Reach for Recovery

Shown in photo: Rodrigo Mata, MPH SUD, Case Manager and David Teater, Executive Director

Drug overdose deaths increased 29% in 2020 across the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There has been rising abuse of drugs like Fentanyl, which is 80 – 100 times stronger than morphine. Opioid addiction is particularly dangerous and deadly for individuals who suffer from it, and addiction often causes significant harm to the families, friends, and loved ones of the addict as well.

In 2021, the Community Foundation made a grant of $25,000 to Reach for Recovery to assist in implementing a local Medication-Assisted Treatment program for individuals who suffer from opioid use disorder. Reach for Recovery is the only local comprehensive substance abuse treatment program with both inpatient and outpatient options that accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and offers a sliding scale to ensure treatment is available to all regardless of financial resources.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the use of medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies. It is considered the ‘gold standard’ in the treatment of opioid use disorder, helping many people enter and sustain recovery from addiction. Medication helps to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings and assists in preventing relapse. There are few MAT options for people struggling with opioid addiction in Ottawa County. Physicians, Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners must be trained and licensed to dispense these medications and the number of patients per prescriber is limited.

Reach for Recovery’s MAT program has already helped many west Michigan individuals who are addicted to opioids to enter recovery and lead healthier, safer, and more productive lives. David Teater, Executive Director of Reach for Recovery, said, “We launched the MAT program in July 2021 and are already nearing capacity with our current staff.  We are committed to add resources to address this need and I am thankful for the support from the Community Foundation that helped us launch this much needed program.  I am also grateful for our incredible staff who are committed to provide the best possible care in helping these individuals access life-changing and life-saving treatment.”