COMBAT adjusts during pandemic

COMBAT is adjusting to help those with drug abuse during the pandemic.

NOW TO OUR CONTINUINGCOVERAGE OF THECORONAVIRUS..THIS MORNING -- WE'RETAKING A CLOSER LOOK ATHOW THE PANDEMIC ISIMPACTING ESSENTIALSERVICES -- LIKE JACKSONCOUNTY COMBAT.THEIR WORK TO ADDRESSSUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THEAREA AND HELP PEOPLEWHO ARE DEALING WITH ITDOESN'T STOP.41 ACTION NEWS ANCHORBRYANT MADDRICK ISHERE THIS MORNING TOSHOW US HOW THEY'VESHIFTED THEIR APPROACH.JACKSON COUNTY COMBATSAYS THEIR MISSION IS TOMAKE SUBSTANCE ABUSEHISTORY.DURING A HISTORICPANDEMIC, THAT WORK ISLOOKING DIFFERENTHE DIRECTOR OF THECOUNTY PROGRAM SAYSMOST OF THEIR WORK HASSHIFTED ONLINE.COMBAT FUNDS NEARLYTWO DOZEN TREATMENTPROGRAMS HELPINGADDICTS GET CLEAN.PROGRAM DIRECTORVINCE ORTEGA SAYS THEPANDEMIC HASN'TSTOPPED THEM FROMSENDING MONEY TO DRUTREATMENT PROGRAMS.HOWEVER, THOSEPROGRAMS ARE HAVINGTO ADJUST IN HOW THEYHELP PEOPLE.VINCE ORTEGA / JACKSONCOUNTY COMBAT04:05-04:33"Instead of be where theyused to have group sessionsof 30 and 40.

Now they havto, you know, they can onlyhave 10 at a time.

So theyhave to have more sessionsAnd so that's strange that thatand some of the some of thcounselors.

They just didn'tfeel comfortable working thereanymore because bringing iback to their families.

So a lotof the counselors have workeovertime.

And again,stretching those stretchingthose hours out."ORTEGA SAYS THISPANDEMIC IS NO DOUBTCAUSING A STRAIN ANDTHERE'S CONCERN THEPROGRESS SOME PEOPLEHAVE MADE MAY BEERASED.HOWEVER, HE ADDS THEWORK TO HELP PEOPLEBEAT THEIR ADDICTIONCONTINUES.IN MY NEXT REPORT, WETAKE A LOOK AT THE ROLCRIMINAL JUSTICE PLAYSIN FIGHTING ADDICTIONAND HOW THEY'READJUSTING.IN THE NEWSROOM, I'MBRYANT MADDRICK.

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