Recovery House up for planning commission vote

WADSWORTH — A proposed recovery house for those suffering from addiction, which would be the second in Medina County, could be coming to the city after an upcoming Planning Commission vote. Francis House, a nonprofit established last year with organization efforts stretching back to 2017, would be at 173 N. Lyman St. and house nine men in its main building while four to five women could stay in a smaller structure in a backyard area. The Wadsworth Planning Commission will vote on granting the site a conditional use permit at 7 p.m. Monday. The home would be Francis House's first brick-and-mortar establishment. Santo Costanzo, president of Francis House, held a public meeting Aug. 7 at Trinity United Church of Christ, 215 High St., in which residents were able to voice their support or opposition to the project. Today, he and other organization officials plan to walk the neighborhood surrounding North Lyman Street to hold one-on-one conversations with those who've expressed concern. If approved by the planning commission, Costanzo said he would like to see the home up and running by the end of the year. "Recovery has become part of American culture," he said. "The opioid crisis is something that's uniquely American. We represent about 4 percent of the world's population and consume around 80 percent of the world's opioids. Addiction is a disease, a disability, whether it's opioids, alcohol or other drugs. It's a huge issue, and we all have to rally around to see what we can do about it." The proposed site would not be a treatment facility but function as a temporary home that works with area addiction treatment entities, including The LCADA Way, to form a cohesive and complete recovery program. Francis House also would help its residents with job and career placement while working with local businesses to form a corps of establishments that would regularly employ them, Costanzo said. Costanzo and the organization chose the North Lyman Street location due to its proximity to those businesses and problems that can arise with transportation when placing a recovery home in remote locations. Some residents have shared fears of a rise in crime in the area and of the home being located on a route that many city students use to walk to school. During the Aug. 7 meeting, Costanzo cited a study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that looked at the "Oxford House" model of recovery homes, which involves the facility being operated and supervised by its own residents. Looking at 42 examples of Oxford Houses, the study determined that no increases in crime took place. Francis House would employ professional supervisors and not use an Oxford House system. "We would be good neighbors, and we want to be good neighbors," he said. "All of our members will sign the agreement and be required to adhere to a strict set of guidelines. They'll also have very busy days between meetings and a slew of activities. There wouldn't be much time to loiter. A typical day for them would probably be busier than most people's." "Members have to sign in and sign out. There will always be a lot of things that they have to get done. With the rules and standards that we've set up, carrying on with any sort of illegal activity would be inherently difficult." To live at Feancis House, residents would be subjected to random drug tests and have to meet a set of requirements, such as being age 18 or older, having completed or active participation in a recovery program, and being referred by entities like adult probation, court, a religious institution, or an addiction treatment organization. House rules entail quiet hours between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., no shouting or loud music at any time, disposal of cigarettes in designated containers, participation in house meetings, compliance with set curfews, and participation in outpatient treatment as well as community support groups. Standards set by the National Alliance of Recovery Residences, Ohio Recovery Housing, and Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services would be followed, according to Costanzo's Aug. 7 presentation. Outpatient and wellness programs offered through the house would involve 12-step meetings, group therapy, family counseling, educational seminars, vocational training, life skills classes, relapse prevention training, physical fitness and worship services. Costanzo has described a "typical day" for a resident to be morning group breakfast, careful track of work and school schedules, daily chores and house meetings, and encouragement to keep journals or read during free time. In July, Francis House held a Color Run 5K at Wadsworth's Memorial Park that attracted more than 300 runners and raised about $3,500. Costanzo said a bowling fundraiser could possibly be held later this year Kolony Bowl on College Street. "Substance abuse and addiction is destroying families and individual lives," he said. "It's our brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, aunts and uncles. There's enough science that proves when an opiate or any addictive drug takes over the mind, it's not a matter of having willpower. Things in the mind physiologically change. The same thing can happen with gambling or sex addiction. To beat it, you have to come at it from every point: physical, mental, social, you name it. We just want the chance to help with that." Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at (330)721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.