Damian is a patient in our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) recovery program. He has worked in addiction and recovery, and known our MAT Program Director Dominique McDowell throughout his career. He has also had to manage injuries and surgeries since age 19, many of which resulted in opioid prescriptions.

Recently, Damian had a serious work accident in the truck he was driving. The doctor he was referred to prescribed pain medication. Damian has never struggled with medication abuse, but knows how doses can increase – he decided not to “go back down this road” from past pain and opioids, and wanted to avoid escalation of pain meds. When his doctor (who had no connection to MCHWC) mentioned Suboxone, Damian looked online for programs in Marin. He came to MCHWC and enrolled in the MAT program.

After 1-1/2 months, Damian said he feels like a different person. He sleeps better, and doesn’t have night sweats that resulted from the opioids prescribed for his pain. The transition was difficult – it affected his eating, sleeping and intimacy – but he knew to expect the physical changes because of his own work in addiction and recovery.

In particular, Damian praised Dominique for his knowledge and how he communicates with patients in a way to build trust and acceptance. If you are dealing with addiction to alcohol, prescription pain medication, or heroin, you are not alone. MCHWC provides substance abuse counseling and Medication Assisted Treatment for recovery (MAT) to the homeless and general population from our clinic sites in Bayview, Marin City and San Rafael.

The intake process for the MAT program included thoughtful screening. The MAT support group gives me a place to come and talk about all the things I’m experiencing in a safe environment. 

—Damian