Pathways Engagement Center

Mar

2022

WLEN Interview with LCMHA / Pathways Engagement Center Recovery Coach Samantha Hollingsworth

Woman’s Voice: The Lenawee Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is a diverse group of dedicated community members united around the goal of reducing substance use in Lenawee County. LSAPC members work collaboratively to engage and educate the community in order to promote a healthy Lenawee.

Kathy Williams: This is Kathy Williams. And with me on tonight’s program is Samantha Hollingsworth, and Samantha and I are going to be talking about how language matters. And what that involves is that how you talk to people that are in substance use disorder situations, the words that you use really are impactful. Samantha, welcome to the program.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Thank you, Kathy.

Kathy Williams: So, Samantha, what is it that you actually do involved with the Lenawee Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition?

Samantha Hollingsworth: I am a certified Peer Recovery Coach at Pathways Recovery Engagement Center.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Samantha Hollingsworth: We’re closely involved with LSAPC, and it’s a program of the Community Mental Health.

Kathy Williams: And so at Pathways, you pretty much specifically deal with people that are suffering from substance use disorder or in a recovery position?

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes, yes. We are recovery coaches who have long-term recovery. We find that it helps immensely get through to others going through addiction, and they’re more comfortable speaking with us rather than a counselor or someone who hasn’t been through the things they’ve been through.

Kathy Williams: Well, I think with any kind of mental health issue, it is more beneficial to know that the person you’re sharing with really does know exactly where you’re coming from.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Oh, yes, yes.

Kathy Williams: There’s so many different components that go into, you know, any kind of mental health issue and a substance use disorders are… they cover a broad spectrum right now. There’s so many different kinds of products, I guess would maybe be one word, that are available that cause people to go down these roads.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes. And it’s not just… a lot of people think that “Oh, we’re just talking drugs here”. We’re talking alcohol and anything that you could, that can be abused.

Kathy Williams: Right. So, when… the topic of course today is language matters. You know, we talk about bullying and kids and things like that and how words, you know, can cause a lot of harm, but in substance use disorder, it’s the same kind of thing. You have to watch what you say.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Oh yes. Yeah. It can be offensive. But I think the goal is to reduce stigma. It’s a negative bias. And addiction – it’s not a character flaw, it’s not a moral weakness. And that’s the hardest thing is that’s where we’re categorized right now.

Kathy Williams: Right. So give us some examples of what we should say compared to what we shouldn’t say.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Well, for example, instead of “addict,” you might say a “person with substance use disorder”. Instead of “user,” “person with an opioid addiction”. I know it sounds like it’s a lot more to say, but there are correct terms. A “junkie person”, a “person in active use”. A “drunk,” a “person who struggles with alcohol abuse”. Those are the types of words.

Kathy Williams: Right. And of course, a lot of people might be not yet comfortable, you know, you can shorten that up, you know, if you, if you choose.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Right.

Kathy Williams: They were… they choose not to be sober at this point or something like that.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Right. It’s just important to use like supportive, non-judgmental words when you speak of it,

Kathy Williams: Right. And so at Pathways then are there actual classes that help these people, or how does that work?

Samantha Hollingsworth: One of the major things that we do, we hold SMART Recovery Meetings. And a lot of people, we’ve had good feedback on that because a lot of SMART recovery is about not using those titles. We don’t use those words in that meeting if at all possible. It is hard to get around because myself being in active addiction almost eight years, I refer to myself as an addict. I, one of the things that I take pride in and that I’ve helped with is start Celebrate Recovery in Hudson.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Samantha Hollingsworth: And we announce ourselves during those meetings. And I prefer to say, you know, “and so I’m an addict”, or I say, “I am in recovery from prescription pill addiction”. So as you go farther into it, those kinds of words come to you or how you would like to be referred to as.

Kathy Williams: There you go. Right. Well, and it does take that edge off I think.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes.

Kathy Williams: Which people that are in, actively in addictions, it’s not because they want to be there.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Oh no.

