WARRENSBURG — Recovery Lighthouse hosted its 18th annual National Recovery Month celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 12.
Recovery Lighthouse began as a drop-in center for people seeking recovery in 2006. Since opening, Recovery Lighthouse has expanded to include recovery support services for individuals, couples and families. It also provides parenting classes and anger management.
Recovery Lighthouse serves as a provider for all of Johnson County as well as a treatment provider for the Johnson County Recovery Court Program, which provides an alternative for individuals who struggle with substance use disorder. The program allows individuals to seek help from Recovery Lighthouse rather than the Missouri Department of Corrections. They work closely with court officials, the Johnson County Prosecutor's Office and the Probation and Parole Office to offer rehabilitation and a second chance.
Tom Coderre, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, opened the outdoor event by sharing his own recovery journey.
“Every year we have an opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate the gift of recovery,” Coderre said. “As a person in long term recovery myself…It is a big honor for me to be here in Warrensburg and get to work at SAMHSA every day as the acting Deputy Assistant Secretary there. And that didn't happen by accident. That happened because of the support I had in my recovery. I owe everything to my recovery, so that's what we're celebrating here today.
“It's been an honor to be able to be here in Warrensburg today to learn about all the amazing recovery work that's happening here. People do recover in Warrensburg.”
Associate Circuit Judge Brent Teichman oversees the recovery court in Johnson County. Teichman said Recovery Lighthouse spent the morning with individuals from the State of Missouri, the federal government and local elected officials about sustaining the success of the program as well as expanding it to provide more recovery for more individuals.
“We have tremendous resources to help you,” Teichman said. “We want you to succeed and I hope that that's the one thing that you've gathered over the last four and a half years as we've been on this journey together. We want you to succeed.
“But what we've talked about today is more of those resources coming here to Johnson County so that we can expand these successes even more.”
Teichman said five years ago, the State of Missouri gave Johnson County $800 to aid recovery. This year Johnson County was given over $230,000 for recovery.
“They hear these stories,” Teichman said. “They hear the successes and they are delivering for all of us. So kudos to Sen. (Rick) Brattin and everybody else out there in Jefferson City who's been working on these issues.”
Recovery Lighthouse is at 204 E. Market St. in Warrensburg. For more information, visit www.recoverylighthouse.org.
