Ann James is a woman on a mission.
“I’m passionate about what I do,” she says.
James and her teammates blanket eight South Carolina counties with information, outreach, tools, and advocacy to battle substance use disorder. You will find them in church fellowship halls, at community events, and inside encampments of unhoused people.
James joined Lutheran Services Carolinas in November of 2023 as program director for Trinity Recovery. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina and previously worked with survivors of domestic violence. Earlier in her career, James conducted annual trainings on substance use disorder for the military.
In addition to her training and counseling expertise, “recovery is a topic close to my heart,” James said. “I’ve seen the effects of substance use disorder in so many families and communities. Where there is trauma, substance use disorder often follows – whether you are talking about soldiers and veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or intergenerational trauma in the Black community or other marginalized groups.”
James brings all these skills and interests to her work with Trinity Recovery. Launched in 2022 with a $200,000 grant from the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS), the program trains Lutheran congregations in Greenwood, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland counties to help individuals overcome substance use disorder.
“One of our goals is to create ‘recovery-informed’ congregations that meet people where they are,” James noted. “When it comes to recovery, our word choices matter, and we want the churches in the community to understand the language of recovery. We talk about substance use disorder because it is a true disorder, and we need to view it as we would any other physical or mental illness.”
Recovery Informed Congregation training is designed to help members of the clergy identify the stages of readiness as a person moves from active addiction to recovery. They learn how to administer naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose. And they learn about community resources so when someone seeks help, congregants know how to guide them.
Congregational training is just one of Trinity Recovery’s community services. In the counties mentioned above – as well as in Calhoun, Kershaw, Orangeburg, and Sumter counties – Trinity Recovery provides peer support and distributes harm reduction kits with naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and xylazine test strips.
“We have harm reduction kits available on our table at pop-up events, and we distribute them to areas where unsheltered people are living,” noted James. “We also provide hygiene kits, food, clothing, and bus passes. Trinity Recovery also provides services such as ongoing case management, helping clients apply for jobs, and helping clients find the treatment program that fits their needs.”
James stated that “substance use disorder does not discriminate. It can happen to anyone.”
Being present and prepared is a crucial part of James’s work.
“Being visible in the community is so important,” James remarked. “At one pop-up event, a young man came up to our table, checked out our swag, and said ‘I don’t need trinkets… I just need help.’ He was ready to get help. Other people are not ready yet, but they will take a flyer or a business card and call us later. Whenever they contact us, we will be there to assist them.”
James actively seeks out partnerships with other nonprofits; she recently met with a local inpatient treatment program to talk about ways to work together.
“Recovery is life changing and lifesaving,” James added. “We must change the narrative around substance use. We must eliminate the negative stigma and give people the grace they need for them to be willing to accept help from the community.”
Click here to learn more about LSC’s recovery services.