Many of us have experienced the pain of substance use disorder, whether we struggle with addiction ourselves or have known someone who has struggled. In recent years, this has become even more urgent because of the dangerously potent opioids that are in our communities.
Carroll Hospital recently launched new programs designed to offer additional supportive services to patients with a substance use disorder who are being treated at the hospital. Specially trained peer recovery coaches are central to these programs. A peer recovery coach is an individual who has experience with substance abuse and mental health needs and is in long-term recovery.
The hospital’s peer recovery coaches are reaching out to Emergency Department and admitted patients to help support their recovery and connect them with treatment providers in the community. Another peer recovery coach is specifically reaching out to patients in the community who were in the hospital due to an opioid overdose in order to provide potentially life-saving support.
Peer recovery coaches already are making an impact on our patients and our community. They’ve been able to pave the way for patients to get outpatient community appointments and into inpatient treatment centers and receive medical treatment, counseling support and more.
Recovery is possible, and the addition of peer recovery coaches to our hospital team allows us to provide even more support to patients in achieving their recovery.
Cheryl Gosaguio is the manager of outpatient social work and community resources at Carroll Hospital.
Above photo, left to right: Peer recovery coaches Ashley Merkel, Jenna Billingslea, Dawn Moody and Rebecca Rigney
