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The Stigma Surrounding Medication-Assisted Treatment for Heroin Addiction

For approximately 50 years, medication-assisted treatment for heroin addiction has been part of recovery practices. Despite its decades of use and success, there is still a stigma surrounding this treatment during recovery. Not only do some believe that individuals are no fully-recovered, but they believe that could lead to the need for a separate medication-assisted treatment (MAT) 12-step program. According to a paper published by PEW Charitable Trusts, the most effective intervention for heroin addiction is the combination of MAT and behavioral therapies. TruHealing Reidsville – Reidsville, provides thorough addiction treatment based around medication-assisted treatment.

Defining Medication-Assisted Treatment for Heroin Addiction

Before analyzing the stigma surrounding medication-assisted treatment for heroin addiction, we must first define MAT. When those in recovery receive medications and behavioral therapies simultaneously, then they are receiving medication-assisted treatment for substance abuse.

The combination of the approved medication and therapy offers a “whole patient” approach to their recovery and treatment. Medication-assisted treatment‘s primary use is for those who are recovering from opioid use disorder, including heroin. The benefits of using MAT include that it:

  • Helps relieve pain that often accompanies withdrawal symptoms
  • Normalizes the brain’s chemistry
  • Blocks an opioid’s euphoric effects
  • Relieves psychological cravings
  • Normalizes the body’s functioning

Problems Accessing MAT

Even though Medicaid payments for MAT nearly tripled between 2011 and 2017, that does not mean it is easily accessible. That is one of the biggest stigmas regarding medication-assisted treatment for heroin addiction. According to an executive briefing by OPEN MINDS reveals that, out of all the heroin users, only 60% of them have access to MAT. We learn from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) that only eight percent of addiction treatment facilities use MAT.

Trading One Addiction for Another

Stigma surrounds the medications used for medication-assisted treatment for heroin addiction. The main reason is that two out of the three medications contain a small percentage of opiates. These medications all have FDA approval and include Buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone.

The FDA approval is not enough for some because they believe, due to the small percentage of opiates, those undergoing this treatment are merely trading one addiction for another. Even though many believe that those participating in an MAT program are not undergoing “real” recovery, that is not the case.

The Risk of Developing a Dependence

Another stigma is that, when people are undergoing medication-assisted treatment for heroin, they develop a dependence on the medication. Sometimes these medications must be in use for several months or several years.

However, there is a significant difference between developing dependence and suffering from addiction. Dependence on medication is psychological, whereby those in recovery develop a physical tolerance for the medication. However, those who are addicted to heroin suffer from a disease in the patient’s brain.

Stigmas Fading

Many rehabilitation centers are shifting their thinking regarding medication-assisted treatment for heroin addiction. The main reason is that Americans continue to see an opioid epidemic, and, throughout that, MAT’s success is becoming pronounced.

According to Scott Gottlieb, M.D., the FDA’s Commissioner, the stigmas surrounding the use of these medications must discontinue because it is critical to breaking the cycle of dependence. Experts like Gottlieb believe that it is possible to achieve a full recovery as these medications manage a patient’s craving, illness, and withdrawal symptoms.

Final Thoughts

Are you or someone that you love suffering from heroin addiction and want to find a solution? Do you believe that medication-assisted treatment for heroin addiction might help, but you still have questions? No one should have to experience their worries or have unanswered questions regarding their struggles. Contact TruHealing Reidsville – Reidsville at [Direct] to receive answers to your questions and learn how we can help.

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As we continue to grow Amatus Health, the need to stay competitive and differentiate ourselves in unique ways is crucial. Building creative approaches to reach more people will take our company to new heights. This is why I am pleased to announce that we are officially rebranding. Our new national name, TruHealing Addiction & Mental Health Treatment, will eventually replace Amatus Recovery Centers.

You may be asking, “Why are we doing this?” This new name will give us national uniformity and help brand ourselves as a whole, which will be done in phases. You will still see our existing facility names co-branded with TruHealing for the time being.

Healing is what we do. Everyone who comes through our doors is in a moment of profound struggle in their lives. We support them through a life-changing process of healing and recovery, and they leave our facilities changed. This new name is a representation of that process. As mentioned above, it also allows us to have a national brand, which will make us a recognizable name in the addiction and mental health field.

In summation, these changes present an excellent opportunity for our organization to develop our mission, vision, and purpose. I look forward to prosperous growth as we head in a new and positive direction.

