Several Douglas County agencies are partnering to host a workshop about mental illness and addiction resources this weekend. The free workshop is set to take p
Staff Report
A local psychologist has teamed up with medical professionals and Douglas County to host a free health clinic for individuals without secure housing.
The clinic will take place on Saturday, March 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Douglas County Community Health Facility, 200 Maine St. Physicians from the University of Kansas Medical Center’s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and podiatrists from Lawrence Podiatry Center LLC will provide services, and the Medical Arts Pharmacy will provide prescriptions for common medical problems when needed. Psychoactive medications, such as pain medications, will not be provided.
Services will include COVID-19 testing, diabetes screening, wound care, foot care, diagnosis and treatment of minor illnesses, physical exams, health promotion and education and more. Patients will be required to wear a face mask while in the building.
SMART recovery groups provide addiction services during COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has created new perils and challenges for people experiencing substance use disorders and addictive behaviors. Social distancing and isolation can trigger loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
These circumstances have put some recreational users at risk for developing addictions and caused some in recovery from addictions to relapse.
At the same time, the pandemic has made it nearly impossible for mutual-help (e.g., AA, NA) recovery groups to gather in person, forcing a scramble to provide remote support through platforms like Zoom.
Now, researchers at the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment at the University of Kansas Life Span Institute have published their experience making SMART Recovery groups available via computer and telephone to the community in Douglas County. Their paper appears this month in the peer-reviewed Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.
photo by: Contributed Photo
Douglas County SMART Program participants and facilitators are pictured at the end of their Zoom meeting on Dec. 30.
Two years ago, Matt J. desperately wanted to stop drinking alcohol.
His wife had had enough of his behavior; his kids couldn’t trust him to show up when they needed him; and Matt knew he wasn’t being a productive member of the family.
“I was not contributing to anything. I was a disappointment to myself,” the 56-year-old said during a Wednesday Zoom call with the Journal-World.
Matt had been to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, but they just weren’t “clicking.” Then, an employee from Heartland RADAC referred Matt to a local chapter of the national Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) program.