{"id":41198,"date":"2023-03-28T11:30:04","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T15:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=41198"},"modified":"2023-03-28T11:30:04","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T15:30:04","slug":"genesee-county-former-batavians-road-to-recovery-aided-by-opioid-use-disorder-medication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/03\/28\/genesee-county-former-batavians-road-to-recovery-aided-by-opioid-use-disorder-medication\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Former Batavian\u2019s road to recovery aided by opioid use disorder medication"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Looking back at Scott Davis\u2019 journey to recovery, it is clear to see that the Orange County native and former Batavian was ahead of his time.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

By Mike Pettinella
GCASA Publicist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis took his first sip of alcohol at the age of 11, escalated his drug use to LSD and ecstasy in his early teens and eventually became addicted to heroin and fentanyl, behavior that resulted in separate stints in rehabilitation, shock camp and prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the 43-year-old Davis has been in recovery for more than three years. He has a good job as a certified peer recovery advocate for the Rochester Regional Health system, a loving fianc\u00e9e, Heather, and a beautiful 18-month-old daughter, MacKenzie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While his story may seem like the typical \u201cformer drug user who went to jail and came out on the other side\u201d variety, there\u2019s much more to it than that when you learn that Davis relied upon his instincts and intellect to turn his life around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even before it was accepted as a key component of substance use treatment, Davis said he embraced the concept of \u201cmedication for opioid use disorder\u201d \u2013 MOUD for short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2012, as he was fighting a losing battle against cocaine and heroin, Davis found out that there was medication available to counteract the hard drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had spent time in county jail and nine months in prison shock (camp) after violating probation (stemming from burglary and other felony charges),\u201d he said. \u201cI went on methadone because I could not stop using heroin. The legal system did not understand the importance of medication. They said I was replacing one drug for another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis said neither law enforcement officials nor counselors supported his desire to use methadone at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe stigma was alive and well,\u201d he said. \u201cI tried to be responsible on it. It was working for a while. But they didn\u2019t care; they did not approve of it. It was all judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He went to outpatient and inpatient treatment facilities but all he heard was that he needed to get off hard drugs without any so-called replacement therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt definitely wasn\u2019t the person-centered care that we have today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis recalled that he got into drugs as a result of his feelings of isolation as a kid and it only got worse after his mother\u2019s death in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter that, I went right to heroin,\u201d he said, adding that it led to the destruction of his marriage six years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His legal problems continued as well when he tested positive for heroin and was sent to separate 90-day rehabilitation programs \u2013 St. Christopher Inn in Garrison and St. Joseph\u2019s in Saranac Lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring that time, I was using suboxone off and on,\u201d he said, referring to another type of MOUD. \u201cIt was really difficult to maintain recovery for 14 months, having no resources, support, peers or maintenance services.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short stays in three jails and two more shock camps finally \u201cled me to where I\u2019m at today,\u201d he said. \u201cI was valedictorian (in the camp class) and was successful each time I was evaluated for meeting certain criteria. I am proof that you can bounce back physically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was still living downstate at that time when he was paroled to Batavia in December 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was sent to live with my father (David, who died of cancer in January 2021) and my stepmom in Batavia,\u201d he said. \u201cI was able to complete one semester of a college course online as I wanted to become a counselor, while using suboxone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately for Davis, he hadn\u2019t hit rock bottom yet. He succumbed to his demons once again, and started using crack cocaine, heroin and \u201ca full year hard core on fentanyl,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI sold everything that my father had and everything I had, and I drained all the bank accounts,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, it was on to Hope Haven (a RRH facility) and then to the Atwater Community Residence, a program of Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. He successfully completed his time at Atwater before he was admitted into GCASA\u2019s Supportive Living program for 18 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He credits peer advocates and Atwater Residence staff at GCASA for helping him to set some goals and sharing their life experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey and all the staff at The Recovery Station, another GCASA program, inspired me, motivated me and encouraged me,\u201d he said. \u201cThey saw something in me before I could see it myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also mentioned a close friend, Toby Nagel, who runs The Bridge House in Batavia, for providing a spiritual component.