Helping Frontline Medical and Behavioral Health Professionals Facing Substance Use Disorders Is Focus of New Recovery Centers of America Treatment Program in Massachusetts
Recovery Centers of America (RCA), a healthcare network of substance use disorder treatment facilities on the East Coast and Midwest, announced today the launch of a new specialized treatment program to assist frontline professionals facing addiction to drugs or alcohol at its central Massachusetts facility, Recovery Centers of America at Westminster is located 50 miles west of Boston.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but medical and behavioral health professionals are among those who have faced the most difficult challenges.
Overwhelmed with extra responsibilities, working long hours, and often providing emotional support to severely ill or dying patients when family members and friends are not allowed to visit the hospital due to restrictions, many of these dedicated professionals have developed substance use disorders as they seek methods to relieve the stress and pain associated with their work. It is estimated that 10%-15% of all medical professionals in the United States will misuse drugs or alcohol at some point during their career. Medical professionals are more likely to abuse prescription medications such as benzodiazepines and opioid narcotics.
Behavioral Health professionals too report facing the most difficult year of their professional lives and are struggling with burnout and stress which can lead to substance use disorders.
“These professionals on the frontline of the pandemic are our heroes and we need to help them by providing a safe, confidential, and affordable place to undertake the challenge of recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction, said Kat Stevens LHMC, CEO of Recovery Centers of America at Westminster. “That’s why we created the Frontline addiction treatment program. We needed a specialized inpatient addiction treatment curriculum designed specifically for the unique needs of our medical and behavioral health professionals. We need to take care of each other more now than ever.”
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