Tuscarawas County, Ohio (WJER) - County health officials are making sure residents know about the services available for people struggling with addiction. 

Health Department recovery care provider Tom Strimbu says they offer intensive outpatient treatment for drugs or alcohol abuse. He says when someone starts out in their recovery program, they are given an assessment so officials can figure out the best way to help.

“We have intensive outpatient at the health department location, our main location. That’s nine hours a week, three 3-hour groups that generally last around three months. From there, they would step down to a non-intensive outpatient relapse prevention group,” he says.

Strimbu says they’ve recently added medicated assisted treatment to suppress the urge of opiate addiction and focus on a life after drugs.

“They get a Vivitrol injection every 28 days. [If] they’re already connected with some therapy outside of the alcohol and addiction program, that’s fine but they do get drug screened twice a week,” he says.

Strimbu says the health department also offers assistance linking Medicaid and private insurers to pay for treatment through their patient navigator.

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