OUTLOOK 2023: Operation Lighthouse Rehab program aims for problems' roots, nourish new growth

Feb. 25—FARRELL — The new HEAT program — focusing on the habilitation part of rehabilitation — at Operation Lighthouse is like a seed, said Tim Harrison, its coordinator.

Trauma is deeply rooted as a child and as adults, people are using drugs so they don't remember.

"Surface cleaning is one way of doing it, but if you're going to get to the root of it, like removing a tree, to really get that stump out of there, that's difficult," Harrison said. "There's so many roots, and until you're able to get all that up, before you can replant anything new, that's what the HEAT program is going to do. It's a seed and we're hoping it grows more and more so that people can say, 'I did the HEAT program and it changed my life.'"

HEAT is a new program starting March 14 at Operation Lighthouse. It stands for Habilitation Empowerment Accountability Therapy. The concept of the class is community, spiritual, self, family and orientation. Each concept will be targeted in each class.

"HEAT is changing the rehab part of it," Harrison said. "We want to start doing habilitation. It's more in depth in looking into the situation itself."

The Buhl Community Health Foundation granted The Mercer County Behavioral Health Commission, Community Counseling, and Operation Lighthouse $30,000 to run the program out of Operation Lighthouse at 1031 Roemer Blvd., Farrell.

The nine-month program is designed for African-American men ages 18 to 29 who have been incarcerated.

Harrison said he was trying to gather data about African-American men and addiction in the Shenango Valley, and there was none to be found.

"African-Americans are not telling anybody their business," Harrison said. "Nobody has good records showing that it's a problem in the African-American community, which we know it is. Nobody is reporting it."

Harrison said culturally, African-Americans are different, and their relapses are different.

"This program is going to literally shed some light," Harrison said. "They can't use the excuses anymore, 'Nobody looks like me,' or 'I don't want anybody in my business,' or 'I'm too afraid.'

The program will also include having an apprenticeship, so that the men are working toward becoming electricians, pipefitters, and other trades.

"They're working toward something," Harrison said. "We've got to stop what's been going on for so many years."

Instead of those addicted going back to the same routine, like working at McDonald's for a couple hours and quitting, they will become an apprentice, Harrison said.

"So with this program, it's going to offer them the ability to learn something," Harrison said. "How to deal with their crisis, their addiction, and not going back to being incarcerated."

Harrison said that many Mercer County offices are behind the program including the district attorney's office, public defender's office, the Common Pleas judges, and state Probation and Parole. Mercer County Treatment Court will also recommend Black men to join this program.

"I'm glad we have all these entities helping out and we need the public to know we need for them to really dissect this and see this is a change we need," Harrison said.

Harrison said the biggest goal for Operation Lighthouse for 2023 is more awareness and prevention.

"This program is not going to immediately help, but it's a start," Harrison said. "If they see that there's something out there for them, I'm hoping they will gravitate to it."

Operation Lighthouse is an addiction-recovery organization sponsored by the Mercer County Behavioral Health Commission. Olive McKeithan is the director, and the coordinators of the Operations Lighthouse programs are Tim Harrison, Rev. T.J. Harrison of Valley Baptist Church, and Rev. James Hosey.

Operation Lighthouse will also present its second annual Memory Walk Against Addiction at 9 a.m. April 29 starting at Valley Baptist Church, 500 Sharon-New Castle Road, Farrell. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

Tim Harrison said there is a saying in the Black community that people don't realize it to the fullest: broken crayons still color.

"Just because you're broken, and you've relapsed and been in 16 rehabs, you still have worth," Harrison said. "You just haven't unearthed it yet."

Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com