Peer Recovery Center Opens In Webster
Rev. Janice Ford
A new peer recovery center for those battling addiction will open in Webster on Monday, August 20th. The Opening The Word Peer Recovery Center is holding an open house at from 5 to 8 PM at 10 Mechanic Street.
If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more about the new facility, the public is invited to join the peer recovery coaches and mentors who will answer any questions that you may have.
The center is run in conjunction with The Church of the Reconciliation as an outreach ministry focused on supporting the recovery of individuals who suffer from substance abuse disorder.
Pastor Janice Ford, who is a member of the Webster Opiate Task Force, tells THE LAKE 940, “The Peer Recovery Center is needed in Webster because there are individuals struggling with alcohol and drug addiction who need a safe place to get resources and strategies to help manage their disease.” She tells us there are many fine inpatient and outpatient recovery programs in the greater Worcester, but Webster’s center “seeks to be an adjunct to those programs by offering walk-in day-to-day assistance to those who are struggling.”
The facility is open to the public and there is no fee required to obtain services. Even though it is a Christian-based ministry, they accept and encourage people of all faiths to use their center. The Opening The Word Peer Recovery Center is staffed by volunteers, and the range of services includes, peer recovery coaching, spiritual direction, all-recovery meetings, recovery Bible study, mentoring, and women’s support groups. It is important to know that counseling, medical care, psychiatric services, medication assisted treatment, needle exchange and drug screening are not provided at this location.
Rev. Ford says, “Peer recovery coaching is NOT counseling. It is a means by which people can be directed to the resources they need, as well as to have access a sincere listener who understands the struggle first-hand. In addition, the Town of Webster Opioid Task Force is engaging a multi-pronged approach to dealing with the addiction problem. This includes preventative education, first response management of overdoses, overdose aftercare, Narcan education, referrals and on-going support. OTWPRC fits into this last category. Our hope is that it will meet this important need.”
The center will be open on Wednesday mornings from 8:30 to 11AM for walk-ins, Friday mornings from 8:30 to 11AM by appointment. It is also open for Recovery Bible Study on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8PM, and a for all recovery meeting is held on Mondays from 2 to 3PM.
For more information, or to make an appointment, you may call or text Rev. Janice Ford at (508) 330-8073 or Carmen Ortiz at (508) 933-0621.