Sincerely,

Mark signature

Mark Gold
CEO
Amatus Health

Dr. Adam Cusner, PhD is an organizational psychologist by training and has brought his decade-plus experience to the healthcare field serving as the Executive Vice President of Operations for a 22-facility portfolio of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living and independent living centers across Ohio and Arizona, with an annual revenue over $250MM. While serving in this position, Dr. Cusner brought accelerated growth to these facilities, while increasing employee retention and workflow optimization. Dr. Cusner has a proven track record in the healthcare industry of providing successful leadership through his financial acumen, strategic planning, interpersonal skills, along with his ability to build strong, effective teams.

 

Dr. Cusner’s credentials include a Philosophy Doctorate in Organizational Psychology (PhD) from Cleveland State University, a Master of Arts in Psychology (MA) from Boston College with an emphasis on Psychology of Work, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BS) from Boston University with an emphasis in Organizational Behavior in Business and is a board-certified Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA). He has published and presented research articles in the field of organizational psychology at national healthcare conferences. Dr. Cusner is completing a book on organizational psychology in the healthcare field, which is expected to be published late early summer 2022. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), has served as the APA’s Division 17 communications chair, is a member of the Society for Industrial Organizational Psychologists (SIOP), and was selected as a professional reviewer for national conference research presentations.

 

Dr. Cusner is an advocate for his employees and is drawn to the tie between culture and quality. His extensive strategic and operational skills have delivered a high degree of success across all department levels. Dr. Cusner facilitated the establishment of an in-house financial team to provide billing and collections, accounts payable, vendor management, along with financial reporting. This provided $1.5MM annualized savings. Further, he developed department efficiencies for: Medical Staff recruitment, service-line growth, quality and safety, corporate accountability of budgetary expectations balanced with direct reporting to investor groups.

 

Dr. Cusner coordinated the financial turnaround of a 300 bed CCRC (skilled nursing, assisted living and an independent living center) in Arizona, which has been epitomized as the most financially challenging state to manage CCRC facilities. Dr. Cusner also strengthened the business growth of the Ohio facilities by 12%. He was recognized by the Governor for demonstrating a “care-conscious approach” during COVID, when Dr. Cusner carefully consolidated facility residents to accommodate staff and improve clinical care. Dr. Cusner demonstrates a results-driven culture by delivering a high-quality level of care and employee engagement.

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Yaffa Atias is the Director of Special Projects at Amatus Health. Atias is a leadership professional with a decade of experience in healthcare. She holds a BA in interdisciplinary studies from Thomas Edison State College, and a Master’s in Healthcare Management with a concentration in project management from Stevenson University. She completed her graduate capstone at Mosaic Community Services, now an affiliate of Sheppard Pratt.

 

In her role at Amatus, Atias leads and manages interdisciplinary team projects, creates solutions for any operational gaps, and continually strives for quality improvement in all processes. Atias led the organization’s COVID-19 preparedness strategy, resulting in all facilities remaining operational, and in 600 employees being retained as staff without resigning out of fear. In her role so far, she implemented licensure for three new states.

 

Atias believes Amatus Health and TruHealing stand out because every employee, from corporate to center staff, has a real passion for helping people. Atias shares this passion, “My natural compass always tugged me to behavioral health. I’ve always been fascinated by the human psyche. I have also been intimately privy to those suffering from mental illness and substance use. I later understood that my experiences weren’t unique, and quickly realized how pressing the need really is to effectively prevent and address. Moreover, how life-changing proper intervention truly is.”

 

Atias was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in Israel and Maryland.

Melissa McCarthy is the Vice President of Business Development at Amatus Health. With a decade of experience in the behavioral healthcare and addiction treatment industry, McCarthy is passionate about recovery. She has her finger on the pulse of marketing trends, with the end goal of helping businesses grow so they can serve more people in need.

 

McCarthy has worked at large enterprise recovery centers across the country spearheading business development teams. She has a wide range of experience, including transforming a third-party digital marketing and client acquisition services company into a full-continuum behavioral healthcare provider, managing several successful rebrands, and growing annual revenue fivefold.

 

As VP of Business Development, McCarthy leads a team of over 20 business development professionals nationwide. She manages client acquisition, coordinates in-service trainings with various referents and hospitals, and presents at conferences on addiction and mental health disorder treatment.

 

“Sadly, many individuals die waiting for access to life-saving behavioral healthcare services,” says McCarthy. “I am in relentless pursuit of better—better access, better care delivery and better outcomes. I consider it a privilege to work in an environment where miracles unfold daily.”

