BUCYRUS — Recovery from addiction is challenging enough. Add in the struggle to find decent, affordable housing and it becomes even harder.
That’s what one Crawford County non-profit is hoping to address with its new family housing.
Together We Hurt, Together We Heal operates two recovery housing facilities, where residents receive treatment and support.
In the spring, the organization plans to further expand on that work with family housing. Unlike recovery housing, their two new units will each house a family. The homes will be available to rent for people moving out of TWHTWH’s recovery housing.
Having safe, affordable housing is important for recovery. But finding such housing is difficult in north central Ohio, regardless of the additional challenges those in recovery face.
“Secure and affordable housing is important to recovery because it provides a healthy, stable and safe living environment,” said Sherry Branham-Fonner executive director of the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery services board.
“A lack of stable housing can result in situations where individuals are back in an environment that they were in prior to their recovery. Pressures from that environment place the individual at a greater risk of relapse.”
Carle said she’s seen residents leave recovery housing over the years and struggle to find a safe, affordable place to live with their kids.
“We have a lot of landlords in the community, but their rent is so high nobody could afford it,” Carle said.
“Our goal with our recovery housing is to have two units, three bedrooms each, so that when folks leave our houses, they can transition into family housing with their children and be able to continue on with their recovery for a period of time.”
Are you or a loved one experiencing addiction? Help is available.
Several agencies in Richland and Crawford County provide resources and treatment for people experiencing addiction and their families. Click here for more information on Richland County resources or call the helpline at 419-522-HELP (4357). Click here for more information on Crawford County resources or call 800-544-1601. Or text “4hope” to the crisis line at 741741.
Family housing residents will still receive support
Carle said she envisions households staying in family housing for around a year to a year and a half and still receive some supportive services.
“When they transition from our recovery house into family housing, we’re still going to be with them,” Carle said.
“We’re going to do case management services, going in at least weekly to see that everybody’s okay. Some of the residents will probably continue on in outpatient counseling or some kind of type of mental health counseling.”
The facility is a duplex being renovated by a local contractor.
“We’d looked at multiple, multiple houses,” said Ashley Crawford, TWHTWH’s recovery housing coordinator.
“Then we had our contractor come up and say, ‘Well, I might have this house for you guys. Would you want to come look at it?’ He had been working on it, but he wanted to help us.”
TWHTWH will take complete ownership of the property by January 2025.
“It’s going to be beautiful,” Carle said. “It has a garage for folks to park in. It’s on a corner lot. There is a lawn for kids and it’s fenced in.”
Family housing a rarity in the recovery landscape
TWHTWH has sought grants to help pay for the house. Contributions from the community and the Crawford-Marion Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board will also go towards the project.
Bradley DeCamp is the executive director of the Crawford-Marion ADAMH Board. He said offering family recovery housing presents unique challenges, but it also offers unique benefits.
“We have other recovery housing in the board area, but we don’t currently have any family recovery housing,” he said.
“A lot of times people who are early in the recovery process feel a sense of separation from their families. I think having the family unit together can help with that with the appropriate supports.”
Carle said TWHTWH will charge rent to cover the upkeep of the house, but it won’t be outrageous.
“We’re not trying to make a profit, we’re trying to help people get well,” she said. “As long as we can pay our bills, we will be happy.”
She added that it’s important that clients to have quality housing wherever they are in their recovery journey.
“We’re very particular about our houses. We want people to see their self worth. We want them to understand that in your recovery, as you’re working your program, you can have a house like this in the future too,” she said.
“We want them to know that they are valuable because everyone is valuable.”
Together We Hurt, Together We Heal also offers traditional recovery housing, family supports
TWHTWH was founded in 2007 by four moms, two pastors and a teacher.
“The moms each had a son that was addicted to opiates,” Carle said. “They didn’t know what to do, where to go, so they involved the pastors and the school teacher.”
TWHTWH incorporated and became a Christian non-profit in 2009. Carle said their ultimate goal was to provide recovery housing, as well as support Crawford County residents and families impacted by addiction.
The organization opened a men’s recovery home, Sycamore House, in 2016. A women’s facility, Willow House, followed two years later. Both are certified with Ohio Recovery Housing, a state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences.
What is recovery housing?
Ohio Recovery Housing, a statewide alliance of recovery housing providers, defines it as “a living environment free from alcohol and illicit drug use, centered on peer support and connection to services that promote sustained recovery. This includes continued sobriety, improved physical, emotional, relational, spiritual and spiritual health, and positive community involvement with work, school, volunteer organizations, and recovery communities.”
Residents at Sycamore House and Willow House are required to attend outpatient counseling, 12-step meetings and a weekly, faith-based meeting.
“We want them to have that relationship with their higher power, or God, whatever they choose to call that entity,” Carle said.
They’re also asked to set three goals for their time there.
“We accept people where they’re at and we want them to decide what their recovery journey is,” Carle said. “They have to determine what it is they need to be doing themselves.”
Holistic recovery means healthcare, family healing
Carle said the goal is to provide residents with a supportive, family-like environment while they’re in recovery housing. TWHTHW helps residents connect residents with resources, including healthcare.
“Part of recovery is being healthy, so we get them to a doctor, a dentist, to get their eye checks and anything else that they may need,” Carle said.
After residents get settled in, she and Crawford help them work on their next steps. That may mean getting a job, earning their GED diploma or working towards a certification or associate degree at the Crawford Success Center.
Supporting not just those in recovery, but their families has always been a part of TWHTWH’s mission.
“If they are allowed to see their kids, we do make arrangements for the children to come to the houses and have regular visitation with their parents,” Carle said. “That’s very important — to bring the family back together.”
The organization also attends health fairs, distributing information and talking about the healing that must take place — not only for individuals, but for families as well.
“Families are impacted too, but they don’t get to go off to treatment. So we try to help family members too,” Carle said.
The organization encourages family members and children of those experiencing addiction to attend support groups like Al-Anon and Alateen. TWHTWH also hosts its own groups, but Carle said getting people to come can be challenging.
“The majority of them still feel the person with the drinking or drug problem — all they have to do is quit drinking using and life will be dandy. It’s not,” Carle said. “That’s just a little step in their recovery.”