Into the Church Basement

💥💥💥Don’t tell anyone, but I went to a meeting last night.

Again, keep it quiet, but I have issues.

So I attend a certain type of meeting where we talk about how to best deal with said issues.

So I walk into the church basement and I join a crowd of people with “issues”.

The average age in the room was probably mid-50’s.

The average amount of time in recovery from “issues” was probably 20 plus years.

I’m sure there were a couple of newer and younger people in that room. But you had to pay close attention to find them.

But that is beside the point.

A fascinating story was shared.

The Story

This dude with a bunch of time “dealing with issues” was talking about struggling back in the day.

Like in the 1980’s.

Apparently he had some trouble before it “finally stuck”.

He said he was a chronic relapser (his term not mine), and “for years I was in and out and in and out”.

He talked about how bad it got.

As they say, jails and institutions and near death.

Meetings

Then he shared that there was a group of men from the “meetings” who “kept coming to see me”.

They would meet him at hospitals, come to see him in jail, they met him for coffee. He said “they just kept showing up”.

He was emotional when talking about it. It clearly touched him even 30 years later.

It Got Me Thinking

Who the hell came up with this “wait until they hit bottom” bullshit”?

What kind of person tells another person “you just need more pain” and “come back when you want it”.

How did this attitude become the prevailing attitude?

IT DOESN’T REPRESENT THE FOUNDATIONAL SPIRIT OF RECOVERY.

Back in the day Bill W and Dr. Bob would go out to hospitals looking for “alcoholics”.

They would literally walk up to the nursing station and say “you have any alcoholics we can help”.

They did not wait for people to show up.

I know we can’t reach everyone. But we can change our attitude.

“They need to hit bottom and come and get it” is a paradigm that needs to be transformed.

Think about it??? Rich.

ABOUT RICH JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EVP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HERITAGE CARES

Executive Vice President (EVP) at Heritage Health Solutions, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer Co-Founder at Youturn,
CEO at Wellness Partners Group
CEO/President at Jones Solutions Group
Former CEO at FAVOR Greenville

Visit Heritage Health at – Click Here

For Addiction Support Info – Click Here

Please Subscribe to the Recovery Cartel – Click Here

The post Who Came Up With This “Wait Until They Hit Bottom” Bullshit”? appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

POST traumatic stress disorder. By definition… happens after the event. You really don’t experience PTSD until the crisis or trauma stabilizes.

If you continuously experience trauma you are in an active crisis cycle. Over and over.

It’s acute stress. It’s tragic. It’s a crisis.

But it’s not POST traumatic stress disorder. Because it is NOT POST anything… it’s an active threat.

You are on high alert because you should be on high alert.

Once things calm down… that’s when life gets real weird.

WARNING -HIGH ALERT

That’s when the triggers start and behaviors become problematic. No one judges a soldier who is jumpy and on high alert in theater.

In an active war zone. It’s once you return and you are “safe”. That’s when shit kicks in.

Now consider this …

Collectively, at a macro-level, PTSD from the pandemic will not kick in until the pandemic “ends”.

At some point in time, there will be a generally accepted “end”.

And that’s when PANDEMIC PTSD will explode on the scene….

We are NOT prepared.

ABOUT RICH JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EVP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HERITAGE CARES

Executive Vice President (EVP) at Heritage Health Solutions, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer Co-Founder at Youturn,
CEO at Wellness Partners Group
CEO/President at Jones Solutions Group
Former CEO at FAVOR Greenville

Visit Heritage Health at – Click Here

For Addiction Support Info – Click Here

Please Subscribe to the Recovery Cartel – Click Here

The post P.T.S.D. PANDEMIC – Coming Soon? appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

L

David Whitesock

Listen as Rich and David Whitesock discuss his unbelievable journey from jail to law school graduate.

David is passionate about helping others find recovery and solving the health crisis of addiction.

He invented the Recovery Capital Index® , which was validated, that measures change in wellbeing with respect to addiction.

Find him here:

https://www.davidwhitesock.com/

Bio: David Whitesock

David is constantly curious and believes that everything connects.

When we’re fully aware of what, where, and how things connect, we can understand the effects and modify the mechanisms in between for a greater good.

