Expert

Jeff Richardson
View BioFacility Name | Address | State | City | Phone | Website |
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Facility Name | Address | State | City | Phone | Website |
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In 2016, there were 2,089 alcohol and drug related intoxication deaths in Maryland, up from 1,259 in 2015. (Source: Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration)
In 2013, patients who entered state-funded drug rehab centers in Maryland were most likely getting treatment for addiction to alcohol, marijuana, crack, and prescription opioids. (Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Maryland was one of the top ten states for illicit drug use of people aged 12 and above from 2009 to 2010. (Source: Obama White House Archives)
In 2016, the prescription opioids that caused the most deaths in Maryland were methadone (197), oxycodone (157), and tramadol (35). (Source: Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration)
The 2009-2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 8.1 percent of people surveyed in Maryland admitted to using illicit drugs in the last month. (Source: Obama White House Archives)
In 2017, the Maryland Medicaid Program announced two initiatives designed to help fight the opioid crisis in the state. One initiative will allow the program to begin paying for residential treatment delivered by Institutes for Mental Disease, which are large treatment centers in Maryland. In another new policy, health care providers in the Medicaid system are being encouraged to stop choosing to prescribe opioids first when treating patients with chronic pain, and instead explore less addictive alternatives. Also, health care professionals are urged to refer patients with substance abuse disorders to a Maryland rehabilitation center.
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Whether patients are looking for a Maryland rehabilitation center that caters to veterans, juveniles, women, or people who want to get luxury care, there is a place for them to receive the help they need. The following are examples of treatment facilities around the state.
827 Linden Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 225-8240
Located in Baltimore, the Center for Addiction Medicine provides affordable, intensive outpatient care that includes detoxification, as well as individual, group, and crisis counseling services. In addition, patients can participate in gender, educational, or HIV/AIDS groups. Those with opioid addiction can receive methadone and Suboxone maintenance to help them cope with withdrawal.
8930 Stanford Blvd, Suite M100
Columbia, MD 21045
(443) 285-0807
Silverman Treatment Solutions, which is based in Columbia, provides medication-assisted treatment that helps patients safely go through the withdrawal symptoms they experience. In the facility’s two-year Maintenance to Abstinence Program, patients receive intensive treatment designed to help them move through detox to complete abstinence. Silverman Treatment Solutions also has an outpatient program that includes one-on-one and group counseling, drug and alcohol education, legal assistance, relapse prevention help, and aftercare.
610 E. Diamond Avenue, Suite 100
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(301) 840-2000
Family Services Inc., which is part of the Sheppard Pratt Health System, has worked with thousands of patients since opening its doors in 1908. Treatments are available to adults and adolescents struggling with addiction, including counseling and relapse prevention services. In addition, adults with co-occurring disorders can get help with the mental health conditions they suffer from. Also, in order to help young people avoid developing an addiction, Family Services Inc. offers education programs that give students information on the effects of abusing over-the-counter medications, alcohol, and marijuana, as well as how to handle peer pressure effectively so they don’t succumb to it.
314 Grove Neck Rd.,
Earleville, MD 21919
(855) 578-8902
Bracebridge Hall of Recovery Centers of America is a residential facility that provides intensive treatment such as medication management, individual and group counseling, and care for trauma. In addition, the center teaches patients the skills they need to live a clean and sober life through classes on communication, meditation, and twelve-step processes. Also, patients have access to several amenities to help them relax and feel at home at the facility. During their treatment, patients can take advantage of a book club, basketball and sports court, yoga studio, tennis court, and swimming pool. Patients’ families are incorporated into the treatment of their loved ones, which entails participating in counseling and education sessions.
140 West Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 752-4454
Baltimore Station is dedicated to helping homeless veterans overcome substance abuse disorders and get their lives back on track with housing and financial stability. Recognizing the unique trauma that these patients experienced in the military, the facility provides intensive treatment that includes group and individual counseling, as well as alternative therapies like acupuncture and tai chi. While treating the addiction, Baltimore Station provides vocational assistance, and access to the legal and social services they need to get on their feet when they become sober. Also, the facility helps patients reunite with their families and repair the relationships that may have been fractured because of addiction.
428 E. 25th Street
Baltimore, MD21218
(410) 617-0142
Concerted Care Group treats addiction in a holistic manner by integrating help with mental, social, and economic problems with the interventions for substance abuse disorder. To address patients’ addiction, the facility provides methadone maintenance treatment that weens them off of opioids along with individual and group therapy that helps them cope with disorders like anxiety and depression. Also, Concerted Care Group helps people mend their interpersonal relationships with their family, find stable housing, and gain skills to reduce debt and maintain employment.
4940 Eastern Avenue
Suite D-4 East
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 550-3020
The Center for Addiction and Pregnancy, or CAP, at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center provides treatment designed to help women overcome their addiction and give birth to healthy babies. In order to do this, the Center offers daily medication-assisted treatment with methodone, along with group and individual counseling to help women deal with the effects of trauma and gain the tools they need to prevent relapse. At the same time, women at the facility receive obstetric care to reduce complications with their pregnancy. When the baby is born, neonatal intensive care, pediatric care, and immunizations are also available.
5920 Eastern Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 631-2772
Eastern Avenue Health Solutions Inc. helps patients with opioid dependency obtain long-term sobriety by combining medically-assisted treatment with behavior restructuring. During their time in the facility, patients receive methadone for the physical aspects of addiction and therapy to develop the healthy habits needed to maintain sobriety.
