Men's recovery house is close to happening

MEDINA — A housing project for men in recovery is progressing to the point where it could open in the summer. Jon Robinson, executive director of Cathy's House in Medina, said there is a huge need for recovery housing for men in Medina. Cathy's House, 515 W. Liberty St., houses 11 beds for men at its facility and seven for women. It generally has a long waiting list. "There is a huge need for men in recovery housing," Robinson said at the Medina County Opiate Task Force virtual meeting Friday morning. "We have a property in mind. "We hope to move in this summer. We're stoked about that." Several local churches and organizations have raised almost $230,000 for the project. The largest donor was Heartland Community Church, which raised almost $130,000. One anonymous donor pledged $50,000. Cathy's House, a sober living home founded in 1998 in Medina, has partnered with several other community groups, including Hope Recovery Community, Catholic Charities (Diocese of Cleveland), Medina Metropolitan Housing Authority, Medina County Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Board and Medina County Habitat for Humanity, among others. Robinson said the expansion project would provide an opportunity for males to transition from "protective housing" to "sustainable housing." He said that's part of the recovery process, which is helpful in long-term recovery. Studies have shown these individuals in sustained housing have fewer overdoses and arrests. Robinson said his entire staff, including himself, is made up of people in long-term recovery, who all possess peer-support certifications. The ADAMH Board's Discovery Recovery House, which will be operated by OhioGuidestone, could open as early as April or May. It will house 12 women in recovery at 189 Northland Drive "It's so close to being ready," OhioGuidestone's Melissa Romain said. Romain said it will be staffed 24/7. There are several other initiatives for the recovery community. The Medina County Family Support Program, a collaboration between Hope Recovery Community and Robby's Voice, will provide family peer support programming to those who have a family member struggling with addiction. It's thought to be the first such program in the state, Hope Recovery Executive Director Stefanie Robinson said. "Everyone will have a new level of support," she said. "It's the families that get support." Karen Bennett, supervisor of Ohio Start, talked about the benefits of the program. Ohio Start, which stands for Sobriety, Treatment and Reducing Trauma, is an intervention program that will provide specialized victim services, such as intensive trauma counseling, to children who have suffered victimization due to parental drug use. One of the program's social workers, Cindy Kollert, said, "We're keeping children in their homes. We've seen such success." By keeping children in the homes, it reduces trauma, she said. "If you take a baby away, that's a double trauma," Kollert said. Rebecca Rak said the Lodi Family Center has been serving 500 to 600 orders a month from its monthly online food pantry. Orders can be placed at https://lodifamilycenter.org. Contact reporter Bob Finnan at (330) 721-4049 or rfinnan@medina-gazette.com.