LIMA — The Lima Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program is opening three new offices and expanding its drug and alcohol treatment services in the community.
On Monday, UMADAOP held an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new headquarters at 311 E. Market St., the first of three grand opening celebrations this week. Myrtle Lighton, UMADAOP executive director, said the new office will serve as the “main hub” for each of the organization’s facilities.
“It’s a bigger building, and it will allow us to do much more with treatment,” Lighton said. “We’ve evolved a lot since I started here in 2002, so we had to address that evolution.”
At the Market Street office, UMADAOP will provide medication-assisted drug and alcohol treatment, residential housing services, and other programming geared toward adults who are fighting addiction. UMADAOP has doctors, nurses and clinical therapists on staff who work with their clients, along with recovery coaches and counselors.
The organization’s old office, located at 809 W. Vine St., will now serve as UMADAOP’s Prevention Wellness and Education Center. Drug and alcohol prevention programs housed at this office will be geared toward youth, Lighton said.
Along with prevention programming, Lighton said the facility will provide a safe space where teens can socialize in a drug- and alcohol-free environment. She said it will even have a recording studio for those interested in making music.
“While they’re coming over there to have fun, we can educate them and try to deter them away from drugs at the same time,” she said. “It’s so important because drugs are consuming our young people at a rapid rate.”
The third UMADAOP facility opening this week, the Georgia Newsome Home for Women and Children, is a “dream come true” for Lighton, who said she has has been wanting to establish a space for drug-addicted mothers and their children.
“I’ve had women come to me who were pregnant, and once the baby came to term, even if it wasn’t time for them to leave [treatment] yet, they would leave because we didn’t have a place for the mother and the baby,” she said. “Here, a mother and up to two children can stay, and she can get the help she needs while still being connected to her children.”
The Georgia Newsome Home will celebrate its grand opening from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday at its new facility on 428 Jameson Ave. The grand opening celebration for the Prevention Wellness and Education Center will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Friday.
For details, call 419-222-4474 or visit http://limaumadaop.com.
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