WARREN, Ohio - A Trumbull County organization is helping addicts in their fight to kick drug habits.

"The need is increasing exponentially, our phones are ringing off the hook daily," Jody Klasse says, Valley Counseling Services executive director.

Each day, VCS receives anywhere from 10 to 15 referrals to help people kick their desire to do drugs. The organization has four locations including its Market Street facility in downtown Warren.

Klasse says suboxone treatment is often used to help wean patients off of opiates, and most often it's heroin.

They can treat up to 30 patients on the pill plan at a time, but that's not the only way their team tries to help addict battle their urges to use. 

"We require our people to come to group counseling every week, to individual counseling, as well as going to AA meetings," Dr. Ronald Yendrek says, VCS medical director.

Dr. Yendrek says the pills are a temporary fix that patients usually take for two years, but during the second year, they're slowly weaned off their prescribed dosage.

"Our idea is to get people totally off of all the medications," he says.

Patients share their experiences with others in group counseling sessions-- a group that's often made up of people from all walks of life. 

The organization works with about 5,000 people each year who suffer from mental illness and drug abuse problems.