CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Less than two months after the premiere of the Netflix documentary “Recovery Boys,” the founder of the facility at the center of the film says he has seen an increase in interest regarding addiction treatment options.
“Recovery Boys” was directed and produced by Elaine McMillion Sheldon and Kerrin Sheldon, their first film released following the Academy Award-nominated “Heroin(e).” It was released June 29 and has received positive reviews from outlets including the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.
The documentary follows four men recovering from opioid addiction and the treatment they underwent at Jacob’s Ladder in Aurora, showing their six months of rehabilitation and the following year after completing the program.
A free screening of the film took place Wednesday at the University of Charleston.
Elaine McMillion Sheldon said one of the most important things to happen because of the film is a jump in calls to Jacob’s Ladder.
“They receive 20, 30 calls a day now for the rehab from people all around the world about how to get help,” she said.
Jacob’s Ladder founder and medical director Dr. Kevin Blankenship said the increased interest amazed him at first.
“There’s so much stigma related to addiction, especially locally. I was a little bit surprised by how well this was really playing not only in the state of West Virginia, but also nationally and internationally,” he said.
Jacob’s Ladder is a working farm that provides individuals with substance abuse treatment options. According to Blankenship, the facility has multiple programs, including a psychotherapeutic model, 12-step initiatives and efforts centered on arts training.
“I really wanted to take from the neuroscience model of addiction and work on the whole aspect of future think and getting these guys out of the neural pathways of immediate gratification,” he said. “Nothing better than a farm to show you what I do today, I won’t benefit from until down the road.”
Blankenship said the calls range from compliments about his efforts and interest in starting similar facilities, but also inquiries from people seeking recovery.
“We want to engage them as much as we can,” he said. “It is very stigma related, and you may only get that one opportunity.”
Blankenship said the options mentioned for callers include treatment at Jacob’s Ladder and resources available in West Virginia and nationally. He also said there is a sense of openness in the conversations about the next steps to take.
“This film has humanized addiction way better than anything else that has been done before,” he noted.
Kerrin Sheldon described the film as a telling of how people enter addiction and address recovery.
“A lot of these guys have felonies and a lot of things that drugs caused. Getting new jobs, getting hired, getting on with your life and all of those sorts of challenges are wrapped up into this as well,” he said. “It’s a whole host of other things, situations and contexts that these guys are trying to overcome.”
Elaine McMillion Sheldon said the film has already been screened in Morgantown, and there are plans for future showings in Morgantown and Huntington.