Recovery campus project gets underway

SIKESTON, Mo. (KBSI) – A faith-based substance abuse recovery center called Mission Missouri of Sikeston has announced their expansion. Mission Missouri plans to provide a wide range of options for those who struggle with substance use through a recovery campus. 

According to the substance abuse and mental help hotline more than 48 million people aged 12 and older struggle with substance abuse disorder or addiction.

Jane Pfefferkorn is the Executive Director of Mission Missouri she says substance abuse is an issue in Missouri and they’re hope at Mission Missouri is to provide those struggling with addiction with a wide range of help through expansion and services. 

“Things like meth, and opioids and other things like that fentanyl now they are killing our kiddos and we have got to do something different.” 

And doing something different is what Mission Missouri is doing. Currently the facility in Sikeston offers substance abuse support. They offer outpatient services for men and can house 16 women for inpatient faith-based rehab services. On Monday, May 20th Mission Missouri purchased the lot at 509 w. Gladys to build recovery houses and purchased the lot at 518 ruth for a parking lot. The purchases are part of a three-phase plan that will build a recovery campus to address the critical need for recovery support services, including recovery housing for individuals recovering from addiction within the community.

Jane says this project is a community effort.

“It takes everybody and its through advocacy and support that were really able to provide these services that people need, and these services are really limited in the community, and they would be the first to tell you that we need that collaboration.”  

Deb Baker is the residential director at Mission Missouri, and she says the recovery campus will have an effect on the community as a whole not just those who are struggling with substance abuse. 

I think sometimes people in the community if it doesn’t affect their family or if they don’t deal with it realize that it actually does because it costs the average Missourian when people go to prison, when they’re arrested, when they go to the emergency room without insurance but not only that when we can expand and offer housing and stuff that is going to provide community because when people get into long term recovery their the most hardworking, they’re the most loyal, the most committed people do not realize that. So if we set up a small community that’s going to filter into the neighborhood.” 

Ashley Ballard was a resident at Mission Missouri who graduated from the program and now works as house manager for the facility.

She shares how the program helped her. 

“So when I came to Mission Missouri, I did not know god and so as I went through the program, I just gave it a try. I learned really quickly that in order to stay sober and to stay in the program that I could not got home. So I quickly cut off my boundaries there and that’s why I feel like the community helps too because its people, places, and things. You know there’s a lot of people that get out of the program and they go right back to the same things that they were doing before and its crucial to know that you can’t do that. Not early recovery you cannot do that, so having a safe place for people to go is super important.” 

The recovery campus services will be completely free and is estimated to be done in 3-5 years and everyone who struggles with substance abuse is welcome regardless of where you live.

Mission Missouri leaders say if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction to reach out to them for services.