Men’s recovery home efforts moving forward, seeking property

The importance of a step up or forward can’t be overlooked along the path to recovery from addiction.

In Dubois County, an initiative invigorated by a $4.4 million grant from Eli Lilly and carried along with the help of community members is progressing towards providing more and more steps for our neighbors struggling with addictions.

A women’s recovery home is being created on Knust Street in Jasper through a partnership between the Dubois County Community Foundation and Dove Recovery House for Women. That home is expected to open in late 2022 after renovations to the home gifted from the City of Jasper are completed. That house will hold up to 15 women impacted by substance use disorder.

A recovery home for men is also moving forward with the help of $250,000 from the Eli Lilly grant. Currently, the nonprofit board of directors is seeking a property to build on or a home to renovate to create the Next Steps Recovery Home.

The recovery house will have room for up to 12 men at first with plans to expand. The residents will live in a dormitory-style setting with common rooms that allow for supportive relationships to develop.

These types of voluntary recovery homes provide a shared experience and support network among individuals in similar circumstances with a shared background of battling addiction. These communities of recovery-minded participants will gain accountability as well as support through 12-step programs offered locally.

Along with programming, residents will also have access to classes and training in life skills — job applications, money management, household management — that many are lacking due to their family life growing up or other circumstances.

Joe Crutchfield, the owner of C2 Auto Detailing, is president of the board of directors for Next Step. Crutchfield is sober now but struggled with addiction in his life for many years and continues to be involved with helping people through 12-step programs. He is also a certified recovery specialist.

In his eyes, these support communities and homes are an intrinsic step to recovery.

“I am in recovery and we have a few people on the board who are also in recovery,” Crutchfield pointed out. “They (participants) can relate to us better.”

He explained that when he was using drugs and drinking, even though he would go to court-ordered counseling, there was a wall between him and the counselors.

“They never did a drug. They never drank like me. So, how can they help me,” he said about his perspective back then.

Having individuals like him on the board and leading the effort can overcome some of those hesitancies and allow participants to gain trust in the community being established at the home.

Also, a recovery home provides another need that many battling addictions find themselves lacking, a home.

Dr. Mike Love is a board member of the nonprofit. He served a sentence in jail on charges related to his own addiction to prescription pain medications. He found that many people he met in jail have nothing waiting for them when they come out of the corrections system.

“A lot of young people in there have nowhere to go,” he said. “Their parents are either gone or never wanted them. They’ve lived with friends and many don’t have their own vehicle. When they come out, they don’t have any choices.”

Love saw it play out in front of him. He watched as a friend he made while serving his sentence got out of jail and slid back into those unhealthy relationships and eventually, substance abuse. “He had no place to go. I know he wanted to get better,” he said. “I really believe that if he had a place like this (Next Step), his chances would have been much higher.”

Crutchfield said when he was using, he always knew he had a basement at his mother’s home that he could sleep in but there were times when even he didn’t want her to know about his struggles. With bridges to friends and family crumbling behind him, he spent many nights sleeping in a car in the woods behind Izaak Walton Lake because there weren’t any local options.

The lonely, helplessness of his addictions nearly drove him to take his own life.

If you or somebody you know is struggling, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. They are available 24/7 for support, prevention and resources.

He doesn’t want anyone else to face those dire moments. It is what is driving his conviction to bring Next Steps to fruition.

County Councilman Craig Greulich serves as vice president of the board. Through his involvement with the project, he has come to appreciate the hard work participants face. He grew up with the idea that anyone struggling with substance abuse just needed to go get clean and they would be able to control their disorders.

“You pick yourself up, quit making excuses. Let’s fix it,” he explained. “Ten years ago that is how I thought. I am kinda embarrassed to admit that.”

Coming to understand the genetic, emotional and mental aspects of a person’s propensity for substance abuse, he has realized that a concerted effort involving therapy, evidenced-based programming, and a supportive community are essential for anyone wanting to be sober.

Love realized that in his own struggles.

“No one wants to be an addict,” Love added. “If it was as easy as that (just stop, get sober), if that worked, then nobody would be an addict.”

Judge Bill Weikert serves as secretary on the board of directors at Next Step Recovery Home. He has spent years on the bench watching and adjudicating cases related to the impact of alcohol and drug abuse on families and communities. The creation of community corrections in Dubois County was a great step to adding more tools for judges to consider. But once someone leaves the criminal justice system in Dubois County, their options for help and support become very limited.

Creating Next Step Recovery Home provides a safe and sober haven for participants as they become connected to the programming necessary for healing.

That healing ripples through the community.

“You’re really making a difference in a lot of people’s lives by getting just one person sober,” Weikert said pointing to the impact on families and children.

Crutchfield is looking forward to seeing participants successfully overcoming addiction and building relationships. In his work to connect people with 12-step programs, he has seen what that connection can do.

“There is a change in people when they come into a program,” Crutchfield said. “You start seeing a smile on their face, a change in their attitude. They don’t feel worthless anymore.”

He can’t wait to see that happen at Next Step Recovery Home.

The group is seeking public support to continue its efforts. Anyone that would like to help the group find a location or make a donation can call 812-653-6638 or email nextsteprecovery2020@gmail.com.