Central Peninsula Hospital | Thrive | Summer 2018

Photo by Gina Smith B E HAV I OR A L H E A LT H A safe place to live Rick Davis, CEO Central Peninsula Hospital Our country is in the midst of an opioid epi- demic. It reaches every corner of the cities, towns and villages in Alaska. We are working in our community to provide help to those caught in the vice of addiction. With the assistance of many individuals and organizations, our Behav- ioral Health department has developed a multifaceted approach to assist those who are seeking help. Treatment For some, it may start with a brief stay at our Care Transitions facility. With a grant from the state of Alaska, we recently purchased and remodeled a 6-bed facility where people can be admitted and medically monitored as they experience withdrawal symptoms. Detoxification is a means to an end (recov- ery) but it is not the end itself. Once detoxi- fication is complete, patients are most likely to be successful if they enter and stay with a treatment plan. This can include residential or intensive outpatient treatment. Many of you know about Serenity House, our adult residential substance abuse treat- ment facility. This 12-bed facility is a logical next step for many who have completed detoxification. At Serenity House, we identify and treat co-occurring disorders, such as depression and trauma, helping people understand and learn to manage underlying conditions that often contribute to addic- tion. When a person completes residential treatment, they are “stepped-down” to an intensive outpatient program provided by our Behavioral Health department. We have been providing these services for over 15 years and have learned a great deal about how to achieve success. Recovery One important requirement for continued success in recovery is a safe place to live. Some patients have this. For those who don’t, their odds of success are significantly diminished. To address this issue, Central Peninsula Hospital (CPH) teamed up with the state of Alaska, Rasmuson Foundation, Mental Health Trust and our CPH Foundation to provide a 16-bed transitional living facility (Diamond Willow). This facility provides a safe residence while enhancing life and job skills for residents to obtain employment, move into their own place, and continue in sobriety as a productive citizen. While all of this is expensive to provide, the alternative is much more expensive when you consider the social and financial damage suffered by victims, families, employers and taxpayers. We are grateful to be a community hospital that can help tackle these challenges. A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Know someone who wants help? Encourage them to call CPH Behavioral Health at 907-714-4521 . 2 Central Peninsula Hospital