October 19 Issue - Newspaper - Page 2
Page 2
EDITION 8
October 19 2023
Road to Recovery Event to be held in Washington County
Presented by Serenity Farms
• Event Date October
23, 2023, 10 AM
• Bella Sera Canonsburg,
PA 15317
The opioid addiction
which has plagued the
country for years remains
a problem today.
Washington County has
not been immune to the
tragedy. Addiction and
overdoses have been
unfortunate by products
of the drugs both
nationally and here at
home. The Road to
Recovery event is
bringing the problem to
the forefront, addressing
the problem, discussing
the facts, and most
importantly looking for
solutions.
The purpose of the Road
to Recovery event is to
bring county
stakeholders together to
discuss the present
shortcomings and
potential solutions in
treating Opioid Abuse
Disorder (OUD) and to
more efficiently utilize
the Washington County
Opioid Settlement Funds.
Ryan Recker from WTAE
Pittsburgh, is a journalist
and news reporter and
will be the event
moderator.
A panel of Washington
area professionals has
been assembled for the
event which includes
physicians, law makers,
law enforcement,
rehabilitation experts
and addiction advocates,
and more. Their role will
be to face the problem
head on and look
for solutions.
Confirmed
Panelists
James Troup
Gateway Rehab
CEO - Dr. Julie
D’Alo Gateway
Rehab CMO - Dr.
John Six WHS
Washington CMO
- Nick Sherman
Washington
County
Commissioner Jason Walsh
Washington
County District
Attorney - Cheryl
Andrews WDAC
Executive Director - Gary
Terling WDAC Board
Member - Tim Grealish
Outreach Professional Tony Andronas
Washington County
Sheriff - Kellie McKevitt
Southwestern
Pennsylvania Human
Service CEO
A TURNING POINT
TO RECOVERY
By Toni Fitch
The definition of
“recovery” is a return to a
normal state of health,
mind, or strength. Also, the
action or process of
regaining possession or
control of something stolen
or lost. Amy Hess, the
owner of Kaleidoscope II in
Washington understands the
process of “recovery.”
Originally from Finleyville
and now residing in
Whitehall, Amy makes
the hour-long drive to
and from her home every
day. She does this
because, as she says,
“Washington has helped
me so much in my whole
life and journey, that I’m
willing to make the drive
every day.”
After college, Amy
became an art teacher for
approximately fifteen years.
Following the death of her
husband she fell into the
dark world of addiction.
Ultimately, her recovery
journey then led her to
Washington because “I was
broken. I was a mess,
mentally, spiritually,
physically. I came to
Washington for my
recovery. I went to the
Turning Point in
Washington” for a six
month stay.
Turning Point’s website
says they are “an
organization that provides a
continuum care for women,
age 18 or older, who are
recovering addicts and
alcoholics” as a halfway
house. Turning Point is a
program that is owned and
operated by women, for
women, with the goal of
providing services for
women and women with
children. Thanks to aid and
support from Turning Point,
Amy was able to put her
life back together. She says
that “Turning Point and
Washington, this whole
community, raised me back
up.” Amy is not the only
success story from Turning
Point. They have treated
over 5,000 women and two
out of three remain sober
after 2 years. The first and
only treatment center for
women in Washington
County follows up with
their clients for up to 2
years following discharge
via phone calls and
A video by event
sponsor, the non-profit
Serenety Farms, will kick
off the morning followed
by opening comments
from Ryan Recker.
Followed by the National
Anthem presented by
up-and-coming
songstress Josie Salvitti.
FaceTime. Their mantra is
“love and service is our
goal in all that we do.”
Amy has been clean and
sober since 2011 when she
became a drug and alcohol
counselor. As fulfilling as
that career is, she was
“missing the art part of it
because I am an art
teacher.” In 2015 she was
presented with the
The mural dedication/drum circle.
opportunity to open
Kaleidoscope II next door
to Turning Point. Amy
states that “this shop was
founded on the fact that this
is the art of recovery.” She
goes on to stress that this
means “all types of
recovery, whether it be
mental health, women that
have gone through
domestic violence, drug and
alcohol, substance abuse
and families of those folks,
also.” The foundation of
her shop is to “support local
artists who are either in
recovery or supportive of
those in recovery.” She
continues to work with
Turning Point as their
outreach and marketing
person. Most of the art
featured in her shop is by
artists that are in recovery
and associated with Turning
Point.
