Live Oaks Wellness Addiction Treatment Facility Strengthens Marin County Recovery Community through Outreach, Education and Service

Recent ‘Recover or Die’ Charity Event Raises Awareness for Substance Addiction

NOVATO, Calif., Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When it comes to increasing responsible conversation around addiction and reducing the stigma related to it, community outreach is essential. That starts with education. Bay area substance abuse and recovery facility Live Oaks Wellness operates as a drug and alcohol rehab and residential treatment center in Marin County. Here, staff help individuals find treatment and a path to recovery, together.

At a recent charity event focused on fentanyl awareness sponsored by Live Oaks Wellness, nonprofit organization Recover or Die provided financial scholarships to people for treatment.

It’s through events like these, where Live Oaks Wellness is able to foster compassionate interactions with individuals, families and the community for those struggling with addiction, empower them to seek help and create a safe space for real conversations.

For Live Oaks Wellness staff, connection is rooted in their individual recovery experiences and a desire to give others the same opportunity they received when it comes to mental health and addiction treatment.

“Being able to relate to somebody and say, ‘I've been in this hole, and I know where you're at,’ can make a tremendous difference,” said Live Oaks Wellness Founder and CEO Jack Terwelp. “We’ve gotten a second chance at a first-class life and it’s on offer to everyone.”

This philosophy also shapes the organization's approach to addiction education. A basic understanding of substance use disorder is still lacking, often seen as a personal failure rather than a disease requiring treatment and support.

“There’s a lot of people we talk to who don’t understand that this is a disease,” Terwelp said. “This is a real, human condition and it’s very isolating. But the opposite of addiction is connection and we want to be the bridge that gets people back to the life they deserve.”

Jake Tedesco is the executive director of Live Oaks Wellness, providing medical and clinical guidance to teams at two facilities. The bottom line, he said, is a pay-it-forward mentality.

“When I see a kind act happen in the community, I’m more likely to do the same. We live here. People get sober here. It’s a tight knit community.”

Terwelp agreed.

“I know what my purpose is today and that hasn’t changed since I got sober because it’s something worthwhile,” he said.

The dedication comes in the form of late night phone calls, incredible wins and sometimes, the worst outcomes. But it all comes with the territory of addiction therapy.

“We know what we signed up for,” Tedesco said. “The pillar of being part of a recovery community is service work–sacrificing to help the next guy out. These are sick people trying to get well, not bad people trying to be good.”

The organization views these efforts as part of a larger mission to bridge gaps between the many resources involved in recovery, including hospitals, treatment programs, medication-assisted treatment providers, psychiatric services and intervention professionals.

Marcelo Nazarian is the admissions and outreach coordinator at Live Oaks Wellness working with local hospitals’ social workers and substance use navigators as a resource for those needing potential treatment.

“Building relationships with other treatment centers and detox facilities is important to ensure the person gets into the right facility for them,” he said. “Being a part of a recovery community is empowering and unique in the relatability of suffering from a common problem and helping seek a solution.”

Live Oaks Wellness participates in a variety of community events, including sponsoring school athletic teams and awareness walks and sober softball leagues.

The center’s community involvement also includes providing ongoing Narcan, food, clothing and emergency blankets to people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco's Tenderloin area, volunteering at hospitals and institutions, participating in local sober softball leagues and supporting community organizations and events throughout the region.

When it comes to changing the way the community understands addiction and recovery, Terwelp said the rhetoric of fear-driven bias is creating stigma and barriers to care, along with it.

“Theres a complete lack of awareness of the problem as a whole,” he said. “A lot less people would die if people were more understanding of what we go through.”

Through continued partnerships, education and service, Live Oaks Wellness aims to help build a recovery community where individuals experiencing addiction along with their families can find connection, compassion and a supportive path forward.

About Live Oaks Wellness

Live Oaks Wellness is a licensed and accredited drug and alcohol detox and residential treatment center located in the serene hills of Marin County in Novato, California. Serving individuals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, Live Oaks Wellness provides compassionate, individualized care for those navigating substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.

With an intimate six-bed setting and a strong emphasis on personalized attention, Live Oaks Wellness combines evidence-based treatment with a whole-person approach designed to support physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Programs and services include medically assisted detox, residential treatment, dual diagnosis treatment, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), individual and group therapy, trauma-informed care, somatic therapy, holistic therapies, personal fitness, and aftercare support.

Live Oaks Wellness is committed to creating a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment where individuals can address the underlying factors contributing to addiction while developing the tools and coping skills needed to pursue long-term recovery. The center is licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services and holds accreditation from The Joint Commission.

To learn more about Live Oaks Wellness and its treatment programs, visit: https://liveoakswellness.com/ or call: (415) 316-0672.

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