Members of the Brownsville campus community take part in Tuesday’s Recovery Walkathon. Shown (from left) are communication junior Rebecca Rodriguez, Students Rights and Responsibilities Senior Program Coordinator Jaime Richeson, Counseling Specialist Jorge Muñoz, biological sciences freshman Jessica Banda, biology freshman Stephanie Lamas and education senior Felicia Rodriguez.
The UTRGV Counseling Center and the Collegiate Recovery Program sponsored the Recovery Walkathon last Tuesday at the Student Union in Brownsville.
The Recovery Walkathon aimed to spread awareness to students about addiction, substance abuse and other health-related issues.
“We’re bringing attention to recovery. We’re making sure that our students that are in recovery or want to be in recovery know that we have services,” said UTRGV Counseling Specialist Jorge A. Muñoz.
The Counseling Center invited several organizations that offer services throughout the community, including Origins Recovery of South Padre Island, Behavioral Health Solutions and Tropical Texas Behavioral Health.
“We had about 30 people sign up for the walk today and it was great,” Muñoz said. “They read statistics and quotes dealing with recovery while they walked.”
Members of the community and several UTRGV staff members helped with the Recovery Walkathon.
Muñoz said the department wants to help students, faculty and staff in all related mental health issues. Chris Albert is the director of and psychologist for the Counseling Center on both campuses. Albert can now refer clients to a local psychiatrist if he deems it necessary.
David Tejeda and Janaleen Solis, of Origins Recovery Healthcare, spoke about their role in raising awareness in the community.
“Something might be in the works to start helping with the public and the university,” Tejeda said. “We can educate people and offer conferences.”
He noted the lack of programs and services offered, especially in the Rio Grande Valley.
“… We would like to help educate and give back to the community,” Tejeda said.
Members of the community and several UTRGV staff members helped with the Recovery Walkathon. The Counseling Center plans to hold several more events and programs targeted to help the university and community in the weeks to come.
