Drug addiction — where to find help

February 17, 6:08 PMDallas Parenting ExaminerChristy Coffman

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Editor’s note: The following is the third and final article in a series pertaining to drugs in Weatherford and Parker County

By:  Danie M. Huffman

When Bob Hopkins found out his teen son, Alex, needed help with a drug problem, he said there was no place to go.

He felt confused and lost, saying he was at his wit’s end.

He said insurance would not cover many treatment options and those he did find were out of the county.

“We had a hard time finding help,” Hopkins said. “Treatment is extremely expensive. Rehab in 28 days will not help the problem. Rehab needs to be six months to at least a year to work. Without sounding negative, you can actually get more help for a horse in Parker County than you can getting help with a substance abuse problem. You have to go outside of the area to Fort Worth. That was our experience and that was very frustrating.”

Hopkins said getting help with limited financial resources available was near impossible.

He did get help and was on a path to recovery when he overdosed last January.

Hopkins was devastated with the death of Alex.

“I actually feared that the drugs were going to lead to a destructive path, but had no idea it would lead to his death,” he said. “And we had no idea it was heroin.”

The only reason Hopkins wished to speak to the Democrat was to spread the word about heroin and drug abuse in hopes of saving a child.

“I would bury my son and deal with it and move on with my life, but there are too many problems in Parker County,” he said. “If this saves the life of one kid or helps one family, then this article is worth it.”

He added Alex’s death has taken an unbelievable toll on him, his wife and family.

“It has been a year of the most grueling, aggravating pain that any human being can possibly imagine,” he said. “You do not get over the death of a child. It’ll be with you for the rest of your life. And the way he was taken ... ”

Hopkins knows his son did not commit suicide.

“It was an overdose,” he said. “Four other friends were with him that same night. They were all doing the same drugs. Two of the friends told [police] another boy bought the drugs. The teen who purchased them is now in a lengthy rehab program center and I understand he’s doing very well — I’m very happy for that. It was very difficult not to be bitter. I don’t blame them. In that circle, the only thing that matters is the drug. I blame our culture.”

He said when people are addicted they are capable of doing the most heinous, destructive things that one could ever imagine. In his son’s case, those horrible things were self-destructive.

“Every addict has one thing in common — a disdain for who they are,” he said. “We all want significance in our lives. The peer pressure and drugs on the market today by far exceed anything from when I was a kid.”

Supply and demand are part of the problem, according to Hopkins. The demand is so great, drug cartels are kidnapping for it within the war on the Texas border, and American citizens are being targeted and threatened.

“I’m not after one person responsible for Alex’s death,” he said. “I’m after breaking up the ring and rerouting the system to help our children. Drugs are so huge. They are encompassing our system and killing our children. The government cannot fix this. Law enforcement itself cannot fix this problem. The only thing that can help is the community. We have to realize what the problem is, and as communities come up with ways and strategies and take our communities back instead of waiting for the system to fix things.”

He has since met with school officials, local churches and spoken with any child, teen or parent who will listen. He even spoke at Alex’s school.

“It’s very moving when a grown man in uniform stands in front of 200 kids and cries,” he said. “When he does, the kids listen.”

Hopkins believes he has helped people.

“I’ve had people tell me that it has helped a great deal,” he said. “Some more than others.”

Hopkins will make an appearance in March at Shirley Hall Middle School at a free “seminar” for parents.

Weatherford ISD Director of Communications Derik Moore said WISD officials have met regularly with Weatherford Police since November.

Tentatively, Hopkins is scheduled to speak to parents beginning March 12, in hopes of gathering help to save local teens from the difficult, but preventable killer.

Moore said three 30-minute sessions will be held with school resource officers about varying topics from drugs, gang involvement and bullying,

The sessions begin nightly at 6 p.m., giving parents a chance to attend all three sessions.

“We stay in close contact with Weatherford Police to keep up to date on the latest drugs on the market,” Moore said. “We want to help counter that, be aware of any issues and keep up with the latest drug trends.”

The sessions, directed and geared toward parents only, will also focus on prevention.

Hopkins is scheduled to speak at 7:30 p.m. as the keynote speaker. The sessions are free to attend and all area parents are invited, even if their child is enrolled in a school outside of the district.

“Part of our mission statement is for each student to have a safe and nurturing environment,” Moore said. “We mean that.”

Another option recently made known is Weatherford Access at 220 Fort Worth Highway, a division of the treatment facility Millwood Hospital.

The center focuses on offering free mental health assessments as well as ones for chemical dependency.

Hopkins was glad to hear of such help in the area.

Carol Cook, LPC, director and manager of the center, said forms of help range depending on each individual case. Staff refers cases to an extensive outpatient treatment at the Arlington facility and also to outpatient programs.

Sadly, Cook said the majority of Millwood patients range from ages 5 to 18. The most prevalent drug used among that age is methamphetamine. She added the drug most teens are prone to be addicted to is meth, which carries serious risks.

Most of them are referred to a Fort Worth facility off of Summit Drive. The center has provided at least 50 free assessments since they opened last year, pertaining strictly to drug use.

She said intensive outpatient programs include access to a psychiatrist, group therapy for 20 hours a week, medication management and also provides school. Most insurance is accepted for varying programs.

Inpatient services also provide the same options, but with a more extensive hospital stay and treatment plan.

The different programs range from one week to three weeks depending on the needs of the patient.

“We’re simply offering no-cost assessments and community referrals for people who need help,” Cook said.

She said the center has dealt with heroin addictions, which is the one drugs she is concerned about.

“There are certain risk factors to deal with when battling detox and addiction,” she said.

They see a lot of painkiller addictions, which are also prevalent with teens. She said the prescriptions are sold on the streets, but have the same risk factors, which can be dangerous.

Those seeking help can call Weatherford Access at (817) 374-7911. Cook said the number is answered 24 hours a day.

A third source is the Crisis line Recovery Resources Outreach at (817) 332- 6329, which is also answered 24/7.

MHMR has a 24-hour crisis line at (800) 772-5987, which directs the caller to a local help source. The Mental Health crisis Line is (800) 866-2465. The final source in seeking drug help is a facility locator Web site at www.dasis3.samhsa.gov.

Source:  Weatherford Democrat