Pennington County Sheriff’s Office honors addiction counselors’ role in building safer community
As 48.5 million Americans grapple with substance abuse, the critical role of addiction counselors is undeniable.
Yet, a dire shortage in their ranks leaves many struggling to find timely care, jeopardizing recovery efforts and potentially fueling the ongoing addiction crisis.
Across the nation, finding qualified addiction specialists is becoming increasingly difficult. This staffing shortage has pushed many treatment centers to their limits, forcing them to either place individuals needing crucial outpatient care on lengthy waitlists or, in some cases, close their doors entirely.
However, the Pennington County Sheriff's Office is determined to fight this crisis and provide recognition to Care Campus' addiction professionals and all the work they do to help people dealing with substance use disorders.
Followed by a week-long celebration, Care Campus addiction professionals were honored after the Pennington County Commission declared Sept. 20 as Addiction Professionals Day in Pennington County.
Care Campus Clinical Supervisor Amanda Whelchel said the Care Campus was designed with a "No Wrong Door" approach, assisting individuals to improve their quality of life through treatments based on their identified strengths, problems and needs.
The CareCampus combines social services such as detox, mental health treatment and crisis care under one roof. The goal is to have all essential care in one central location, Whelchel said.
"This place is supposed to be an umbrella for the community against the storm of substance abuse. This is the place where we can give them the right direction to go," Whelchel said.
Currently, the Care Campus has 12 addiction counselors, a record number compared to previous years. However, Whelchel said there is always room for more help. The campus is seeking two additional counselors.
The Care Campus has taken in about 40,000 admissions since its grand opening in 2018. Despite the need for more counselors, Whelchel said the campus is fortunate enough to keep up with the workload and doesn't make patients go through long waiting periods.
"We have no more than four counselors downstairs on any given day, and due to shortages we only have two counselors for the detox floor, all of which are trying to serve these people. I mean, this is why we all started this job – to take care of people," Whelchel said.
Though the Care Campus seems to be the only shining force against the shortage, Whelchel said she recognizes the impact the shortage has across the nation.
According to t he Association for Addiction Professionals , one of the leading causes for the shortage was through the approval of the Affordable Care Act of 2014, which provided approximately two million more Americans with health insurance coverage, including treatment for substance use disorders.
With the demand rising for well-trained addiction and mental health professionals, the workforce is unable to handle this influx, professionals say.
In addition to getting a master's degree and doing a fellowship, Whelchel said it takes a certain amount of resiliency to fulfill every aspect of addiction counseling.
"We are helping people go through the darkest moment of their life nearly on a daily basis and sometimes you never get to see the fruit of that labor. This isn't an easy job, especially emotionally. But it's up to us to help those in need," Whelchel said.
Despite these rising issues, Care Campus addiction counselor Sara Meadows said she wouldn't consider doing any other job.
Meadows stumbled into the world of addiction counseling when she was studying for a psychology degree at Oglala Lakota College. A friend had suggested she gain experience with patients at a treatment facility, and from there, Meadows said her passion began to grow.
Meadows has been in recovery from drug addiction for 23 years. It is having the unique perspective of both sides that allows her to understand just how important her role is within the community.
"It's not that my experience makes me a better counselor, but it gives me an understanding as to why people do what they do and how difficult it can be to want to be clean and sober," Meadows said.
Meadows said addiction comes in all different shapes and sizes, and everyone should be given the chance to overcome it.
"I think addiction touches more people's lives than people like to admit. Either they're ashamed or they don't recognize it. The biggest step is having people aware of it and be open to a discussion about it," Meadows said.
Working for the Care Campus for five years, Meadows said she plans on continuing her 17-year-long career and hopes others can find the same passion to help those in need.
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