EDGEWATER & ST. CLAIRE HEALTHCARE
A PARTNERSHIP FOR RECOVERY
Like most of the United States, Morehead and Eastern Kentucky have felt the impact of drug and alcohol addiction. People grappling with addiction have, too often, been failed by a system which left gaps in their care and a lack of opportunity.
Edgewater Recovery Center and St. Claire HealthCare have joined forces to face these problems head-on.
Edgewater, a state-licensed Behavioral Health Organization offering alcohol and drug abuse treatment through multiple levels of care, focuses on providing an atmosphere of healing, sharing hope with those who have long felt hopeless.
Called to provide hope and opportunity to those suffering from addiction in Eastern Kentucky, St. Claire HealthCare offers a wide range of medical services through its numerous facilities and expansive staff throughout its 11-county service region.
The partnership between Edgewater Recovery and St. Claire HealthCare provides a fully integrated program that maximizes care and post-recovery services for those seeking recovery – wherever they may be in their journey.
The Edgewater and St. Claire HealthCare partnership provides support for those experiencing addiction and navigating the recovery journey.
Education for Professionals & Community Members
The stigma of addiction can be a barrier to those seeking help. Together, Edgewater and St. Claire HealthCare are removing this barrier by educating both medical staff and the public, focusing on the fact that addiction is an illness and can be healed through compassion, treatment and support.
The partnership’s intentional program includes community education to eliminate this stigma and pave the way for second-chance employment at all levels of society.
The education effort also focuses on St. Claire HealthCare’s medical staff, trained in recognizing and treating substance- abuse disorders. Those seeking medical attention can expect easily accessible, welcoming healthcare where all medical needs are treated without judgment.
Peer Support
Breaking the cycle of addiction can come down to the people and support system a person has surrounding them. In response, a newly created Peer Support Program meets the individual where they are.
While being treated at any St. Claire HealthCare facility, whether at a routine appointment or in the ER, an addict can be matched with a Peer Support Specialist from Edgewater Recovery immediately. They can even get into treatment that same day if they’re ready, with a peer by their side to guide them. By virtue of their shared, lived or common experiences with substance use, addiction or mental health conditions, peer support is crucial to long-term recovery.
Long-Term Recovery Support
The Peer Support Program is just the beginning. Now, employment opportunities within the healthcare system are available to people in recovery. St. Claire HealthCare now offers a direct pathway to hiring through referrals from Edgewater Recovery.
From the interview process through the first 90 days of employment, coaching and support are offered to give these newly hired people re-entering the workforce every chance for success. This includes job training and adjusting work schedules so as not to interfere with treatment appointments.
Additionally, St. Claire HealthCare offers tuition assistance, including books and fees, and the availability of peer support specialists on campus.
The staff welcomed me with open arms despite my flaws. They told me, “Let me love you until you can love yourself.”
This was so foreign to me because my understanding of love was that it came with conditions. Theirs didn’t, they just wanted me to get clean and stay clean and become the person I wanted to be.
- Edgewater treatment graduate and current Peer Support Specialist