Several more Marshfield Clinic Health System locations are offering new resources in the fight against substance use disorders. Recovery Coaches are now available in Chippewa Falls and Rice Lake, along with Beaver Dam, Wausau and Weston. This expansion is the result of a successful pilot project in Ladysmith.
“We’re thrilled to see the progress of the Recovery Coach program,” said Meagan Barnett, Community Health Manager. “It’s a valuable resource to the communities we serve and we hope it helps many
people in their journeys to recovery.”
The Recovery Coach program is a partnership with AmeriCorps Recovery Corps. Marshfield Clinic Health System has worked with AmeriCorps since 2017, but now for the first time, is integrating Recovery
Coaches into the primary care setting. The coaches support people who are facing substance misuse
challenges, free of charge. They help by connecting people with community resources, offering sober
friendship and tips for sober living, creating wellness plans and more. All recovery coaches have lived
experience working through substance use issues of their own and are trained through the nationally-
recognized Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery.
“When I started my recovery, there weren’t very many resources in this area,” said Jamie Thibedeau, Recovery Coach in Chippewa Falls. “I was having to travel to find meetings and connections, people I
could be around other than the people I had been around. What drew me to the program was the fact
that it was people like me, helping people like me.”