Ascension Recovery Services offers program development services for individuals and hospital systems that are creating substance use disorder treatment programs. One of the main questions that our clients ask is, “Which service should I offer?”  To answer this question, it is important to understand which services are appropriate for an individual, the location of the services and a…

Is drug addiction considered a mental illness? Addiction disturbs the brain, which then challenges an individual's needs and desires replacing them with new priorities like procuring substances to use.  The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, lists criteria for SUDs, as well as distinguishes the differences of severity levels of substance misuse. Criteria for…

What sets your organization apart? At Ascension, we believe that receiving national accreditation can be the deciding factor on helping your business stand out. Read on to learn why. WHAT IS THE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION? National Accreditation is the external verification by a reputable accrediting body that a business or program is adhering to national best practices within…

Reintegrate Appalachia (Reintegrate), a workforce reemployment initiative for those in early recovery from substance use disorder (SUD), was awarded a multi-year grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) POWER Initiative in February 2019. Reintegrate is a collaborative effort between West Virginia Sober Living (WVSL), Coalfield Development Corporation (Coalfield) and is supported by West Virginia University Health Sciences Center (WVU HSC). WHAT IS ARC POWER? ARC…

On March 4, 2019, WVU Medicine launched its new facility the WVU Medicine Center for Hope and Healing, a medically managed withdrawal stabilization and residential treatment center for individuals affected by substance use disorders (SUD). WVU Medicine and the WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry already offer a comprehensive menu of outpatient services for people with…

If your child is using substances (drugs and alcohol), you may have been told that there are certain things you do for them are “enabling.” This can be hard because all you want to do is help them. Read on to learn about what enabling is, signs of enabling and how to break the cycle.…

Working to get a behavioral health license from your home state can be an arduous task. Doing this type of work involves a strict adherence to state regulation and code so that you can be granted the license. It is easy to get lost in all of the red tape that goes along with pursuing a behavioral…

At Ascension, we get many frequently asked questions from families about their loved ones whoare suffering from substance use disorder. We also see common situations that families findthemselves in. First and foremost, it is our goal to help the loved one affected by SUD receive treatment, but we know that there can be many steps before we get…

Once a person suffering from addiction has gone through treatment, he or she may need additional after-care treatment in the form of monitoring services. Monitoring services can help a person in recovery develop positive family relationships, transition into a supportive living environment like a sober living home, foster accountability and more. At Ascension, we believe mentorship…

December is National Impaired Driving Awareness Month. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol impaired driver every day. Learn more about impaired driving and measures that can help prevent injuries and deaths from alcohol impaired driving. WHAT IS…