Remembering Ricky Froncillo, B.S., LCDS
It is with heavy hearts we say goodbye to a dear friend and colleague Ricky Froncillo, B.S., LCDS, who passed away April 20, 2018 surrounded by loved ones.
Tag Archive for: Discovery House
Maine Helps Addiction Treatment Centers
January 12, 2017 – Recently, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services awarded funds to addiction treatment centers, including Discovery House of Calais and Acadia Hospital of Bangor. This is a triumph for Maine addiction treatment centers. They spent many years defending their very existence.
The Role of Addiction Treatment Centers
Discovery House Program Director, Brent Miller, speaking out in a 2013 Bangor City Council meeting.
Discovery House Program Director, Brent Miller frequently met with community members and state officials. The goal was to increase funding, decrease overdoses, and to correct the stigma associated with addiction and forms of treatment. After countless media interviews, town hall meetings, and organization collaborations, he brought Discovery House to the forefront of the fight. Brent became a voice for patients, families, and even competitor clinics that were facing the challenge of being defunded. As he told The Bangor Daily News, “I think people are starting to understand that opiate addiction treatment is essential to solving the problem and getting a handle on the disease…”
Enough is Enough
Communities nationwide are reluctant when hearing of a methadone clinic opening in their town. The mantra, “not in my backyard,” has become a typical response. However, we know more about the nature of addiction now. Unfortunately, many have learned this through personal tragedy and loss. In 2012, the overdose count reached 163 people in the State of Maine. Enough was enough for Mainers when overdoses in 2016 exceeded 270. Treatment needed to be an effort supported by officials and members of the community alike.
Purpose of the Funds
DHHS funds awarded a total of $2.4 million. The sole purpose is to support medication-assisted treatment programs. This money will not increase the allowable patient count at these treatment programs. However, it will help to fund treatment for low-income and non-insured patients. This is excellent progress toward supporting those already in recovery, and an encouraging sign for those seeking recovery.
Learn about the SMART Solution or get to know other SMART EHR partners.
Operation HOPE in Waterville
Operation HOPE (Heroin Opiate Prevention Effort) of Waterville, ME is slated to commence in January 2017. Waterville Police is partnering with PAARI (Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative), Kennebec Valley Community Action Program, Maine General Health, Healthy Northern Kennebec and Discovery House / Acadia Healthcare to increase the accessibility of treatment. The hope is that it will increase the likelihood that people will seek out treatment.
This treatment-focused program will help those suffering from opioid addiction. It will allow citizens to walk into the police department to seek help with their addiction. And they can do so without fear of arrest if they are willing to enter treatment. Next, they will receive a screening for eligibility and may even be qualified for payment assistance.
Partnering with Discovery House
As one participating Operation HOPE treatment center, Discovery House will work with officials to provide services for affected individuals in the region of Central Maine. After 28 years in operation, this CARF Accredited treatment center is poised to offer the range of services needed to combat the opioid epidemic. They offer counseling, medication maintenance, clinical and medical evaluations, as well as aftercare planning.
According to the CDC, 78 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Moreover, in 2015 alone, 272 people died from drug overdoses in Maine. Ideally, early education or diversion programs would be enough to slow this growing problem. However, the reality is that the approach needs to be multifaceted with a strong focus on treatment and recovery.
Learn more about the SMART Solution or get to know other SMART EHR partners.
http://www.centralmaine.com/2016/11/16/waterville-police-announce-substance-abuse-treatment-program/
http://www.pressherald.com/2016/08/22/drug-overdoses-deaths-continue-to-soar-in-maine/
Too Late for Some. Consequences of Maine Underfunding Addiction Treatment
The Bangor Daily News (BDN) helped give a public voice to substance use treatment facilities during these fiscally turbulent years in Maine. Individuals who are reaching out to get into treatment for their addiction are being wait-listed for long periods of time due to lack of state funding for opioid treatment programs. Maine is finally realizing the depth of their opiate problem and legislators are now taking steps to override the devastating changes. These changes have left thousands of opiate-dependent Mainers without treatment access.
Discovery House‘s Program Director Brent Miller spoke with Bangor Daily News about his clinic’s wait-list. Currently he has 550 methadone patients with approximately 61 people on their ever-growing wait-list. As soon as they are able to take in a new patient they call them, however, many times that individual has become unreachable for reasons like hospitalization, imprisonment or death from overdose. Brent told BDN, “You ought to celebrate that a person is reaching out to get well…We impugn them at every turn and make it difficult for them to actually do it. That’s why it’s a miracle that people are able to fight through the prejudice and actually get into recovery.”
There are whispers of treatment facility reimbursement rates being raised, but for now its just a waiting game. Read the full article
Discovery House Opens New Location in PA
Discovery House, The Center of Recovery and Hope, has been treating individuals affected by opioid addiction since 1989. As CARF-accredited facilities, they serve Maine, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Utah providing a wide range of recovery services including medication assisted treatment, counseling and aftercare planning.
On behalf of everyone here at SMART, we would like to congratulate our long-standing partner, Discovery House, on the opening of their newest location in Mechanicsburg, PA.
For years, we have seen their dedication to helping patients succeed and fostering the community awareness that brings them to the level of a trusted recovery resource in the areas that they serve.
With nineteen locations in four states, Discovery House is poised to continue providing the personalized patient care and recovery services that they are known for… while extending their outreach even further.