As Chief Innovation Officer at Face It TOGETHER, it has been David’s job to design better methods and experiences that can drive solutions for addiction.

Through that lens and with a host of personal and professional experiences, David believes we will solve addiction when we don’t solve for addiction.

He is dedicated to doing work that advances towards that vision. Along the way, vastly more people will realize connections to their purpose, improving the greater good for themselves and others.

David earned a joint JD/MA and BS from the University of South Dakota.

Bush Foundation Leadership

In 2015, he won the Bush Foundation Leadership Fellowship.

During the two years of the Fellowship, he studied the art and science of happiness. He traveled to the happiness places on earth, like Iceland and Denmark, to see and experience these cultures first hand.

Recovery Capital Index®

David is the inventor of the Recovery Capital Index® (RCI), a quantified, multi-dimensional survey that measures addiction wellbeing.

The instrument was validated in 2018, subjected to peer review, and findings published in the May 2018 South Dakota Medical Journal.

Listen To The Youturn Podcast

The post David Whitesock – From Jail to Law School Graduate appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Great Things Will Be Happening

Thrilled to be part of this NIDA research project. Helping to lead the intervention team. Training and supporting peers in the NIDA “PILOT study”.

A 3-site randomized clinical trial evaluating effectiveness of assertive engagement peer support with #overdose survivors.

In 2017 we launched a specialized peer support model.

Founded on harm reduction principles and the evidence based assertive community treatment model that is employed in the mental health domain: our goal was connection and engagement regardless of participant “willingness” or adherence.

Assertive Community Engagement

We were responsible for adherence. We had to “figure it out”.

We called this model – assertive community engagement.

In 2019 a randomized clinical trial with Clemson, USC School of Medicine and Prisma Health indicated stunning level of efficacy (in terms of engagement / follow through in treatment).

I am thrilled that the ACE model is part of the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) PILOT study.

Taking peer recovery support to the next level !!!

At Heritage Health Solutions, Inc. and Heritage CARES the ACE model is the foundation of all we do. youturn

ABOUT RICH JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EVP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HERITAGE CARES

Executive Vice President (EVP) at Heritage Health Solutions, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer Co-Founder at Youturn,
CEO at Wellness Partners Group
CEO/President at Jones Solutions Group
Former CEO at FAVOR Greenville

Visit Heritage Health at – Click Here

For Addiction Support Info – Click Here

Please Subscribe to the Recovery Cartel – Click Here

The post NIDA Research Project – I’m Thrilled!!! appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

The Free Three Things

Here’s some truth.

Psychiatrists, therapists, etc … aren’t really sure what causes depression and what the best course of treatment is for any given person.

Mental health does not lend itself to a diagnostic prescriptive model. It’s not clear what is happening and it is certainly not precise. It’s subjective.

The practitioner uses his/her “judgement” to prescribe a course of action.

There is some disagreement around “depression” (the “cause and cure”)

However, nearly everyone would agree that the ‘FREE THREE’ can help.

If you are struggling. Take action today

1. GO OUTSIDE / EXERCISE… move your body.
2. LISTEN TO SOME UPBEAT MUSIC
3. LAUGH. Schedule in some comedic relief. Watch a movie, listen to a funny podcast, watch some videos on YouTube.

Do this everyday for 30 days…. Money back guarantee!!!

ABOUT RICH JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EVP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HERITAGE CARES

Executive Vice President (EVP) at Heritage Health Solutions, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer Co-Founder at Youturn,
CEO at Wellness Partners Group
CEO/President at Jones Solutions Group
Former CEO at FAVOR Greenville

Visit Heritage Health at – Click Here

For Addiction Support Info – Click Here

Please Subscribe to the Recovery Cartel – Click Here

The post The FREE Three Things – Really, they’re FREE…. appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

DEATHS OF DESPAIR…

It’s been a minute since I did some ranting. Some deep thoughts. Hold on tight. I need to do some Facebook rant!

Another death this weekend. Another DEATH OF DESPAIR…

Someone I knew. A couple more last week that I didn’t know really well. But I knew the family.

When you work up close with people, as I do, it gets very personal.

REALITY CHECK:

This society has nothing even close to a solution for the overdose crisis. Including me.

I got nothing. NO ONE has an answer. Period.

