What is the Farm Project?
The Living Sober Farm of Ulster County (the Farm) is a project in development in Ulster County, located in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York state. Ulster County has suffered from hundreds of deaths due to overdoses not including suicides and accidents as a result of addiction or the overdoses that we just don't know about. On the uprise and in correlation with the rising number of overdoses is the increase of brain damage suffered by many who overdose are saved by narcon or by luck. Suffering along with the victims of addiction are the traumatized families and friends of those suffering substance use and addiction. They are also victims of this never ending nightmare.
Our local government (and federal government) has responded to this critical problem by putting a lot of money into early education and making harm reduction tools and medications more accessible. According to a recent article in the local newspaper, there is a 'new philosophy' that focuses on keeping people alive rather than forcing them into abstinence based treatments. There are problems with this philosophy..... not everyone suffering from substance abuse and addictions are good candidates for successful outcomes with medication treatments. There are many who want and need abstinence in their life. On one hand we are told that abstinence doesn't work and on the other hand, we tell our addicts to take harm reduction medications until they are 'ready'. Ready for what? Abstinence?
Successful sober life in abstinence does work but it is a longer process and requires a lot of family and community support. The Farm believes will offer that support. We hold the view that people suffering from substance use disorders and/or addiction deserve to have the chance to get their life back rather than to just stay alive as long as possible through harm reduction tools. Harm reduction is useful and for some it is enough but for many it is not. Abstinence is an option that needs long-term support (3-5 years) in order to be a successful journey. There is no reason to stop offering abstinence as the true 'gold standard' of treatment. It has given new life to many. There is a lot of money being awarded from lawsuits involving pharmaceutical companies and others found liable in the opioid epidemic. Why isn't some of that money being used for recovery housing and other treatment modalities? Why are we choosing the option heavily promoted by our health insurers and lobbyists? Why are we giving the money back to the pharmaceutical companies in profits from sales of medications touted to be 'the answer' to our opioid epidemic? And why are we not accepting that abstinence is a doable and life renewing option?
The Farm is being developed to:
- provide safe and sober living on a working farm
- develop and inspire peer support
- provide the healing benefits of being part of a loving community family
- provide the healing benefits of being productive and respected
- provide therapeutic healing inherent of working and caring for animals on the farm
- learn and teach work and life skills
- provide the healing benefits of music, art and other holistic therapies available to residents
- co-mingle with the outside community through training, workshops, education and an endless list of possibilities.
- to save and restore lives!
The Farm will give hope to families whose family members are desperate for a fighting chance to live and be happy.
This is not to be a 5 star luxury residence nor will it be dependent on having a good health insurance policy. This is to be a working farm, self governed and run by a family of recovering addicts. The only commitment to become a resident is the committment you make to not drink alcohol or use drugs of any kind, and pay your rent timely. One of the strongest tools for the fight against this disease is a strong support system. We believe the Farm will provide this.Abstinence works with the proper support. And we should demand it to be an option in the fight against addiction.