Recovery Alternatives
| Washington County Recovery Alternatives (WCRA) has served as the contract agency for drug and alcohol treatment and prevention services for the Washington County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (MHAR) Board for the past six years. In early 1999 the MHAR Board established WCRA and provided administrative oversight for the first six months. The agency opened its doors at 122 Putnam Street, Marietta, in July of 1999, sharing physical space and some services with Washington County Community Mental Health Services. By January of 2000, WCRA had achieved private non-profit status, established its own board and began operating independently. The agency moved to its present location in the Wesbanco building in Marietta in February of this year. |  |
| Treatment services are provided to individuals aged 13
and older and income eligibility follows federal poverty guidelines
for Washington County citizens, though services are also available to
those with private and third party reimbursement ability. Washington County Recovery Alternatives offers a wide range of substance abuse services in the community:
Washington County Recovery Alternatives also provides administrative supervision for The Right Path for Washington County, a community coalition to promote healthy youth development and prevent substance abuse and other problem behaviors in Washington County youth. This coalition is working with young people to plan and carry out drug-free activities all summer and, through a federal grant, has provided Positive Action to all 6th grade classrooms in the county. Positive Action is a program that has been proven by research to be effective in reducing problem behaviors, such as substance abuse, delinquency, violence, teen pregnancy and dropping out of school. In a conversation with Executive Director Ray Stathers, he expressed pride in his staff, almost all of whom have been with the agency since its inception. This has contributed to a high level of competency and continuity of care. He also praised the integrity of the Board of Directors of WCRA; led by Dr. Ryan May, this group is comprised of volunteer Washington County citizens dedicated to assuring high quality, effective substance abuse services in the county. Mr. Stathers expressed pride in his agency’s ability to be flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the public. For example, he cited the services developed in response to the significant increase in addiction to heroin, methamphetamines, and cocaine among young adults in Washington County. Since 2001 the agency has worked with over 200 of these young adults, about 50 of whom have progressed in the recovery process and resumed productive lives in the community. Just as importantly, many families who have suffered from the devastation of addiction have been restored. The agency was able to develop and provide a critical service at a critical time, a service not available anywhere else in the county. Looking ahead, Mr. Stathers hopes to help sustain grant-funded prevention programs such as Positive Action, and to promote an increase in community involvement and collaboration in regard to prevention programs and activities. He urges Washington County residents to send a powerful message to teens and adults about the dangers of substance abuse. He wishes to develop more effective adolescent and family services by hiring or training an adolescent treatment specialist. And finally, he hopes to raise awareness of the need for early treatment interventions that minimize the long-term consequences of addiction. Though many individuals may only seek help when the consequences become intolerable, he believes that adolescents are particularly amenable to early interventions. Unfortunately, initial signs of substance abuse in young people are often not taken seriously and interventions withheld until the addiction is full-blown. Washington County Recovery Alternatives is a valuable resource for all county citizens, but especially for those families and individuals whose lives have been painfully altered by alcohol and other drugs. For more information, contact: Washington County Recovery Alternatives |
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