All aspects of substance addiction — from recognizing the problem to recovery — were discussed at length during a unique program Monday evening in the Tamaqua Area High School auditorium.

A Pathways to Recovery conference featured a panel discussion by experts on the subject that covered available treatments, help for those without insurance or financial resources, integration back into society and the importance of demonstrating support to abuse victims.

In addition, the Schuylkill County MH/MR and Drug and Alcohol office set up an exhibit it called “Hidden in Plain Sight,” which was a model of a bedroom that contained everyday items that can conceal drugs or paraphernalia.

In the hallway outside the auditorium, dozens of exhibitors and resource facilities offering assistance for various crisis situations including drug abuse, suicide prevention, grandparents raising grandchildren and domestic violence offered literature and handouts for their respective agency

The main part of the program was the panel discussion on substance abuse that featured nine people — most of them professionals — talking about treatment options, including the return to society for addicts who complete treatment.

The event was organized by Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol. Moderator for the panel discussion was Rosemarie Lister, network director of community health for St. Luke’s University Health Network.

Jamie Drake of the Carbon- Monroe-Pike Drug & Alcohol Commission explained the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative, which is often utilized in the region. She said under LETI, law enforcement can hand off people with drug or alcohol related problems to their office for potential treatment. “We hold the charges and if they complete the program, sometimes the charges are dropped,” she said.

Rob Mikulski, also of the Carbon-Monroe-Pike agency, said 40 people in Monroe County who went through the program had criminal charges dismissed.

Mark Reese said that annually about 20 million families are affected by substance abuse. He said recovery is a twofold process. One is recovery of the addict. The other requires others to get an understanding of addiction.

Brent Reber, a certified recovery specialist, said “unconditional love is a key.” He said such love means you “will do anything you can to help, but you will not enable that addiction.”

According to Dr. Gregory Dobosh of St. Luke’s University Health Network, “I look at addiction as a medical disease.” He said there are various treatments, some of them medical, which are utilized the same as you use medicines for diabetes or high blood pressure.

“In the whole, wide world, no one had been punished into wellness,” he said. “My goal is to use evidenced based medicine to turn that sickness off,” stressing that it must be used in conjunction with other treatment options.

Other speakers mentioned 24-hour help lines, free transportation for treatment and how you can get help either by walking into a county drug and alcohol office or talking to your personal physician.

Reese said the various available programs “have saved my life, and I want to help someone else going forth.”

Regarding the “Hidden in Plain Sight” exhibit, Pearl Roberts, drug and alcohol administrator for Schuylkill County, showed typical things in a bedroom that can conceal drugs or related items.

A computer mouse can contain a tiny scale, a deodorant tube can be hollow and have drugs, a book can have a cavity for materials and a hair brush can double as a flask.

“All these items can be purchased on Amazon,” she said. “No one is doing an age check on Amazon.”