Pennsylvania Organization For Women In Early Recovery

HELPING WOMEN RECLAIM THEIR LIVES FROM ADDICTION AND RELATED EMOTIONAL HEALTH ISSUES.

POWER CONNECTION PROVIDES RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR MEN AND 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 THE EARLY STAGES OF RECOVERY. OUR MENTORS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 5 YEARS OF PERSONAL RECOVERY FROM A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. CURRENTLY, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS POWER'S MENTORS HAVE IS 14, SO THEY REPRESENT A GROUP THAT HAS LONG-TERM RECOVERY AND CAN HELP OUR CLIENTS BUILD THEIR OWN FOUNDATION. MENTORS PROVIDE PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT, ALSO KNOWN AS RECOVERY COACHING.SEE SCHEDULE O.THEY MODEL HEALTHY RECOVERY, HELP THEIR CLIENTS DEVELOP SERVICE PLANS THAT INCLUDE GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING THEM, CONNECT CLIENTS TO COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES, INTRODUCE THEM TO OR SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS IN PARTICIPATING IN SELF-HELP GROUPS LIKE 12-STEP PROGRAMS, CONNECT THEM TO THE 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 AS CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALISTS AND ALL ARE TRAINED AS WELLNESS COACHES. CLIENTS REPORT, ANECDOTALLY, THROUGH OUTCOMES STUDIES AND CLIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS THAT THEY APPRECIATE THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAVE WITH THEIR MENTORS AND ALL THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO LEARN FROM THEM. WHILE POWER'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE WOMAN-CENTERED CARE, AND ALL OF OUR TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE FOR WOMEN ONLY, OUR RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO MEN THROUGH MENTORING. HOWEVER, TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT, LAST YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION SERVED NEARLY 2,700 INDIVIDUALS AND 600 WERE MEN. BECAUSE OF POWER'S POSITIVE REPUTATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH ALLEGHENY COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, POWER WAS ALSO ASKED TO PARTNER WITH THEIR FAMILY SUPPORT CENTERS. THROUGH THE POWER CONNECTION PROGRAM, POWER HIRED AN ADDICTION SPECIALIST WHO IS ASSIGNED AS A CONSULTANT TO THE STAFF OF THE COUNTY'S 26 FAMILY SUPPORT CENTERS.

LIKE ALL OF THE ORGANIZATION'S TREATMENT PROGRAMS, POWER HOUSE IS GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED. POWER HOUSE IS THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST PROGRAM AND SERVES APPROXIMATELY 100 WOMEN EACH 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 INTENSIVE INPATIENT TREATMENT WITH A FOCUS ON RECONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY. SEE SCHEDULE O.WOMEN TYPICALLY COME TO POWER HOUSE AFTER A REHAB STAY SO THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR TREATMENT IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHILE BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING TO THE COMMUNITY. AT POWER HOUSE, WHILE THERAPISTS PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY AND HELP ADDRESS CLIENTS' CLINICAL NEEDS, OUR RESOURCE COORDINATOR BEGINS WORKING WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CONNECT THEM TO OTHER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. OUR STAFF HELP WOMEN RE-ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, HELP THEM EXPLORE EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND MAKE SURE THEY LEAVE WITH A TANGIBLE DISCHARGE PLAN THAT SETS THEM UP FOR SUCCESS. WOMEN CAN STAY AT POWER HOUSE FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS DURING WHICH TIME THEY DEVELOP THEIR GOALS AND WORK WITH OUR TREATMENT TEAM TO ACCOMPLISH THEM. 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, TRAUMA SERVICES USING A TRAUMA-SPECIFIC CURRICULUM; PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, PSYCHOEDUCATION CLASSES, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, CASE MANAGEMENT, LEISURE ACTIVITIES, LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, AND DISCHARGE PLANNING.DURING THIS PAST YEAR, THE PROGRAM FACED UNIQUE CHALLENGES AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC. THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 WAS SIGNIFICANT IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT AND REQUIRED AN ENORMOUS EFFORT TO ENSURE OUR CLIENTS AND STAFF'S HEALTH AND SAFETY. POWER HOUSE OPERATED WITHOUT DISRUPTION OF CARE.

POWER NEW DAY IS POWER'S OUTPATIENT PROGRAM. WITH A CAPACITY OF 170, THIS LICENSED PROGRAM OFFERS WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS REGULAR OUTPATIENT SERVICES (1 - 5 HOURS OF COUNSELING A WEEK; MOSTLY INDIVIDUAL AND SOME GROUP) AND INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAMMING ALSO REFERRED TO AS IOP (MORE THAN 5 BUT LESS THAN 10 HOURS OF COUNSELING A WEEK; MOSTLY GROUP WITH AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSION A WEEK). TREATMENT INCLUDES BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL EVALUATION; TREATMENT PLANNING; INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, AND EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPY; TRAUMA SERVICES USING A TRAUMA-SPECIFIC CURRICULUM;SEE SCHEDULE OPSYCHIATRIC SERVICES; MEDICATION MANAGEMENT; WELLNESS COACHING; CASE MANAGEMENT; AND DISCHARGE PLANNING. POWER NEW DAY OFFERS THE EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPY THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH AN EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPIST WHO PROVIDES WEEKLY ART AND MUSIC THERAPY. ALL OF THE TREATMENT SERVICES ARE GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED. POWER'S OUTPATIENT PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY TO BRING NEEDED SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT SERVICES TO WOMEN WHERE THEY ARE. TWO EXAMPLES INCLUDE: PERINATAL HOPE PROGRAM - A COLLABORATION WITH ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK (AHN), AND POWER OF HOPE - A COLLABORATION WITH ALLE-KISKI HOPE CENTER. PERINATAL HOPE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PREGNANT WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND IS LOCATED IN SIX AHN HOSPITALS/MEDICAL FACILITIES. AHN ATTENDS TO THE WOMEN'S OBSTETRIC, HEALTH, AND PARENTING EDUCATION NEEDS; WHILE POWER PROVIDES SCREENING, ASSESSMENT, AND INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY. AT ALLE-KISKI HOPE CENTER, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER, A POWER THERAPIST IS ON SITE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND CONSULTATION TO STAFF, AND SCREENING, ASSESSMENT, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY, AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL EDUCATION.DURING THE PANDEMIC, OUTPATIENT SERVICES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IN PERSON AND VIA TELEHEALTH USING A HIPAA-COMPLIANT ZOOM PLATFORM.