Counseling Center Celebrating Recovery Month By Enhancing Support

By John Voket

The Family Counseling Center of Newtown (FCC) could not have timed the approval of its new Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment license more appropriately. News of the most recent licensing came just a few days into National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

“It’s a wonderful addition, something the community needs,” said Elise Trock, FCC’s new clinical director.

While she said clients coming to the local agency always received expedient and appropriate referrals when seeking this type of support, Ms Trock said the services FCC can now provide can be extremely beneficial for individuals dealing with multiple issues.

“We can offer more continuity of care here now,” Ms Trock explained. “Often people dealing with substance abuse problems have other mental health issues which we were already licensed to treat.”

Cher Shannon, director of substance abuse services and coordinator of the center’s Strengthening Families Program, said the licensing is not just beneficial for clients coming into the agency, but for FCC’s mission to enhance outreach to the community.

“We are now authorized to provide substance abuse training to community groups, and to be a clearinghouse for additional informational/educational resources,” Ms Shannon said.

She is currently developing a reference room for individuals, family members, friends, teachers and professionals. These resources will include current, most up-to-date evidence and research-based materials, fact sheets, pamphlets, and workbooks.

Since the FCC staff believes that there is no shame in mental illness or addiction, Ms Shannon believes the agency will now be even better positioned to inspire anyone who needs it, to seek and receive the help that is available right here in their home town.

“When the components of prevention, intervention, treatment, and aftercare [peer mentoring from rehab to outpatient treatment] are integrated, healthier individuals, families, and communities are created and supported,” she said.

As a result of the timely announcement of their expanding services, Newtown First Selectman Herb Rosenthal was moved to join dozens of other communities across the nation in proclaiming September National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in Newtown.

“Clearly, this is an important day for Newtown,” he said after delivering the proclamation to FCC officers and staff. “With this new level of accessible, professional support available right here in town, any resident suffering in silence, or anyone in their family who is living with the effects of substance abuse, can get the information and care they require to begin a successful recovery.”

Mr Rosenthal referenced the data he discovered when preparing the proclamation, pointing out that nearly eight out of ten people surveyed nationally said that some type of substance addiction has touched them at some point in their lives.

“When you read this kind of statistic, you realize that nobody is ever alone when they are experiencing or facing an addiction,” the first selectman said.

Ms Shannon further reinforced how this type of action is enhanced when it can be done in the comfort of one’s own community.

“The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services refers to recovery as the ways in which a person with a mental illness and/or addiction experiences and manages his or her disorder in the process of reclaiming his or her life in the community,” she said.

Chris Gardner and Laura Kurtz were both on hand for the proclamation as chairmen of respective boards who are now leading Newtown Youth Services and the Family Counseling Center through the initial stages of a merger. Mr Gardner said the latest range of programming afforded through the new license will be beneficial to parents and caregivers who currently approach his organization seeking help or a local referral.

“Part of what we hoped to accomplish through merging is to unify and expand our range of support services,” he said. “And from what we are hearing and seeing in the community, this new aspect of service will only help us help our young people through difficult times more effectively, while keeping them engaged locally.”

Beth Barton, who is tentatively set to take over executive duties at the merged Newtown Youth and Family Services agency, echoed Mr Gardner’s sentiment.

“I had my eye on securing this licensing before I even walked through the door,” Ms Barton said. “It’s something we know there is a tremendous need for, and ultimately it will help the new agency provide a full continuum of substance services from prevention through aftercare and relapse prevention.”

According to Ms Shannon, the new FCC Therapeutic Addiction Recovery Services will include assessment and evaluation, individual and group counseling, psychiatric consultations, early recovery relapse prevention, aftercare, family support, and intervention.

“We believe in recovery,” she said. “Addictive disorders are serious health problems which affect individuals, families, children, friends, and employers. It takes a team of professionals to treat the needs of people with substance use disorders and their families, and now that our licensing permits us to develop these programs here at the Family Counseling Center, that team is the home team!”