Director’s Letter

Hello—My name is Michael Ray and I am the Director of The Haven. Along with my staff, Clinical Director Gary Jorgensen PhD., Robyn Bailey LSAC Primary Case Manager, Heather Chase LSACI Case Manager, and Wendy Gren, Intake Coordinator and Administrative Asst., we are committed to offering the finest care to those who suffer from addiction based on their desire and motivation to change their behaviors and begin to lead normal and productive lives. Our struggle to help those who suffer from addiction continues today.

Last year at this time, we were facing a critical rise in the number of methamphetamine users. Over half our clients were addicted to this incapacitating drug. Through public education, stricter law enforcement, and dramatic changes in treatment therapy, this dependence seems to be on the decline. For the year, only 28 % of our clients report this as their number one drug of choice. But where there are successes, there have also been setbacks. Over the past year, Utah has experienced a dramatic rise in prescription drug abuse. Young people with access to their parents’ medicine cabinets are being introduced to commonly prescribed pain medications mostly in the form of OxyContin, a synthetic heroin. Because of the high cost and lack of availability, this eventually leads to the cheaper more commonly obtainable, black tar heroin. In 2001, Salt Lake County treatment centers reported 10% of all drug and alcohol treatment cases were for heroin. Today, the number is 44%. Most significantly, some of the biggest increases are between the ages of 18 to 25. Not only has there been an enormous increase in the use of heroin, but fatalities directly related to heroin use have also ascended to new proportions. Utah leads the nation in suicides among young people linked with OxyContin and heroin use.

We are coming up on our first year’s celebration of the new Transitional Housing Program. Within this period, we have made available for eight clients affordable housing and continued aftercare treatment. Our success rate for those still clean and sober has been 88%. All are employed, attend two aftercare groups and four twelve step meetings per week, have succeeded in confronting, and in some cases, completing legal obligations, and have been reunited with their children and their families. To watch these moments of elation and be a part of creating new lives for women who would otherwise continue struggleing to thrive has been most rewarding. In order to make it possible to meet their other financial obligations, remuneration to their cost of living has been kept at a minimum. With the balance of the costs being contributed by private funding sources, we hope to keep this contribution low.

This last year, The Haven had multiple accomplishments. Through our clinical supervisor Dr. Gary Jorgensen and his staff, we have increased our completion rate for treatment from 40% to over 70%. Our success rate for those clean and sober after leaving treatment continues to be around 50%. We have augmented our recreational therapy program with more outings such as camping trips, day fishing trips, Lagoon Day, and weekend hikes in our beautiful canyons. Along with our trip to Camp Tuttle, Moab River run, Lake Powell extravaganza, and our popular year-end Christmas party, clients get to experience what it is like to have fun while being clean and sober. Our robust reinforcement from Haven alumni in these events links the clients to a strong support group to aid in their recovery during and after treatment. We have added a meditation and nutritional class designed to enhance mental and physical health. Our retired former Director, Dick Gillespie, has added a group once a week with guest alumni who deliver a question and answer program helping clients understand the pitfalls that they will face when leaving The Haven. Our family night program is being revamped under the direction of Robyn Bailey. We continue to contemplate new ideas that will make The Haven program one of the strongest, not only in the State of Utah, but in the nation as well.

With the help of The Haven, its staff, and the community of support, I have been fortunate to witness many individuals turn their lives around. Individuals who had been misplaced by their addiction are now on the road to being healthy and happy members of the community. Our mission of helping people regardless of their ability to pay must continue. There are no happy endings in continued drug and alcohol abuse. We at The Haven are committed to reaching out to those who suffer and helping them find the life that is rewarding and fulfilling not only to them but the community as a whole.

Thank You,

Michael Ray, Executive Director