Kathy Williams: And so by changing your focus of how you speak to people, it does show more compassion, I think too.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes. And a lot of people don’t see substance use disorder as a disease, but it is a chronic disease, but it’s also treatable.

Kathy Williams: Exactly. So there are lots of ways that anyone listening out there can find help for themselves or for a loved one. Can you tell us – where can they go for some help?

Samantha Hollingsworth: We’re trying to get our name out there. We’ve been, we’ve been open four and a half years and word is getting around. One of the major things that I had wanted to speak of today is the stigmatizing language in the medical field and the hospital settings. It reduces someone in addiction, their willingness to seek treatment because they feel less than, they feel looked down upon. And I experienced this in the emergency rooms. You hear nurses in the background talking about you. You get that vibe right away from an emergency room physician who may not be as familiar with addiction, but what they hear and what they see when people are coming in seeking pills and demanding, “give me something for pain”. They automatically picture you as that’s what you’re there for. That’s all you want. And I had done my share of shopping for pills. But the first time I went back out of addiction and said, “No opiates, flag me, red letters.” They look at you like, “Are you kidding? We never see this.” but that is a major thing. It… The words that are chosen to be used, it negatively influences the medical providers.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Samantha Hollingsworth: I’m not for certain because I’m not one, but if they haven’t experienced that with a loved one or someone they know, that’s exactly the take, they, that they’re going to see on it.

Kathy Williams: So, we need to not prejudge how the person got to the situation they’re at.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Right.

Kathy Williams: And choose our words better to let them understand that we’re not prejudging, that we’re really there to just help.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Right. Because language has power.

Kathy Williams: It does.

Samantha Hollingsworth: And it, you know, the words we use frame what people think about that. And stigma… it’s all about discriminating against a group of people or a person for what they’ve gone through or what’s currently happening, and it’s just sad. I’ve tried to, ever since I’ve been in recovery is do anything I could to try to bring awareness to that language. And I mean, even close family members to me will slip up and say, “You know, my daughter’s an addict,” you know, and it’s just like, you kind of cringe after a while. But like I said, I looked at myself as an addict.

Kathy Williams: Oh yeah, right.

Samantha Hollingsworth: But until I started doing the trainings that I’ve done through CMH… But at Pathways, you know, we have a Facebook page. You can find us, the phone number, through CMH or anything. We’re there all through the week overnight and then 24 hours on the weekends. If no one answers, we call right back when we get in to check. We’re there to help with anything we can or point you in the right direction.

Kathy Williams: There you go. Thanks so much, Samantha. Thanks for sharing your story and helping us become more aware of how our, how to choose our words more appropriately.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Well, thank you for having me.

Woman’s Voice: Thank you for listening. This information has been provided by the Lenawee Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. Supported by funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration. New messages air on the first and third Monday of each month at 6:15 p.m. You can listen to this program as a podcast under the audio tab on WLEN.com and listen and gather more information at DrugPreventionLenawee.com.

Feb

2022

WLEN Interview with LCMHA / Pathways Engagement Center Program Coordinator Christy Brugger

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Kathy Williams: This is Kathy Williams and with me on tonight’s program is Christy Brugger. And we are going to be talking about what to look for and what kind of action to take when there’s a possible opioid overdose happening. Christy, tell our listeners a little bit about you.

Christy Brugger: My name is Christy Brugger and I’m a member of the Lenawee Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. I also work for Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority as the Program Coordinator for Pathways Engagement Center.

Kathy Williams: So Christy, I know we keep statistical information on what’s going on in Lenawee County, as far as opioid overdoses. And you know, a lot of people might not even know what to look for. Sometimes this happens just out in public and takes people unaware. So, what kind of things are signs that there could be an opioid overdose happening?

Christy Brugger: So, signs would be blue or gray lips or fingers – if someone’s darker complected, their skin might look ashen; pinpoint pupils; deep snoring or gurgling noises; they could have slowed or no breathing at all; and have been going as being unresponsive to pain.

