HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The opioid epidemic and its impact continues to grip north Alabama and Saturday, a recovery-resource organization teamed up with the city of Huntsville to connect people with vital resources.
With National Recovery Month in full swing, this marks the second straight year for the city of Huntsville and Recovery Organization of Support Specialists partnered up to help the community gain access to a range of substance abuse-related resources.
Aubin Cawthon with R.O.S.S of Madison County says the event is aimed to connect the community with an array of services.
“When you’re coming into recovery or when you’re trying to find support whether it be for mental health or substance use or just life struggles, we don’t always know where to turn,” Cawthon told News 19.
“We get to provide people with that direct access to be able to ask those questions and get those answers.”
Cawthon who is R.O.S.S’s Madison County campus coordinator says it’s a big deal for the city to collaborate with the organization to put on these sort of events, something that was echoed by Joy Davis with Huntsville’s community development department.
“Our population deals with lots of different problems so us working together and meeting one of those and addressing one of those barriers while another organization is working on others we’re really able to help that individual get to a place of self-sufficient and a place where they have the life that they want to be living,” Davis said.
From detox centers, Narcan, and free food to mental and health care services, the event brought multiple organizations together in one location.
Reverend Rosie Veal Eby the associate priest for outreach at the Church of the Nativity in Huntsville says there are multiple components to recovery including spirituality.
“Pastoral care is really important as far as recovery because along with your peer specialist, if you need prayers, if you want someone to pray with you before recovery after recovery, its that support that lets people know that they are loved,” Veal Eby said.
As for people like Cawthon, he says overcoming addiction after 15 years has allowed him to better serve those who are experiencing what he once did.
“Being able to provide this space to individuals and being able to share my experiences of living on the streets and not having access to supportive services allows them to understand that I get it that,” Cawthon said. “I know where they’re at and I know what they’re struggling with and I’m here to help them.”
R.O.S.S of Madison County says their doors are open seven days a week for anyone who needs assistance and not just those battling recovery. More information can be found here.
