Substance use disorder treatment program for first responders launches in Indianapolis

The RESCU program at RCA at Indianapolis launches on Monday, April 26, 2021. The lead therapist within the program will be former law enforcement David Reid.  Reid was a member of a county sheriff’s office in Georgia for five years. During his career, he investigated crimes against children. Prior to that, he was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy.

“I wore a uniform, I carried a gun, the things you’ve seen, I’ve seen them too,” Reid said.

“It’s really to take those people who have been exposed to trauma over and over again and they have begun coping and dealing with that stress and trauma through substances,” Stephanie Anderson, CEO at Recovery Centers of America’s Indianapolis drug rehab facility, said. “It’s really not that uncommon, it’s really common across the general population and then you add all this increase exposure to constant high-risk high trauma situations and first responders aren’t great at asking for help.”

Anderson has a background in corrections as a deputy juvenile officer in St. Louis. When deciding what programming to add in Indianapolis she says the RESCU program was near and dear to her heart.

“It just felt right. It felt like the right program. No one else in Indiana is offering something of this caliber for this particular group of individuals we know they need it so bad,” Anderson said,

At RCA first responders will be part of a small community of fellow first responders experiencing similar challenges. Treatment will include private group therapy sessions, peer support groups and individualized treatment.

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