Kathy Williams: Okay. And I don’t understand the logic of people using opioids other than I know some people use it as a pain medication from a severe accident or whatever, but of course we want to be sure that we’re prepared should we run into someone that’s going through something like this. So, what kind of actions should we consider doing?

Christy Brugger: So, I think everyone should carry Narcan.

Kathy Williams: Wow.

Christy Brugger: That’s a very important piece because even if you do come upon somebody and think that they might be overdosing and you administer Narcan, it will not hurt them if that’s not the case for them.

Kathy Williams: Okay. That’s good to know. And there are places where you can get the Narcan at no additional cost too. I believe there was a handout not long ago.

Christy Brugger: Yes. So the day of HOPE…

Kathy Williams: Which will be coming up later this summer.

Christy Brugger: Yes. That was a big one. There were plenty of people from the community that day. I do know soon come there will be other events that I will be able to let you know about in the future where we will be training people to administer.

Kathy Williams: Okay. Oh, there you go. And cause it’s kind of similar to an Epipen, isn’t it? Only it’s nasal?

Christy Brugger: Yes. It’s yes, it’s actually quite simple.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Christy Brugger: Simple as that: one little spray in the nose and a couple of minutes later, a spray in the other nostril.

Kathy Williams: There you go. So I know there’s an acronym for action that you should take. Can you run us through that?

Christy Brugger: So the first one is arouse: it’s like the three S’s: you Shout their name, you want to Shake their shoulders, and it Sternal rub. So that’s when you realize if they’re unresponsive to pain or not. A sternal rub is simply taking your knuckles, putting it into somebody’s chest, rubbing vigorously up and down. That is painful. So most of the time people will arouse from that. The second is check for the signs of overdose, which we talked about, the, you know, the bluish lips and fingernails, the unresponsive pain, deep snoring… Third, you want to call 911.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Christy Brugger: And then fourth would be giving that Narcan, whether it be intermuscular or through the nose. You can next, you can start doing rescue breaths. You can give two breaths initially, and then maybe a breath every five seconds for about 30 seconds or even start CPR if you know how to do that, and then you want to repeat giving the Narcan again. So you would give the Narcan in one nostril and you’d give it a minute or two and you would give it in the other. And then you want to make sure that you put them in the safety, the recovery position, which is on their side.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Christy Brugger: And then it’s also really important to remember that Narcan only lasts for anywhere from 30 to 120 minutes, depending on how much the person has in their system. So if you find someone, it’s imperative that you call 911 because they can just, after 30 minutes they can go right back into overdosing again.

Kathy Williams: Even without administering more drugs, they could do that?

Christy Brugger: Yes.

Kathy Williams: So there you go. So you’re not done when you, when you’ve administered the Narcan, that’s just saved them temporarily.

Christy Brugger: Yes.

Kathy Williams: I did not realize that. Christy, you know, we talk a lot about how this particular epidemic has really grown nationwide. And so I know that there are support groups out there to help people that are having problems with opioid use or any kind of substance use. And of course they can always refer to the Lenawee Community Health, Mental Health for some help.

Christy Brugger: Yes.

Kathy Williams: And also for the Lenawee Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, they can get more information about overdose, opioid overdose and ways to take action on the DrugPreventionLenawee.com on that website.

Christy Brugger: Yes.

Kathy Williams: So lots of good information out there. Lots of ways that we can be more aware and help our, our neighbors and a family and friends to not have this be the end of their journey.

Christy Brugger: Absolutely.

Kathy Williams: Thanks so much, Christie. We appreciate you.

Christy Brugger: Thank you.

Jan

2022

WLEN Interview with LCMHA / Pathways Engagement Center Program Manager Kellie Niese

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Kathy Williams: This is Kathy Williams and with me tonight is Kellie Niese and she is the project manager for Pathways Engagement Center. She’s also the HRSA grant Recovery Coordinator. Kellie, got a great topic tonight. We’re going to be talking about your crisis stabilization group.

