Starting Over, Inc. Case Study

Social workers have long worked with people who abuse substances, beginning in the 1800’s with sobriety houses and inebriate asylums, to settlement houses in the profession’s beginnings to developing self-help, consumer-driven programs, designing inpatient detoxification programs, and to applying youth-oriented prevention and education programs. As an addictions counselor, the social worker is a part of a specialized profession that began with the wounded healer tradition of abstinence-based movements of the 18th century (White W. L., 2004). Social workers regularly encounter individuals, families, and communities affected by substance use disorders. Many social workers specialize in the alcohol, tobacco,

The need for a substance abuse recovery home in Starke County, Indiana is a need that is unmistakable in the county based on the hefty number of individuals that suffer from substance abuse and dependency in the county which is clearly displayed by the recent number of crimes that are related to or involve illicit and prescription drugs. In attempt to meet this need and create an opportunity for individuals suffering from substance abuse and dependency to receive local substance abuse treatment in a recovery home the proposal will be presented to several stakeholders within the Starke County community. The term stakeholder “refers to those people who are affected, or could be affected, by the service” (Canadian Career Development Foundation, n.d.) that is being proposed. The proposal for the creation of a substance abuse recovery home will be presented to five key stakeholders including Ms. Becky Anspach the director of Community Services of Starke County, Starke County Community Corrections director of operations Mr. Robert Hinojosa, Ms. Dee Lynch the director of the Indiana Department of Child Services of Starke County, Porter Starke Services facilitator of intensive outpatient program treatment (IOP), and Ms. Rhonda Adcock the director of Starke County CASA.

Currently, I am a counselor in training at East Carolina University within the Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies. Upon graduation, I will be pursuing licensure as a Clinical Addiction Specialist and a Professional Counselor. I am working at the Navigate Counseling Clinic, under the supervision of Qunesha Hinton, who also serves as my ECU doctoral student supervisor. My faculty supervisor is Shari Sias, Associate Professor, Substance Abuse and Clinical Counseling Program Director at East Carolina University (office number: 252-744-6304; email: siass@ecu.edu) and facility supervisor is Dr. Leigh Atherton at Navigate Counseling Clinic (office number: 252-744-6300; email: athertonw@ecu.edu) .

The program is conducted around shared experiences, strength and hope, through individuals who are recovering from their addictions.

For some it will allow them to find employment ,and for others it may help with learning how to live independently through their independent living program. (South Metro Human Services, 2015). This human service entity also helps those who are homeless by teaching them life skills such as budgeting money, obtaining a representative payee if they receive government assistance, as well as meeting their immediate basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing if when needed. They have a staff of clinicians, therapists, ACT nurse, receptionist among a host of others that allow this center to be successful in its endeavors. (South Metro Human Services, 2015).

I chose this agency based on my willingness to learn about the recovery options for those who are affected by drugs and alcohol addiction as alcohol and drug addiction are not only Kentucky’s but also national epidemic

Services offered include mental health treatment, physical health care, education and employment opportunities, peer support, and outreached engagement workers. There are a variety of treatment options to choose from. The plan chosen for the treatment is flexible. Services are available that will help people enter back into their community. Mentally ill homeless are more likely to recover and regain stability if they are a part of a supported housing program. Ones that have gone to programs that are similar to the supported housing programs but do not have engagement from the workers, are homeless within six months of being out of the program. Some homeless have had a bad experience with rehabilitation centers. They say that they felt invisible or looked down upon due to their mental state and their living situation. The people who say this state they will never go through that feeling

Homelessness is a nationwide problem, it has brought tremendous attention to how the issue of homelessness is viewed and dealt with in today’s society. The lack of a solution should be a great concern; society needs to rise up and implement a plan to combat the issue of homelessness. Due to a decrease of affordable housing; lack of job training, along with low wages, and limited mental health and addiction services, the epidemic of homelessness is increasing in the United States. Communities and activist groups must come together and work with nonprofits and government programs to alleviate the homelessness epidemic. There are not enough resources available to deal with mentally ill and drug addicted individuals. Therefore, society has adopted a community and social activist groups to help combat the problems of homelessness.

