Houston, T.X., July 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addiction Policy Forum, a leading addiction nonprofit, has expanded its Addiction Resource Center (ARC) to include treatment resources, facilities and healthcare providers specific to Texas.
“In 2016, almost 3,000 Texans died from drug overdose. With new resources included in the ARC database to help connect Texas residents to local services, we hope to see these numbers decrease as more patients and families access the help they need,” said Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Addiction Policy Forum President and CEO.
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 resource line staffed by addiction counselors, licensed social workers, and peer recovery support advocates that provide callers with substance use disorder-related information, education on treatment options, and support. Texas residents can call the line at 1-833-301-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST.
“The death toll in Texas from drug overdose is staggering, and I am hopeful that these added resources will help save more Texans from dying of this disease,” says Audrey Porter, co-chair of the Addiction Policy Forum Texas State Chapter, which launched earlier this month.
“Texas communities will benefit from APF’s added resources. The more information available fills in any gaps of needed options when someone is in crisis. Whether that someone is the individual themselves suffering from a substance use disorder or if a family member needs support, APF offers unbiased solutions,” says Julie DeNofa, other co-chair of the Addiction Policy Forum Texas State Chapter.
Addiction Policy Forum, which has chapters in 24 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.