The Transformation Church in Grove City, PA opened the Grove City Recovery Resource Center Tuesday, Nov. 6 to offer religious-centered addiction treatment to locals. The program is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Walk-ins are available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

The recovery resource center offers support groups for those who seek treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. Director Kayleen Hilyer says the program started because Grove City did not have enough resources for people dealing with drug addiction.

"The attitude has been if you don't talk about it, it doesn't exist," she said. 

The Recovery Resource Center is the sixth addiction treatment center in Mercer County. Each facility coordinates under the Mercer County Behavioral Health Commission.

SCA director at the Mercer County BHC Sabrina Kriebel says Grove City faced barriers to addiction treatment before the recovery center opened.

"We work very hard with our treatment and recovery centers to try to bolster the recovery efforts in the county," she said.

The number of overdose-related deaths in Mercer County dropped from a high of 67 in 2021 to 25 last year, according to the Mercer County BHC.

Trainings and seminars for topics related to substance abuse are available at the recovery center. Other resources include information about alcoholics anonymous and mental health services.