Southwest Virginia Community Health System’s New Day Recoveries (NDR) are celebrating National Recovery Month during the month of September and hosting the first annual Walk to Recovery.
National Recovery Month, which started in 1989, is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible.
NDR Behavioral Health Program Manager, Melissa Doane-Williams said, “Recovery Month is important to celebrate people in recovery and send a message that recovery is possible.”
New Day Recovery is a Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) preferred “Office Based Addiction Treatment” outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) provider. NDR has locations in Saltville, Va., Bristol, Va., and Tazewell, Va. that began in July 2016 with the first location in Saltville, Va. New Day Recovery Bristol opened in January 2020, and New Day Recovery Tazewell opened in 2021. The three sites have served 243 patients in 2024 so far.
New Day Recovery serves patients who suffer from the chronic illness of substance use disorder including substances such as opioids, methamphetamines, and alcohol. They use an integrated program of behavioral health therapy, medications such as Suboxone, and care coordination with a focus on social determinants of health such as employment, food, clothing and housing insecurities. This therapeutic approach has a success rate for opioid use disorder of 40-60% compared to 5-20% with abstinence-only models and is considered the most effective opioid use disorder treatment model that results in the highest chances of recovery.
Substance use disorder is classified as a chronic disease, much like diabetes and depression. 9.9% of adults have a substance use disorder with only 13% of those ever getting treatment. The average age for initiating illegal drug use is about 11 years old, while the brain is still growing.
Each New Day Recovery location is celebrating National Recovery Month on National Recovery Day (Monday, September 30, 2024). Each site is hosting a Walk to Recovery offsite. New Day Recovery Tazewell’s will be hosted at Lincolnshire Park from 10 a.m. to Noon. New Day Recovery Bristol’s will be held at Steele Creek Park from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. New Day Recovery Saltville’s will be held at the Salt Trail from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Each site will be open to the public with community resources and vendors on site, along with free giveaways.
Doane-Williams said, “The recovery walk shows support to people in all stages of recovery and helps to erase the stigma associated with substance use disorder (SUD). Individuals who experience SUD often report a lack of connection and feeling isolated from family, friends, and community. The recovery walk is a way to reconnect these individuals so they can continue in their recovery journey.”
For more information on New Day Recovery, please call 276-496-4492.
Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems has locations in Saltville, Meadowview, Tazewell, and Bristol. To schedule an appointment, please contact 276-496-4492.
