Bowen Recovery Center Report to the Community Kurt Carlson, President & CEO, Bowen Center

 -In 2017 Bowen Center was approached by the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction to open and operate one of five new Opioid Treatment Programs in the state. Last month we proudly marked the one-year anniversary of Bowen Recovery Center. 

-Bowen Recovery Center provides Medication Assisted Treatment for patients suffering with Opioid Use Disorder within a 100-mile radius of Fort Wayne. While Bowen offers Medication Assisted Treatment as a pathway to abstinence from many illicit substances, Bowen Recovery Center specifically uses Methadone for Opioid Use Disorder and has built a model unlike any other that focuses on the dignity and overall health of our patients by treating the physical symptoms of Opioid Use Disorder paired with counseling and behavioral health therapies. We also help our patients with insurance navigation, federal identification, food, housing assistance, and more. 

-In the first year, 508 individuals came to Bowen Recovery Center seeking treatment. Currently, 330 patients receive appropriate methadone treatment at this location. I should add that up until this month, with the exception of social media posts on our pages, we have not formally advertised our Opioid Use Disorder services. The majority of our patients learned of Bowen Recovery Center via word-of-mouth. 

-Our patients have ranged in age from 18 – 73 and have come from 33 different cities in northern Indiana including multiple members of families. To date, 54% of our patients have been women. 

-The Bowen Recovery Center accepts walk-ins and appointments by phone and is open Monday – Friday 5 AM – 1 PM and Saturday and Sunday 6 AM – 10 AM, 365 days a year. Patients in treatment come every single day. They are randomly screened and must engage in therapeutic services such as group or individual counseling on-site. They also meet with Bowen Recovery Center Medical Director, Dr. Carolyn Greer. 

-97% of our patients have insurance that covers treatment. Some have not been insured when they first took that brave step through our doors, but we assisted them in getting the necessary documentation and they now have insurance. For anyone without insurance, a grant from the state of Indiana covers their treatment. 

-It is a privilege to be able to provide treatment and compassion to these patients. The treatment is on-going and individualized whether that is obtaining the skills to detox or stay on the medication for an unlimited time. Our goal is always to keep our patients alive, healthy and to remove any barriers to treatment while continuing to guide them toward improving their quality of life.