I will be honest, when I first heard that the government was starting to close down businesses, I was a little panicked about what would happen to Renascent. I was somewhat relieved when I found out that we were a part of the essential services that would remain open, but a little fearful of what that would look like. There is a joke in the rooms of 12 steps that addicts/alcoholics do not like change, and I can confirm that.
Early on in the pandemic, when our admissions were on hold, I received a call from a young man seeking treatment. When I informed him that services were not available at this time he became very frustrated and blurted out that I was useless. His comment incited anger in me but I could sympathize with his frustration. I think one of the greatest challenges has been ensuring people who need treatment get it, and we have started to address the current limitations on residential treatment by providing virtual services, which is a new frontier for Renascent. I believe misfortune can become fortune and progress is often motivated by crisis.
In a matter of weeks, the place I had worked for the past five years was transformed into something very different than I was used to, but I have to admit, I was impressed by the resilience of Renascent. The fact that we continued to deliver services despite adversities is at the core of what Renascent does.