120 S. Hays Street, 3rd Floor
Bel Air, MD 21014
(410) 877-2340
The Division of Behavioral Health at the Harford County Health Department offers low- or high-intensity outpatient treatment based on the individual needs of each patient. The program includes Vivitrol or Buprenorphine treatment, which is chosen after patients undergo a thorough assessment, as well as weekly therapy sessions. To help people maintain their sobriety, the facility has peer support and education services.
171-A Ryan Road
Pasadena, MD 21122
(410) 360-6600
Tranquility Woods offers comprehensive addiction treatment in a comfortable, secluded setting that can help patients relax as they take on a life changing process. During their stay, people receive detoxification treatment to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and therapy that allows them to understand the underlying causes of their addiction. In addition, patients can participate in holistic therapies including acupuncture, yoga, meditation, massage, and nutrition therapy. When their primary treatment has ended, Tranquility Woods patients can get help with the next phase of their sobriety by taking advantage of an aftercare program.
Jeff Richardson is the Executive Director of Mosaic Community Services, part of the Sheppard Pratt Health System. Sheppard Pratt is Maryland’s largest provider of mental health, special education, substance use, and social services, and provides more than 2.3 million services annually across a comprehensive continuum of care. Mr. Richardson holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland.
In Maryland, there has been a change in how we address the overall approach to addiction: It is a medical condition, not a moral or personal failure. Addiction is now accurately seen as a chronic need, not something that can be cured in one session or with one appointment.
We have also started to look at where a person is in their recovery journey, and make sure services match that needed level of care. Simply providing inpatient or outpatient treatment is not enough; we need to meet someone where they are so that they are successful in their recovery.
The first challenge we face is stigma: There is still a lot of stigma associated with seeking help for addiction. To address this, we are working to make sure the public understands that addiction is not a moral failure, that treatment works, and that recovery is possible. We are also educating the public that recovery from addiction is not something that can be accomplished in a single office visit; this is a process that takes time and commitment from both the individual and his or her support system.
The second challenge we are facing is a lack of resources. The resources available, both publicly and privately, are simply insufficient to meet the demand. One of the ways we are working to overcome the lack of resources is to provide physicians with better opioid prescribing training and education. Another innovative program is to integrate behavioral health services, including addictions treatment, into primary care offices. At Sheppard Pratt, we have launched Sheppard Pratt Integrated Behavioral Health at ten primary care offices in Baltimore County. Through this initiative, our mental health providers, including addictions specialists, can see a patient when they come in for a routine primary care appointment. We are making it as simple as possible for people to receive the addiction treatment they need by providing it in a location that is most convenient for them.
Maryland is taking the challenge around opioids very seriously. There has been a big push at the state level to look at the prescribing practices of opioids, and to create and track data for physicians moving forward. The governor has also maintained a strong focus on the opioid crisis, meaning that there has been a lot of public conversation. We are also involving everyday citizens in the war against opioids. In 2015, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen issued a blanket prescription for Naloxone, the life-saving drug used when someone overdoses on opioids.
In addition, Anne Arundel County, in the heart of Maryland, has designated fire and police stations as safe locations for individuals seeking help with addiction. Through these safe locations, called “Safe Stations,” individuals can receive counseling and expedited treatment 24 hours a day. The Safe Stations are also helping to reduce common barriers to seeking treatment, such as stigma and limited hours.
Maryland is a great state to receive addiction treatment –we have multiple options for recovery available at varying levels of intensity, meaning we are meeting individuals where they are on their path to recovery. Maryland has a strong commitment to funding for medication-assisted treatment; the state also has a strong overall commitment to mental health care, including addiction treatment.
Many people come to Maryland from out of state because they simply cannot find the resources or continuum of care available outside of this state. At Sheppard Pratt, we see patients from both inside and outside of Maryland across our continuum, including within our inpatient, day hospital, outpatient, and social support services. Another option that Sheppard Pratt offers for people looking to self-pay is The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt, a residential treatment program for adults 18 and over who have a co-occurring disorder.
Addiction treatment is headed in a great direction in Maryland. At Sheppard Pratt, we tackle addiction at every level of care; in the future, this effective approach will become much more widespread. We also focus on treating addiction no matter what level of support someone needs, whether they need inpatient, outpatient, or community-based treatment. In addition, we work to support every aspect of the recovery journey; we provide help with finding employment and housing in addition to treatment, which is known as wrap-around support.
In the future, there will also be an expansion of support for community-based medication-assisted treatment; this will make access easier for everyone and will help reduce stigma. We’ll also be utilizing technology, like telemedicine and mobile apps, more strongly in our interventions – technology has the potential to play a huge role in treatment and recovery. Finally, I think that the definition of success will broaden in the future: Improvement is a long-term concept. Recovering from addiction is a journey, not a single appointment.
Like other states around the country, the abuse of opioids in Maryland has reached epidemic levels, and lawmakers and health care professionals alike are working to find solutions. In an effort to help slow down the rapid effects of this crisis, the state has allocated $13.7 million in new funding in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget to address heroin and opioid addiction around the state. In addition, Maryland has created the Opioid Operational Command Center to coordinate response efforts in 24 local jurisdictions.
Maryland is also increasing its efforts to hold those who have contributed to the opioid epidemic accountable. In fact, Governor Larry Hogan has authorized a lawsuit against several opioid distributors and manufacturers, claiming these companies helped exacerbate the problem by misleading the public about the safety of their medications. Similarly, stronger penalties are being established for drug dealers who sell opioids in the state.
Continue reading to find out more about what the state is doing to address drug abuse. In addition, there is information on rehabilitation centers in Maryland, the services they provide, and how patients pay for the treatment they need.