Kellie Niese: Right.

Kathy Williams: Tell us, tell our listeners, what is that all about?

Kellie Niese: So the Crisis Stabilization group is a work group of the bigger prevention coalition in Lenawee County.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Kellie Niese: And it’s a group that’s been stalled over the last couple years, secondary to the COVID pandemic, but really it is involving law enforcement and first responders, and access points in our community to people that are in crisis for mental health and substance use disorder.

Kathy Williams: Well I know we talked about the overdose issues recently. I know a lot of people are shocked at how much that happens in our little community.

Kellie Niese: Right. In parallel with the COVID pandemic, the incidence of overdose, substance use disorder have actually increased. I was talking to you about just the last month we had 11 overdoses in Lenawee County with Narcan administration and one overdose death. So it is a problem that’s pertinent here in Adrian.

Kathy Williams: So the goal of this group then, like you just kind of said, is to breach a stop gap moment where we’re kind of losing track of people when they could need the help the most, and possibly be… maybe a little bit more interested in finding out some changes they could make?

Kellie Niese: Right. It’s meeting people where their need is the highest. So, at that point when they’re struggling and don’t have anywhere to go and might encounter law enforcement or EMS, instead of taking them to jail or some sort of punitive process that follows their encounter with law enforcement, actually directing them to someplace that they can get help, whether that’s the engagement center, whether that’s Lenawee Community Mental Health, whether that’s the emergency department. But the goal of this group is to get the emergency department, first responders, and law enforcement, all kind of working together to get that person to a place of help.

Kathy Williams: That’s one of the things too, that they get at Pathways Engagement Center is they have some peer support…

Kellie Niese: That’s right.

Kathy Williams: That maybe might even encourage them taking advantage of more of these other opportunities.

Kellie Niese: Right. Someone that has been in their shoes with substance use disorder and has come out the other side with success can definitely kind of walk that path with a person in crisis that’s going through it right now and take them and help them, guide them to a place of recovery and support.

Kathy Williams: So the different groups then that are involved in the Crisis Stabilization group, what kind of entities are those?

Kellie Niese: Well, I’m actually really excited. We had a really good response from Lenawee County. We have the Adrian Police Department, Michigan State Patrol, Lenawee County Jail is involved with a jail release program that gets people connected to substance use disorder treatment, ProMedica ER, and CMH access.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Kellie Niese: So, really all the groups that kind of touch folks when they’re in trouble or in crisis, they’re all kind of working together to create a plan to move forward.

Kathy Williams: Didn’t you also mention to me off air that the Probation Department is involved.

Kellie Niese: Right. So substance use disorder has two treatment programs through Lenawee County: Drug Court and Sobriety Court.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Kellie Niese: And so we’re really hoping to get the probation officers involved in this process too, to make sure that people that are in those programs have the support that they need.

Kathy Williams: You know, the sad part is is that over the last couple of years, there is more signs of depression in our community.

Kellie Niese: Yeah.

Kathy Williams: And of course, then drug use and alcohol use people think might help get them through things, but in essence, they end up falling down a sad rabbit hole.

Kellie Niese: Yeah. I feel like the pandemic has affected our community in so many ways, and just people have stopped going out. And so that means people are kind of isolated and they’re not reaching out for help even more than before.

Kathy Williams: Right.

Kellie Niese: And so I do think the need is higher during this time; like I just think that we need to reinvigorate our efforts to kind of engage people and let people know the resources that are already available out in our community.

Kathy Williams: Well and become more social face-to-face…

Kellie Niese: Right.

Kathy Williams: And not social media. You know, I think that the human interaction has, you know, has been sidelined by all this. And yet that’s where you get your best support is in a face-to-face.

Kellie Niese: Right.

Kathy Williams: And that’s why the Pathways Engagement Center is so important in our community.

