Washington, D.C., Nov. 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addiction Policy Forum, a leading addiction nonprofit, has expanded its Addiction Resource Center (ARC) to include a database of treatment resources, facilities, and healthcare providers specific to DC residents. The Addiction Resource Center (ARC) offers two ways to find lifesaving help; an online portal and a free, confidential telehealth service.
“Patients and families deserve a reliable list of substance use disorder services that they can trust when they are seeking help during a crisis,” says Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Founder and CEO of Addiction Policy Forum. “The ARC treatment provider database eliminates the possibility of individuals contacting bad actors and patient brokers and instead directs them to a list of local treatment resources, facilities and healthcare providers throughout the District.”
The ARC includes a comprehensive, interactive website to help individuals and families struggling with addiction learn about substance use disorders and access critical resources. This platform dispels harmful myths about addiction by presenting the science behind the disease in easy-to-read formats, guiding concerned individuals through a self-assessment tool, helping to develop a proposed action plan and providing a database of local treatment providers. The ARC also includes a telehealth service staffed by licensed clinicians and counselors that provide callers with substance use disorder information, education on treatment options, and support. District of Columbia residents can call the line at 1-833-301-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday from 9AM to 6PM EST.
“According to CDC data, an estimated 72,000 lives were lost due to drug overdose in 2017, with approximately 357 of those fatalities occurring in DC,” says Danielle Tarino, Addiction Policy Forum’s VP of Health Information Technology. “With DC resources added to the ARC database to help connect residents to local substance use disorder services, we hope to see these numbers decrease as more patients and families access the help they need.”
Addiction Policy Forum, which has chapters in 46 states and a national office in Washington, D.C., plans to continue adding state-specific resources to its database throughout 2018. In addition to addressing addiction through community resources, APF is committed to affecting policy change at the local, state and national levels and raising awareness of the nationwide addiction crisis.
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About Addiction Policy Forum
Addiction Policy Forum is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2015 as a diverse partnership of organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to working together to elevate awareness around addiction, and to improve programs and policy through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery, and criminal justice reform. Jessica Hulsey Nickel, whose own family was devastated by addiction, is the founder of a coalition of 1,700 families impacted by substance use disorders and is available for further explanation and interviews by media.
More information on our mission and projects is available at http://addictionpolicy.org.