Since its inception, the
shop has also evolved into a
safe space for members of
the community through
The Altar of Intention.
D.A.R.E. Officer Elizabeth
Davidson will also be on
hand to provide some
information. Discussion
will center on area
schools including what
are schools doing to stop
experimental and
continued use and what
are their legal
guidelines?
In order to attack the
problem, one must see
it real time to
understand it. The Road
to Recovery event will
feature a video
from a recovery
person who has
lived firsthand
this epidemic.
This video guest
will discuss how
they started
using, where
they bought,
what was rock
bottom, what
did they do to
achieve
recovery, who
helped, and
what is the
struggle in the
aftermath.
Ryan Recker will then
lead a discussion
through a power point
presenta�on which will
cover many of the facts
involved with OUD.
Topics will include:
• OD Deaths Numbers
over last 20 Years
various events such as
wellness workshops, drum
circles, and art workshops.
She also welcomes
volunteers from Turning
Point to assist in the shop
while also leading them in
art therapy to help in their
road to recovery. There was
a recent drum circle that
helped mark the dedication
of the beautiful mural that
was erected on the side of
the shop’s building.
Amy goes on to describe
her shop as “a place of hope
for others.” She confides
that “some days I feel like I
could just collapse but
other days I am
overwhelmed with
gratitude because I never
know who’s going to
walk through that door.”
She commented on the
highs and lows that she’s
witnessed in her shop.
Amy likes to “trust the
process” when describing
recovery and personal and
professional life in
general.
When asked about the
array of different artistic
items in her store, she
mentions an altar on display
that was a collaboration by
her art therapy group at
Turning Point as her
favorite piece, “The Altar of
Intention.” “Each woman
designed a collage made out
of junk” was how she
described it. The entire
project consists of items
that had been discarded as
trash and have been
transformed into an altar
that sits in a corner of her
shop. And what would a
store called “Kaleidoscope
II” be without an actual
kaleidoscope? Amy shares
that the one on her front
counter is a gift from a
good friend.
The items for sale in
Amy’s shop are “very
eclectic” featuring
everything from
“horticulture to weaving to
painting to stain glass to
jewelry to collages,
photography, sewing and
cyber arts” all representing
a part of recovery for the
artist. Amy says,
“everything is in here.” The
unique items are
one-of-a-kind that you will
not find anywhere else.
In closing Amy explains
that this is her purpose. “I
took all the things that I
love and put it all together
for the greater purpose.” Art
plus recovery equals that
• 911 Calls related to
overdoses and other
drug related offenses.
• ER and inpatient
services rendered
(hospital protocol for
post discharge
treatment/ case
management).
• Arrests, Convictions,
Incarcerations.
• The Most Wanted
Photos
• Who has received
funding from public
sources in the last 5
years and amounts.
• How many individuals
have completed 30 days
of recovery
programming?
• Percentage of early
withdrawal and
re-admittance within
one year.
recovery (30D, long
term). Outpatient.
• How many providers
service the community?
DEA no longer requires
X-waver.
• Prescrip�on Medicine
Available for TreatmentExplained
Naltrexone. Vivitrol.
Buprenorphine products
(suboxone/ Subutex/
sublocade/ brixadi) and
Methadone. How many
prescrip�ons were
wri�en in Wash Co. How
much did the county
fund?
• What are the
quantitative methods for
measuring success and
who created or will
create them?
• How will the county
hold everyone
accountable?
-Biannual and/or
Yearly audits. Patients,
Providers, Probation,
Courts
• Validating the use of
funds
• Best Practices
• Best Uses of Funds
• Law Enforcement
• School Resource
Officers Can they do
more
• What is the bar
association doing
A Panel Discussion will
be had amongst all
participants to
breakdown the
information which had
been reviewed as well as
pertinent points of view
from each person’s
experience.
The Road to Recovery in
Washington County will
be a difficult journey, but
this event will most
certainly uncover the
facts, open some eyes
and lead to a better
Washington County.
• Cost of treatment?
• Detox only. Inpatient
A “Staple in Washington
Recovery,” Passes
Washington said goodbye to a community leader in
the recovery world. Doug Bush passed away this
week in Washington Hospital at the age of 64. He was
a man of strong faith and employed by City Mission
24 Years. His faith and word, which has affected the
lives of countless people will live on. Doug will
always be loved and sorely missed.
