National Recovery Month

September marks National Recovery Month, a time dedicated to celebrating individuals in recovery and the professionals that make it possible. That includes the team at the David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health in Naples, it reports serving 9000 people every year. Maggie Baldwin joins us now from the nonprofit. David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health in Collier County, where she is the director of the Crossroads Continuum Program. And I want to make a note that David Lawrence Centers is also a sponsor of WGCU Public Media. Maggie, thank you for joining us today in studio. Can you tell us what is this program, this crossroads continuum? Absolutely. So crossroads continuum is our continuum of care for individuals, adults who have substance use disorder, substance use disorder and need treatment. So it's different levels of care. So it's our medically monitored detox. It's our inpatient residential program intensive outpatient outpatient treatment medication assisted treatment care coordination recovery support and our recovery homes. So everything from inpatient to outpatient and everything in between. And what are the demographics as far as whom you serve? So in crossroads, we serve adults 18 to 80, let's say, and substance use disorder treatment does not discriminate. So we see, you know, people from many different walks of life, different demographics, men and women with different a variety of different substance use disorders, from alcohol use disorder to opioid use disorder and everything in between. And can you talk a little bit more specifically about the sober living? Absolutely. So we right now we have two FA certified recovery residences for for men. Our Hope home, which has six male residents, are Justin's home for six male residents. And we also partner with Alpha House, which is through warrior Homes. And recovery. Homes are such an important part of treatment because now folks that have been in treatment are in the community, and sober living provides a very safe, structured, sober living environment. So there's oversight. We have our peer specialists who provide services in the home, peer recovery services in the home. And because we're far certified, we have to manage the homes according to a set of standards. So it's just safe, sober living. And September is National Recovery Month. What does that mean for you and your team, your organization? Well, it's an opportunity to celebrate people in recovery, to celebrate the strength and resilience of individuals who are in recovery, as well as the staff that are dedicated to help people, families who are there to support their loved ones. And it's a way to recognize that recovery isn't a just about abstaining from substances. It's truly about rebuilding one's life, finding purpose, improving health, restoring relationships. These are all the benefits of being in recovery. How great is the need for this kind of service? I think the need is very great. As I was saying earlier, most people who struggle with a substance use disorder don't come in for treatment. There's stigma, there's fear, there's that not willing to want help. Sometimes there's that denial or that feeling that I can just do this on my own. So we only see the tip of the iceberg of people coming in for help. So that's why it's great to get the message out that there is help. Recovery is possible. What would you like our our audience members to know about where they can get help if they if they feel that they need it? Absolutely. People can go to our website, David Lawrence Centers. Or if somebody is ready, they can just walk in, they can walk in. Our lobby is open 24 over seven, whether it's for our acute care, mental health or for detox, just walking in and making that decision. And how does affordability factor into the treatment and the care program? We don't turn anyone away. So we accept insurance, but we also have the ability to qualify people for our sliding scale, and we do our very best not to turn anyone away. I mean, we people are ready for help, especially when it comes to substance use. We are ready to receive them. Maggie Baldwin, thank you so much for joining us. Today is great information to share with our community. Thank you.