I have vast clinical experience across nearly every conceivable clinical venue.

And I helped create, as CEO, arguably one of the premier Recovery Community Organizations in the country, FAVOR Greenville.

All of this happened in the non-profit and publicly funded space.

DEEP IN DIGITAL HEALTH

Now I am deep in a digital health start up. Attempting to scale a transformational solution.

Working within a corporate environment.

Definitely a different pathway. No one can say I’m not casting a wide net 🙂

It’s very early yet with our telehealth/digitally enhanced coaching model. Very early.

OVERDOSE STUFF

So much “overdose stuff” happens beyond our scope.

We don’t solve for overdoses.

We aren’t in the community.

We don’t claim to be all things to all people.

GREAT THINGS

We do great things.

In a very specific way.

We stay in our lane and we are damn good at managing that lane.

All of this makes me wonder, where is the coherent and comprehensive plan of attack.

Who is supposed to lead this?

WHERE???

Where will the ultimate solution come from?

The answers appear to be NO ONE AND NOWHERE.

Throw it against the wall and see if it sticks seems to be the strategic plan.

Each model of response has it’s unique advantages. And each model has really good providers among their ranks.

We have fragmented system with silos of good work. People are trying hard. Doing great work. But, there is no comprehensive solutions being offered.

It’s like an incomplete recipe. With people screaming for more and more of their preferred ingredients.

• Throw some more salt in there…
• throw some more pepper in there.
• some more sugar…

OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC

Same for the overdose epidemic:

THROW SOME MORE MEDICATION AT THE PROBLEM. HARM REDUCTION IS THE SOLUTION.

Get help to those most in need!

Throw some parity in there. We need to enforce parity and private insurance should pay for treatment. We need more treatment beds.

RECOVERY SUPPORT

How about some recovery support:

We need recovery coaches and peer support. More peer support.

WE NEED DIGITAL HEALTH. More apps. More telehealth.

WE NEED More family support.

ON AND ON AND ON

And make no mistake, good things happen.

I fully realize there are isolated pockets of quality care. I would like to think my organizations falls into the quality care bucket.

But, at a systemic level, our society doesn’t even come close to slowing the overdose train down. Nothing remotely comprehensive or congruent.

There is no plan to end the overdose epidemic. And that is a very depressing proposition.

A VERY LONG TIME

I’ve been doing this a long time.

There are people who have been doing this work for a couple years who act as if they have it figured out.

I devoted my life to this for 20 plus years.

After awhile, it gets depressing. And all you can focus on is your individual area of focus.

TOO BIG

The system as a whole becomes “too big” to comprehend. Too big to change.

I imagine that people just settle into their “space” and do their part. Do all they can and let the rest go.

I just haven’t been able to do that.

I think people who have the work figured out either do something really big and substantially transformational, (however, this is very rare and I really haven’t seen many people get this right)

OR…

You do something small but exceptional for the small number you serve (I have done this before and I have recently seen others do this–It’s noble work).

I am currently trying to go big….

But man, the nature of substance use disorders are hard to reconcile.

QUESTION EVERYTHING

The death and destruction makes you question everything. 93,000 (at least) dead from drug overdose in 2020.

Hundreds of thousands more due to suicide and chronic alcohol misuse.

DEATHS OF DESPAIR… everywhere you look.

Then you really get in touch with it… it gets personal.

How in the world did this happen?

ABOUT RICH JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EVP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HERITAGE CARES

Executive Vice President (EVP) at Heritage Health Solutions, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer Co-Founder at Youturn,
CEO at Wellness Partners Group
CEO/President at Jones Solutions Group
Former CEO at FAVOR Greenville

Visit Heritage Health at – Click Here

For Addiction Support Info – Click Here

Please Subscribe to the Recovery Cartel – Click Here

The post I Need A Facebook Rant ! DEATHS OF DESPAIR… appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Peer support is an evolving discipline. It’s a relatively new discipline. Standards are still being defined.

Like any other profession: there is great variability in terms of quality.

Completion of a training doesn’t equal effectiveness as a coach. We need time, supervision, and structure to hone our craft. It takes time to get good at coaching.

