Tallahassee, FL, Dec. 18, 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 in Florida. The ARC offers two ways to find lifesaving help: an online portal and a free, confidential telehealth service.
“In a crisis, time is of the essence,” says Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Founder of Addiction Policy Forum. “We wanted to eliminate the possibility of patients and families being taken advantage of by bad actors and patient brokers and instead direct them to a list of local, reliable treatment resources, facilities and healthcare providers. We are hopeful the expansion of the ARC database into Florida will help save lives in the state.”
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 provides callers with substance use disorder information, education on treatment options, and support. Florida residents can call the line at 1-833-301-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday from 9AM to 6PM EST.
“Florida saw a significant increase in drug overdose deaths in 2017; the CDC estimates over 5,500 Floridian lives were lost,” says Mark O’Brien, APF’s Executive Vice President of State and Local Affairs. “Improving access to treatment by giving people the information they need during a crisis is one step toward addressing addiction in the state.
Addiction Policy Forum, which has chapters in 50 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, Addiction Policy Forum 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.