Built along the Cape Fear River, Fayetteville, North Carolina is a city of over 200,000 in the western Coastal Plain region of the state. Anchored by the Army’s Fort Liberty, it has seen its share of struggles with opioid addiction like many cities across the southern U.S. In fact, one measure puts the area in the top twenty U.S. cities in terms of substance use disorders. For Louis Leake, the Clinic Director at Fayetteville Comprehensive Treatment Center, this meant something had to be done.
Leake’s background in counseling had exposed him to the particulars of the SMART Recovery program, and he became a trained facilitator when he realized how valuable the practical tools were for those looking to change their behavior. In addition, Leake was hearing from clients that they felt like they couldn’t be 100% honest in other recovery meetings because they were participating in MAT (medication assisted treatment), and facing unwanted criticism as a result. He knew that SMART’s stance against stigma and accepting people wherever they were in their recovery journey had the potential to help many people if access was somehow unlocked. The key turned out to be finding the right allies and joining forces together.
The organization that ended up leading the charge is called the Cumberland-Fayetteville Opioid Response Team (C-FORT). Leake says they made it possible to grow SMART Recovery significantly by providing funds for facilitator training and opening minds to embrace additional pathways to recovery. He points to Dr. Jennifer Green, Director of the Cumberland County Department of Health, as someone who truly understood that it was going to take a combination of individuals and organizations all working together to make an impact. There was a series of town hall-style meetings to learn from the community what kind of help would be appreciated, and this created broad buy-in from different segments of the population.
Now the Fayetteville area boasts eight locations for SMART meetings, including Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University, on base at Fort Liberty, various churches, and the county’s new recovery resource center. What they all have in common is a belief in having a community of recovery, rather than just recovery meetings in the community. That is why the team meets regularly. Some participants have even chosen to pursue a career as Peer Support Specialists as a result.
Leake sees the wisdom of multiple approaches as obvious. “No community is one size fits all; why should recovery be one size fits all?” As more people have learned about SMART at numerous community events or by attending meetings, education has flowed throughout the community. This creates a situation where people are promoting SMART even if they are not directly involved. One example Leake shares is Cumberland County Commissioner Glenn Adams, who has staunchly supported providing resources through C-FORT.
According to Leake, there are a few things to keep in mind for any community that is trying to build up their recovery ecosystem. Be mindful that meeting attendance may be low at first, but be consistent and persistent. Set up information booths at a wide variety of community events because you never know who is attending. Be willing to ask for help from allies to avoid volunteer burnout. And realize that once a person becomes empowered, giving back becomes a priority for them.
For Leake, Fayetteville has become a powerful example of Building Communities of Empowerment because of the fundamental affirmation that characterizes SMART Recovery. “We take you as you are, and then help you along the way by giving you the tools to do it.”
