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THE initial PROBLEM we addressed

STEPS was created to prevent behavioral health problems by helping people live life better. This genesis or background helps explain how unique and life-changing this transformational ministry approach can be. 

It’s a simple yet tragic fact that people we know, some we are close to, will suffer from compulsive, harmful habits at some point during their lives. Unless they do something about it first, and unless they get help.

The good news is that we can often prevent behavioral health issues including addiction and mental health problems. The breakthrough is that we can prevent them by teaching people how to live life better.

As a dramatic example, addiction is a tornado that can destroy the lives of people affected and those around them. But there is hope: people can recover. Better yet, first-time addiction and relapse can be prevented!

How big has the addiction epidemic become?

  • Substance addictions strike 1 in 7 people, and almost half of all families will deal with it at some point.
  • 30% of adults suffer from alcohol abuse, and 10% of adults are recovering from drug and alcohol issues.
  • More than 75% of people with alcohol issues are employed full-time. They are 33 % less productive than co-workers, and they make up nearly half of workers’ compensation claims.
  • 75% of high school students use addictive substances, and 90% of those with addiction start before age 18.
  • Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death. Opiod overdose drives an epidemic of deaths.

Sadly, 90% of people who are in danger don’t get help for their problem. If they do, it’s normally after they have crashed, and they must go through extended recovery in order to rebuild their life.

Why don’t people do something sooner? Because they are not aware of the depth of their issue, or they are in denial. For many others, they just don’t know what to do. In addition, they are embarrassed—ashamed—about their problem, and they don’t want to talk to anyone about it.

So they do nothing.

The solution

If you wanted to know how to prevent a disease, you would go to a hospital. But, to learn how to prevent addiction, there are few places to go. The good news is that life-changing principles and techniques are available from the world of recovery and other disciplines, and they can make a huge difference in people’s lives earlier in the addiction cycle. In a hospital, you can get a flu shot to avoid getting sick. There is also a vaccine for addiction and, with our help, it can be available to anyone.

Because there are things which can be learned, and practiced, that will help prevent addiction.

There are proven principles that have worked for decades for millions of people around the world. The tools and concepts practiced in recovery can help prevent addiction and relapse! Except for the Bible, they are the best guidance ever known for how to live in a resilient and effective manner, and they complement the work of pastors, therapists, and psychiatrists.

But these principles are largely unrecognized and unused outside the world of recovery!

Prevention can be taught, and it can be learned. It starts by developing an early warning system to detect a problem before it reaches the crisis stage. We can learn to practice healthy lifestyle behaviors to give us the resilience to withstand the issues and trials we all face in life. And we can reach out to others for help and encouragement, rather that turning to substance abuse.

Today, the vast majority of activity focuses on recovery, surely a much-needed set of disciplines. But there is little organized and effective activity to help people detect and avert problems earlier in the addiction cycle. We can help change that.

Our Response

Substance abuse and mental health issues are an epidemic, and STEPS Ministries cares deeply about those who are hurting. We want every hurting person to know how to detect problems earlier and take positive steps. Our vision is to prevent these issues by enabling people to find help, healing, and hope.

We will help people positively change the trajectory of their lives by providing Awareness, Connection, and Education to help them establish a healthy lifestyle:

Awareness: Some people may be slow to connect the dots that something they have been doing has become a compulsive habit. Others are in denial and may need a wake-up call to understand the negative consequences they are creating. To help people take a positive step forward, we will increase their awareness and understanding, and we will give them hope.

Connection: We can be an encouraging voice to urge people to reach out and find others they can talk to, and we can show how helpful it is to join a support group or see a counselor. Everyone needs someone who will meet them where they are and help them take the next right step. We will be an advocate to assist those needing help and connection.

Education: We can help those dealing with shame by letting them see that we all have issues. Many people need useful information and assistance, and they may be overwhelmed by the clutter of material on the internet. Sometimes, people simply need education on what they can do. We will provide training and healing for the prevention of substance abuse.

Everyone is hurting. These issues affect every family, company, church, school, and organization. STEPS is called to help those people and organizations.