Meet Jeremy! Jeremy began his career as a Substance Use Disorder Counselor at Horizon’s Niagara Falls Boulevard location in 2005. His career path at Horizon has included various roles throughout the years, such as Clinical Supervisor, Associate Director, and Program Director, just to name a few. Jeremy now serves as Horizon’s Corporate Director of Detox and Stabilization and is responsible for overseeing daily operations for our Horizon Village Terrace House location. Keep reading below to learn about how Jeremy has grown in his career!
What kinds of trainings/ad hoc committees/workgroups have you been a part of that have supported your growth?
I’ve had many different experiences that have contributed to my growth throughout my years at Horizon. During my time working as a clinician and manager, I was a liaison for multiple Drug Courts, which helped me develop a broader understanding of the work we do in our industry.
Engaging with the community has also helped me develop throughout the years. I served as a consultant and committee member for many Family Support Centers and Substance Abuse Prevention Coalitions for schools. Through facilitating trainings on various topics such as treating opioid use disorders, empathy, marijuana use, Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT), and more, I’ve been able to share my knowledge and education with our community at-large. These opportunities afforded to me have aided in my growth into my current role at Horizon.
Can you speak to the mentorship relationships you’ve developed over the years and how these have helped you grow as a leader?
When I transitioned into the role of Program Director, I was assigned a mentor. My mentor, Lisa, and I completed a personality test and explored how my personality impacted my leadership qualities.
Through managing different teams, I’ve been able to mentor others, which not only allows for growth of our team members but has allowed for my own self-exploration and development as well.
Aside from attending trainings on clinical supervision and leadership, I attended the first round of the “Gold Level Leadership” series, which included interactive presentations and opportunities for follow-up mentorship from our Executive Management team.
Do you have any goals for further growth within your role at Horizon?
A present goal of mine is strengthening the mental health services provided within Horizon Village Terrace House (HVTH). More and more patients are presenting to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) inpatient services with serious mental illnesses. Many patients are passed between traditional SUD rehabs and inpatient psych programs and are oftentimes turned away from both. HVTH is already known for taking patients with chronic medical conditions and mental health disorders that other programs decline.
Our clinical staff are working to become more knowledgeable in differentiating between diagnoses. Some of our staff have begun educating other staff and providing consultation to coworkers. We are also educating non-clinical staff to have familiarity with these diagnoses to better understand the behaviors and how they intervene with patient’s daily living skills. The goal is to become effective in treating patients beyond SUD concerns, as well as providing a more person-centered approach to overall healthcare needs.
What would you say to someone who may be interested in growing in their career with Horizon?
One of the reasons Horizon is repeatedly a “Best Company to Work for in NYS” (for 15 consecutive years!) is because of the opportunities. Everybody has ideas and suggestions, but if you are willing to put in the effort to back your ideas, almost anything is on the table. Even if you are not sure what you want to do or where you want to go, put in effort and people will notice. At Horizon, opportunities will present themselves.
Interested in joining an organization where your ideas are valued? Join our team today!