Margaret Mary Health Expands Services at Brookville Facility to Include Addiction Services
Pictured: Members of MMH’s addiction services team include Nikki King, Manager of Behavioral Health and Addiction Services; Lindsey Gessendorf, Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Joshua Harrison, PsyD, HSPP, Clinical Director; Tracy Craft, Peer Recovery Coach and Tom Deters, Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Margaret Mary Health (MMH) will begin providing intensive outpatient addiction services at the Health Center of Brookville on October 1, 2018. This newly developed service will be available to existing MMH patients and individuals must be referred into the program by a healthcare provider. Addiction treatment will include direct oversight by a doctor, a clinician and a peer recovery coach.
In a 2016 assessment of community health needs, Margaret Mary’s service area, especially Franklin County, was identified as experiencing a higher drug-induced death rate than the state and national averages. In fact, substance abuse was identified as the single most pressing health concern in the community.
“Developing a comprehensive addiction services program is complicated for many reasons, which is why many organizations are hesitant to get involved,” noted Tim Putnam, President and CEO of MMH. “We see it differently…our sole mission is to improve the health and well being of the communities we serve and therefore we simply cannot look the other way. This is a growing crisis that needs our attention and support.” Tim reinforces the importance of this investment by adding, “We recognize that making a significant impact on this epidemic will be difficult on our own. MMH will need to create partnerships with individuals and local organizations who are also working with people with addictions. We strongly believe by bringing the right resources together, we can make a positive impact and help save lives in the community.”
The addiction services team has developed an intensive outpatient program that combines the best practices of leading programs across the country including therapy, skills training, guest speakers, peer counseling and family support. In addition, addiction treatment is most successful when patient care is coordinated with their primary care physician. According to MMH Clinical Director, Dr. Joshua Harrison, PsyD, HSPP, “Intensive outpatient programs are an important part of the continuum of care for alcohol and drug misuse. They can be very effective in treating individuals who are seeking care and assistance with overcoming an addiction.”
To learn more about Margaret Mary’s Addiction Services Program, call 812.933.5406.