SUMMER 2018
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

ADCARE: THEN AND NOW

AdCare's history is marked by continual expansion of services and dedication to providing safe, evidence-based alcohol and drug treatment to individuals, families, and communities we serve.

Jeffrey W. Hillis
President & CEO
AdCare

THEN: Do you know where this is?
Located at 107 Lincoln Street, this Victorian estate is the original structure of AdCare Hospital of Worcester, lnc. The three-story home was purchased in 1947 by a group of 20 area physicians and re-purposed as a 30-bed hospital. 

As the need for medical and surgical services in Worcester County grew, so did the newly-formed Doctors Hospital. In 1954, sections of the original mansion were removed to accommodate two four-story wings, doubling bed capacity from 30 to 60. Six years later, a third wing was completed on the Catharine Street side. A fourth and final wing was added in 1966, bringing total bed capacity to 182.

Once again answering the area's call for services -- this time for substance use services -- an alcoholism unit was formed in 1975 within the acute-care hospital. As this need became increasingly clear, Doctors Hospital was converted in 1984 to a hospital specializing entirely in the addiction field, which in 1987, was renamed AdCare Hospital of Worcester, Inc. 
NOW: AdCare Hospital of Worcester, Inc.
Today, AdCare remains dedicated to providing safe, evidence-based alcohol and drug treatment to the individuals, families, and communities we serve. A 114-bed hospital providing the highest level of care for persons affected by substance use, AdCare Hospital of Worcester, Inc. also has a network of outpatient locations conveniently located in Worcester, West Springfield, Boston, Quincy, and North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, as well as in Warwick, Rhode Island.

On March 1 of 2018, AdCare Hospital and Outpatient Services, along with AdCare Rhode Island's Residential Treatment and Outpatient Programs in North Kingstown, and AdCare Criminal Justice Services' (ACJS) community corrections programs in Massachusetts, proudly joined American Addiction Centers (AAC).
"Thank you to the " Worcester Business Journal" for   the opportunity to be the Presenting Sponsor of "Addiction in the Workplace", a unique forum providing area employers the chance to discuss and learn strategies for successfully managing the impact of substance use at work. AdCare has always been a strong partner in the community. To help confront the epidemic of opioids and other highly addictive drugs, as well as alcohol -- the most commonly used addictive substance (ncadd.org), AdCare has expanded our educational programs to include:
  • Free "Friends and Family" Informational Program
  • On-site recovery support meetings, such as Learn To Cope and Refuge Recovery
  • Presentations to schools, businesses, social service organizations, and community groups
  • Professional Educational Series at AdCare Hospital that is now open to the community.
  • Recovery Month outreach events to reduce the stigma around addiction
  • Sponsorship of events such as "Addiction in the Workplace" for the business community."
            -- Georganna Koppermann, Vice President of Marketing and Community Services for AdCare

How can employers respond to the epidemic?

The timely and informative "Addiction in the Workplace" forum took place on June 12, 2018 at the Beechwood Hotel in Worcester, Massachusetts, and featured keynote speaker, Michael Botticelli, Executive Director of the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center, as well as a panel of experts from the treatment, health and human services, legal, and human resources fields.

"It's great to see employers as part of the solution," said Michael Botticelli, who demonstrated the scope of the issue with national CDC data showing 42,000 deaths from opioids in 2016, and Massachusetts Department of Public Health statistics placing Massachusetts among the top three states in the country for synthetic opioid deaths last year. 

Mr. Botticelli focused on ways that employers can respond to this challenging health issue, such as:
  • Providing employee health benefits that ensure high-quality, evidenced-based treatment
  • Offering employees the confidential services of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Creating a more open culture at work through health programs that address substance use.

Words Matter  

"Eliminating the use of stigmatizing language around substance use is important," said Mr. Botticelli, who is also a person in long-term recovery. "Replacing words like 'junkie' with 'person with a substance use disorder' helps to reduce the stigma that prevents people from seeking treatment and support."
Amid the opioid crisis and marijuana law changes, panel discussion focuses on knowing the signs of substance use and having a plan in place

  1. Panel L-R: Kimberly Roy, Communications Director for the Worcester County Sheriff's Office, moderator; Daniel O’Connor, LADC-I, CEAP, community services representative for AdCare; Matilde Castiel, MD, Commissioner of Health and Human Services for the City of Worcester; Robert Kilroy, labor attorney with Mirick O'Connell; and Nicole Zea, plant manager at Saint-Gobain.
Q. What does the legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts mean to employers who are currently testing for drug use?

A. Employers need to treat legal marijuana as they do alcohol: it's legal, but still not acceptable if it impairs a worker's ability to do their job, particularly in safety-sensitive positions. 

-- Daniel O'Connor, LADC-I, CEAP, community services representative for AdCare

Daniel O'Connor, LADC-I, CEAP, has given many years of service to Labor and Employee Assistance Programs, as well as others seeking recovery from substance use disorders. As a community services representative for AdCare, Mr. O'Connor continues to assist with referrals to treatment, and can be reached at 508-667-7794 or doconor@adcare.com
Is my employee or co-worker using drugs? Signs to look for:













Physical Changes

Weight Loss
Dark under-eye circles
Watery eyes
Small pupils
Itching or picking at skin
Nodding off
Slow to respond

Behavioral Changes

Absenteeism
Changes in appetite or sleep pattern
Frequent accidents
Lack of coordination, focus, and sleep
Poor personal hygiene
Secretiveness
Increased dishonesty
Depression and/or mood swings
Wearing long sleeves in hot weather
In and out of the bathroom
Low productivity, particularly in the morning
Protect your business and employees with a written policy for substance use.
A written drug and alcohol policy is essential to conducting a fair assessment of substance use and acting on the results. It is crucial that your policy include :
  • Drug and alcohol testing for reasonable suspicion
  • Documentation
  • Observation
  • Meetings
  • Action Steps

 "A holistic approach to treating addiction"

When Stephanie Pratico, LMHC, clinical supervisor at AdCare Outpatient Services in Worcester, Massachusetts, moved to Worcester from her native Tucson, Arizona, to attend the College of the Holy Cross, she envisioned a career in music therapy. Ms. Pratico studied math and music at Holy Cross, and taught math while going to graduate school for a degree in expressive therapies and mental health counseling at Lesley University in Cambridge. Ms. Pratico doesn't work in music therapy today, but as a clinical supervisor helping those with drug and alcohol


MOHAMMAD ALHABBAL, MD, NAMED MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT ADCARE HOSPITAL!

Mohammad Alhabbal, MD, has been named Medical Director at AdCare Hospital. "We’re very excited to have Dr. Alhabbal leading the medical team," said Jeffrey Hillis, president. “His qualifications are outstanding and his experience includes eleven years as an attending physician at AdCare.” Dr. Alhabbal is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) and the American Board of Family Physicians (ABFP). and is a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). READ MORE

  JOAN BERTRAND, VP OF HUMAN RESOURCES NAMED  BOARD CHAIR OF GIRL SCOUTS FOR CENTRAL AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

"Girl Scouting was my foundation," says Ms. Bertrand. "It taught me how to become a leader, how to speak up for myself, and it gave me the confidence to accept challenges that I may not otherwise have taken."





TEAM ADCARE STEPPED UP TO FIGHT THE STIGMA OF ADDICTION IN THE 5K FIREBIRD RACE  on June 9 in Greenfield, Massachusetts! Sharing treatment information are Deirdre Daley, LICSW, clinical supervisor at AdCare Worcester Outpatient Services, with her son Declan and Mary Chiecko, AdCare community services representative for Western Massachusetts.
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