Addiction and Recovery Collaborative - UI ARC

12/19/2025

Last Holiday Gift Drive update!!

Yesterday, thank you to the generosity of our donors, the help of 223 Baby Co and West Branch Christmas Past, and the hard work of our team, we provided gifts for 12 children and their mothers! 🎁🎁🎁

Sending all of our patients, supporters, staff, and followers some extra love this holiday season. Continue to show up for one another and yourselves, and stay warm!

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Looking for substance use treatment in the Iowa City area? Give us a call 📱 (319) 335-6980

12/17/2025

12/15/2025

Thank you to the incredible group at ASAC's Heart of Iowa for hosting us again this year for some picture frame-decorating and ornament-making! 📸🎄

We are always thrilled to bring a craft project and some camaraderie to our parter centers, and Heart of Iowa is one of those most close to our hearts. One of our lead Peer Recovery Coaches, Amanda, spent time at Heart of Iowa during her recovery, and has now taken the lead in planning this yearly craft night.

"ASAC Heart of Iowa is a special place to me because it was there that I relearned how to be human again. How to be a mother," Amanda shares. "I never lost my newborn son because I was able to go there for my treatment, and he came right along with me. So it’s super special that I not only get to work with the moms there in the Mobile MAT Clinic, but also hosting the Mommy and Me craft day. It truly is my favorite event of the entire year!"

Happy holidays from the UI ARC team, and stay warm this week, Iowans! 🌨💛

Area Substance Abuse Council - ASAC

12/10/2025

HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE UPDATE ⛄📦🎄

Thank you so much to 223 Baby Co for facilitating a large donation of gifts from West Branch's "A Christmas Past" Holiday Festival! With gifts for the moms as well as toys for their kiddos, we are on our way to providing for the most amazing holiday season for families at Area Substance Abuse Council - ASAC's Heart of Iowa.

12/09/2025

On Saturday morning, seven UI ARC team members and their guests volunteered for Houses into Homes, loading furniture and dropping it off at four residences in the Iowa City area.

It was, as always, a rewarding experience and especially heartwarming this time of year. Thank you to the team members who volunteered their time (and got a workout in!) for a good cause. 🚚 ❄️ 🛏️

Houses Into Homes is an amazing organization that relies heavily on volunteers! If you haven't checked them out, we urge you to visit https://www.housesintohomes.org to learn more.

12/05/2025

Just a few weeks until the end of our Area Substance Abuse Council - ASAC — UI ARC Holiday Toy Drive for mothers in recovery and their kiddos.

The photo below of Kelsey and Amanda is from last year; this year, we haven't yet received many donations. We haven't given up hope, though, and we can't wait to see how much this fundraiser grows by the 17th!!

If you'd like to contribute, here is the link to more information:https://uiarc.uiowa.edu/sites/uiarc.uiowa.edu/files/2025-12/holiday-hope-toy-drive-2025-FINAL.pdf

Drop off bin located at 223 Baby Co on S. Dubuque Street in downtown Iowa City📍or in MEB (Room 1-292)

⛄❄️🎁

12/03/2025

At University of Iowa Health Care, care doesn’t stop at our clinic doors. From research to education to outreach across the state, we’re committed to supporting all Iowans —not just in moments of need, but every single day.

UI ARC's mission is more specific, but follows the same path: to drive meaningful change for the betterment of people with substance use disorders. And how do we do this?
- Clinical Services
- Outreach
- Education
- Research
(And more!)

It's , and if you feel so inclined, feel free to head to https://donate.givetoiowa.org/s/1773/giving/19/interior.aspx?sid=1773&gid=2&pgid=509&cid=1288&dids=1289.&appealcode=GFWEB to support UI ARC's mission.

Any funds raised will be used to provide unrestricted support for UI ARC! (Uses include, but are not limited to, research, clinical care, and education costs.) 👩‍⚕️🎓

12/02/2025

Rotation Site #2: UI ARC is partnering with longtime collaborator ASAC for the RISE-IA Project!

The Area Substance Abuse Council - ASAC has served Eastern Iowa for more than 45 years, providing prevention, treatment, and recovery support services to over 3,500 individuals annually. ASAC operates licensed outpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), inpatient, partial hospitalization, and halfway house programs, as well as transitional housing and prevention services across seven counties.

Via ASAC's involvement with the RISE-IA Project, students of varying disciplines will have the opportunity to shadow substance use-specific treatment across seven counties in Iowa!

This rotation will be observation-only and typically a one-day shadowing session, with ASAC being unavailable for full-length rotations for the time being.

We’re grateful for this partnership and excited to introduce students to an organization that plays such a large role in Iowa’s continuum of care.

📍 Learn more about ASAC here: https://asac.us

11/28/2025

It's the last week of the month of giving thanks, and this week, Courtney's focus is on keeping good company. 🦃🍁

Her circle of friends (special shout-out to the coworkers that she has connected with at UI ARC!) push her out of her comfort zone and build her up every day.

Recovery can be so isolating, and without a support system that can weather the storms, a lot of people find themselves back where they started. "Connection is a choice— I'm choosing today to keep good company and to appreciate it," Courtney notes.

"I've learned it's about quality, not quantity. Having genuine relationships built on trust has made my journey that much easier," she adds.

11/27/2025

Sending gratitude and strength to our community this Thanksgiving!

The holidays can bring up a lot for those in recovery. ➡

If you are in crisis, contact Your Life Iowa by dialing 988.
If you are in emotional distress and need to talk to someone regarding mental health or substance use, The Warm Line is available 24/7 at 844-775-9276. They can help you access information and resources and can also connect you with a Peer Support Specialist! 🤝

Stay safe, Iowa City 🖤💛

11/26/2025

A huge congratulations to Area Substance Abuse Council - ASAC on the renaming of their residential treatment program for men to "Lost and Found Recovery Center."

Amazingly, this was inspired by The INTO LIGHT Project— specifically, the story of Michael “Mikey” Emberlin. Mikey dreamed of creating a space for those in recovery where they could truly find themselves again, free from judgement, stigma, or doubt. Devastatingly, he passed away from an overdose at age 28, and was never able to see this vision come to life.

When members of ASAC came across his story, they were immediately inspired by the idea of carrying on Mikey's dreams and legacy. "[Mikey's was] a story that stopped me in my tracks. The kind that has the power to save lives," writes Stephanie Boesenberg, Executive Director at ASAC.

To learn more about Mikey's story and ASAC's Lost and Found Recovery Center, visit https://asac.us/lost-and-found/ 💙🧡

11/26/2025

This is why we're here, and why we do what we do. Every day, every patient, and every push for change is different at UI ARC, and our team is constantly adapting to best face the challenges ahead!

To contact the Outpatient MAT Clinic, call (319) 335-6980.

Interested in naloxone training, learning about substance use, or other ways to collaborate? Email us at UIARC-Outreach@uiowa.edu. 📧