Southwest Virginia Community Health System’s New Day Recoveries (NDR) are celebrating National Recovery Month during the month of September.
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. Since its inception, New Day Recovery has served 818 patients. All three sites have served 316 patients in 2022 and have already served 222 patients during the first six months of 2023. Currently, NDR is serving 162 patients.
New Day Recovery serves patients who suffer from the chronic illness of opioid use disorder through an integrated program of medications and behavioral health treatment therapy known as Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT). This form of therapy has a success rate of 40-60% compared to 5-20% with abstinence-only models and is considered to be 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 Thursday, September 7, 2023, and is hosting a Recovery Awareness Day to kick off the month-long celebration. Each site will be open to the public for visitation, information, refreshments, and free Narcan training with assistance from local health departments. New Day Recovery Tazewell will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., News Day Saltville will be from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., and New Day Recovery Bristol will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Doane-Williams said, “People can celebrate this month by educating others about the disease of addiction, encouraging individuals to seek help, and reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders.”
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.
