In May 2020, weeks after signing the Connections to Recovery initiative with CHESS Health, West Virginia was live with its first residents benefitting from CHESS Health’s Connections App. The Connections App provides individuals with 24-hour access to recovery support and tools. An active online community moderated by CHESS Health’s Digital Engagement Team provides a platform for individuals to provide and receive support, build healthy digital relationships and reduce isolation. Individuals can track their recovery progress and gain insight into areas of their own recoveries that they’ve deemed are at risk and may lead to relapse. The Discover section of the Connections App provides West Virginia residents with access to hundreds of digital resources including Ted Talks, Self-Help Speakers, and Motivational Speakers to assist individuals on their recovery journey.
To date, 1,363 West Virginians have benefited from Connections App and the opportunity to connect with others, work on self-identified recovery skills and goals, improve compliance with prescribed medications and appointments, and access hundreds of pieces of content available to support recovery. eRecovery is not only beneficial for individuals working on their recovery, but also to treatment providers by providing a digital platform to easily communicate with their patients and monitor recovery progress.
Recently, an individual who attended treatment in Wheeling, West Virginia shared with his treatment team that he was triggered to use substances when he observed another employee using drugs while on his lunch break. Instead of choosing to use substances, he picked up his smartphone and logged into the Connections App and shared his situation and his feelings in a statewide discussion group. This individual was able to receive immediate support and did not return to substance use.
Currently, 34 providers across West Virginia are utilizing CHESS Health’s eRecovery solution. While the world continues to experience isolation due to COVID-19 and in-person treatment visits are difficult, West Virginia providers and patients are utilizing CHESS Health’s video conferencing, a component of eRecovery, to stay connected. CHESS Video enables secure video and audio conferencing , allowing providers and individuals to connect on a meaningful level and continue working towards achieving recovery goals. At a time of constant change and increased isolation, CHESS Health is thrilled to assist residents of West Virginia in achieving their recovery goals.