In supporting equity for individuals who are currently homeless, the service provides group work, counselling, mediation and support, in hope to stop the ongoing cycle of homelessness. The program allocates resources to meet the individual needs of the patient, such as trained mental health services and facilities. By doing so, the needs of the

and interview with Mr. Martinez was not only an enjoyable experience, but informative as well. Program planning was demonstrated with real world applications. I was able to gather enough information to conclude my ideas on the pros and cons of the agency. Perhaps most importantly, some avenues of career opportunities were demonstrated with a Health Promotion degree in the substance abuse field. Since I closed my Three Quarter Way House in Miami in late 1997 and drifted away from the recovery community, I have had a longing to be involved again. This has formed part of my reason for continuing my educational pursuits. Mr. Martinez and his staff were generous with their time, interaction, and advice. On Mr. Martinez’s advice, I plan to pursue to become a Certified Peer Support Specialist to compliment my degree. Also, I plan to attend the Burke County Substance Abuse Network breakfast with Mr. Martinez on the last Friday of the month. This assignment proved to be a most valuable

Angella, a seventeen year old addict, was told by a rehabilitation facility that “there is nothing they can do” to help her overcome her addiction. She had attended three facilities and nothing worked for her. In every one she would spend two months in one rehabilitation center, then move to the next. Along with rehabilitation being very expensive to undergo, many facilities provide only a “one time” fix because they do not use current methods or have educated specialists. The current method for treating drug addiction is failing those addicted; however, an organization called the Herren Project is helping to aid the problem.

This summer I spent my summer in St. Louis, Missouri, where I interned at Epworth Children and Family Services. Specifically it was at the Drop In Center, working with their Older Youth Services department. Epworth is a well known facility that services a thousand different types of clients for many different things. The slogan on all of the promotional material is “To Help Children, Youth, and Families Move Toward Self- Sufficiency, by focusing on health, housing, education, and employment”. For 150 years this company has provided underprivileged youth, families in need and any other clients that who can benefit from their services. Understanding the needs of their clients and helping them surpass the odds to a better future is one of Epworth’s many goals they teach their staff. Epworth has created a system that advocates for the youth and families in need that have a safe place to transform their life.

Aliviane, Inc. is a community-based minority governed, non-profit organization headquartered in El Paso, Texas, Region 10. Aliviane began providing services in 1970 intervention, and treatment programs in the areas of substance abuse, behavioral health, HIV services, homelessness, and education. Today, Aliviane is the primary provider of prevention and treatment services in West Texas for men, women, and adolescents. Aliviane also coordinates a strong network of community support with local, state, and national organizations to provide a continuum of care in West Texas. In addition, the agency operates a number of steering committees and planning groups in the areas of substance abuse and behavioral health. The agency also provides training and professional development for partnering organizations, health workers, interns, volunteers, and members of the community involved with social services (Aliviane, 2014). It is important for every city in the United States of America to have programs like Aliviane in place because it focuses on the community as a whole. Another reason it is important to have programs in place is because many individuals who suffer from a life of drug addiction or addiction in general feels as if there are alone in the world and have no guidance. But thankfully here in El Paso, Texas Aliviane mission statement is simply To provide a comprehensive and

After interviewing my friend Bob, I really learned about him, and the struggles of overcoming an addiction. Bob’s abusive relationship with his father caused him to become very angry, and he projected it by turning to violence. Bob was in and out of prison, and that’s when he picked up his addiction to heroin. When Bob, was placed on parole, living in a treatment center helped Bob detox, but when he left, he was having a hard time adjusting to life. He almost gave up, and start abusing again, but the fear of going back to prison and wanting to change his life really motivated him to stay on the right path. Now Bob is staying busy by helping the employees at 7/11, and living off tips and General Relief. Bob prefers staying homeless, because

Alcohol and drug abuse is a serious problem in our communities. Many of the victims are homeless and feel helpless. Some have just undergone treatment in a hospital, clinic, or even prison and need to transition from full-time treatment to independent living. We have opened a recovery house to assist female recovering addicts to become productive citizens. It provides peer support and safety in a drug and alcohol free environment. It provides a real world setting that helps these women learn how to live clean and sober lives with people who are going through the same struggle with addiction.