Saturday, October 15, 2016

Local Resources Fighting This Heroin Epidemic Battle

If you are like so many in this area due to the stigma about Heroin, Opiates and addiction you often don't know where to turn to for help.

This was posted on a Facebook Page from Debbie Hill Gray who locally is helping addicts and their families find treatment and healing from this addiction. If you live in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, Jefferson County and Morgan County you will find many resources locally to help.

If you love someone with an addiction problem, please reach out to anyone listed in this. If you yourself are an addict and are trying to find help for yourself please reach out. Debbie's post had the following resources:

"One of our Charles Town Nar-anon family lost their son to his battle with addiction last night. God knows I see losses daily across FB, but this one hit me hard. My heart is hurting so badly for them. He was very much loved by many people, but most of all his mom.

Please keep them in your prayers.

I felt I should provide some resources for ANYONE struggling with this disease or anyone with a loved one struggling with the disease. Even if you think your loved one does NOT want help, I assure you they usually DO. They just don't want to discuss their addiction with their family members due to the guilt and shame they feel. There should be no shame in this disease, but they still feel it. Most of the time your child will speak to someone they don't know about their addiction much quicker and easier than with their family and friends. THEY WANT HELP!

There are lots of people in our area reaching out to help with addiction. Some are moms, some are friends, some are in county positions, but there are resources available. I am listing them here again. PLEASE REACH OUT TO ANY RESOURCE LISTED FOR HELP:

Help4wv.com is the Governor's hotline, setup to help with WV's overwhelming addiction epidemic. They will help find a detox and hopefully treatment afterwards, even if there is a few day to week long wait. They have access to ALL treatment centers in our state and are available 24/7. They will arrange travel to the facility in most cases.

You can use their Internet site help4wv.com or call 844-435-7498.

Tina Burkey Stride and Lisa Melcher started a non-profit called The Hope Dealer Project and can also find treatment for addiction. Tina also facilitates a Nar-Anon group in Martinsburg on Sunday's. Here is the link to their page:

The Hope Dealer Project


Justin W. Ponton has a sober living network in Huntington, WV. There are many people willing to transport individuals wanting to go there. He cannot take anyone needing medically detoxed from alcohol or benzo's due to the danger of detoxing from these to my knowledge, but can after the detox from these. Justin can confirm this for you. His website is:

The Newness of Life
His phone number is: 304-972-6601

Tim Payne and his wife, Emily (I believe) run the non-profit, Turning Point of the Eastern Panhandle. Their website is:
Turning Point of the Eastern Panhandle

Katrin O'Leary is Vice President of: Magnolia New Beginnings, a 501c3 based in MA. Katrin resides in Florida.
Her website is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/553591441439612

Barbie Thrower is the Director of CRC in Florida, a Licensed Level III Substance abuse treatment center. Long term- 6 months to a year.
Barbie says: We are fighting hard to end this epidemic and remove the stigma of addiction!! Call 321-632-5958 or visit our website Ctcbrevard.com for additional information . God bless all who are in this fight together!

Although it is currently on hold for a short time, I facilitate a Nar-Anon group in Charles Town. I will be updating the site when active again, which I hope is soon. Here is the group's FB page for updates:
https://www.facebook.com/HopeforTomorrowCharlesTownWVNarA…/…

I also have a FB page just to share and post educational information about addiction and provide support. Anyone can reach out to me for help there or add educational content. The link is:
https://www.facebook.com/DrugAlcoholAddictionRecoveryAndF…/…

There are several support groups I recommend:
Katrin O'Leary facilitates a group for Addiction support, Magnolia New Beginnings, closed FB support group. Search for the group and request to join.

Kathleen W facilitates Covered With Love, a group comprised of people all over the country, coming together to help one another and their children. Search for the group and request to join.

I believe Dave Roberts and/or Cindy Everts facilitates "The Group", which is the group nobody ever wants to join. It is a support group for parents and siblings who've lost their children/sibling. They have personal gatherings also. Search for The Group and request to join.

Locally, Laura Haynes facilitates the Berkeley County Heroin Epidemic FB page, where you can find informational posts and support. Her link is:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/553591441439612/

Dee Stotelmyer Pierce facilitates the FB page Bikers Against Heroin WV Chapter. They do fundraisers to help the addiction community and provide other resources. Her link is:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BAHwestva/

Cindy Koontz has a blog page and puts together community vigils along with James Boyd. I don't know the link to her blog.

Amanda Edwards and Casey Hershey facilitate a FB support page called Soberology. Search for it and request to join.

Kevin Knowles is the Berkeley County Resource Go-To, a very important resource. You can contact Kevin at 304-264-1923 or 304-676-7731

I've helped people on my own time for years, heavily for 18 months. I started after trying to find help for my son, with such a difficult time, I was on the phone forever with facilities trying to get him help and continually was told NO or ADD him to long waiting lists. Finally I found a company to help me. They did it all, including making his travel arrangements to California. Today Matthew is well, thank God! He's joined me in reaching out to help those struggling with addition.

We help with any resources including; help4wv.com, faith based programs, scholarships (when available), find an insurance broker to help them determine if eligible for a special enrollment for private health insurance, help them get into top, trustworthy treatment centers away from our area, talk to their family members -providing them resources such as, RENOVO Center and Nar-Anon, speak with their loved one struggling with addiction to convince them to get treatment-no matter how long it takes, provide travel to state facilities, help them find Suboxone Doctors, take them to the hospital, and simply just listen when needing to talk. We do whatever possible to help.
Recently, because of our outreach, we both had several job offers, which happens when you are doing outreach. After a long time and a lot of soul searching we accepted a "salary" position with the only company we trust to get people into trustworthy treatment centers. We refused to take money per person, such as body brokers do. We cannot and will NOT see someone struggling with addiction as a $ sign, so we simply help people find help, however that may be, including state, faith based, and scholarship programs. I assure you we are not getting rich, we are making a living as everyone does at their jobs. We are available anytime at all.

We work for Sober Services, run by an amazing man in recovery himself. He puts many resources back into communities and is starting a "Jail Initiative" to help those arrested for drug related crimes get treatment rather than jail. This is NOT an advertisement for his company, my son, or me. This is simply another resource just as those above.

Here is the link to the company website:
https://www.soberservices.org
He works with people all over the country. Matthew and I help with those in our area, but also any area in the country. Matthew Hammock can be reached at 304-886-8322, me at 304-820-5375.

Probably the most significant and new program available to our area is Melissa Swartz's (counselor) The RENOVO CENTER. Melissa was the only counselor in her office, but expanded her practice exponentially to help those struggling with addiction and their family members. She offers groups for family members on Tuesday evenings. She added case workers to help manage all phases of patient care. She added more counselors and has Suboxone/Vivatrol Doctors coming in November. She accepts Medicaid. I have referred many people to her, especially those who find inpatient treatment isn't something they can do or to help them in the interim until they can get into a treatment center.
I cannot say enough good about what Melissa has done for our community by expanding her practice.

Her website is:
The Renovo Center

https://www.facebook.com/The-Renovo-Center-LLC-1885343344…/…
Her office number is: 681-242-8819

I am certain there are more resources I haven't mentioned, so anyone with more, please post them.
PLEASE if you or a loved one needs help for addiction, reach out to any of these resources. We are losing too many lives over this epidemic!"

Many thanks to Debbie for her time in putting this list of resources together.

I wanted to add to this that there are several recovering from their addiction who have joined in this fight to help other addicts. One of those people is

Click his name to go to his Facebook and message him on Facebook. If you are seeking help with your addiction, message Kyle.



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