McShin Foundation
By Milena Rampoldi and Denise Nanni, ProMosaik. We are going on with our interview-journey moving to the McShin Foundation in Richmond, USA where we talked to Honesty Liller. The foundation is at the service of addicted people to help them to come back to a normal life without addition. I would like to thank Honesty
How did the McShin Foundation begin?
McShin was started by John Shinholser and Carol McDaid. They are a married couple with combined over 50 years of recovery. The reason is because when an addict in our area reached out for help to the local community services there was a 30-90 day wait for a bed anywhere. John and Carol thought that was horrible and started McShin. When an addict/alcoholic asks for help, they need to have the help that day.
What is the current situation related to drug and alcohol addiction in your area?
Right now in the Richmond area we have a rise in opiate addiction. I think it has always been an epidemic, but now more and more young people are dying from the heroin that is in our area. There is a drug called Fentanyl that is in the heroin, or it is just straight Fentanyl.
In what consists the method PPRSS?
PPRSS is individuals that have lived experience with addiction and recovery. We have been there, done that and can guide someone else in their personal recovery. From our experiences, good and bad, we can teach those new to recovery what to do and not to do from the things we have done and seen in our personal recovery process.
Did you develop, throughout time, a strategy that can be indicated as really effective to address the social inclusion of people that used to be addicted to drugs or alcohol?
We provide our services to anyone seeking help with drug or alcohol addiction. Our recovery community consists of all walks of life, age, race, ethnicity, and sexual preference. McShin has grown in many ways throughout the years. We started with 12 beds and now manage 155 recovery residential beds for those seeking recovery. We have the first recovery high school in VA that has 8 students seeking education as well as their own personal recovery. Other programs are our jail programs, advocacy initiatives, and family programming.
Do you cooperate with local authorities and institutions? If yes, how?
Yes, We are in our local jails providing PPRSS daily. Our staff goes into the jail and helps those incarcerated with their recovery while they are there so when they get out that have a better chance at recovery. McShin has lots of local partners, sponsors, and relationships that have been built through these 12 years. It is important to our mission to be a face and voice of recovery at all times, everywhere we go.