Kellie Niese: It is. Isolation is a huge symptom of substance use disorder.

Kathy Williams: Right.

Kellie Niese: It’s an easy way for people with in crisis to cope, is just to kind of pull away from everything. And so at Pathways, we really do work to re-engage and reconnect with people and kind of instill that hope in them that they may be missing.

Kathy Williams: There you go. Kelly, if our listeners want to find out more about the Crisis Stabilization group, can they find that out through the LCMHA site or Pathways, how would they call?

Kellie Niese: Both. So LCMHA’s site – the website – and also the prevention coalition website both have links to the work groups there. If not, they can reach out to Lenawee County Community Health which is (517) 263-8905.

Kathy Williams: Oh, thanks so much, Kelly. It’s an interesting group and we hope that our community sees great results from it.

Kellie Niese: Great. Thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to talk.

Sep

2021

WLEN Interview with Recovery Coach Samantha Hollingsworth

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Kathy Williams: This is Kathy Williams and with me on tonight’s program is Samantha Hollingsworth and Samantha and I are going to be talking a little bit about the month of September and that it is National Recovery month. And Samantha is a recovery coach at Pathways here in Adrian. And Samantha, thank you for taking time to come and talk with us for one thing.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Oh, no problem.

Kathy Williams: So let’s talk a little bit about your journey. You know, how did your journey start?

Samantha Hollingsworth: Okay. Well, I was the typical teenager that experimented with some alcohol and stuff my junior year on spring break, but my real issue with substances started when I had some back surgeries and with the pain medication. I followed the prescription and took things as they were prescribed in the beginning, and then as I became tolerant to it and stressful situations came about, I started dosing myself and taking more and more and more, and getting prescriptions from different doctors, and it just spiraled out of control, and more and more pills, and it just…

Kathy Williams: Yup. You know, not an uncommon story.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Right.

Kathy Williams: Really. I mean so many people fall down that same pathway, and it’s hard: when you’re in pain you grasp at anything to get you out of it.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Oh yes, yes.

Kathy Williams: And so, of course you’re out. You’re out of it now.

Samantha Hollingsworth: I’m out of it.

Kathy Williams: I know. I’m so excited that you shared with me you got your anniversary coming up.

Samantha Hollingsworth: I do. Saturday.

Kathy Williams: 7 years.

Samantha Hollingsworth: 7 years.

Kathy Williams: Congratulations to you.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Thank you.

Kathy Williams: What helped you decide then to get involved in becoming a coach, a recovery coach?

Samantha Hollingsworth: Well, I went through the system. I ended up getting in some trouble. I lost my children, and that was my rock bottom. I, I went to jail, probation, inpatient treatment. I left inpatient treatment, went into transitional housing.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Samantha Hollingsworth: A friend of mine got me into church, and I just knew I had to give back. I lost a sister to heroin and I knew that I just had to do something. It became… I started to see it was a epidemic and I just knew I could do something with it. And I started seeing everything around me, you know, all these people falling down to it. And, and I was like, “I know, I can do something”. And when I learned about there was classes you could take and become a recovery coach, I knew that was something I wanted to do.

Kathy Williams: Yeah, I think it… you know, it’s, it’s a blessing that you found that calling.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes.

Kathy Williams: Cuz so many people don’t, don’t find it. They aren’t able to pull themselves out of their spiral downhill. And so, I’m sure that you, you know, from going through the classes and everything you learned so much more about how you got where you were.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes. Yes. And I learned too that there was a reason I had to experience all that crud I went through.

Kathy Williams: Yeah, it’s a God thing.

Samantha Hollingsworth: It is, it is. It really is.

Kathy Williams: So, how do you, do you find that through your training and of course, through your own life experience, that brings a lot to the table when you’re trying to help someone else that’s going through it.

Samantha Hollingsworth: It does. It does. And it’s so rewarding because I’ve been at Pathways since before we opened the doors, since that building was nothing.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Samantha Hollingsworth: And I’m so thankful and I’ve watched it grow and I’ve been there since… I mean, when we first opened, it took months before the first person walked through the door.

