THE ADDICTION RESOURCE ADVOCATE

Dr. Nikki Arvon

Provider and Administrator, West Virginia University Crisis Support and Recovery Center

SUPERPOWER: Loving people

Born in Martinsburg, Dr. Nikki Arvon always knew she wanted to stay in West Virginia, but she wasn’t sure which career path was the right one for her. Her family members were mostly teachers, and she considered that path as well, since knew she wanted to help people—it seemed the realistic choice. But in her heart she wondered about a career in medicine. Then one day, a beloved chemistry teacher pulled her aside and told her he really hoped she would pursue medicine, because he thought she was capable. “Because he thought I could do it, I thought I could do it, and here I am.”

Eventually, Arvon found her place in addiction management. After years of working in different environments, including primary care and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, she felt called to provide outpatient services for addiction medicine.

Arvon advocates for more broad-scale treatment for her patients and believes those in treatment need long-term recovery care, including not only withdrawal management and transitional housing but transportation and access to the necessary levels of support. She has seen many people in treatment thwarted by circumstances outside their immediate control and believes that both patients and communities benefit when that access is available.

Arvon would also like to see more life skills training, which is especially necessary for those who don’t have a support system, never completed school, or have been incarcerated. “All those things that kids are supposed to learn from their family unit, a lot of people just don’t get these days, and it’s very hard to live life without them. In this world of technology, a lot of them have no idea how to handle it, and with all the barriers to access, it’s really difficult to succeed.”

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