High Point Hub & Spoke: Breaking Down Barriers To Treatment

This article is sponsored by High Point Hub & Spoke.

My name is Gerald Randall, and I am the Project Coordinator for High Point Treatment Centers (HPTC) Hub & Spoke grant.

High Point's mission is to treat and prevent substance use disorders and mental illness in Southeastern Massachusetts. HPTC was awarded the Hub & Spoke grant in November 2021 with the goal of improving access to MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder), as well as providing additional support in hopes of increasing treatment engagement and retention.

Being in long-term recovery myself from drugs and alcohol, I can appreciate the importance of increasing demand for treatment access. I remember all too well the difficulty of trying to get connected to sufficient care, as well as trying to find fulfillment in early recovery. I started volunteering at HPTC with 60 days clean – I knew I wanted to be a part of the change necessary to combat the opioid epidemic, and I wanted to give back to the recovery community, as it has helped me immensely along my journey. When I got my six-month chip, HPTC hired me; I have been with the organization for 4.5 years now.

Hub & Spoke's mission is to break down barriers for individuals in need of treatment, smash any stigmas associated with addiction and recovery, build a community collaborative to bridge any potential gaps in care, and educate the public about resources to help improve one's quality of life.

One of the biggest challenges I face in this industry is having a person willing and able to enter treatment and hitting a wall due to lack of availability. This is why the Hub & Spoke team has been working diligently to grow our Rolodex, so to speak, to be able to increase treatment options and availability.

One of the most satisfying parts of this job is seeing an individual with a newfound willingness for change, seeing the person getting connected to services to assist with the change, and then seeing the changes in that person's life. Seeing that hope and light in their eyes again, hearing about patients getting off the street, getting their kids back, starting their dream career – and doing the work with such a passionate, altruistic team – is absolutely amazing and a blessing.

The best advice I have been given is, “Whether you say you can or you say you cannot, you are right.” And the Hub & Spoke team says, “We can.”

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