MOUNT VERNON — Riverside Recovery Services continues to make strides in combating the substance abuse epidemic facing Knox County.
Building on the success of its women’s sober living home, which opened in December and is the first of its kind in the county, RRS will soon offer a recovery housing program for men. Amy Smart, executive director of Riverside Recovery Services, said RRS plans to close on a house on July 20.
“We’ve been looking for a while and trying to find the right fit, but it has been a struggle,” she said. “Right now it’s a seller’s market. We looked at a few [houses], and before we had a chance to put in an offer, they were gone.”
Sitting on a half-acre parcel on the north edge of the city limits, the home will accommodate 12 men. It includes a large garage that might be used as a gym or for weight equipment.
“There are a couple of minor things we need to do to the house. Our plan is to start placing men the end of August,” said Smart. “I am very excited. We’ve been asked numerous time by adult probation services when we are having a men’s house.”
Recovery housing, or sober living homes, bridge the gap between a life of substance abuse and learning how to live a sober life. Clients learn life skills such as handling relationships, cooking, and time management, among others.
“We plan to run the program at the men’s home like the women’s home, with structured daily groups,” said Smart. “Having outside agencies come and provide some of those life skills has been really incredible.”
Those structured groups include Wood Forest Bank helping clients learn to budget and save money and TouchPointe teaching clients how to prepare for and retain employment.
“These are so important. The nice thing about this level of care is that after a period of time they can begin working, they can begin saving money, which gives them an opportunity while still in treatment,” explained Smart.
“I am very excited to be able to provide another needed program that will get us to not having overdoses and getting people the long-term treatment they need. Twenty-five percent of people in our outpatient setting are homeless. It’s very difficult to stay sober when you are homeless.”
Smart said that being homeless doesn’t necessarily mean living in a camp on the river. It also includes couch hopping, sleeping with friends, and sleeping in an environment that is not helpful to recovery.
“Recovery housing is an opportunity for them to get structured treatment and know where they are going to sleep and be able to stay serious and focused on their recovery,” she said. “If we can help them eliminate the physical part of it, then they can focus on the recovery aspect of it.”
Dustin Gregory, a probation officer with Knox County Adult Court Services, agrees.
Referencing Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, he said, “If these people are out on the street, they are not worried about getting clean. They’re worried about where am I going to sleep tonight. If they know where they will sleep and that they have access to food, they’re able to focus on recovery.
“This is a huge piece that is missing right now in our community,” he said. “It being started will be a tremendous asset. It further increases our options, having this treatment available to the community. It will not be hard to find 12 men to fill those beds and keep them filled.”
Referrals for the men and women’s recovery housing come from the common pleas and municipal courts, adult probation services, and the New Vision program at Knox Community Hospital. Clients can also be self-referred.
Smart said that in addition to Knox County residents, the women’s sober living home has clients from Morrow, Richland, and Holmes counties. The Franklin County Public Defender Office has also started referring women to RRS’ women’s home. The home has a three-month wait list.
Like the women’s home, the men’s sober living home will be staffed 24/7. Also like the women’s home, the men’s home is the first of its kind in Knox County.
“The amount of space and the potential to be able to do other things is always exciting,” said Smart. “We are anxious to get it going.”
Between the sober living homes and its outpatient services, which Smart hopes to soon expand, RRS employs between 30 and 40 people. The company will hire six to eight CDCAs (chemical dependency counselor assistant) in the next 60 to 90 days for its Mount Vernon locations and is offering free CDCA training.
“We are very excited about that. It’s not often that agencies are able to provide that training, and it’s expensive for individuals to get it on their own,” said Smart. “We plan to hire from that pool.”
The training will be held July 22-24, 27 and 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Grand Hotel, 12 Public Square. Those wishing to register for the training can stop by Riverside Recovery Services’ outpatient office, 213 E. Chestnut St., between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Registration deadline is Wednesday, July 18.
