Recovery resources for all

Anyone in need of mental health and addiction recovery services can look to the newly updated Recovery Resources Guide released by the Hancock County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board. The Hancock County Community Coalition on Addiction first began compiling the resource guide in 2016. Updated periodically, the guide provides a comprehensive list of resources for individuals in recovery, family and friends of those in recovery, or those who simply want to arm themselves with information. "Crisis services, who to call (during) an emergency, things to think about for treatment, area agencies that provide treatment and the types of services they provide at their agencies" are just some of the many resources the guide provides, said Zach Thomas, director of wellness and education at ADAMHS. The guide also provides information about recognizing the signs of substance abuse and how to identify someone at risk for an opioid overdose. Thomas says the guide is a "community-built" resource. "Every year we ask the folks that have information in the resource guide, 'Is your information accurate? Has anything changed? Do you want to update anything?' But we also asked the coalition what additional information would be important," he said. "So that's where things like the signs and symptoms of substance use (were) included. Or how to talk to a youth whose family member has experienced an overdose." Thomas was able to see the importance of the guide while at Coffee Amici in downtown Findlay several years ago. "I was looking out the window and there was a gentleman who sat down on one of their tables that they have outside the business, and all he had with him was a book bag. And he pulled out the resource guide and was looking through it," he said. "(The guide) was something that was important to him and he was using it. "That just speaks to how our community has really embraced the resource guide and makes it accessible and available to everyone that might need it." Printed copies of the Recovery Resource Guide are available for free by contacting ADAMHS. A digital copy can be found at https://www.yourpathtohealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/RRG-2023.pdf A Spanish language version of the updated guide will be released in the summer, Thomas said.