Kim Shewmaker

Kim Shewmaker has been a valuable member of the MCBAP Board of Directors since 2016 and currently serves as chair. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the board and is a tireless advocate for people with substance use disorders (SUD).

Kim is also the Director of Program Operations at Odyssey House, a nonprofit agency that provides a full continuum of care for individuals and families with SUDs and co-occurring mental health issues health in Flint, Saginaw and Port Huron. Kim earned a Master of Social Work degree from Wayne State University and holds multiple credentials from MCBAP, including CCS-M, CAADC, CCDP-D and CPRM. She is also a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) surveyor and previously served as an instructor at Mott Community College.

Kim’s remarkable personal and professional journey spans over three decades and has been motivated by her deep interest in helping people. She began working in the human services field as a teenager, serving the elderly and the developmentally disabled. Her own personal experience with addiction and recovery motivated her to pursue a career in SUD counseling which led her to return to school as an adult learner to finish her associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in record time. As a student, she completed an internship at Odyssey House and was offered a permanent position there after graduation. She has continued to grow with the organization, rising from a counselor to the Director of Program Operations.

Two challenges that Kim has faced over her career include the lack of funding for human services programs and stigma. The lack of funding has made it difficult, at times, to provide the services and support needed. According to Kim, the societal stigma against those with SUDs can make it difficult for people in recovery to “get the jobs they want, live in the communities they want, and participate in the activities they want”.

Despite the challenges, Kim has been involved in many initiatives and projects that have enhanced the quality of care and education in the SUD field. She developed two new SUD courses and a certificate program for Mott Community College that met educational requirements for the CAADC credential. She developed an ethics course and a corporate compliance program for Odyssey House. She participated in a Leadership in Medicine program that placed medical students with community providers to learn about SUD services. She played a key role in updating the MCBAP Code of Ethics. She has served as an IC&RC subject matter expert to assist in the development of test questions for the exam.

Kim is passionate about helping others, learning, and growing, and speaking her truth. She believes in multiple pathways of recovery and integrative care and uses her lived experience, professional training, and leadership skills to advocate for those with SUD. She challenges others to be economically self-reliant, to develop positive character, and to become spiritually, physically, emotionally, and psychologically healthy in an overall lifestyle of sobriety.

If you are interested in a career in the human services field, Kim would encourage you to go for it! She believes it is a rewarding field, and you will have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people who need it most.