SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Addiction Discussion Panel Statistics
Campus Resources
MU Wellness Center - http://www.marshall.edu/wellness/
Offers free resources, opportunities, substance abuse prevention, and health education to Marshall University students
Campus Psychology Clinic - http://www.marshall.edu/psych/clinics/campus-psychology-clinic/
Provides high quality, low-cost psychological services to individuals on the campus and from the local community.
Marshall's Community Behavioral Health Clinic - 304-696-3751
Offers scheduled appointments and walk-in sessions for counseling.
State Resources
Help 4 WV - https://www.help4wv.com/
HELP4WV offers a 24/7 call, chat, and text line that provides immediate help for any West Virginian struggling with an addiction or mental health issue. Many of those answering our accredited helpline are peer-support specialists or recovery coaches. This means that they have personal experience in recovery from a mental health or substance abuse issue. This initiative, funded by the Department of Health and Human Resources, is designed to streamline the process of seeking help for behavioral health issues.
Prestera Center - https://www.prestera.org/services/addictions-recovery/
Prestera’s addictions treatment services is a full continuum of care that includes outpatient services, short and long term residential programs, medically monitored detoxification and transitional living programs which helps provide a safe transition for consumers reentering the community.
Prestera Center offers mental health and addiction recovery services for individuals with co-occurring disorders.
Prestera Center also offers the West Virginia DUI Safety and Treatment Program for the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and can provide assessments and services that meet the state requirements for becoming a licensed driver again.
Huntington Comprehensive Treatment Center - https://www.acadiahealthcare.com/locations/huntington-methadone-clinic
Huntington Comprehensive Treatment Center is located in Huntington, West Virginia. Here, our staff of nurses, physicians, and counselors work together to provide those struggling with opioid abuse the treatment they need. They specifically work to help those addicted to heroin, morphine, and prescription pain pills. Our medication-assisted treatment program offers the implementation of Subutex, Vivitrol, methadone, and Suboxone. Through these medications, a patient’s withdrawal symptoms and cravings can be minimized. Additionally, therapeutic services are offered. These therapies include individual and group therapy.
River Park Hospital - https://riverparkhospital.net/
River Park Hospital is on a mission to improve quality of life for patients through the delivery of individualized treatment that is accessible, compassionate, effective and affordable.
The Lifehouse - http://www.thelifehousewv.com/
The Lifehouse is a long term, faith-based, recovery program, therapeutic community organization located in Huntington, WV. The Lifehouse is a non-profit organization created to help men and women recover from alcoholism and substance abuse. The homes associated with The Lifehouse solely exist to help men and women in West Virginia continue their journeys of sobriety with the adequate support and services to implement the life stability that is required for continual substance abuse recovery.
HER Place - https://www.recoverypointwv.org/locations/her-place/
Our Women's Addictions Recovery Outreach Center -- HER Place in Huntington, WV -- is a place where women, children and families can find a safe and nurturing environment that will offer free access to peer support services and educational programs that will empower recovery from addictions and transformation of lives.
National Resources
Addiction Resources - https://addictionresource.com/addiction-and-rehab-hotlines/
Addiction Resource was founded in 2014 to provide a community for those recovering from addiction and to help patients find the highest quality care for a successful recovery.
Addictions and Recovery - https://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/addiction-recovery-links.htm
This website does not link to commercial sites, rehab programs, addiction referral services, law firms, etc., to better provide independent and unbiased information.
Alcohol Addiction Center - https://alcoholaddictioncenter.org/
Providers of information and resources for anyone struggling with an alcohol problem, either through a friend or family member, or with a problem of their own. We are not a facility. Each situation is unique, and we strive to educate and inform people about alcoholism, or known by its clinical name, alcohol use disorder.
National Drug Helpline - http://drughelpline.org/
The National Drug Helpline provides accessible resources and contact information to anyone who may be in need of substance abuse or mental disorder help. We strive to help as many people as we possibly can to reduce both the stigma and impact of addiction.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
SAMHSA’s National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
National Institute on Drug Abuse - https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/resources
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) leads the Nation in scientific research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. It supports and conducts research across a broad range of disciplines, including genetics, functional neuroimaging, social neuroscience, prevention, medication, and behavioral therapies, and health services. It then disseminates the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
American Society of Addiction Medicine - https://www.asam.org/resources/resource-links
ASAM, founded in 1954, is a professional medical society representing over 6,000 physicians, clinicians and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine. ASAM is dedicated to increasing access and improving the quality of addiction treatment, educating physicians and the public, supporting research and prevention, and promoting the appropriate role of physicians in the care of patients with addiction.
