(2/2019) Specialist
Program; Peer to Peer Recovery Support
Services such as Telephone Recovery Support
and Recovery Coaching; Peer-facilitated
Support Groups; Educational activities like
vocational enrichment, computer lab,
parenting, life skills, and Adult Education
classes; Family Interventions; Family
programs; and Positive social activities such
as dances, dinners, breakfasts, cook-outs,
holiday events, family game nights, recovery
idol competitions, and karaoke nights
The Mercy house will
have a positive impact on the utilization of
Drug and Alcohol services. The Mercy house
will not be utilized in place of clinical
care. Providing appropriate services to those
in need of help for the appropriate duration
of time saves lives and resources in all areas
of our society. Through involvement with the
Mercy house individuals, families, and
communities can gain access to
recovery-focused services and support that
will increase successful treatment completion
rates, promote early re-engagement for those
who have relapsed, and provide pathways to
recovery for individuals not in need of
clinical treatment services.
Services provided at
the Mercy house will not replace, but rather
will augment and compliment the focus of
treatment, outreach, engagement and prevention
to assist people in recovery to gain the
skills and resources needed to implement,
maintain and sustain long-term recovery. As
such, staff members at the Mercy house will
make appropriate referrals to treatment
providers when necessary. Mercy house services
can occur in tandem with outpatient substance
abuse and/or mental health treatment. For
those participants in need of a more intense
level of care, Mercy house services will be
available to them as is deemed appropriate by
the other service provider(s), and upon
participant completion of the other program(s).
Participants involved in the services at the
Mercy house will be exposed to and encouraged
to become involved in, other forms of recovery
support, such as: 12-Step meetings (NA, CA,
AA), faith-based recovery programs, medication
assisted recovery, etc. Participants involved
in programming at the Mercy house will receive
services separately, independently, and in
addition to any other services they may choose
to access or be involved in.
The Mercy house will
be a central place where individuals in
recovery can participate in recovery support
services, trainings/workshops, self-help
groups and social activities in an environment
conducive to recovery. Recovering individuals
can come together at the Mercy house to gain
knowledge, learn new skills, socialize and
expand their network of support. The Mercy
house will offer an environment conducive to
growth and change where individuals will learn
how to transition into community life. At the
Mercy house, people in recovery develop and
implement peer-run programs that can
supplement existing services offered through
formal treatment systems, thus expanding
community-based resources available to those
in recovery. The will have ample space and
rooms available to accommodate more than one
service being offered at the same time.
Most programs and
classes at the Mercy house will take place
during normal business hours, however, in the
evenings the Mercy house will become a
communal spot for recovering individuals to
find a safe haven. The Mercy house will
provide a positive social environment where
individuals will be able to find camaraderie,
support, and relaxation. Participants will
learn that they can have fun in recovery. The
Mercy house will be stimulating and enriching
at the same time, providing respite from the
streets and an atmosphere of recovery at all
times. A community room equipped with coffee
pots, vending machines, tables and chairs,
pool table and other gaming equipment will be
open and supervised every evening. There will
also be A.A., N.A. and other 12-Step support
groups holding meetings in segregated areas of
the Mercy house during evening and weekend
hours.
The Mercy house will
not be a clinical program where recovering
individuals are expected to follow treatment
plans, receive counseling, etc. Instead, the
Mercy house will be a peer-run program of
choice offering community-based, peer-driven,
non-clinical programs and services in a
consumer-friendly environment. The same
individuals who come in search of support will
also support others and assist in project
activities. The Mercy house will fill a unique
and vital role in the addiction treatment
system and surrounding communities. For a
fraction of the cost of formal treatment
services, the Mercy house will provide a
supportive environment for recovering
individuals who might otherwise resort to
active substance use or other self-defeating
behaviors.
The Mercy house will
thus become a cost-effective means of offering
community-based services and support to those
in recovery at times when clinical treatment
services may not be readily accessible
(evenings and weekends) or cannot offer the
length of stay necessary to achieve and
sustain recovery. The Mercy house will provide
empowerment – something that clinical services
cannot. By planning and directing Mercy house
activities, individuals in recovery will learn
practical lessons about planning, budgeting,
employment and other aspects of being
productive members of society.
Also, staff at the
Mercy house will assume a peer status role
that allows recovering individuals to develop
a sense of responsibility/self-worth that will
support personal growth and long-term
recovery. Rather than focusing on treatment of
addiction, the Mercy house will stress
personal values of recovery and assist
individuals in establishing a foundation that
supports living a recovering lifestyle. The
Mercy house will also provide important
information, resources and referral services
to those in need. Staff at the Mercy house
will gather/disseminate information on AOD
issues, treatment programs, 12-Step Programs,
recovery housing/sober living, advocacy and a
multitude of community-based services that can
enhance the recovery process.
If you have any
questions about the Mercy house or substance
abuse services in our community, please
contact me at mqually@adamscounty.us.
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