The rate of opioid drug use in suburban Atlanta is staggering. Heroin use is at an all-time high.
Unfortunately, high school and college-aged youth are at the biggest risk.
“My son wouldn’t be in prison if we had the Hub,” said Kate Boccia.
Early in the summer; the Johns Creek Herald reported on the case of 23-year old Daniel Boccia, now serving a 15-year sentence* after committing a crime while addicted to heroin. Prison saved her son’s life from an addiction unfamiliar to her neighbors.
Daniel’s mother is convinced that her city lacked the resources to save her son, or any person in North Atlanta dealing with the consequences of drug addiction. If you lived in the suburbs, would you know where to refer someone who was in need of help?
“In my years as Citizens Advocate and Chaplain I heard a very familiar theme from people in crisis,”
said Atlantan Remco Brommet, Executive Director of the new Hub Family Resource Center in Johns
Creek. ”Police officers, school counselors, even judges tell people to get help but don’t know what kind of help they need, where to get it or who to trust.”
These sentiments were echoed in Commissioner John Eaves’ Crime and Safety Summits last year. The recurring theme from attendees: ‘we need a clearing house to community mental wellness resources.’
And the Hub Family Resource Center began.
Remco Brommet brought together a Development Team, business plan, seated a Board, and registered as a non-profit. “Once we open to the public,” said Brommet, “…people can meet with a resource specialist who will assess their need. Then they will match them with the appropriate mental wellness service provider.”
According to Brommet, information on services such as rehabilitation, psychologists, counselors and therapists will be offered by the center.
“The Hub is also going to provide a Family Life University,” said Brommet. “Seminars in the community for parents on a range of topics like Prescription Drugs, Parenting Basics, even Parenting through Drug Addiction, will soon be available.”
For more information on The Hub Family Resource Center, visit them online at thehubfrc.org.
-- -Ray Macon (Editor's Note this story will update SOON, as thankfully Daniel's sentence has been reduced!)
(Photo courtesy True Men Ministries)
From the Web site: 'About' Tab
The vision of The Hub Family
Resource Center is to be the one central point in North Fulton County
connecting our families to our community’s resources. To provide a safe
environment, free from stigma, where families can go and meet with a
Resource Specialist who will assess their need and find well-researched,
trusted resources.
To provide online access, where clients who don’t
wish to come to the Center can create their own secure account and avail
themselves of an extensive database of resources for family mental,
emotional and spiritual health and enrichment.
The Hub provides
additional enrichment and support for families by facilitating parenting
classes in its facility and out in the community, as well as various
parent support groups.
Family life is getting increasingly complicated, and families in our
mostly well-to do northern suburbs are no exception.
School officials
have spoken out that their resources are overtaxed in trying to deal
with mental health, substance abuse, performance pressure and family
relationship issues. Local traffic courts are getting a steady flow of
teenagers with severe emotional and substance abuse problems, and
parents at their wits end.
Police officers are finding themselves responding to an increasing number of mental health related calls. Suicide among teens, prescription drug abuse, performance pressure stress are at an all-time high. During a recent series of Crime & Safety Summits in North Fulton County, mental wellness of families was the topic most talked about, not break-ins, burglaries or violent crime.
The resources are out there. There are counseling centers, psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists, substance abuse recovery programs, family enrichment programs and parenting classes. But many don’t know how to find them. What is missing is a central “first-stop” connecting point. One phone number to call for families, schools, police departments, fire departments, hospitals ERs, courts and probation services; and one place to go, to be matched up by experienced professionals to resources matching the need.
That is the critical need The Hub fulfills.
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