Supporting People in Their Treatment Goals
- dmichaels54
- 14 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Charles was not in a good place when he voluntarily entered the substance use disorder (SUD) program at Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services (GCBHS). He admits, "My whole life was consumed by drinking and taking drugs." That lifestyle also led Charles down a path that included jail time. "I wasn't living right," he says. "My focus was on using so I couldn't hold down a job."
He continued to hang out with the wrong crowd, making bad decisions and ended up incarcerated several times. He was court ordered into treatment but each time he would make his way back into the same cycle of addiction and create problems for himself with the judicial system.
Then one day in 2019, Charles decided, "Enough is enough."
He reflects on that time in his life and why it was different..."I was tired of my lifestyle," he says. "All my time was spent using," That feeling compelled Charles to give treatment another chance. With his mother's support he came back to the Clermont Recovery Center (a Division of Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services) where he was assessed and began treatment. In the beginning Charles was enrolled in both individual and group counseling. He started *Medication Assisted Treatment also known as MAT services. MAT is essential in Charles' recovery. It helps him to stay sober and live the life he has always wanted. "MAT helps me so I don’t have cravings. I’m able to hold down a job and have a family life. I don't have to steal to support my addiction."
Charles credits GCBHS and our SUD staff with not only helping him stay sober but being there whenever he needs help. He still sees his counselor Sheila on a monthly basis and is able to share things that are going on with him, including the grief he he experienced when he lost his mother and grandfather only one month apart. He also is the caregiver to his grandmother which can be a lot for anyone to manage. But Charles knows our #GCBHS team is there for whatever he may need, "They are very supportive and have helped me out a lot."
Learn more about accessing substance use disorder treatment at Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services in Hamilton or Clermont Counties.
For information on services in Warren or Clinton Counties please contact the office of the county you reside in.
Warren County: 513-228-7800
Clinton County: 937-383-4441
*Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the use of FDA-approved medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to provide a “whole-patient” approach to treating substance use disorders (SAMHSA). MAT can be an integral part of an individual’s treatment plan and overall recovery process. Individualizing the treatment plan to a person’s specific needs is best practice, and offering medication is just one of many tools in the toolkit to assist a person’s recovery journey. While full recovery remains the ultimate goal, we recognize that each person’s recovery journey is different. Our role is to set attainable goals, support progress at a realistic pace, and consistently meet individuals where they are.
GCBHS offers two types of MAT services:
Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT)
OBOT services offer treatment for both alcohol and opioid use disorders. Based on the medication determined appropriate for the individual, clients may:
Receive a prescription to be filled at a pharmacy, or
Receive an injection administered by clinical staff.
OBOT services are available at both our Amelia and Madison campuses.
Opioid Treatment Program (OTP)
The OTP provides on-site medication and supportive services specifically for opioid use disorders. Services are offered at our Batavia Campus and our Medication Unit which is located within the Shelterhouse on Gest Street in Cincinnati.
Learn more at: https://www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders