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToby was there for me and still is,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing that he had to stay in recovery to get a job as a peer advocate, he attained that goal in September 2020 when GCASA offered him a position. A year later, he was hired by RRH as a recovery coach, peer advocate who works with clients through Monroe County treatment courts \u2013 providing support, transportation and other services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a very fulfilling position,\u201d Davis said. \u201cAside from providing support and encouragement to individuals who accept treatment court and\/or are coming out of jail, we provide bed-to-bed transportation for individuals going straight to inpatient from jail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTransportation is very important for those who have made that decision to get help, and the peers play a key role by providing not only rides but as caring listeners in these individuals\u2019 road to recovery and a better life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As far as MOUD is concerned, Davis was prescribed suboxone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had hard-core cravings for fentanyl and it was my personal choice to go on the suboxone,\u201d he recalled. \u201cI knew that suboxone, at that time, was going to save my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI trusted what the doctor at GCASA said and I could see that he was on my side all the way,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had a plan, and I knew I was going to be successful. Today, I am working the plan for my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His advice to others was to not give up because MOUD does work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMedication is a vital component to treatment. Anybody can be successful with the right program and support and can maintain a successful life. I don\u2019t know where I would be without MOUD,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about the HEALing Communities Study and to help end overdoses in Genesee County, visit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022           HEALing Communities Study Website: www.HealTogetherNY.org\/Genesee<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022           GOW Opioid Task Force Website: www.gowopioidtaskforce.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022           GO Health Facebook: www.facebook.com\/GOHealthNY<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking back at Scott Davis\u2019 journey to recovery, it is clear to see that the Orange County native and former Batavian was ahead of his time. By Mike PettinellaGCASA Publicist Davis took his first sip of alcohol at the age of 11, escalated his drug use to LSD and ecstasy \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,23],"tags":[2481],"class_list":["post-41198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-batavia","category-genesee-county","tag-gcasa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-aIu","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":42118,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/05\/05\/genesee-county-medications-to-treat-substance-use-disorder-are-proven-tools-in-recovery-panelists-say\/","url_meta":{"origin":41198,"position":0},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Medications to treat substance use disorder are proven \u2018tools\u2019 in recovery, panelists say","author":"aka","date":"May 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"MOUD PANELISTS:\u00a0Participants in Wednesday\u2019s MOUD Anti-Stigma and Awareness Town Hall\u201d at the Genesee County Office for the Aging are, from left, Dr. Samantha Gray, Randi Johnson, Reilly Climenhaga, moderator Paul Pettit, Kate Gregory, Daniel Hauck and Scott Davis. (Provided photo) By Mike PettinellaGCASA Publicist Treating someone struggling with substance use\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/town-hall-panel-1.jpg?fit=1046%2C426&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/town-hall-panel-1.jpg?fit=1046%2C426&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/town-hall-panel-1.jpg?fit=1046%2C426&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/town-hall-panel-1.jpg?fit=1046%2C426&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25399,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/05\/20\/genesee-orleans-gcasa-foundation-awards-four-scholarships-recognizes-individuals-agencies-as-friends\/","url_meta":{"origin":41198,"position":1},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/GCASA Foundation awards four scholarships, recognizes individuals, agencies as \u2018Friends\u2019","author":"aka","date":"May 20, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release Two senior class members from Charles D\u2019Amico High School in Albion and one from Pavilion Central School were honored with Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Foundation scholarships today during the organization\u2019s annual meeting via Zoom videoconferencing. Melissa Robinson and Madelin Tabor of Albion and Madison Maniace\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/madelin-tabor-photo1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":52239,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/04\/08\/genesee-county-former-nfl-quarterback-ryan-leaf-to-speak-about-substance-use-disorder-mental-health-on-may-8\/","url_meta":{"origin":41198,"position":2},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf to speak about substance use disorder, mental health on May 8","author":"aka","date":"April 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, right, and former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Ham at a Legends & Stars event in February 2023 at Batavia Downs Gaming. 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