SWAFAS receives grant to improve access to substance abuse treatment
Southwest Florida Addiction Services (SWFAS) is one of 25 organizations selected nationwide to participate in a national program to prepare communities for anticipated health care reform.
The program, called the Accelerating Reform Initiative, is designed to help health care organizations develop closer working relationships to reach more people in need of substance abuse treatment. SWFAS will partner with Lee Memorial Health System (LMHS) to identify patients in need of substance abuse services earlier and help them to access SWFAS treatment in a more seamless manner.
“We are very excited to join with colleagues from across the country and from Lee Memorial Health System to participate in this important project,” said SWFAS CEO Kevin B. Lewis. “Staff from both SWFAS and Lee Memorial Health System worked very hard on this effort. It offers a chance for us to improve access to care for individuals with substance use disorders.”
Lewis said the grant provides technical assistance and guidance from national experts to assist SWFAS and LMHS, and covers travel costs for required workshops.
The grant was awarded by the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx), a partnership that includes the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and several independent addiction treatment organizations, including SWFAS.
“With expected health care reform, we anticipate that there will be more people eligible for substance abuse treatment services through their new health insurance plans,” Lewis said. “Currently, patients often turn to hospital emergency rooms for substance abuse treatment. This is the most expensive option and hospital emergency rooms are not equipped to offer this type of specialized care.
“Not only will this help alleviate hospital overcrowding, but it will ensure that patients with addictive disorders receive the specialized care that can effectively meet their needs,” Lewis said.
LMHS will work with SWFAS to improve the system of referring those patients to SWFAS for treatment, when needed.
SWFAS opened a new state-of-the-art Detoxification and Outpatient Treatment Center last April on Evans Avenue in Fort Myers that can provide up to 40 beds for detoxification as well as outpatient and prevention services. The new 44,000 square foot facility is comparable to other primary health care facilities and is part of SWFAS’ efforts to define addiction as a chronic and treatable disease and reduce the stigma for individuals who seek treatment.
More than 20 million people in the United States need treatment for the treatable chronic disease of addiction, Lewis said, but only 2.3 million people actually receive care.
For more information, contact Lewis at (239) 931-9689.
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About SWFAS
SWFAS is the largest comprehensive substance abuse treatment and prevention program in Southwest Florida. Since 1980, SWFAS has helped more than 70,000 residents in Southwest Florida rebuild their lives. SWFAS offers treatment and prevention services at all levels of intensity including detoxification, residential, and outpatient services for both adolescents and adults. In addition, SWFAS provides substance abuse prevention services for adults and adolescents, and an Employee Assistance Program for about 60 Southwest Florida businesses. Visit www.swfas.org for more information.
About LMHS
Open since 1916, LMHS is the fifth largest public health system in the U.S. and the largest community-owned health system in Southwest Florida. With more than 8,500 employees, LMHS includes four acute care hospitals and two specialty hospitals, as well as outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, and primary care physician offices. An award-winning health care system, LMHS provides regional programs, such as the Trauma Center and the Children’s Hospital, which serve residents from Tampa to Miami. Visit www.LeeMemorial.org for more information.
Source: Southwest Florida Addiction Services