National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life. The Washington County Health Department has several programs to assist individuals in recovery.
Peer Recovery Services: Peer recovery support embraces connections between people who share similar experiences of being diagnosed with a mental health disorder, substance use disorder, and/or both. This mutuality called “peerness” between the Peer Recovery Specialist and a person in or seeking recovery promotes self-determination, creative strategies for self-empowerment, inspiration, hope, and taking concrete steps toward building a fulfilling life. Peer Recovery Specialists believe that recovery can come from different pathways. This program uses a strengths based approach by focusing on the individual’s resiliency and capabilities rather than focusing on challenges. To learn more, call 240-313-3242.
Senate Bill 512 Services: The purpose of Senate Bill 512 is to identify newborns exposed to substances and offer the mother and birth father treatment as well as other supportive needs. It was created out of the Children in Need of Assistance – Drug-Exposed Newborns Program that went into effect October 1, 1997. Senate Bill 512 services at WCHD focuses on developing and managing linkage to services, including outpatient, inpatient, and long term residential programs for the mother and birth father of a substance exposed newborn. The assessor’s main priority is to provide assistance to women in accessing specific long term residential programs that focus on the mother’s needs while being pregnant and or having her children with her while engaged in a program. The assessor is able to access four women with children long term residential programs across the state to include: CAMEO House, Chrysalis House, Safe Harbor, and Gaudenzia. Call 240-313-3398 to learn more.
Recovery Coordination for Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Women with Children Program: Recovery Support Coordination recognizes that recovery comes in different pathways. The main goal is to provide non-judgmental supportive services, utilizing a strengths-based and trauma informed approach. This program is designed to provide assistance and supportive services to women and families in Washington County who are struggling with or recovering from a substance use disorder. The Recovery Coordinator offers comprehensive case management services specifically to women who are pregnant, postpartum, and/or with children. Case management will focus on a collaborative approach in providing an individualized care plan to identify specific goals of the woman, linkage to community resources, working on a multidisciplinary team with care providers involved with the woman, using evidence based practices, and trauma informed care. Additionally the Recovery Coordinator can provide various recovery supports to include developing a relapse prevention plan, linkage to community based meetings, outpatient and inpatient providers, and providing emotional support. Call us at 240-313-3398 to learn more.
If you are looking for substance abuse treatment, call our Behavioral Health Division at 240-313-3310 or view this Community Providers List or Substance Use Services Resource Card.
To learn more about preventing addiction, visit Project Act Now and Washington Goes Purple.
