>>> FOR THOSE BATTLING ADDICTION, THE CHALLENGES MAY
SEEM INSURMOUNTABLE, BUT RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE.
THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION HAS A NEW RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT
PROGRAM KNOWN AS GRIT.
MHA'S RECOVERY COACH, DALLAS CLARK, SPOKE WITH CAROLEE
McGRATH ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND SHARES WITH US HIS STORY OF
ADDICTION, PERSEVERANCE AND HOW, AS HRON SHARPENS
IRON.
>> ME BEING A RECOVERY COACH, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT OTHERS IN
THE PATH FOR RECOVERY.
GIVE THEM HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT, IF THEY NEED TO OVERCOME
BARRIERS, I'M HERE TO HELP THEM OVERCOME BARRIERS TO LIFE
STRUGGLES.
>> THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM, ONE OF 26 NEW PROGRAMS.
EXPLAIN WHAT MHA IS FACILITATING WITH THE GRIT PROGRAM.
>> SURE.
SO GRIT IS ONE OF 26 NEW RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION
SERVICES PROGRAM FUNDED THROUGH THE BUREAU OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
THE PROGRAM THAT DALLAS IS IN, THE GRIT PROGRAM, IS IN
SPRINGFIELD.
WE WILL BE OPENING UP ANOTHER PROGRAM IN SPRINGFIELD AND LATER
THIS YEAR WILL HAVE ANOTHER GRIT HOL
HOLYOKE.
>> IT IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND THOSE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUE AS WELL?
>> YES.
THAT IS JUST THAT FACT.
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IN RECOVERY UP UNTIL THIS POINT
HAVE SOUGHT SERVICES IN ONE LOCATION FOR SUBSTANCE USE AND A
SECOND LOCATION FOR A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS.
GRIT PUTS BOTH OF THOSE SERVICES UNDERNEATH ONE ROOF IN ONE
LOCATION SO PEOPLE CAN RECOVER BOTH FROM A MENTAL HEALTH
DIAGNOSIS WHILE ALSO WORKING ON A SUBSTANCE USE DIAGNOSIS AS
WELL.
SO FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PROGRAM PARTICIPANT, IT MAKES IT
SO MUCH EASIER AS I'M SURE DALLAS CAN TALK ABOUT AS WELL,
INDIVIDUALS HAVE ALL THE WRAP AROUND SERVICES, ALL THE
SUPPORTS, ALL THE PROGRAMMING THEY NEED FROM AN EDUCATIONAL
PERSPECTIVE ALL UNDER ONE ROOF.
IT IS VERY CONVENIENT.
AND FROM A CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE, FOR THE CLINICIANS WHO ARE
FOCUSED ON THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT OF A PROGRAM,
PARTICIPANTS NEEDS, TO RIGHT THEN AND THERE HAVE RIGHT ACROSS
THE HALL OR A DESK NEXT DOOR WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING FROM A
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PERSPECTIVE.
IN EFFICIENCY OF PROGRAMMING, IT IS A TERRIFIC MODEL.
>> OKAY.
DALLAS TELL US ABOUT YOUR STORY.
I KNOW YOU HAD A BATTLE WITH ADDICTION.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> LIKE THAT CLICHE, I BECAME A PRODUCT OF MY ENVIRONMENT.
I GOT INVOLVED IN SELLING DRUGS, I BECAME AN ALCOHOLIC AND USING
DRUGS.
I JUST WANTED TO CHANGE.
I NEEDED TO CHANGE.
AT THE BEGINNING OF RECOVERY, I HAD A RECOVERY COACH AS WELL AS
A SPONSOR AND THERAPIST.
GOING TO GROUPS, I JUST WANTED A DIFFERENT LIFE.
WHEN I FIRST ASKED ABOUT THE RECOVERY COACH ASPECT, A MENTOR
TOLD ME, ONCE YOU PUT ON THAT SUIT, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OFF.
SO I DID THE TRAINING FOR THAT.
I WANTED TO GET BACK OUT OF A RECOVERY COACH.
I LOST ALL HOPE FOR MYSELF.
I HAD PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN ME BEFORE I BELIEVED IN MYSELF.
I WANTED TO GIVE HOPE BACK TO OTHERS, THAT LOST HOPE, AND KNOW
RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE.
>> HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE?
>> AROUND 14.
I GOT INVOLVED WITH THE STREETS AROUND 14.
>> HOW LONG DID THAT LAST?
>> LIKE 30 YEARS.
IN AND OUT OF JAIL.
I DID A LONG JAIL TIME.
>> DID YOU EVER THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE HERE YOU ARE SITTING
TODAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, AS A RECOVERY COACH, THAT YOU
WOULD BE THE PERSON HELPING SOMEBODY OUT OF THAT STRUGGLE
YOU HAD FOR SO MANY YEARS?
>> NOT EXACTLY.
I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS A PEOPLE PERSON.
I HAVE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN ME BEFORE I BELIEVED IN MYSELF.
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE HERE TODAY.
AND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS NORMAL TO ME HAS BECOME ABNORMAL.
THE WAY WAS LIVING WAS NORMAL TO ME.
I DIDN'T SEE NOTHING BUT THE WAY I WAS LIVING.
SOMEBODY CAME INTO MY LIFE AND SHOWED ME THERE IS A CHANGE, HOW
YOU SAY, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN LIFE.
