse agencies
>> A.C.T.S (Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series) The 12-step recovery group meets at 10 a.m. each Sunday at the Life Challenge, 4500 N. Grandview Ave. Call 208-8197 or 363-5433.
>> Alternative Solutions Counseling, 825 JBS Parkway Suite No. 4. Call 550-5222.
>> Basin Detox System Inc., 1711 WCR 140, Midland. Available 24 hours, seven days a week. Call 520-2990.
>> Narcotics Anonymous New Awakenings Group. Meets at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 5 p.m. every Sunday at 605 W. First St. Call 582-2926.
>> Permian Basin Community Centers, Turning Point, 2000 Maurice Road, Odessa. State funding available for low income/indigent. Call 580-2654.
>> Permian Basin Regional Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse, 1101 N. Whitaker Ave. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 24-hour Crisis Line. Call 580-5100.
>> Samaritan Counseling Center of West Texas Inc., West County Road 116, Midland. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 563-4144.
>> Stop Smoking with hypnosis, sessions are private and confidential. Also weight control, insomnia, stress, relationships and confidence. Call 362-8027.
>> Al Anon and non smoking meeting are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. each Thursday St. Barnabus Episcopal Church library, 4141 Tanglewood Lane. Call 367-2701.
>> Faith Temple Fellowship and FootPrints Ministries have teamed up to help out individuals with addictions at 8 p.m. each Thursday at Faith Temple Fellowship, 1335 E. Sixth St.
Small fee for materials.
Call Donny Kyker at 559-9165.

Disability
>> ABLE Center for Independent Living, 3415 Brentwood Drive, offers peer counseling and support mutual assistance and support, independent living skill training, accessibility and self-help skills, information and referral knowledge and resources and individual and systems advocacy, empowerment and independence. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 580-3439 or see website: ablecenter.org.
>> Area Agency of Aging of the Permian Basin of Midland provides services to individuals age 60 and older, their families, caregivers and others who help them such as friends and neighbors. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 563-1061 or (800) 491-4636.
>> Disability Claim Service, 835 Tower Drive, Suite 17, represents and assists Social Security Disability applicants. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. Call 580-5580.
>> Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center, 620 N. Alleghaney Ave., offers occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and audiology.
>> Wishes on Wheels offers electric power wheelchairs to nonambulatory senior citizens (65 years and older) and the permanently disabled of any age, if they qualify. For information or to check on qualifications, call 800-823-5220 or visit website www.threewishes2.com.
>> Volunteers are needed to mow the lawns of seniors and disabled individuals. Call Odessa Links, 582-0099.

divorce and counseling agencies
>> ACT Counseling Management Corp., 2445 E. 11th St. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, some evenings and Saturdays. Call 333-3667.
>> Alternative Solutions Counseling, 825 JBS Parkway Suite No. 4, Odessa. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 550-5222.
>> Centers for Children and Families, 835 Tower Drive, Suite 1, Odessa. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday; and 8 a.m. to noon Friday. Call 580-7006 or 570-1084 (Midland).
>> West Texas Area Counseling Center, 6010 E. Highway 191, Suite 120, Odessa. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Evening appointments may be arranged. Call 550-3838 or 552-0230.
>> Robbie Jones, MA, LPC, RPT, licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist, 1526 N. Grandview Ave. Call 580-play or 580-7529. Phone is answered seven days a week.
>> Jean Jackson, MA, LPC, licensed professional counselor. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 855 Central Drive. Call 580-7250.
>> DivorceCare is a 13-week program for individuals coping with separation or divorce. A support group meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday at CrossRoads Fellowship, 6901 E. Highway 191, on the corner of 191 and Billy Hext Road.
Cost for support group is $10.  Free childcare is available. Call 368-2500.

Domestic Violence Agencies
>> Safe Place of Odessa and Midland assists victims of domestic violence, counseling, support groups, children's programs, battering intervention prevention program, legal advocacy, education, community awareness and training, community resource referral for victims of physical, emotional, sexual abuse. Shelter is also provided for victims and their children as well as nonresident services to 15 counties. Call 580-5970 between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 24-hour hotline at 570-1465 or 800-967-8928.
>> The Crisis Center/Angel House of Odessa and Midland provides a safe haven for battered women and children to assist them in finding a way out of the abuse. Angel House provides victims of violence in the home with the opportunity to reclaim their lives through advocacy, education, and safe shelter. Open 24 hours. Call 337-4081 or 24-hour hotline at 339-Crisis. The Crisis Center of Odessa also provides services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide, traffic fatalities or the suicide of a loved one free of charge in a seven-county service area. Administrative office is at 1211 N. Whitaker Ave., Odessa, 333-2527 or 866-627-4747.
>> OALIFE@OAOA.COM