National Recovery Month in September is a time when New Season celebrates patients and their recovery milestones.  This year, all New Season Treatment Centers held a special event at each of their treatment centers called “Patient Appreciation Day.”  Each treatment team came up with unique fun ideas on how to commemorate this day with food, activities and more.

At Portland Metro Treatment Center, the team wanted to celebrate their patients with a special day dedicated to serving them.  The team members transformed the treatment center into a full-filled Resource Fair complete with music, colorful balloons, a hot dog station, sodas, chips, cookies, candy, water, popcorn and puffs!

Counselors created Resource and Goody Stations throughout the clinic for patients to visit.  Each station was attended to by a counselor to answer questions about their station and provide flyers with valuable information on free or nearly free community services.

Stations included:

  • The Transportation Station – reliable transportation is a common barrier for many patients to easily get to work, got back to school and continue treatment. Patients were given applications for a local, non-profit mechanic who repairs automobiles whose cost for repairs is a sliding scale based on income. Reduced public transit applications were also given out.
  • The Free Services Station – a popular resource board included information on various types of free services including free laundry schedules at local laundromats, free appliance repair, free clothing locations, and an expungement clinic for those wanting to clean up their criminal history for better employment opportunities in the future.
  • The Childcare Station – childcare is needed for many patients. This resource board supplied information about where to find quality low-cost childcare, including Head Start, Boys and Girls Club, Champions, and other after school programs such as YMCA- all of which are free or low-cost.
  • The Pet Station – a shelter adoption of a loving pet can bring new meaning and joy to many.  Patients were able to find out more information on important pet care services to keep their companions healthy like free and low-cost spay/neuter services, vaccinations, long term care and vet emergency care.
  • The Self-Care Station – self-care is very important to recovery and it can easily become a low priority if cost is a barrier. One resource board provided information and schedules about low-cost activities for families such as events at parks, the Oregon Zoo, Children’s Museum, hiking areas, free movies, and library events.

The entire Portland Metro team contributed to this event and would like to thank each and every patient that was able to attend the celebration as well as the many patients that continue to stay in treatment and make improvements in their recovery.

“It brings us immense joy to see your progress and know that we can help make a difference in our community.”

Author: Tina Knautz, Program Director for Portland Metro Treatment Center