Recovery group helps young people establish new lifestyles

For many youth in India, illegal drugs are readily available, but rehab is socially stigmatized, government resources and information for narcotics are sparse, and there are few options for a user looking to get clean. A group of people in recovery in Sikkim has formed a football team as a means to recover, finding social support and exercise that is proven to aid in sustainable rehabilitation from drug use.

Building connections and learning to cope can help to break the inter-generational cycle of addiction. The nonprofit Eluna operates a camp in Dayton, Ohio, for children whose families have been ravaged by addiction. In addition to receiving the support of adult mentors, the children also engage in activities designed to teach them skills to manage their emotions. With funding from government subventions and private donations, Eluna plans to open several more camps nationwide.

New Mexico has been fighting the rise of the opioid epidemic for decades, so when medical professionals noticed an increase in opioid-dependent mothers giving birth, one doctor started a new program to address this. This program uses both medication-assisted substance abuse treatment and behavioral therapy, and has resulted in a decrease in overdose deaths.

For people addicted to opioids, the battle isn't always just quitting the drug use but also navigating the other areas in their life that led to the drug use in the first place. To address this, a community in Washington uses youth drug prevention science that is based around teaching protective factors such as enhanced communication and ways to decrease isolation.

A town in West Virginia was lacking resources for mental health care, so high school juniors were tapped to fill the need. Learning skills such as how to use naloxone to in an overdose situation to asking open-ended questions to intervene in a crisis, the students walked away from a “life & recovery coach academy” equipped with usable skills, college credits, and a certificate, while also reentering their community as more engaged citizens.

Named after his daughter who overdosed, a former narcotics police officer created Brooke's House, a women's treatment facility in Maryland. Combining methodologies and using multiple approaches, the program works to help residents achieve sobriety through counseling and treatment.

Community advocates and mental health organizations like NAMI are creating mental health support groups and informational sessions at barbershops for Black men. The Black male community is strongly impacted by mental health stigma and these groups and resources bring members of the community together to support each other.

Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students (TRAILS) provides a group environment for students experiencing mental health issues to discuss their feelings and find a sense of community among their peers facing similar concerns. This school-based program makes care more accessible for students as it brings it directly to the classroom for free. Since beginning in 2013, TRAILS has been implemented in 700 schools throughout the state.

Women and Children with Albinism in Uganda is a supportive shelter for women and children with albinism to build a community and be safe from stigma and violence. At the shelter, women are trained in a variety of skills, like tailoring and farming, to be able to sustain themselves and their families. Over the past decade, about 40 women and children across four regions have been positively impacted by the group.

The Israeli Hug Center offers social support, group therapy, and robust programming for Israeli expats in New York City.