Kathy Williams: Right.

Samantha Hollingsworth: And so, to see where we are now, it’s so, it’s, it’s so great to see. But just to sit around the table and to have consumers come in, and to see them where I used to be?

Kathy Williams: Right.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Just to share, you know, what you can be here too.

Kathy Williams: Right.

Samantha Hollingsworth: You can be a recovery coach, just look. You know, and just to give them that hope. And then they get that spark in their eyes.

Kathy Williams: Yes.

Samantha Hollingsworth: You know, you can be here. And they’re so much more comfortable talking to us. They’re not being judged in this environment and they’re just… they’re happy to be there. They constantly tell us “this is great”. It’s, it’s an environment where it’s like, you’re at home, it’s a living room setting. There’s a kitchen. They can shower. It’s just like, it’s so comfortable for them. And they, they love being there.

Kathy Williams: Well, and I would think even for people that are maybe not as extroverted, but you know, more introverted, they are learning things though, that they can also then share, inadvertently sometimes, with other people that are in the same situation. They may not think of themselves as coaches, but but you’re helping to inspire them, for sure.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes, for sure. And it’s so nice to have them come back in and just drop-in and let us know how they’re doing.

Kathy Williams: Right, Right. I love the, the follow-up

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes.

Kathy Williams: You know, and then, of course, as they’re coming out of it, they’re proud of their accomplishments, and it’s nice to have someone else reinforcing that they, that they are accomplishing something one day at a time.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Yes. Yes, for sure.

Kathy Williams: So Samantha, remind our listeners then where Pathways is and when the hours of operation are.

Samantha Hollingsworth: We’re downtown across from Huntington Bank at 211 West Maumee.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Samantha Hollingsworth: We’re open Monday through Friday, 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., and then Friday night when we open it’s 8 p.m. through Monday: we’re open 24/7. We also have a Facebook page that we’re pretty active on. You can see what time our SMART Recovery meetings are. You can also call. If no one answers if it’s during the downtime, then we returned your phone call as soon as we can.

Kathy Williams: Well Samantha, we thank you so much for coming and talking to us and wish you all the best in the future, really proud of your accomplishments.

Samantha Hollingsworth: Well thank you so much.

Kathy Williams: You’re welcome.

Aug

2021

WLEN Interview with LCMHA / Pathways Engagement Center Program Manager Kellie Niese & Program Coordinator Christy Brugger

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Kathy Williams: This is Kathy Williams. In with me on tonight’s program is Kellie Niese. She is the program manager at Pathways along with Christy Brugger, who is a program coordinator with Pathways, and obviously, we are going to be talking about Pathways. So ladies, thank you for meeting with me today.

Kellie Niese & Christy Brugger: Thank you for having us.

Kathy Williams: So, let’s talk about Pathways. It’s a program that’s offered through the Lenawee Community Mental Health? Or is it a separate entity?

Kellie Niese: No, it’s part of Lenawee Community Mental Health. We are completely grant funded, and we serve community members that have substance use disorder issues, and we connect them to resources and services in our area.

Kathy Williams: So, how long has the program been around?

Christy Brugger: Pathways has been open for 4 years.

Kathy Williams: And it serviced quite a few people in that time, I would imagine.

Christy Brugger: Absolutely.

Kathy Williams: Have you found more usage with the whole pandemic and the shutdowns and everything last year?

Christy Brugger: In the beginning, people were not reaching out, I don’t think. So, it was very, very slow. And I think that were, there was just a lot of fear, and then little by little, as time has gone-by, more people have been coming in.

Kathy Williams: So, you have an actual physical location then for Pathways, correct?

Christy Brugger: Yes. We are at 211 West Maumee Street.

Kathy Williams: And what are the hours that people can stop in there? Or do they need to make appointments? How does that..?

