By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The average opiate addict relapses seven times before finally being able to shake the addiction.
However, if the person gets intensive treatment, the number of relapses drops significantly, according to Tom Clemons, executive director of the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board.
For that reason, the board is helping to set up recovery housing for addicts here in Wood County.
The board is working with Zepf Center, which operates rehab centers in the region, to establish a home here that can house eight to 10 men trying to kick drug or alcohol habits.
The recovery housing will be set up in an existing home on agricultural land near Cygnet, south of Bowling Green. The exact location of the home was not released.
Structured settings are important for people trying the shake addictions, according to Clemons.
“They really need to have a living environment free from people using drugs,” he said.
Wood County residents needing such treatment have had to travel to the Toledo area for services. There is no such program in Wood County.
“The program has a lot of success in Lucas County, but they are full,” Clemons said.
“The need is urgent in both men and women,” he said. But this home will just allow men. The board may consider helping with a women’s recovery housing program next.
“This is really important for success for a lot of people,” Clemons said. “We were looking for how we can meet the need.”
Zepf Center will pay for the capital costs, and WCADAMHS will pay for the services provided. That will cost an estimated $280,000 a year.
The men accepted at the center will have addictions to alcohol or drugs such as opiates or cocaine. They will be tested frequently to make sure they are complying with rules.
“They have to stay clean and sober,” Clemons said. They will be required to participate in treatment programs and follow the plans.
The average stay at recovery housing programs is 3.5 months, though longer stays often have better results.
Most of the residents at the center will have jobs or work in vocational rehabilitation.
“It’s not a jail,” Clemons stressed.
