A new substance abuse and mental health facility, KAM’s Corner, LLC, is working to provide judgment-free treatment for individuals struggling with addiction and mental health disorders, helping them reintegrate into the community.
CEO and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Tina Street said many people turn to substance use as a coping mechanism for underlying issues such as trauma, depression, or family struggles.
“Most people utilize substances to deal with those issues rather than going to the right resources because either they don’t have the right knowledge to do it, they don’t have the resources to do it, or they don’t have the motivation to do it,” she said.
Since substance abuse and mental health disorders often coincide, KAM’s aims to help individuals recognize the impact of substance use on their lives while addressing their mental health challenges.
“We can’t focus on healing our mental health if there’s substance use involved,” Street said. “Then while they’re going that way, we’re helping them with their trauma, we’re helping them with their depression, bipolar, and family issues and kind of getting them back into obtaining and maintaining those interpersonal relationships within their family structures, friends, and peers.”
KAM’s, short for Kicking Addictive Mentalities, also works to connect clients with educational, employment, and housing resources.
“We have a lot of housing issues really everywhere, but especially in Patrick County,” Street said. “So, we provide a level of residential resources.”
Clients must be drug-free to qualify for these resources, but KAM’s still works with the community to identify other available assistance.
Street emphasized that recovery requires a fresh start, but many people return to old environments and influences, increasing the likelihood of relapse.
“Most often, they go back into the people, places, and things that they just came from. If you’re not strong enough to say no to your triggers, to say no to your cravings, most often people will relapse. So, we’re just trying to be that step in-between,” she said.
Founded in 2023, KAM’s has served 30-40 individuals and currently assists about 20 clients—many of whom are walk-ins.
“We do not have to have a specialist, like a doctor, does not have to send you there,” Street said. “They can walk in and say, ‘Hey, I need some services.’ We assess them, and they can start if their insurance approves them.”
Because recovery is a personal journey, clients may participate in KAM’s step-up and step-down programs for anywhere from six months to three years.
“It just depends on their journey and how much help they need. Some people come in and they’re already clean, they just need that extra push to kind of help with the cravings. So, they come into the class and they get taught how to deal with their triggers and how to cope with whatever else they have going on since drugs is no longer the case,” she said, adding people could potentially be in there six months and be able to step down to another program to where they don’t need intensive services.
Programs include:
*ASAM Level 2.5: Partial hospitalization, requiring five hours of group therapy, five days a week.
*ASAM Level 2.1: Intensive outpatient care, requiring three to four sessions per week, each lasting three hours.
Mental Health Skill-Building also helps clients develop daily life skills, including managing medications, applying for jobs, handling household responsibilities, and accessing community resources.
Substance Use Case Management connects individuals to resources for continued recovery.
Clients in the Peer Support Program, Street’s favorite program, receive mentorship from individuals who have successfully overcome addiction.
“Often times, people gravitate to those who have been on the journey that they have been on because they feel like people understand. A lot of us professionals, we have the book knowledge, but we’ve never been through the journey,” Street said. “Peer support is so special because you have somebody who has been there, who knows your feelings – they know what’s going on, they know what you’re feeling, they have been in your shoes. But they got out of it, and they stayed clean and now they have chosen to help others do that.”
KAM’s plans to introduce two new programs in the coming months:
ASAM Level 3.1: A residential housing program for individuals leaving rehab or intensive care. Clients will focus on finding permanent housing, employment, or educational opportunities while maintaining sobriety.
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Services: A team-based approach for individuals with severe mental illness who have not benefited from other treatments.
“This service is a group-based service, and actually it’s more intensive. Whenever you have more intensive services you have more professionals that’s dealing with them. If no other program has worked, you’ve been in services for years and years and you’re not getting any better, or your journey has been a rollercoaster ride, ACT services will help you,” Street said.
Street’s motivation for opening KAM’s is deeply personal—her mother, a Patrick County resident, struggled with addiction for years.
“She’s been clean and sober for 20-plus years, and she’s actually our office manager,” Street said. “I saw how people treated her, and I just did not like that. I think that people are still people no matter what their situation is.”
Recognizing limited mental health and addiction services in the county, Street was determined to bring more accessible treatment options to the community.
“Of course, Piedmont Community Services can’t serve everybody,” she said. “That’s when I said, ‘I’m going to put something in Patrick County because these people deserve it.’ They deserve to not have to travel to Martinsville or Roanoke for help.”
Since opening, KAM’s has received positive feedback from residents, confirming the need for additional support services.
Many of KAM’s 10 employees are Street’s family members, including her sisters, cousins, and mother.
“That is the atmosphere we want to create,” she said. “We stay humble, nonjudgmental, and family-oriented. Honestly, I think that most people just need some love.”
KAM’s Corner is located at 797 Woodland Drive in Stuart and is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, call (276) 734-3421 or email t.street@kamscornerllc.com.
