The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has gotten an update on how some of the county’s opioid settlement money has been put to use since the county announced a partnership with the First Church of God in St. Joseph last year.
The county has opted to pay some of its opioid settlement money to the church for the operation of two transitional living homes for men leaving inpatient rehab centers or prison. Speaking to commissioners Thursday, church Restoration House Director Peter Sando said they’ve been admitting men into the home to help them get on the road to recovery. He knows what that’s like.
“Coming from a person that struggled with substance abuse, from a man that couldn’t even look in the mirror because he hated who I was and had to learn how to love myself again, find a purpose in my life again, these men are doing that, ” Sando said. “They’re learning to love themselves again.”
Sando says the men staying at the home have been getting group and one-on-one counselling while they go through a 12-step program. He said it’s making a difference.
“We’ve had over 25 applications to the house. We’ve had up to nine people in the house. We are at capacity right now with six people in the first house. So if you just look here, here’s some of the measurable outcomes. I’ve admitted over 150 drug and alcohol tests and only had one positive test, and that was when the person first came into the house.”
Sando said the second house will be opened next year while he seeks accreditation for the program. That would enable Restoration House to charge insurance for services. Meanwhile, he says job training and financial literacy classes are planned for the men staying there.
The county commission last year voted to give First Church $420,000 over the next three years for its program. It’s also paying Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center $484,000 to expand opioid treatment services and peer recovery programming. County Administrator Brian Dissette said this is just the beginning as the county is expected to receive between $8 million and $9 million over 18 years through the national opioid settlement.
Sheriff Chuck Heit also told commissioners the Berrien County Jail is helping inmates free themselves of opioids by providing medication-assisted treatment.
