Trinity Health Michigan is expanding the successful peer recovery coach program Growth Works to Trinity Health Ann Arbor. This builds on the successful, multi-year partnership that has benefited patients with substance use disorders at Trinity Health Livonia. The program provides emergency response support, connecting patients treated in the emergency department and the inpatient behavioral health unit with dedicated peer recovery coaches to address the root causes of substance use.
The Growth Works program bridges a critical service gap, ensuring individuals experiencing a substance use crisis have immediate access to support when they need it most. Growth Works, with its long-standing commitment to assisting youth and adults struggling with substance use, deployed nine experienced peer recovery coaches to Trinity Health Ann Arbor.
Peer recovery coaches have personal experience with addiction and recovery. They support patients seeking recovery from a substance use disorder by guiding them to create personalized recovery plans. These coaches offer a variety of assistance, including emotional support, informational connections to health resources, and practical help for meeting day-to-day needs such as housing or employment. They also connect individuals with community support following hospital discharge, such as peer groups, activities, and events, fostering a crucial sense of belonging.
“The community’s support for those suffering from substance use disorder needs to be better, more intentional, and more comprehensive,” said Alonzo Lewis, president of Trinity Health Ann Arbor, Livingston, Livonia, and Oakland. “In coordination with Growth Works, we are committed to being better, by providing these additional resources so that we can help guide patients towards a journey of recovery, health, and happiness.”
The program caters to individuals presenting to the hospital at various stages of their journey — from those questioning their relationship with substance use, to those feeling their use is out of control, and even those in recovery who can still benefit from professional support.
“This expansion marks a significant step forward in providing accessible and timely care for individuals in need, who are struggling with substance use, and who could benefit from those who have battled addiction themselves,” said Nick Griswold, GrowthWorks CEO. “We look forward to the opportunity we have to break the cycle and help individuals and families in Washtenaw County and surrounding communities.”
