PENNSYLVANIA ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN IN EARLY RECOVERY

POWER CONNECTION PROVIDES RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR WOMEN, PRIMARILY DELIVERED BY MENTORS. THE PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH ADDICTION AND RECOVERY ARE IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO SUPPORT THOSE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION OR IN EARLY RECOVERY. OUR MENTORS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 5 YEARS OF PERSONAL RECOVERY FROM A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. OUR CURRENT TEAM OF MENTORS HAVE AN AVERAGE OF 20 YEARS IN RECOVERY. MENTORS PROVIDE PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT, ALSO KNOWN AS RECOVERY COACHING. THEY MODEL HEALTHY RECOVERY, HELP THEIR CLIENTS DEVELOP SERVICE PLANS THAT INCLUDE GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING THEM, CONNECT CLIENTS TO A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES, INTRODUCE THEM TO OR SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS IN SELF-HELP GROUPS SUCH AS 12-STEP PROGRAMS, SMART RECOVERY AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUPS, CONNECT THEM TO THE LOCAL RECOVERING COMMUNITY, HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATING PHYSICAL HEALTH GOALS WITH THEIR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH GOALS, SUPPORT THEIR TREATMENT EFFORTS, AND TEACH THEM TOOLS NECESSARY FOR BALANCING THEIR RECOVERY WITH OTHER LIFE RESPONSIBILITIES. POWER'S MENTORS ARE ALL CREDENTIALED WITH THE STATE CERTIFICATION BOARD AS CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALISTS. THE POWER CONNECTION DEPARTMENT ALSO INCLUDES THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOME PLUS PROGRAM WHICH ALLOWS FOR A FULL TIME RN SERVING AS THE PROGRAM'S LEAD HEALTH NAVIGATOR. THE RN HELPS CLIENTS WITH COMPREHENSIVE CARE MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, SMOKING CESSATION AND OTHER NEEDS AND ACCOMPANIES CLIENTS TO HEALTH APPOINTMENTS AS NEEDED TO ENSURE CLIENTS' NEEDS ARE MET AND ALL INFORMATION IS WELL UNDERSTOOD BY CLIENT. THE RN ALSO PROVIDES CARE COORDINATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION, REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES AS NEEDED, AND HELPS CLIENTS TO NAVIGATE HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. THE LEAD HEALTH NAVIGATOR ENSURES THAT ALL PROGRAM MENTORS ARE ALSO FULLY TRAINED AS WELLNESS COACHES. CLIENTS REPORT VIA OUTCOMES STUDIES AND CLIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS THAT THEY APPRECIATE THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAVE WITH THEIR MENTORS.

LIKE ALL OF THE ORGANIZATION'S TREATMENT PROGRAMS, POWER HOUSE IS GENDER-RESPONSIVE, CO-OCCURRING DISORDER CAPABLE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED. POWER HOUSE IS THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST PROGRAM AND SERVED APPROXIMATELY 75 WOMEN THIS PAST YEAR. THIS 26-BED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY, WHICH OPENED IN 1991, IS LICENSED AS A NON-HOSPITAL INPATIENT/HALFWAY HOUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAMS (DDAP). HALFWAY HOUSE PROGRAMS PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT IN A HOME-LIKE SETTING WITH A FOCUS ON RECONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY. MOST WOMEN COME TO POWER HOUSE AFTER COMPLETING A REHAB PROGRAM SO THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR TREATMENT IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHILE BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING TO THE COMMUNITY. AT POWER, OUR THERAPISTS PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY AND HELP ADDRESS CLIENTS' CLINICAL NEEDS, OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS COORDINATOR ADDRESS ANY MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH NEEDS AND OUR RESOURCE COORDINATOR BEGINS WORKING WITH CLIENTS TO IDENTIFY SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CONNECT THEM TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND OTHER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. OUR STAFF HELP WOMEN RE-ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, HELP THEM EXPLORE EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND MAKE SURE THEY LEAVE OUR SERVICES WITH A PERSONALLY TAILORED AFTERCARE AND DISCHARGE PLAN THAT SETS THEM UP FOR SUCCESS. WOMEN CAN STAY AT POWER HOUSE FOR AS LONG AS IS NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR TREATMENT GOALS AND SECURE SAFE HOUSING ALONG WITH A PLAN FOR FOLLOW UP OUTPATIENT CARE. POWER CONTRACTS A PSYCHIATRIST WHO PROVIDES PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT AS NEEDED, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, AND CONSULTATION TO CLIENTS AND STAFF. STAFF WORK WITH CLIENTS TO TEACH THEM LIFE SKILLS AND INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF RELAPSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES. POWER'S GOAL IS TO HELP WOMEN BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION IN RECOVERY THAT WILL HELP THEM ACHIEVE LONG-TERM HEALTH AND WELLNESS. SPECIFIC SERVICES INCLUDE: BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL EVALUATION, TREATMENT PLANNING, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY, FAMILY COUNSELING SESSIONS, PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TRAUMA SERVICES USING A TRAUMA-SPECIFIC CURRICULUM; PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, PSYCHOEDUCATION CLASSES, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, CASE MANAGEMENT, LEISURE ACTIVITIES, LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, AND AFTERCARE/DISCHARGE PLANNING