Groups Recover Together has opened its Warsaw office, its 21st in the state, offering another alternative for addiction treatment in Kosciusko County.
According to Ashley Hall, associate director of development, the Warsaw office combines Alcoholic Anonymous-style group therapy with medication-assisted treatment in a community-based model that’s had impressive outcomes to date, reducing drug dependence and empowering people to resume their work and family commitments at a cost of $65 a week.
The company is in the process of getting to the point where it accepts Medicaid. In Indiana it accepts United Healthcare and Aetna.
“By way of background, we’re a mission-driven organization that’s working to address the shortage of affordable care options for people suffering from addiction,” Hall said. “Our work has been featured on NPR and other national outlets, but this is the first time these kinds of services will be available to people suffering addiction in Warsaw.
“Our aim is to get the word out so that some of the many people on waiting lists for treatment learn about this option and so that others understand the promise of this low-cost model.”
Hall said the current opioid crisis is creating a greater need for recovery options than are readily available, especially in relatively rural locations such as Kosciusko County.
“There’s still a critical shortage of treatment opportunities for people who recognize the need,” she said. “Most public treatment centers have long waiting lists and are sometimes inaccessible for rural residents who need daily visits for methadone maintenance. Private options are often prohibitively expensive.”
One of the keys for Groups Recover Together is the combination of group therapy and the use of Suboxone, the same drug first responders use in emergency situations when someone overdoses.
“We’re working to make opiate treatment accessible by combining weekly group therapy with an effective prescription medical treatment,” said Hall. “The aim is to make treatment more affordable and convenient. Patients only need to attend once a week and need only limited private interaction with a physician as well as more effective communal support. Backers say the support aspect helps to hold patients accountable to each other.
“Medication replacement therapy is widely recognized as the gold standard for treating opiate addiction. It reduces annual mortality by a third, and cuts risks of IV-related infections, among other benefits. But many physicians have avoided offering these treatments due to poor reimbursement and other factors.”
Groups Recover Together’s Warsaw office is at 2194 North Pointe Drive. New members can call 800-683-8313 or e-mail info@joingroups.com for more information.
An open house for the center is planned for noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 5. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon. The website is www.joingroups.com.
