Courtesy RISE Housing and Support Services
By Susan Elise Campbell
A new program by RISE Housing and Support Services is the first residential rehabilitation facility in Saratoga County that enables those recovering from substance abuse to extend care for an additional three to six months.
Called RISE Above, people who have come out of a standard 28-day rehabilitation program can enter RISE Above voluntarily to continue getting the help they need to reintegrate into life and gain independence, according to Sybil Newell, RISE executive director.
“Saratoga County has had no residential treatment facility for people struggling with sobriety until now,” said Newell. “I’ve looked forward to this program for forever.”
Alcohol abuse is the most common addiction RISE treats, but Newell said opioid addiction is the biggest issue in the county. She said that a growing number of people with addiction are dependent on multiple substances.
“Addiction is such a multi-faceted disorder,” she said. “And it can affect anyone. It is not limited to socio-economic or mental health conditions.”
Whether starting a journey of recovery or continuing one, Newell and her associates at RISE say a continuum of the care is “life saving” because of the “alarming rate of relapse” following rehabilitation.
RISE Housing and Support Services has 15 different programs serving 700 people a year and houses 300 people a year. Newell said the agency was started in 1978 to address mental health concerns and progressed into substance abuse disorder about 25 years ago.
“In the last year, homelessness has also been a particular area of focus,” she said. “We opened the low-barrier shelter in Saratoga Springs and have launched a number of outreach programs for the homeless in our community.”
Recovering individuals who have completed traditional drug or alcohol rehab may elect to check into RISE Above before returning home. For some, willpower is not strong enough to do so, especially when coming out of intensive therapy into a society that stigmatizes such disorders.
The 20-bed facility becomes their “home away from home” while learning more about their substance abuse order, specifically how it affects their brain, and how to take the next steps transition to daily life.
Each individual is different and care programs are customized by a team of mental health professionals. There is a medical director, nurses, and licensed clinicians and coaches. Newell said RISE had not been a clinical service provider until the extended residential care facility opened.
Treatment includes getting reacclimated to daily activities of life, coping skills, tools for recovery, and family counseling, which are common at 28-day rehabs. But RISE Above will give the individual more needed time in in-patient care to develop those skills.
In addition, Newell said there are plans to introduce job hunting and resume writing programs to help get people back into the workforce after recovery.
Thereafter a resident may take advantage of another RISE program, Hedgerow House, an in-patient facility for setting and attaining short and long-term goals directed toward more independent living.
Additionally, RISE operates two apartment complexes and other buildings in Saratoga with 50 total units for lease to individuals with mental health diagnoses. These locations provide 24-hour onsite support, food, and shelter, and prioritize the psychological and physical safety of its residents.
RISE Above occupies new construction built by LeChase Construction Services, a local builder with extensive portfolios in health care and multi-housing construction.
The 20-bed facility is situated between RISE’s affordable living apartment complex and Hedgerow House off Route 67 in Ballston Spa. It was supported through grants from the state, including the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), and from the federal government.
There was a ceremonial ribbon cutting on January 7th and opening was scheduled for January 29th. That was postponed to the end of March while a crew from LeChase, with MacFawn Fire & Flood Restoration, worked to remediate water damage affecting all of the first floor. A water pipe froze and burst during a January cold spell.
Part of the ongoing mission of RISE is to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and substance abuse.
“We meet with as many people as we possibly can to educate them to the fact that addiction affects everyone,” said Newell. “If it’s not you, it’s your family, and if it’s not your family, it’s your neighbor.”
“When COVID happened and people went into isolation, we saw a huge spike in mental health and addiction problems, as many became depressed or lost their jobs,” she said. “Now people understand, which makes our job of educating the community a little easier.”
Newell herself is among those whose family member lost their battle to addiction. This is one of the things that fuels her passion to pursue her mission personally and professionally.
“Addiction is very complex and not easily solved,” she said. “But everybody deserves the chance to pull their lives back together.”
RISE relies in part on fundraisers throughout the year and donations to supplement funding. There are also numerous sponsors throughout the community such as local banks and construction companies that support the spectrum of RISE programs.
To become a sponsor or make a donation to further the education about substance abuse and the rehabilitation work of RISE, please visit riseservices.org.