Statistics show that as many as 4,400 people in Jackson County, including 2,000 from Seymour, may suffer from some sort of substance use disorder.

Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson delivered that sober message to the 170 or so people who gathered at a recent Recovery Recognition Dinner at The Pines Evergreen Room to celebrate those who have fought their demons and are striving to put their lives back together.

Nicholson said he further read that 75% people of the people suffering from a substance use disorder find recovery in the long run.

That’s good, but it would be great to see the percentage grow even higher, even if it happens in small steps, he said.

While there seems to be a lot of support services available to keep those who have reached recovery stay there, there are some things missing when it comes to helping them clear the first hurdle, Nicholson said.

We agree. Jackson County needs more in-patient services, recovery housing and other services to support those who want to take the first step toward recovering their lives.

There already are some services in place, such as New Beginnings Recovery Center, which opened in November 2018. That center, which recently added a nurse practitioner, continues to grow bigger with each passing day and has already helped many turn their lives around.

And then there’s the Seymour Comprehensive Center at 357 Tanger Blvd. That center provides outpatient treatment for adults 18 and older whose lives have been disrupted by opioid use disorder. The clinic specializes in medication-assisted treatment, a whole-person approach to opioid addiction treatment that combines medication with counseling.

Both offer the promise of helping more people suffering from substance abuse clear that first hurdle of recovery so other support services can kick in and help them move further forward.

The implementation of the Integrated Reentry and Correction Support program also shows plenty of promise. That program is designed to reduce the number of people with substance use and mental health disorders who have repeat encounters with law enforcement.

Healthy Jackson County recently submitted an application for a $3 million grant to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to set up that program. The state is funding the program, which also provides support for those who have encounters with police even if they are not arrested, with its opioid settlement monies.

The grant application includes $610,000 for recovery housing that would provide about 30 beds and access to mental health treatment services. That includes people who have spent time at the Jackson-Jennings Community Corrections Work Release Center instead of jail who often have nowhere to go after finishing their sentence.

Besides prevention, treatment and recovery, the overall grant also would provide funds for harm reduction, behavioral health workforce, enforcement and jail treatment and other services and initiatives.

Many people in recovery, including Dustin Vice, talked about their journeys to recovery during the Recovery Recognition Dinner.

“Tonight, we’re celebrating our victories among city officials and leaders of the community, and I’d like to thank all my brothers and sisters who came out for this monumental event,” Vice said. “I say brothers and sisters not because we share the same faith, blood or the same cultural background but because we fought in the same war.”

Recovery from substance abuse is a war, and we need all the weapons we can muster.