A recovery center.
Just across the street from a high school.
Put away the pitchforks and let Beth Miller tell you what’s going in a 1,500-square foot suite at 2906 William Penn Highway in Palmer Township.
And what isn’t.
It’s not inpatient rehab for substance abuse, the head of Northampton County’s Drug & Alcohol Division said, adding those who live in the township had questions at first. It’s not even for treatment or counseling, she added.
It’s a place for those in various phases of recovery -- most either done with treatment or in outpatient care -- to find camaraderie, fun and resources in, as a county news release put it, a “safe and sober environment.”
“It’s just an amazing resource,” Miller said of the centers. There are others the county funds in Bangor, Northampton, Hanover Township, Northampton County, and soon in Bethlehem.
The space in the Palmer Business and Commercial Center opened officially Friday.
“Basically the recovery centers are run by people in longterm recovery,” she explained. Most had volunteered previously at a center. And some used center services during in their own recoveries.
“They can relate to someone early in recovery,” she said of the location directors, who tend to work for county contractors and who handle most of the administrative tasks that keep the centers running.
The drug and alcohol division has case managers who oversee the centers and “make sure everything is in order,” Miller said.
Palmer Recovery Center opens Oct. 30, 2020.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com
The centers can provide information about treatment, recovery-based meetings, housing, employment, counseling and “other life-sustaining needs," a news releasee announcing the opening said.
The county previously funded a center in Easton, but parking Downtown was difficult, Miller said. Change on Third continues to operate in the city, she added.
“The convenience of the (new) location is amazing,” she said. It has parking lot and is only five minutes from the county’s human services building in Bethlehem Township, she said.
An organization called Sync Recovery provides outdoor activities for those who come to the centers that range from hikes to canoe trips to rock climbing to sky diving, and combine exercise with conversations about recovery, Miller said.
It’s “action peer-guided support,” she added. “It gets people in recovery active in nature.”
But for those who can’t take on such strenuous adventures, the organization uses center space to do crafts with them, Miller said.
Groups such as AA and NA have arrangements with the centers to do meetings in the evenings, well after the centers close for the day at 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., she said.
“Certified recovery specialists", who are contracted with the county, share at the centers “their lived experience to kind of walk with someone in early recovery," Miller said. “They show them the ropes. It’s kind of an amazing connection.” The centers are a “totally appropriate” place to meet, she added.
The county provides computers for job searches and community service opportunities for people who need it for the soul -- or to complete release requirements after interacting with the criminal justice system, Miller said.
“It’s a win-win for the community,” she said.
It’s a safe setting and “part of the program is to give back,” she said.
Those early in recovery often have a quandary in seeking a life outside of bars, casinos or other locations that fueled their addictions, Miller said.
“'I don’t know what to do now'," she said is a common feeling. The centers, which are often suggested as a resource, “give everybody an alternative.”
There’s yoga and Karaoke. Books. And you’re among people who understand the challenge, she added.
“You’re in the neighborhood,” county Executive Lamont McClure said. “You don’t want to go to a bar.” At the centers, you can “hang out with other folks in recovery like you.”
It’s all about reinforcing a sober life.
“Folks have to maintain sobriety in a way that keeps them connected to the rest of the world,” McClure said about the centers. “It helps you keep grounded while you’re battling your addiction.”
COVID-19 details: A new, wall-based thermometer has been ordered to safely take temperatures as people enter, Miller said. Everyone must wear a mask and maintain six feet of safe distance. Currently, the centers have few people, and large-group events, other than 12-step meetings, are not happening. There are cleaning protocols and wipes for computers after use. The centers don’t offer coffee or food at the moment.
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Tony Rhodin can be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
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