Comprehend ‘thrives’ throughout evening

Comprehend Inc. recently held its first “Together We Thrive” event, where a $426,000 grant for a Buprenorphine Clinic was announced.

President and CEO of Comprehend Melissa Greenwell welcomed guests for the evening.

“We’re glad to have everybody here. We’re excited to have all of you here for our first Together We Thrive event for Comprehend,” Greenwell said.

She continued, “We are this region’s community mental health center, so we’re the safety net that’s offering services within the four pillars of behavioral health, substance use, intellectual disabilities, and prevention. You being here tonight, you’re helping us to be able to provide needed services across the region for people that fit into those categories, so we thank you for doing that.”

She briefly discussed Comprehend’s services.

According to Greenwell, Comprehend provides services through 60 different programs in the Buffalo Trace Area Development District.

She said the needs of thousands of people within the region are being met.

“We serve people from all across the lifespan, from birth to the elderly,” Greenwell said. She said services are offered through three outpatient offices in the area.

Greenwell went on to discuss what sets Comprehend apart from other mental health facilities in the region.

According to Greenwell, the organization’s community mental health center is through the state and provides additional services not offered by others.

She specified the organization’s 24-hour crisis care, foster grandparents, and first steps. Greenwell recognized her staff for making it all possible.

“We have the most dedicated and passionate staff of anybody that I’ve ever worked with and it’s because of that that we’re able to serve so many and make such a difference in this region,” Greenwell said.

According to Greenwell, one of the focuses of the organization has been “ramping up” services provided for substance use.

In the last year and a half, Comprehend has brought in $900,000 in grants for substance use services in the region.

She transitioned into the announcement of a Buprenorphine clinic grant for the Buffalo Trace Region.

According to Greenwell, Comprehend received notification that it was awarded a $426,000 grant from the state to bring a Buprenorphine Clinic to the Buffalo Trace Region.

Comprehend Chief Operating Officer Rod Baker shared some talking points on the clinic.

According to Baker, Comprehend was selected as one of 51 Opioid Abatement grant funding recipients. In total, Comprehend was awarded $426,087 for the clinic.

“There were more than 160 applications submitted, so it was very competitive,” Baker said.

He noted the executive director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, Office of the Attorney General said the commission was impressed with Comprehend’s proposal and the level of commitment the organization has in addressing the drug epidemic.

According to Baker, the Buprenorphine Clinic will be housed in a portion of Comprehend’s building on Forest Avenue with work expected to begin “right away.” The goal is to have the clinic operational by January 2025.

He briefly described the purpose of the clinic.

The clinic will offer people with substance and opioid use disorders, co-morbid polysubstance use and co-occurring mental illness, evidence-based treatment, and recovery and support services.

According to Baker, clients often travel more than an hour to receive this level of care. He noted the barrier presented by this commute to a client’s sustained recovery.

Baker discussed a narrative from the grant, which discussed Buprenorphine and other medication-assisted treatments. The medications are intended to reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms, he said.

“As a result, clients are likely to persist in treatment, improving their outcomes and sustaining recovery. This clinic will improve clients’ lives and will contribute to the overall health and resilience of communities, creating lasting positive change and promoting integrated, community-driven treatment,” the narrative read.

According to the narrative, establishing a centrally-located clinic will bring holistic behavioral healthcare to the region. Clients will also experience reduced transportation barriers and travel time, improved care coordination and enhanced treatment planning, peer counseling and cane management, lower barriers, increased engagement and persistence in treatment, decreased relapse rates, reduced harm, and promoted sustained recovery.

The clinic will also reduce the strain on community resources.

According to the narrative, clients engaged in substance and opioid use disorders have lower rates of opioid-related health crises and decrease the use of emergency services and hospitals.

“Recovery interrupts cycles of hopelessness, despair and generational trauma which lead to substance use and negative coping behaviors. Stopping the SUD/OUD cycle decreases costs throughout communities and saves lives,” the narrative read.

Greenwell shared brief remarks regarding the clinic.

“By opening this Buprenorphine clinic, we are introducing an additional treatment modality that has been proven effective in helping individuals recover from opioid addiction,” Greenwell said. “Our goal is not only to provide high-quality medical care but also to help reduce the stigma associated with seeking help.”

She continued, “We want our communities to understand that getting help is a courageous and positive step towards recovery, and we are here to support them every step of the way. We are dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming environment where individuals can access the care they need without fear of judgment.”

Greenwell noted the importance of donations and fundraising events. While grants fund projects for the organization, they do not fund a majority of other costs.

”Without events like this, we couldn’t keep the doors open. It’s vitally important that we hold these types of fundraisers every year, so we thank you all for supporting that,” Greenwell said.

She thanked the sponsors for the evening and noted there was $34,000 received in sponsorship funds from the event.

Greenwell thanked guests for attending and introduced the entertainment for the evening. The Carmen and Ben Duo performed throughout the evening.

After a meal and entertainment, Greenwell invited Board Chair David Reed to the stage to share a Mission Moment.

“I wanna thank everybody for coming and supporting Comprehend. It’s been a pleasure to be on the board and be the chair. It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve the employees, the work there, they all have they’re, they’re very passionate about their job and it’s really been a pleasure to, to meet and work with those folks,” Reed said.

Reed thanked Greenwell, her staff, and those involved in making Together We Thrive happen.

Greenwell thanked guests for attending again and encouraged them to continue to participate in the silent auction, which ended at 8:30 p.m.