Father Martin's Ashley, University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center Open Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD--(Marketwired - Aug 10, 2015) - Father Martin's Ashley and University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center today announced the opening of the Ashley Outpatient Treatment Program, an intensive outpatient program that provides compassionate, personalized and professional treatment for adults 18 and over who suffer from disorders of alcohol and drug use in Harford County and the surrounding area.

The new program, located in the Klein Ambulatory Care Center at University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air (520 Upper Chesapeake Drive, Suite 304), is staffed and operated by Father Martin's Ashley in space leased from the hospital. It is the first collaboration of its kind by the two leading health care organizations.

"We know that people with addictions are caught in a vicious circle of physical brain changes and the psychological consequences of those changes. The Ashley Outpatient Treatment Program model is evidence-based and proven by research to increase the chances of long-term recovery," said Mariana Izraelson, Psy.D., LCADC, program director - outpatient services for Father Martin's Ashley. "It is built on Ashley's 32-year tradition of emphasizing individualized treatment based on the unique needs of each patient. Our expert team of caring professionals will assess each patient and establish an integrated, individual care plan focused on those unique needs."

Services offered by the Ashley Outpatient Treatment Program include:

• Outpatient detoxification
• Intensive outpatient services / outpatient services
• Individual therapy
• Medication-assisted therapy
• Relapse prevention group therapy
• On-site support groups

Addressing a Critical Need
In early 2014, the two health care organizations joined forces when they recognized that drug and alcohol use was a contributing factor for many patients' repeat inpatient and emergency department visits both nationally and in the local community. The statistics are alarming:

• In 2011, 49% of drug-related emergency department (ED) visits were attributed to drug misuse or abuse
• ED visits involving misuse or abuse of prescription drugs more than doubled between 2004 and 2011, most commonly involving narcotic pain relievers, anti-anxiety drugs and insomnia medications
• More than 32 percent of emergency department visits involve opioid or benzodiazepine prescription misuse, according to the results of a study presented in March 2014 at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's annual meeting, and these rates are steadily increasing

Working in collaboration with University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, which had limited means to effectively treat many of these patients, the Ashley Outpatient Treatment Program was established to respond to a community in crisis. The new program addresses a range of substance use disorders, including alcohol and drug addiction as well as prescription pain medication dependence that can lead to heroin use and overdose.

Lyle Sheldon, president and CEO of University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, said, "This new center addresses an urgent need in our region by providing easy access to state-of-the-art addiction treatment services led by one of the nation's leading providers. We know this comprehensive and intensive program will help stem the tide of repetitive medical and emergency room visits due to drug misuse or abuse and lead many people to a lifetime of recovery and wellness."

Added Bernadette Solounias, M.D., senior vice president of treatment services, medical director for Father Martin's Ashley, "Just as our inpatient facility in Havre de Grace has done for more than three decades, the new outpatient program offers an environment that understands and nurtures the individual. We work closely with other professionals involved in the patient's care to achieve a higher level of mental, physical and emotional health."

The center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for relapse and acupuncture groups only. Afternoon and evening groups are available. Admissions hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information may be obtained by calling 443.760.3456 (outpatient admissions); 1.800.799.HOPE (4673) (after-hours outpatient admissions); and 1.800.799. HOPE (4673) ext. 213 (inpatient admissions). Walk-ins are accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

About Father Martin's Ashley
Father Martin's Ashley is a nationally-recognized leader in the treatment of alcoholism and chemical dependence. Accredited by The Joint Commission and located on a 147-acre campus in Havre de Grace, Maryland, Father Martin's Ashley has helped chemically-dependent people, those in recovery, and their families, since its co-founding by Father Joseph C. Martin, S.S., and Mae Abraham in 1983. Father Martin's Ashley is a division of Ashley, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and has treated nearly 40,000 patients, offering inpatient treatment as well as sobriety enrichment, community and family and children's educational programs. In 2012, Ashley opened The Pain Recovery Program, offering patients a realistic reason for hope through an integrated approach to reducing or eliminating chronic pain, restoring function and ending dependence on addictive prescription pain medications to significantly improve quality of life. Visit www.fathermartinsashley.org for more information.

About University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
In December of 2013, Upper Chesapeake Health became University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health. It consists of the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, Patricia D. and M. Scot Kaufman Cancer Center, University of Maryland Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace and the Senator Bob Hooper House. The leading health care system and largest private employer in Harford County, UM Upper Chesapeake Health offers a broad range of health care services, technology and facilities to the residents of northeastern Maryland. Visit www.umuch.org or more information.

Images available on request.