KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County, Missouri's COMBAT said their mission to make substance abuse history will continue during the coronavirus pandemic.
The county program said they fund nearly two dozen treatment programs helping people living with addiction.
COMBAT director Vince Ortega explained during the pandemic, the program is doing most of its work online and treatment programs they work with are adjusting in their operations.
"They used to have group sessions of 30 and 40. Now, they can only have 10 at a time. So they have to have more sessions. So that's strain on some of the counselors. They just didn't feel comfortable working there anymore because bringing it back to their families. So a lot of the counselors have worked overtime. And again, stretching those hours out," Ortega explained.
Ortega said there's always concern people battling addiction will lose progress in their battle, but the pandemic only increases the concern.
The director for the county program said work will continue during the pandemic.
