After opening less than a year ago, a for-profit addiction treatment center is already assisting about 100 local residents who are in recovery.
The treatment center called “Groups Recover Together” is just one of a growing number of options available to combat the opioid crisis in Columbus and Bartholomew County.
Often referred to simply as Groups, the treatment center has been operating at 1017 Third St., near the State Street bridge, since last spring, said clinical supervisor Angela McCallister.
An evidence-based treatment program established for long-term outcomes, the program has recently received accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), McCallister said.
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“We want to set up our members with foundations to set them up for long-term success,” McCallister said. “Basically, those foundations include assessing what their individual needs are — working to help them through the program — and linking them back into the community.”
Eric Chrysler, 26, who lives and works in Seymour, was one of Groups’ first clients, contacting them in spring 2017 after a long battle with addiction.
Formerly of Columbus, Chrysler said he began abusing prescription pills when he was 15 and gradually escalated his drug use to becoming a heroin addict, and eventually was arrested and incarcerated in the Jackson County Jail.
After calling several places, and feeling rebuffed with the wait and lack of immediate care, Chryler said he called Groups, which immediately set up an appointment and began working him.
The difference at Groups is the people, Chrysler said. “They care and they try to work with me — I mean life happens,” he said. “If my car breaks down or I have a conflict with one of my meetings, they help me make it up with another group.”
Chrysler, who is at one year of sobriety, said he plans to attend Groups for another year or two, continuing group therapy and working on his medication-assisted recovery program to prevent relapse. He and his girlfriend Ally Bradbury recently learned they are expecting a child.
Chrysler said he believes Groups rescued him from the downward spiral of drugs he was in and set him on a path for a successful life. He is now working toward establishing a home with Ally to provide for her and his child, he said.
Groups was encouraged to come to Columbus by ASAP, which is the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress, formed in Bartholomew County to combat the opioid crisis, McCallister said.
A key reason for that encouragement is that Groups is able to provide additional treatment capacity that this area of south central Indiana needs, ASAP Executive Lead Jeff Jones said.
Whether those receiving treatment enroll in the 18- to 24-month or the 24- to 36-month program, a recovering addict never receives more than seven days of addiction recovery-related medication at the weekly group sessions, which keeps them engaged in group therapy until they graduate, McCallister said.
When Groups was founded at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, one of the original goals was to work with primary care physicians and non-specialists to prescribe suboxone in a responsible manner, according to the organization.
Therapy is provided by a licensed substance abuse counselor, as well as limited doses of both naltrexone and suboxone, medications that are used to prevent relapses back into harmful addictions, McCallister said.
The goal is to encourage each person to eventually taper themselves off from all medications, she said.
The cost for each member is $65 a week, which includes all services, she said. Groups accepts insurance from a number of companies, and is currently working on being accepted by Medicaid, she said.
The organization considers itself to be a multiple disciplinary treatment, which means any use of medication should be part of a complete treatment plan that includes counseling and psycho-social support.
For a national organization that’s only five years old, Groups has already expanded into eight states, according to its website.
Besides Columbus, McCallister said she also supervises locations in Greensburg, Aurora, New Albany, Salem and North Vernon. The organization’s website lists 26 offices in Indiana.
West-side support group
In addition to Groups, a non-profit addictions support group is now meeting on Columbus’ west side.
SMART Recovery meetings are 5 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Faith Ministries Church, 5103 W. State Road 46. SMART, an acronym for Self-Management and Recovery Training, is now attracting about 55 people each week, according to group facilitator and internist Dr. Theodora Saddoris.
Most of those currently attending the SMART Recovery meetings see Saddoris as their physician on a regular basis, the internist said.
“I require counseling (from my patients) on a monthly basis, but it can be an individual or a group session,” Saddoris said.
Instead of a fixed fee, a hat is passed around during the support group meetings where those in attendance pay what they can afford, she said.
The SMART Recovery approach is secular and scientifically-based, using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and non-confrontational motivational methods, Saddoris said.
It’s a program designed to provide addicts with the motivation to stay with their treatment, assist them in controlling thoughts and emotions regarding narcotics and providing coping mechanisms, Saddoris said.
Besides narcotics, SMART Recovery was also created to help people recover from other types of addictive behaviors, such as alcohol abuse and gambling addictions.
Although some people have described SMART as being similar to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Saddoris disagrees.
“We have a good discussion on many things, and also do a medication practice toward the end,” the internist said. “That helps people deal with stress, anxiety and coping skills when they are trying to regain emotional control.”
At SMART Recovery, some recovering drug addicts are provided addiction-related recovery medications to help prevent relapses. However, Saddoris said there are also those who firmly believe in complete drug abstinence.
“What is effective medication differs from person to person, and there’s a lot to learn and understand about each individual,” Saddoris said. “But whether they use drugs or not (during recovery) is their choice.”
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“Groups Recover Together” is located at 1017 Third St. in Columbus.
For more information, call 1-800-683-8313, or go online to [email protected].
SMART Recovery meetings are held Mondays, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at Faith Ministries Church, 5103 W. State Road 46.
More information is available online at smartrecovery.org. Those wanting to inquire about joining the support group can call Dr. Theodora Saddoris at 812-371-1552.
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The Alliance for Substance Abuse in Bartholomew County was launched in April 2017 to develop a community-wide response to the opioid crisis. The ASAP leadership team was established and Jeff Jones, a retired Cummins Inc. executive, volunteered as ASAP executive lead. A group of local health care and criminal justice system executives agreed to a two-year commitment to lead action teams to identify the gaps in the substance abuse treatment system and to prioritize and implement solutions.
In October 2017, ASAP announced its strategy to address opioid addiction and substance abuse based on prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery.
To learn more, visit asapbc.org.
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Upcoming meetings for ASAP include a board of directors meeting at noon Jan. 22 at the United Way Building, 1531 13th St., Suite 1100, which is the former United Way administrative offices.
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