TESTIMONIALS

A Key to Recovery

“I am a Recovery Coach at the Bridge Clinic at Lowell General Hospital. The Bridge Clinic is currently being funded on a grant, with a very minimal budget for transportation.  It is difficult for me to ascertain how we would have done our job effectively without access to Rides to Recovery.  Since April 2019, we have sent nearly 100 people to detox using Rides to Recovery. 

When we have a person agree to go to detox, their relief at finally making that decision is briefly diminished when the first thing out of their mouth is, “I have no way to get there.” After we respond that we can provide a ride, you can literally see the light go back on in their eyes. Our client demographic are typically homeless or couch surfers, often with just the clothes on their back, minimal connections with family, no money, no cell phone, fresh out of cigarettes. To have to provide their own ride is akin to flying to the moon.

As a provider, if I did not have access to Rides to Recovery, my options to place a patient in detox would dwindle to the 1 or 2 places that provide transportation. I would venture a guess that of the 100 that I helped send to detox, I would have been able to send only maybe 10 right there on the spot. If a client has to come back to access services, their disease usually starts talking to them and they are back on the street using.  No ride, no bed; a missed golden opportunity.

I wish I could articulate my feelings appropriately at how grateful I am for Rides to Recovery. I am a person in long term recovery and intrinsically my desire for people to live a life of recovery is abundant! I am so blessed to have a life free of alcohol, I want that for all my clients. In order to begin that life they simply need a ride!” Deborah Ryan, Recovery Coach, Lowell General Hospital/ACO

Expanded Area Opportunities

“Transportation to detox and rehabilitation facilities is a very real problem for those of us who serve the homeless community. When an individual hits "rock bottom" and is ready to seek professional help, the question becomes how do I get there? At the Community Day Center of Waltham, we have a budget to send guests to rehabilitation services, but that budget does not permit us to send individuals outside of the Boston-Metrowest region. However, it is often very difficult to find a bed available in any of the facilities in our geographic area. As a result, we are forced to tell our guest that he/she will have to wait until tomorrow, or wait until Monday, if it's a weekend; and often, even then we can't find a bed.  To be unable to give people the help they need when they need it, is the worst feeling in the world for us. There is a very real concern: will this disappointment trigger more alcohol/drug use? 

The "I am ready" moment is sacred to us. When guests come to us for help in accessing short- or long-term recovery services, we drop what we are doing to help them find a bed. We know the importance of acting in the moment and now, with our new partnership with Rides to Recovery, we can take the time to not only find a bed, but to find the facility that can best serve the needs of the individual. Rides to Recovery has not only helped our guests find recovery, but the program has empowered our staff to be able to treat the person--and the moment he/she is in--with dignity. I personally feel that recovery begins in that moment when the request for help is made and acknowledged; and help is found.”   Carolyn Montalto, Executive Director, Community Day Center of Waltham

The Importance of Quick Response

“The impacts from the opioid epidemic have been more far-reaching than anything else that I can remember in my twenty years with the Wakefield Police Department.  Complete devastation to families is first and foremost.  And although the impact to us could never compare, we still find ourselves in the thick of this, trying everything that we can to help those suffering from addiction.  In addition to our traditional police resources, we have a mental health clinician, a recovery coach, as well as a family services officer that spend a tremendous amount of time and energy in this area.  We have an amazing team and have made tremendous strides.  However, one of the main areas that continue to be a challenge for us is transportation to treatment appointments. 
Our Department currently consists of 43 sworn officers, with the majority of that assigned to the uniformed patrol division.  Our family services officer has been able to assist with transportation when she is available, however, she also has other duties which include domestic violence victim support, elder services, and others. This is someone that is best suited for this, as she is normally not responding to calls and can take an unmarked vehicle.  Unfortunately, this option is not available to us for the majority of hours each week. We have spoken about the many times and looking into different options.  Fortunately, I received a call recently from our recovery coach with an amazing opportunity. She told me about "MightyDrum" and their "Rides to Recovery" program that allows for free transportation through UBER Health for these exact situations.  After speaking with CEO Joe Maffei, I was amazed at what the program offered and most importantly, that a ride could arrive within ten minutes of the call. This was a game-changer and we immediately hopped on board.  Within a few days, we had an opportunity to get one of our citizens struggling with addiction to a treatment center that we likely would not have been able to accommodate previously.  Most notably, the ride arrived within three minutes. 

To highlight the importance of the quick response time, I thought that it would be beneficial to use a recent incident.  A few months ago I was walking through our downtown district, an area that has a high percentage of addictions related issues.  A gentleman was walking
out of a liquor store who I am familiar with, someone that has been struggling with drug and alcohol issues for many years. He was carrying a brown paper bag and I asked him how he was doing.  He stated, "I am going to detox, there is an open bed at a facility in Worcester."  He showed me what was in the bag, which was two large beer cans and three nips of liquor. I was taken aback by the situation and doubtful that he had inquired about the open bed.  He then stated the ride was not coming for a few hours, so he was going to drink (and possibly drugs) in one of our vacant lots while he was waiting. 

Fortunately, we were able to get him to come back to the front lobby of the police station and discuss the situation further with our recovery coach. It turned out that his story was true. This was a sobering reminder of how important the need is to grasp the opportunity in the moment because no one knows what will happen during the downtime.  They simply turn to what they know to pass the time. This individual would have likely missed his ride had he ended up at that location with some of his negative peers.  It turned out that the ride could not be coordinated until the next morning.  This required finding him a safe place to stay with a friend overnight, with the hopes of him returning the following morning. We went out looking for him early that day, and after approximately one hour he was located and still willing to accept the ride.  Fortunately, this story had a happy ending, but it could have gone in another direction. This is why the "Rides to Recovery" program is so essential, as it not only focuses on transportation but also the timing.  I can't thank Joe and his wife Joni enough for their efforts, and we are certain that there will be many more thanking them in the months and years to come.                  Craig Calabrese, Deputy Chief Wakefield Police Department

Decision Maker