Topaz Stories From the Field: My Week With the Arizona Recovery Community
Topaz Stories From the Field: Together, Changing Outcomes, Changing Lives.
After an Action Filled Week in the Field: Here’s What I Learned- by Travis Calloway
I spent last week making my way across Arizona, moving between programs that anchor their communities in very different ways. For me, field weeks always have a sense of purpose you just can’t seem to replicate when you’re behind the phone or in a virtual meeting. It’s a chance to hear from my customers, and just as importantly, it’s a chance to see what’s really working and why. Here’s three things that stood out.
1. Care is built from the environment, not theory.
At Aurora Behavioral Health, “Cocoa & Connections” wasn’t just a holiday event. It was a window into how intentional their culture is. Therapy dogs, small comforts, and a great staff who greet people with familiarity. They’re part of how Aurora builds safety and trust.
And trust is the foundation for everything, including conversations around testing, results, and next steps in care. You immediately feel Aurora’s community roots the moment you walk in.
2. Strong programs understand how their work connects to the community around them.
At the ITS Intensive Treatment Systems open house, Derric Webb and his team showed what true alignment can look like and how it impacts their day-to-day. Everyone, from their techs to their leadership, operates with a shared sense of purpose. They don’t see themselves as just a treatment center. They see themselves as a connected partner in a wider recovery network.
Why does this matter? Programs that think this way also think intentionally about the tools they rely on, including drug testing, because they understand how those results impact the next decision, the next conversation, and ultimately, the next step in someone’s care.
3. Progress happens from conversations, not board room meetings.
While it may seem cliché (and straight out of chatgpt), this one, in my opinion, is one of the more consistent things I came across. Each valuable moment this week, came from a one-on-one talk with clinicians, outreach teams, partners, and community advocates. Being in front of the facilities and their teams offered me the chance to build relationships and truly see the real infrastructure of recovery that is constantly shifting and evolving.
Understanding how testing fits into their daily workflow gave me a clearer view of where teams need more clarity and where accurate results make the biggest difference. When testing becomes clear and defensible, programs can stay focused on what matters most: keeping people supported, connected, and moving forward.
Huge appreciation to the teams at Aurora and ITS for the honesty, the collaboration, and of course, for the work you do every day!
This week was big reminder of the commitment we all make to better outcomes.