At this farm, men find recovery from drug and alcohol abuse
By Mike Beaudet
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GARDNER, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Men struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues are finding their road to recovery through a farm in Gardner, Massachusetts.
“The spirituality aspect of working with the animals, the physicality, you know, of getting out here every day, you know, and learning responsibility and whatnot, and the camaraderie between the guys is pretty nice, you know,” said Travis McCourt, a resident at Evergreen Grove.
The long-term residential treatment program includes traditional clinical care for substance abuse and mental health, while also wrapping in livestock rescue work with horses, goats, cows and more.
McCourt, 34, said he struggled with drugs and alcohol since he was a teenager. He’s been living in a treatment house on the farm for three months.
He said the program has been a lifesaver, “What I found here is peace of mind, I found peace. I found eternal peace.”
Human services agency, GAAMHA, runs Evergreen Grove. Residents start the day with morning chores on the farm before transitioning into clinical recovery groups. Come afternoon, they’re back out on the farm.
“To be able to learn to care for something outside of ourselves is a big, you know, hurdle for a lot of people in recovery, and what better place to do it with a bunch of you know goats and ponies and horses,” said Josh Thibodeau, a human animal interaction specialist at Evergreen Grove.
Thibodeau is also a graduate of the program, where he stayed for nine months after nearly 20 years battling addiction.
“There’s just something special about this place, you know, broken men like myself come in here and we need to learn how to live again,” Thibodeau said.
Men who have been diagnosed with substance use disorder, who also have a mental or behavioral health condition, are eligible to apply to the program. They must be in stable condition, as the farm does not provide acute care services.
Overdose deaths in Massachusetts have declined, but demand for treatment services remains high. Organizations like GAAMHA have received opioid settlement funds to pay for recovery support.
GAAMHA president and CEO Shawn Hayden said, “The availability of Narcan and awareness around overdose has increased, and that’s, you know, every life saved is a miracle. I’m not sure overdoses are down. I don’t think substance use is down.”
Since its opening in 2021, Evergreen Grove has admitted 194 people, with almost half completing the program.
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