💥💥💥 “If you hone something, for example a skill, technique, idea, or product, you carefully develop it over a long period of time so that it is exactly right for your purpose”.

Our goals are:

✅ help advance the evolution of peer support. Specifically, develop assertive engagement specialists. Refine that specialty.
✅ enhance the experience with technology
✅ redefine “family recovery coaching”
✅ establish ourselves as the nation’s premier provider of peer support services.

ABOUT RICH JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EVP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HERITAGE CARES

Executive Vice President (EVP) at Heritage Health Solutions, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer Co-Founder at Youturn,
CEO at Wellness Partners Group
CEO/President at Jones Solutions Group
Former CEO at FAVOR Greenville

Visit Heritage Health at – Click Here

For Addiction Support Info – Click Here

Please Subscribe to the Recovery Cartel – Click Here

The post Peer Support Is Evolving!!! appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Sally Spencer-Thomas

Sally Spencer-Thomas is a clinical psychologist, inspirational international speaker, and an impact entrepreneur.

Dr. Spencer-Thomas was moved to work in suicide prevention after her younger brother, a Denver entrepreneur, died of suicide after a difficult battle with bipolar condition.

Known nationally and internationally as an innovator in social change, Spencer-Thomas has helped start up multiple large-scale, gap-filling efforts in mental health including the award-winning campaign Man Therapy and the nation’s first initiative for suicide prevention in the workplace, Working Minds.

In 2016 she was an invited speaker at the White House where she presented on men’s mental health.

In her recent TEDx Talk she shares her goal to elevate the conversation to make mental health promotion and suicide prevention a health and safety priority in our schools, workplaces and communities.

LISTEN TO THE YOUTURN PODCAST – Click Here!

The post DO NOT MISS THIS ONE 💥💥💥 appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

What are the Three Good Things?

Here are some details about the Three Good Things.

1) Got some quality time with the family. Unexpected.

2) Averted crisis with one of our participants this afternoon. Went much better than anticipated.

3) Feeling certain about recent moves at work. Feels good to have clarity.

Check, Check, Check

✅Three good things capitalizes on the principle of neuroplasticity.

We can change our outlook and attitude by intentionally noticing the good.

✅We are wired to notice the negative.

From an evolutionary perspective we are hardwired to notice the bad stuff.

Noticing the negative kept us alive in a dangerous world.

Therefore, we need to make ourselves notice the positive.

✅If we do this repetitively we will develop new neural connections and pathways.

Re-fire to re-wire!

The 3 Good Things is a great way to do this.

💥💥💥Everyday at the end of the day, write down 3 good things that happened.

Commit to 30 days and commit to not repeating yourself.

That’s 90 different things over 30 days. You will need to pay attention to things during the course of your day.

And make mental notes of the “good things”.

This is all part of the re-wiring process.

Heritage Health Solutions and Youturn: built the model on these type of principles. It works!

The post Three Good Things appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Start Over

💥💥💥I think it makes more sense to “start over” at the beginning of each new “birth year” rather than the beginning of each new year.

Each new year we reflect on the past year. We make new year’s resolutions.

We have this sense of starting over.

For me… it happens on my birthday.

53rd Year

Today day is day one of my 53rd year on the planet.

This past year has been the most difficult year of my life.

My 52nd year on the planet was brutal. I have come face to face with depression in a way that I never have before.

I’m not sure if I was in denial in the past. Perhaps I was embarrassed and never really got honest?

Another Level

Also … events in my personal life triggered things and pushed this shit to another level.

Men are not supposed to be depressed.

Men are not supposed to be anxious.

We should just get shit figured out and move on to the next task. Suck it up.

The S Word

I was definitely ashamed and the stigma kicked my ass.

Now … I do not give a f**k . Truly, I am going to be open and I’m not hiding anymore.

New Decisions

I’m going to make decisions that benefit my mental health. I’m going to work smarter. I’m going to take steps to reduce stress.

I have been on a hamster wheel of busy-ness and ambition that is relatively non-sensical.

Need to minimize and adopt a more simple lifestyle. And prioritize relationships.

Liberation

53 will be a year of liberation.

I intend to share the journey. In the event there are other men out there who are tired of the “suck it up” / real men don’t cry bullshit.

I cry ….

The post I Cry … and Start Over appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.