Christy Brugger: Nope, no appointment is necessary. We open at 8 p.m. every evening and we stay open until 8 a.m. And then on Friday nights, we open at 8 p.m. and we stay open 24 hours and close at 8 a.m. Monday morning.

Kathy Williams: Pathways itself then is a stopgap for when other support organizations are not available.

Christy Brugger: Yes.

Kathy Williams: And what kind of services then do they focus on there?

Christy Brugger: Putting people in charge of their recovery. So, everybody that works there is a person in long-term recovery. And you essentially just come in whenever you’d like and talk about what you want your recovery to look like.

Kathy Williams: Okay.

Christy Brugger: Maybe you need inpatient, residential, maybe you just need outpatient, or you’re looking for meetings that you would like to go to.

Kathy Williams: So, are these people that are currently in crisis, or currently experiencing drug use and alcohol use, or are they already through their withdrawal symptoms, things like that? Where do they fall in here?

Christy Brugger: All of the above.

Kathy Williams: Okay!

Christy Brugger: So, we have people that come in absolutely in crisis, needing to be signed up for insurance to get into detox. And we also have people that are just doing very well in their recovery: they just want to come in and we’re just a safe place to land.

Kathy Williams: Do they have counselors then or what kind of support do they get when they’re there?

Christy Brugger: Everybody who works at Pathways is a peer recovery coach.

Kathy Williams: Okay. And what does that involve?

Christy Brugger: They have either gone through the State of Michigan training or they’ve gone through CCAR, which is the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery. And that’s a week-long intensive training program.

Kathy Williams: Okay, well, it seems to me that it makes sense to have peers because they have been where these people that are looking for help are – trying to get out of their situations. Do those recovery coaches then build bonds with the people they’re helping?

Christy Brugger: Absolutely. I think that most of the peers there build great rapport with people who are coming in. So, we might have people who come in that are in crisis and then six months later they come back and say “Thank you. I’m doing well. Look at me now.”

Kathy Williams: Okay, great.

Christy Brugger: We love that.

Kathy Williams: How is the connection then with the community, with law enforcement, things like that? Are you having any issues that way or..?

Kellie Niese: No, we have partnerships with the Sheriff’s department where currently we work with them with a re-entry program with medication-assisted treatment. We connect to inmates that are getting released and connect them to services in the community. And when I say “we” I mean a peer does.

Kathy Williams: Right.

Kellie Niese: And we have a lot of, all the substance use disorder providers in our area, we work closely with them. We work with the Drug and Treatment Court and the Sobriety Court as well. So, we’re kind of connected to a lot of different community partners to catch people that have substance use disorder where they’re at.

Kathy Williams: No, I love that idea, that with the other organizations, then you’re able to do a little bit better wrap-around recovery. It seems to me that someone that’s probably in crisis, may not even realize what kind of help is available to them. And so what is the best way that they can find out more information or maybe their family member or friend can find out information for them on how to get involved in this program?

Kellie Niese: Right. I’ll just add, it takes a whole community to address those problems, so it’s so great that we have community partners. For those in crisis, you can reach Pathways Engagement Center. We’re open after 8 p.m. every night and our number is 920-4416. Or you can call the crisis line at Lenawee Community Mental Health. And that number is 263-8905.

Kathy Williams: And is there an online component where they can go get information?

Kellie Niese: Sure. Pathways has a Facebook page where we like to promote and share how to connect with us and any events that were engaged with in the community.

Kathy Williams: There you go. Well, thank you so much. Christy, Kellie, appreciate all the information on Pathways and we want to thank you for all you do in our community.

Christy Brugger: Thanks for having us.

Kellie Niese: Thank you,

Woman’s Voice: Thank you for listening. This information has been provided by the Lenawee Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. New messages air on the first and third Monday of each month at 6:15 p.m. You can listen to this program as a podcast under the audio tab on WLEN.com and listen and gather more information at DrugPreventionLenawee.com.