Workit Health is taking its addiction recovery program on the road in an Airstream trailer that will visit underserved areas around Michigan starting in July.
Founded in Oakland, Calif., Workit is a private online service to help people break addictions. The company has a northern office in Ann Arbor, and co-founder Lisa McLaughlin is originally from Michigan. McLaughlin says those "deep roots" in Michigan inspired Workit to kick off a tour of five communities in the state.
Lenawee and Livingston counties were identified as communities to visit early in the trip, McLaughlin says, but Workit is keeping the itinerary fluid so the team can go where it finds the greatest need.
"We want to develop a deep understanding of where there are treatment gaps," McLaughlin says. "That can mean people are not moving from detox to outpatient care, or they're not living somewhere close to appropriate addiction care."
A team composed of a medical assistant, nurse practitioner, and a doctor will do assessments and develop personalized treatment plans for those who visit the trailer. The team will also get patients up and running on Workit's online program, where patients can receive regular counseling and assignments to help with addiction recovery.
McLaughlin says the trailer tour is an "evolution" of Workit's ongoing mission.
"We've done incredible work in the earlier stages of addiction, getting people into the program through our website or through their employers," McLaughlin says. "But with this giant opioid crisis, it became inevitable that we'd be dealing with later-stage cases."
She says the trailer program is just one way Workit can help brick-and-mortar health systems meet the urgent need for addiction recovery services.
"It's very clear that a last-mile solution is needed and there's no time to lose," she says. "We're not going to wait until all these health systems catch up. We have all the pieces, and we're putting them together and bringing them to you."
This piece is part of a series highlighting local business growth in the Ann Arbor area. It is supported by Ann Arbor SPARK.
Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township. You may reach her at sarahrigg1@gmail.com.
Photo courtesy of Workit Health.
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