March 19, 2025
Reaching members where they are with Shanon Myers
Better Life Partners is now officially serving North Carolina with online and community-based treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorder. In this blog series, we’ll introduce you to our North-Carolina-based team, all dedicated to improving the health and safety of the place we call home.
Meet Shanon: as a Community Growth Manager, she builds relationships with partners like food banks, treatment providers, and corrections departments to help North Carolinians heal from addiction.
What part of our mission do you connect with?
After working in the Community Mental Health field for almost a decade I watched people struggle with being kicked out of traditional medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs when they had a setback. At their weakest moment, the organizations that committed to help them would often leave them without resources, medication, or any support at all. Better Life Partners brings to NC so much hope for those struggling with substance use disorder (SUD).
What does a typical day-in-the-life look like for your role?
I think that I have the absolute best job in the world right now. I get to go into the community and meet new people every day. I have the opportunity to meet potential community partners and potential members who may benefit from the services that we provide. I have the chance to tell them about the work we are doing and learn how we can work together to effect change here in North Carolina.
How do your experiences inform the work you do here?
As someone who has experienced some significant trauma and struggled in the past with opioid use disorder (OUD), having a resource like Better Life Partners 20 years ago for me would have helped to make my journey so much easier. Because of my experiences, I have an empathetic approach to our members and a passion for helping others know that there is another way.
What brings you joy or fuels you in your work?
What brings me joy is watching the light come on in someone’s eyes when they feel heard, accepted and appreciated as a human being. There is so much stigma here in NC surrounding any mental health, SUD or OUD disorder, so helping people know they are not alone is such a gift.
What makes Better Life Partners the right fit for your community?
I was so excited when I first learned about the model of care that Better Life Partners provides. It is unlike any other MAT program I’ve ever seen. Our ability to meet members where they are, integrating with community partners, and providing services that don’t require the weekly transportation costs will allow treatment to reach so many more people in need.
A large portion of our community here in NC is very rural and transportation is a tremendous barrier to care. It also allows a level of anonymity for individuals seeking treatment in a part of the country that is still very stigmatized.
The model of care we provide couldn’t be a better fit for the community here in NC and I can’t wait to see the difference we will be able to make for my fellow North Carolinians.