Public Health: Addiction Resources - https://www.publichealth.org/resources/addiction/
With everything from prescription medications to gambling, millions of Americans suffer from addictions. These free online resources will give you the perspective you need to lead the fight against addiction.
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence - https://www.ncadd.org/
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) provides education, information, help and hope to the public.
Addiction Panel Discussion: Finding Support
January 24, 2019, 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. DL 402
Karen Yost
Karen Yost is the President and CEO of Prestera Center for Mental Health Services. She has over 25 years’ experience in the behavioral health field. In addition to her role as CEO, Karen is a prolific trainer, having done training on a variety of clinical and leadership topics, including, but not limited to, trauma informed care, substance use disorders, working with sex offenders, WV CAPS (Comprehensive Assessment and Planning System), treating traumatized children, performance improvement, and effective leadership. Karen has also served on many local, regional and State planning initiatives and committees, and has chaired a number of them.
Matthew Q. Christiansen, M.D., M.P.H.
Dr. Christiansen is a board-certified family medicine physician with Marshall Health practicing in Cabell County, West Virginia, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family & Community Health at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. In addition to his primary care practice, Dr. Christiansen cares for and treats patients from infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) to adults with substance use disorder (SUD). A native West Virginian, Dr. Christiansen earned his medical degree from Marshall University, where he also completed his residency in family medicine and a master’s degree in Public Health. During his residency, he served as a Paul Ambrose Health Policy Fellow. He is a passionate defender of primary care, an advocate for expanding health care access to underserved populations and an educator on evidence-based treatments for substance use disorder.
Lyn M. O’Connell, Ph.D.
Dr. O’Connell is the associate director of community services for Marshall Health and an assistant professor in the department of family & community health at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. She helps advise, implement and grow Marshall Health’s community-based services related to addiction care, treatment and its underlying causes. Before joining Marshall Health in 2018, Dr. O’Connell served as the clinical director of the Marshall University Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) program. In addition to nine years of clinical experience, she has authored and co-authored numerous publications, presentations and grants. Dr. O’Connell holds a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, and earned her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist.
Dan Curry
Currently, Dan Curry is the Associate Director and Chaplin of the Union Mission Men’s homeless Shelter. Sober since July 7th of 2007, Dan battled with addiction for fifteen years and now helps men and women access help. Through his life experiences Dan is uniquely situated to understand addiction as a first hand survivor.
Amy Saunders
Amy Saunders is the managing director of the Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery and a co-chair for the Marshall University Substance Use Recovery Coalition. She received a master's degree in psychology from Marshall University and has over 25 years of experience working in the fields of mental health, addiction, and public health.
Saunders has served as the director of Marshall’s Wellness Center for over fifteen years. She has served as the director of a school-based mental health program overseeing behavioral health services to students in five middle schools. She has over 18 years of teaching experience, including courses in developmental psychology, community public health, and public policy. She has authored and received over 20 public and mental health related grants. Saunders serves as the project director for an interdisciplinary health professionals training grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for individuals with mental health and substance use concerns. She is serving as a co-director on a Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). She is also a co-director on a Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention grant that was recently awarded to Marshall by SAMHSA. She is also serving as lead evaluator on two statewide prevention grants from SAMHSA that are focused on prevention of prescription drug misuse, alcohol and other illicit drugs.
Saunders has assisted with strategic planning and coalition development on campus and within the local community and state. She is a founding member of the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership and the West Virginia Collegiate Initiative to Address to Address High Risk Drinking and Substance Use, coalitions working to provide substance use education and prevention in West Virginia. She currently serves on the Cabell Huntington Harm Reduction Advisory Board.
Michelle Perdue
Michelle Perdue if the coordinator of the Cabell Huntington Health Department’s Harm Reduction Program. As coordinator for the program, Michelle strives to provide oversight and efficiency to the various departments and programs that originally made up the Harm Reduction Program. Programs under her supervision include the syringe exchange program, peer recovery, patient screenings, and distribution of naloxone. Previously she coordinated the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership (CCSAPP) for eight years.