Join us! Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference 2015
Our team is looking forward to meeting you at the 2015 Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference on September 23rd-25th at the Dixie Convention Center in St. George, Utah.
SMART Software is a leader in supplying Certified Paperless Electronic Health Record and Clinic Management Software to organizations providing Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment Services. Our state-by-state customized software model allows your team to be efficient when processing and implementing billing and clinical documentation requirements.
Stop by our booth, take a tour of SMART and see why many leading treatment providers have chosen our software for all of their EHR needs.
SMART has proudly served Utah customer Discovery House – The Center for Recovery and Hope for more than 18 years. Working closely as partners, SMART has refined our EHR Software to meet the needs of this unique multi-modality Utah Treatment Organization. Our customized Utah State model allows your team to be efficient when processing and implementing billing and clinical documentation requirements
About Utah Fall Substance Use Conference
The Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference continues to be the premier educational and networking event in the Mountain West. Network with your colleagues, as you learn from preeminent national and local leaders in the Substance Abuse field. Learn more….
Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference
SMART Management, Inc is excited to attend the Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference. The substance use disorders conference is being held September, 24th – 26th at The Dixie Convention Center located in St. George, UT.
In fact, this is SMART’s first year attending the Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference. Particularly, we are drawn to this conference for its proven informational benefits to substance abuse treatment professionals. Moreover, attendees are committed to learning more about the field and to educating others on treatment best practices.
Substance Abuse Treatment in Utah
Utah treatment providers have chosen the SMART Solution’s opioid treatment EHR to improve their productivity and workflows. Most notably, we have proudly served Utah customer Discovery House – The Center for Recovery and Hope for more than 18 years. As a result, we have refined our EHR Software to meet the needs of this unique multi-modality Utah Treatment Organization. Furthermore, our customized Utah State model allows opioid treatment teams to increase efficiency when processing and implementing billing and clinical documentation requirements. SMART Software understands your needs and how to add value to your organization with:
- Comprehensive solutions
- Robust Features
- Multi-program capacity
- Revenue Management
- Meaningful use
- Customer support 24/7
SMART Software is a continuously evolving, 100% paperless EHR tool. We are up-to-date and in touch with the ever-changing needs of Utah Substance Treatment, Behavioral and Mental Health Services. So, stop by our conference booth, get to know us, grab a cup of espresso, take a tour of the SMART Solution.
Also, come see why leading treatment providers have chosen our Software for all of their EHR needs. We look forward to seeing our current Utah State customers and meeting other area treatment facilities.
Program Director Experience at AATOD
Director Condit with William White
This year SMART Management, Inc. invited Discovery House Program Director, Cassity Condit of the Orem, UT facility to attend the AATOD (American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence) Conference in Philadelphia, PA. Discovery House – The Center for Recovery and Hope– is owned and operated by SMART Management, Inc. SMART has been running their Software in Discovery House clinics for more than 20 years. Discovery House Associates are experts in substance abuse treatment and clinic operations, and are always the first to use the latest and greatest versions of SMART Software. It is for these reasons that SMART has a vested interest in the education and growth of Discovery House associates. Their years of hands-on experience with SMART Management and SMART Software make Discovery House Associates highly knowledgeable software users and the perfect teachers. They are experts in providing personal software demos to others within the substance abuse and behavioral treatment field.
Director Condit’s software user know-how enhanced SMART’s presence at this year’s Conference. Cassity provided a first hand review of how she applies each of the SMART Software Modules at her facility. From seasoned customers, to prospective customers, everyone who interacted with her at the SMART Software demo stations learned something new and useful about the software and how to maximize all of its available functions.
For Cassity, AATOD is an excellent conference to participate in because of the Association’s ties to the Opioid Treatment field, and because of their contributions to the opioid treatment provider community. Supporting this conference is crucial as it is a main funding source for AATOD the organization. As a Discovery House Director, many of the other conferences that she normally attends are primarily based in abstinence from substance use and leave very little room for discussions about medication-assisted recovery. Conversely, AATOD focuses on the medication assisted treatment sector of substance abuse treatment and provides very pertinent information that can easily be applied to a treatment facilities’ daily activities.
She noted, that for her, one of the main highlights of the 5-day conference was meeting William White. Mr. White is an award-winning consultant in the field of substance abuse treatment. In his 45 years of work he has achieved many great successes as a; community activist, counselor, clinical director, administrator, research associate, clinic founder, author, PBS contributor and consultant for an HBO special “Addiction”.
In reflection, Cassity said that she was excited for the opportunity to cultivate relationships with other professionals in the treatment field. She was able to meet many SMART customers and had the chance to give them personalized, one-on-one software demos and troubleshooting sessions. She remarked that, “AATOD is one of the most applicable and valuable conferences for treatment providers and software customers. I had a wonderful time with the SMART Team and customers at the booth. This conference gave me the opportunity to further experience and appreciate the REAL Relationships and REAL Partnerships that SMART nurtures with their customers and associates.” A part of what makes SMART such a great company to work for is our associates. Each and every member of our team is valued for their individuality and commitment to those we serve.
Get to know our company history…For more than 20 years, SMART’s expertise in managing substance abuse treatment facilities and partnerships with EHR Software customers from around the world has fueled our software innovations.
There is always something new and exciting happening at SMART. Our news page is host to a wide range of articles and topics that will help get you caught up on company updates, customer news and industry trends.