 

McCarthy lives in Maryland with her daughter.

Hometown: Saugus, MA

 

Passions & interests: The greatest passion of mine is being able to dig into the work with men in early recovery. There is nothing better than witnessing and being a part of the change. My journey in long-term recovery has taught me to value the little things in life that I am now able to do. I love to do anything that allows me to be present with my wife, family, and friends. My wife and I enjoy traveling, trying new foods, and taking long motorcycle rides with our friends. If I am not on the road working or with my wife, I am studying or playing softball.

 

The best part of my job is being able to show up for my team and clients; they all mean the world to me. I get to brainstorm and strategize with tons of different personalities. A lot of the team does not know, but I love learning from them. If I am not learning something about our industry or workplace, I am certainly learning how to effectively collaborate with different types of individuals.

 

Together, we can change the narrative and be a part of the solution to better treat those trapped in the problem.

Melissa Gonzalez

Melissa loves being part of the process that gives many the opportunity to overcome addiction. Her own personal recovery began in 2009 after many family interventions and treatment attempts. She cherishes being able to help individuals and their families by sharing her experiences, support, and hope with as many as she can. Melissa`s journey of hardship, struggle, and pain has turned into a life of purpose. Her purpose today is to pass her experience on to the struggling addict and help guide them into a new way of life.

Orlando Paz

Samantha Reynolds

Alicia Eller

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with over 16 years of medical experience, nine of them in the substance abuse treatment field, Alicia began her addiction medicine career as a phlebotomist in an outpatient treatment program. She then became registered as a substance abuse counselor and served as an intern at a DWI assessment center. Alicia went on to work as an Intake Coordinator/Substance Abuse Counselor while attending school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She moved up to the position of dosing nurse upon receiving her certification. Alicia recently started studying to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Meanwhile, TruHealing Reidsville clients get to benefit from her vast track record of serving in short- and long-term residential, inpatient, home health, and behavioral/mental health facilities.


Natalie Porter

Charlotte-born, Mooresville-raised Natalie Porter earned her BS in Public Health from UNC-Greenville, then attended UNC-Wilmington and Guilford Technical Community College, where she earned her BSN and became a nurse, just like her mom. Natalie began her career in behavioral health in 2016 and is now concentrating her efforts on helping people who suffer from Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Natalie and her family currently live in Greensboro, NC, and she’s planning on pursuing her Master’s Degree in Nursing. TruHealing Reidsville – Reidsville is proud to have such a gifted and educated RN/BSN serving as Director of Nursing.

Seth Cole

A Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Intern at TruHealing Reidsville’s facility, Seth has been working in the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) field since 2016. He’s been involved with the recovery community since 2006. Seth works to develop individualized addiction treatment plans for each client, and then to provide personal assistance with their recovery efforts, to whatever degree is necessary. Seth aims to be of service to anyone who needs his help, and he’s especially determined to help those battling Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Seth’s can-do attitude is a tremendous asset to TruHealing Reidsville, staff, and clients alike.

 

Cheryl Dew

A Certified Substance Abuse Counselor at TruHealing Reidsville – Reidsville, a Clean Start company, with over 15 years of experience working with those who are suffering from Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Cheryl earned her BA in Psychology from Winston-Salem State University. She provides individual and group sessions focusing on the mind, body, and spiritual needs of the client. Also, Cheryl provides couples and family sessions to help establish healthy boundaries and work toward repairing relationships between clients and their loved ones. Cheryl’s goal is to not only offer hope to those who may feel hopeless but provide solutions as well. A goal that fits perfectly with TruHealing Reidsville – Reidsville’s mission.

Dr. Ron Flack, Jr.

President/CEO/Program Sponsor of Clean Start. His 13+ year addiction treatment career includes stints as Vice President/Vice-Chair of the North Carolina Association for Treatment of Opioid Dependence, as well as a coalition member of the North Carolina Substance Use Disorder Federation. Dr. Ron has also served in various leadership capacities for a variety of addiction treatment providers across the state. The native North Carolinian holds an International certification for alcohol and drug services, a National certification for alcohol and drug services, a bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Services, a master’s degree in Divinity, and a doctorate in Biblical Counseling. For Dr. Ron, evidence-based Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a proven necessity. Further, his extensive education and experience ensure Clean Start is the kind of cutting-edge Opioid Treatment Provider (OTP) that meets the needs of the community in the most effective way possible.