>> YOU WERE MADE FOR MORE, RIGHT?
>> I THINK THE LINE YOU JUST SAID, ONCE YOU PUT THE SUIT ON,
YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OFF.
THAT IS A REALLY POWERFUL LINE.
WHAT DID THAT MEAN AT THE TIME?
WERE YOU NERVOUS, SURE I'M READY TO DO THIS?
>> I WASN'T NERVOUS.
IT IS INTEGRITY, YOU CAN'T TURN RECOVERY OFF.
YOU ARE EITHER GOING TO BE IN RECOVERY OR NOT.
IT IS A LIFESTYLE.
I HAVE TO WAKE UP AND MAKE THIS A SPIRITUAL DAY.
I CAN'T HELP SOMEBODY ELSE AND BEING SEEN IN THE CLUBS AND THE
BARS.
I HAVE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
INTEGRITY IS A BIG KEY FOR ME.
>> I THINK HIS PERSONAL STORY MUST BE SO POWERFUL WITH THE
PEOPLE HE IS NOW HELPING IN THE PROGRAMS.
IT IS ONE THING FOR SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT
THEIR PROBLEMS, THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
BUT FOR HIM TO SAY, LOOK, I HAVE BEEN THERE.
I THINK THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
>> IT DOES.
IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
WE REALLY DO APPLAUD THE STATE FOR RECOGNIZING JUST HOW
IMPORTANT THE ACCESS TO RECOVERY COACHES ARE FOR PEOPLE IN
RECOVERY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT AN INDIVIDUAL LIKE DALLAS WHO IS
NOW WORKING WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IN A
POSITION WHERE HE WAS, WHO BETTER TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARE
FEELING EMOTIONALLY.
WHO BETTER TO UNDERSTAND THE GRIP THAT ADDICTION CAN HAVE ON
YOU. AND, YOU KNOW, DALLAS TALKS A
LOT -- I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM DALLAS --
>> THANK YOU.
>> IN OUR TIME TOGETHER.
YOU LEARN A LOT IN THAT YOU SEE PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET WHO ARE
DOING WHAT YOU USED TO DO, YOU CAN'T BE ON THAT SIDE OF THE
STREET ANYMORE.
NOW YOU HAVE TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET.
IT IS A HUGE CHANGE.
IT IS NOT JUST ENOUGH TO SIMPLY STOP USING DRUGS.
YOU CHANGE SOCIAL CIRCLES, YOU CHANGE THE WAY YOU TALK.
I MEAN, YOUR WHOLE LIFE CHANGES AND DALLAS HAS BEEN SUCH A
POSITIVE PERSON IN THE GRIT PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, TO HELP THE
GUYS WHO ARE IN THE HOUSE REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S BEEN
THROUGH.
HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH AND THEY ARE KEEPING
EYES ON EACH OTHER >> DEFINITELY.
>> RIGHT?
>> I LIKE TO USE THE WORDS IRON SHARPEN IRON.
IT IS HELPING ME.
I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.
JUST LIKE EVERYBODY HAVE TO UPGRADE THEIR iPHONES, I HAVE TO
UPGRADE MY RECOVERY.
I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT MYSELF.
MY INTERACTING AND SHARING AND HELPING OTHERS IS HELPING ME
KEEP GROUNDED AND HELPING ME TO LEARN, OKAY, I CAN DO BETTER ON
THIS ASPECT.
IF SOMETHING GOES ON IN MY LIFE, I CAN REACH OUT TO OTHERS.
I STILL NEED SUPPORT.
IN RECOVERY, YOU HAVE A SUPPORT TEAM.
I KEEP PEOPLE AROUND ME.
SAME THING I WAS DOING A YEAR AGO I'M DOING TODAY.
I CAN'T GET COMPLACENT OR COMFORTABLE.
I HAVE TO STAY UNCOMFORTABLE AND CHALLENGED.
>> THE STATEWIDE NUMBERS OF OPIOID RELATED DEATHS ARE DOWN.
THEY ARE STILL QUITE A CONCERN IN CITIES LIKE SPRINGFIELD AND
HOLYOKE.
THIS GRIT PROGRAM IS SO CRITICAL TO HELP PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.
>> IT IS.
GRIT IS AN INCREDIBLY UNIQUE PROGRAM, AGAIN, JUST AS THOSE
OTHER 25 RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION SERVICES PROGRAMS
BEING BROUGHT ON LINE BECAUSE IT IS NOT ENOUGH ANYMORE TO JUST
SIMPLY LOOK AT ADDICTION FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE OR THE OTHER
BECAUSE IT IS USUALLY BOTH.
BOTH A MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL AS A SUBSTANCE USE ISSUE OR
CONCERN.
AND SO THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, OBVIOUSLY, IS
RECOGNIZING THAT AND REALLY WANTING TO PUT ONLINE MORE OF
THESE PROGRAMS SO THAT THERE IS THAT STRATEGIC INTENTIONAL FOCUS
WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED SERVICES FROM BOTH THE MENTAL
HEALTH AS WELL AS THE SUBSTANCE USE PERSPECTIVE.
EMBEDDING RECOVERY COACHES INTO THOSE PROGRAMS MAKES A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SENSE SO THAT IT IS CLINICAL.
IT IS SUBSTANCE USE.
JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IT IS LIVED EXPERIENCE.