{"id":28491,"date":"2023-07-27T07:00:24","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T07:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=28491"},"modified":"2024-01-04T17:24:17","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T17:24:17","slug":"navos-staff-member-reflects-on-30-years-in-chemical-dependency-field-and-donor-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/navos-staff-member-reflects-on-30-years-in-chemical-dependency-field-and-donor-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Navos staff member reflects on 30 years in chemical dependency field and donor impact","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In 1993, chemical dependency professional Allen Benson felt called to the field after witnessing substance use disorder\u2019s role in houselessness during his time as a chaplain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe extended care unit was for homeless men who were too sick to be on the street, but not sick enough to be in the hospital,\u201d Benson explains of his work at Seattle\u2019s Union Gospel Mission. \u201cAbout 85 percent of the men on the extended care floor had substance use issues. As a result of that, I went to Seattle Central Community College to take the classes necessary to better help the population I was serving. There\u2019s such a demand for those services and for more people to enter the field.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This year marks Benson\u2019s 30th year as a chemical dependency professional and his 15th year at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navos.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Navos\u2019<\/a> donor-supported substance use disorder program, which helps clients achieve their individual recovery goals.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A disease-based model<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Navos\u2019 offerings include intensive outpatient, relapse prevention, outpatient and continuous care. A harm reduction program is also available for clients struggling to commit to full-time treatment \u2014 staff motivate clients to the next level or help reduce their substance use in a manageable way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know the concept of what\u2019s successful in treatment in 2023 is totally different than when I started in 1993,\u201d Benson says of this approach. \u201cAddiction is a chronic disease that has no cure, but it can go into remission. When you put it in the category of other illnesses treated with medical support, it helps a person live a life they deserve to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Challenges facing BIPOC clients and the opportunity for change<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When addiction isn\u2019t viewed as a disease, the misconception that people are to blame for their substance use disorder often takes hold and fuels stereotypes, according to Benson. Because of these preconceived notions, BIPOC communities have traditionally been denied recovery services \u2014 instead, addiction is criminalized and seen as warranting severe punishment instead of treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, many community health agencies, such as Navos, seek to support people from all backgrounds and walks of life on the road to recovery.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would encourage anybody, if you have a need, seek out the resources, and don\u2019t get caught up in the stereotypes,\u201d Benson says. \u201cIt\u2019s not really about what people think of you; it\u2019s what you think about yourself and what you want from yourself in order to change your life.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Change one life, impact a generation<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>From Benson\u2019s perspective, meeting the needs of the diverse populations Navos serves requires both resources from the county and support from MultiCare Behavioral Health Foundation donors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m thankful for all the donors who have a heart for community, mental health and people with mental illness and people with substance use disorders,\u201d he shares. \u201cBecause sometimes those diseases aren\u2019t given the same attention (as) other diseases, and it\u2019s the contributions of donors that lift the significance and importance of treating diseases across the board.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir contribution is doing wonders,\u201d Benson continues. \u201cOne changed life can impact a community, and that community can impact a city, and the city can impact a state, and the state can impact a country. One changed life can really impact a whole generation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 1993, chemical dependency professional Allen Benson felt called to the field after witnessing substance use disorder\u2019s role in houselessness during his time as a chaplain. \u201cThe extended care unit was for homeless men who were too sick to be on the street, but not sick enough to be in the hospital,\u201d Benson explains of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":103,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,75,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-behavioral-health","category-foundations","category-profiles-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - 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