With the opioid epidemic becoming a community-wide problem, The Council on Recovery teamed up with KPRC Channel 2 during its October 6th broadcast of “Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic“. The Council sent five of its licensed counselors to staff a live phone bank throughout the one-hour program, as well as during KPRC’s afternoon/evening newscasts. Also taking calls were counselors from the Menninger Clinic and Baylor College of Medicine. Counselors answered caller questions and concerns about opioid addiction and provided information on where to get help.
“Our counselors answered nearly 50 calls and about half of them were from callers asking for help with their own opioid addiction,” said Howard Lester, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at The Council. “They carefully listened to each caller’s needs and referred them to the best, next course of action, depending on their personal situation,” Lester said. “With a broad knowledge of community resources at their fingertips, our counselors guided callers to sources of clinical assessments, detox, inpatient and outpatient services, therapeutic counseling, and general information.”
As the disease of addiction almost always impacts the family, it’s no surprise that more than 40% of the calls were from family members of those struggling with opioid addiction. “With people dying everyday from opioid overdoses, families are terrified,” Lester said, “and they’re desperately seeking help for their loved ones. Talking with family members not only allows us to guide them to help for the addicted family member, but also gives them hope by offering services for healing the entire family through programs at our Center for Recovering Families.”
KPRC, owned by Graham Media Group, produced and broadcast “Opioid Nation: An American Epidemic” as part of a multi-platform commitment addressing what it sees as an epidemic that is unraveling communities and destroying American lives. Each of the seven Graham Media Group stations is airing investigative reports, producing original programming, facilitating digital engagement, broadcasting public service announcements, and working with community partners, such as The Council on Recovery, on effective outreach.
“We’re grateful to KPRC and Graham Media Group for inviting us to be part of this important initiative,” Lester said, “and we look forward to further engagement with them. Most importantly, we want to thank our counselors who immediately volunteered when the call went out to staff the phone bank…they’re the best.”
The Council on Recovery offers clinical assessments and referrals to the most effective treatment options, including Healing Choices, its intensive outpatient treatment program. Call 713.942.4100 for more information or contact us online.