INDIANAPOLIS — This week, Dr. Tim Kelly, Medical Director of Addiction Treatment Services at Community Health Network, is leading a group of swimmers down to Key West to participate in the 12.5 mile Swim Around Key West.
They're doing this to support women in recovery specifically raising money for Dove Recovery House.
"The Dove House does it right," Kelly said. He has spent nearly all of his 40-year career in addiction medicine, referring numerous patients to Dove Recovery House.
"It feels good to support people that trying to overcome so many obstacles. They want to do this and they deserve our support," he said.
Dr. Kelly understands the impact of substance use disorder.
"My father got to battle this gorilla and had a great outcome," Kelly said. "So I became a believer that people can get better. I know people get better. I've seen it up close and personal."
Wendy Noe, CEO of Dove Recovery House, says there is an urgent need for treatment options for substance use disorder.
"We see this alarming need for women to get into treatment more than we've ever seen," Noe said. "We know that women are dying from this disease and you only have a moment of time to get them into treatment."
Dove Recovery House is a 40-bed residential facility that serves 80 women a year. Right now, Noe says 135 women are on their waitlist with more trying to get into treatment.
"We're averaging over 120 inquiries every month for our program."
This is why in the spring, Dove Recovery House announced a $2.5 million campaign to expand its capacity to care for more women. Like Kelly, substance use disorder is personal to Noe.
"This is not an isolated disease, it does not affect one type of person. My younger brother is about five years sober from heroin," Noe said.
Noe is grateful there are ongoing efforts in the community to help continue the work of Dove Recovery House for Women.
RELATED: Addiction treatment resources in Indiana
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