SUMMERSVILLE, WV (WOAY) – Two years ago, Seneca Health Services, in partnership with FMRS and Southern Highlands, received a Ryan Brown grant from the state legislature for nearly $3 million. Because of that funding, a new men’s short-term recovery facility opened its doors in Summersville on Thursday.
Welcome to Recovery Ridge. It’s a 12-bed facility built to provide those with substance use disorder a place to live short-term and receive treatment and support.
Seneca Health Services President and CEO Marcie Vaughan says this a major addition to the area as they serve Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Webster and Nicholas Counties. She says a facility like this is a first of its kind for their service area.
“It has been about two years and has been a long process, but as you can see through looking at the building, it has turned out to be a wonderful addition, and I think that the individuals who come through here will be very well served,” she said.
The men will come in through referral and approval, and from there, will be given 24/7 care for at least a month.
This includes medically-assisted treatment as well as therapy sessions where peer recovery is a big part of the process. Scott McGee is the lead peer support coach for Seneca.
“The residents here will be doing individual therapy and group therapy with the therapists, but they’ll also be doing groups with the recovery coaches,” McGee said. “We’re going to have wellness groups where we talk about sleeping, nutrition and taking care of ourselves overall. We also have supportive groups to help them reinforce the skills that they learn.”
With the comfortable home environment among people who understand what the residents are going through, all involved are hopeful this will be a community difference maker.
“I hope this serves as a tool for individuals that substance use disorder to return as a contributing member of our communities,” Vaughan said. “Substance use disorder is not a moral dilemma. It is a physical health condition much like cardiac or diabetic conditions. It requires medical treatment.”
Seneca Health provides mental and behavioral health services and specializes in substance use disorder.
They already operate a detox and crisis stabilization facility called the Crosswinds Center in Maxwelton alongside their counseling and outpatient medically-assisted treatment programs.
With this new facility addition, Vaughan says they could have individuals engaged in substance use disorder treatment for 24 weeks.
Recovery Ridge expected their first resident on opening day and expect to be full by the end of next week.
The center is located behind Burger King off of Route 19 in Summersville.
