Everything you need to know about the Substance Use Treatment Navigator Hotline

OneEighty started the Substance Use Treatment Navigator, a hotline available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, for those encountering substance use crisis.

“We’re a resource, and it doesn’t matter if it’s Christmas day, you’re lonely, or it’s 1:00 p.m. on a Tuesday,” said Alex Morris, a licensed professional clinical counselor supervisor and the Treatment Navigator Lead. “No matter what, you can call and get in touch with one of us.”

We’re here to help you navigate the system.

“We’ll talk you through the process of how to get help,” explained Alex. “I would say between 80% and 90% of the calls are all detox-related. It’s people seeking out detox in that moment, wanting to admit somewhere.” She mentioned that they also receive calls from “families who are just at their wit’s end, they’re overwhelmed, they’re done. They don’t know how else to help their family member. They call in and get support.”

That support is offering where to go to get treatment, how to get a referral, and more. “Walking them step-by-step through the process so that they’re not alone,” Alex added. 

A highly trained counselor or nurse is always available.

Currently, there are four Navigators, or substance use crisis counselors, operating the hotline. “We are on call a week at a time,” said Alex. “‘On call’ means that you’re answering the phone at any time. If you miss a phone call, you’re returning it as soon as possible.”

We work with the community.

Treatment Navigator is partnered with Wooster Community Hospital for OneEighty’s RAMP, or Recovery Addiction Medicine Program. Dr. Nicole Labor is the Medical Director for the RAMP program. “If a caller is local,” Alex said, “we want to help them heal within their community.”

Callers can be admitted via the ER, at which point they’ll be seen by a OneEighty therapist who will help them figure out what’s next. This may include individual counseling, an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), or residential care. 

“There’s continuity of care,” Alex added. “No one’s falling through the cracks.”

In addition to working with hospitals, the Treatment Navigators also work with: 

• Jails
• Referring agencies
• Children’s services
• Law enforcement

We offer help across 88 counties.

“Treatment Navigators carry around a binder with the counties,” Alex explained. No matter what county an individual is calling from, a Navigator “can open up that binder and say, ‘Here are the places within your county that you can seek out.’ A lot of people are looking for resources closer to them.”

There’s no wrong reason to call.

Alex shared concerns that the Treatment Navigator hotline has gotten a reputation as being solely for detox, but of that, she said, “It’s not. It can be family members who need some support on where to turn, or people who get out of jail and have two weeks before they have their first individual counseling appointment. Here’s a supportive number that you can call if you need it.”

“There’s no right or wrong reason to call,” Alex emphasized. “Just call us and we’ll help figure it out.” 

So, if you or someone you know is encountering a substance use crisis, call now at 330.466.0678.