Melissa Huntington, Executive Director of Four Corners Community Behavioral Health, took to the podium at the Carbon County Commission meeting on Wednesday evening to begin the annual public hearing for input regarding mental health and substance use disorder treatment needs in Carbon County.
Huntington stated that she has been employed with Four Corners for 20 years. Each year, they host a public hearing in every county they serve, which includes Carbon, Emery and Grand counties, for the purpose of providing an opportunity for the public to make comments on the services they provide.
This is part of the work that is conducted with Medicaid as well as the interlocal agreement that Four Corners has with each county. Grand County’s hearing was the evening before and Emery County’s will take place within the week.
Huntington stated that they would love to hear any feedback or comments from the public and announced that 2022 is the year that they will be celebrating 50 years in operation.
Commissioner Tony Martines expressed his appreciation for the services that Four Corners provides and extended appreciation before the public hearing was opened. A number of individuals spoke, all of which have used or are currently utilizing the services provided by the establishment.
One drug court participant stated that Four Corners has been a game-changer for him and, through funding for treatment, he has been able to get through the first 90 days, which he credited as the hardest in regard to recovery. He shared that Four Corners helped him address his addiction and other issues as well, such as trauma and gaining coping skills.
Another individual that graduated from drug court spoke, stating that they helped her overcome things in her past that made her struggle. She was able to return to school and now interns at Four Corners.
The praise continued with another stating that if it wasn’t for the counseling services provided by Four Corners, she would have missed a lot of her life. “Four Corners has been a lifesaver. Tremendously, a lifesaver,” she shared.
Commissioner Larry Jensen serves on the Four Corners board of directors and said that it has been one of the highlights of his job to attend those meetings. He said he is honored to rub shoulders with the staff and those that take care of members of the community.
“There’s a sweet spirit about the work you do and all of those that work at Four Corners carry that with them,” said Commissioner Jensen.
Commission Chair Casey Hopes thanked Four Corners and explained that they are bound within a certain parameter of law and they have to operate within it. However, it takes a broad support group to help people with addiction and mental illness.