FRANKLIN—Tommy Moore, the owner of Self-Recovery LLC, has spent 19 years without a drink, and he wants to make sure Western Tidewater residents have the same opportunities on the road to recovery that he had.

Self-Recovery, out of Lanett, Alabama, has recently started work in Franklin at Southampton Memorial Hospital.

“Drug addiction is such a nationwide problem at this point that anywhere we are able to go and help a little is fantastic,” said Moore, who is a National Certified Addiction Councilor 1. “There is a real need for help, and we think we will do good in the community.”

The business is a three-step detoxification program that starts out with a primary care phase, which is a medically supervised portion that involves a specialized detoxification performed by qualified physicians.

In the next phase, treatment, emphasis is placed on acquiring the skills to begin a new way of life, a lifestyle of permanent sobriety. Individual and group counseling sessions reaching into all areas of the individual’s life are provided in this intensive and extensive treatment routine.

The last phase is aftercare. This step combines professional treatment groups and patient directed social and support activities. Aftercare meets each week and enhances a positive lifestyle of recovery. It includes recreation, seminars, speakers and learning experiences for continued recovery.

When it’s all over, after 7-10 days of treatment, they also offer information on Alcoholics Anonymous and 12-step style programs to patients.

“Eighty percent of our patients go into long-term treatment programs after they leave us,” Moore said.

Detoxification is a very important step, as going cold-turkey can be fatal.

“Although a lot of the other drugs make you feel like you want to die, alcohol actually has the highest risk of fatality without medical treatment. A good precent of alcoholics out there who stop drinking abruptly, a good percent die.”

With addiction, sometimes, Moore said, you want to stop, but you can’t.

“We can help you gain control of your life,” he said. “A lot of times, if you are an alcoholic, you don’t want to drink. You understand that it is bad for you, and you want to stop, but you can’t break free.

“But you don’t have to live this way. Help is possible. Recovery is possible. Many of us have been there, and we care about helping.”

The Alabama-based company was able to land in Virginia because it has a unit with Cherokee Medical Center, which is a hospital in Centre, Alabama, that is owned by Community Health Systems. CHS also owns Southampton Memorial.

“We have been doing pretty well in the CHS hospital,” he said. “We’ve brought revenue to the community, to the hospital, and have done a lot of good for our patients.”

During a district meeting, Southampton Memorial learned of the program and asked Moore and his group to come over and take a look and consider starting a program.

“It is a beautiful hospital with a great space,” he said. “And from talking to people, I saw that there was a need in the community. I felt like we would do well here.”

Self-Recovery is now in operation, and while there will be corporate trainers from Alabama, everyone they hire will be local people from Virginia.

“We are very excited about coming to Virginia,” Moore said, adding that he was happy it was a small town. “Drug abuse is a national problem, and it doesn’t just affect urban areas, its really in the rural areas too.”

Moore got into this 17 years ago, when he started volunteering as part of his church program in Roanoke, Alabama.

“We would meet with the patients during rehab and let them know how we incorporated the church and Jesus into the program,” he said. “I was doing that as a volunteer every Sunday, and well, I found myself coming back after church to talk with patients.”

Noticing him there a lot, one of the nurses asked him if he was interested in doing this as his profession.

“It had never crossed my mind before,” said Moore, who had another job as a welder. “I thought, maybe I was being led in that direction, so I took the job.”

He started out as an addiction technician, which he said paid virtually nothing, but it got his foot in the door.

“After a time, another company tried to pick me up and hire me,” said Moore, but instead of taking it, he negotiated with his current company and was able to get training to become a National Certified Addiction Councilor.

After working there for a time, he was promoted to become the vice president of operations. Then, in 2005, the owner wanted to retire, and Moore was able to negotiate a price for the business and its assets. Now, Moore is the CEO and owner.

For Moore, it’s been all about helping people recover, like he did. He got heavily into drugs and alcohol when he was 15, ended up homeless until 18, when he joined the service.

“I got out at 21 and got married and had kids,” he said. “But that didn’t last due to the drinking and drugging.”

Moore was homeless again for two years, living under bridges and panhandling until he got a job and pulled himself up. This time, he was able to stay sober.

“I realized that if I didn’t stay sober, that I would end up with nothing again,” Moore said. “I have been 19 years without a drink, and if I can do it, anyone can.”

To get started, call the toll-free number at 866-255-3350. Referral is uncomplicated and can be initiated by the patent, a family member, friend, employer, court program or any health care professional. The program accepts most insurance, including medicare and medicaid, but there are also private payment options set up through the hospital.

To learn more about them, you can visit www.selfrecovery.net.