March 27, 2020

Friend searching and contacting addiction treatment facilies on behalf of a friend suffering form substance abuse.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, AdCare Rhode Island is taking additional steps to help its patients feel safe accessing treatment. The addiction treatment provider is now offering telehealth services for individuals participating in outpatient programs at its Greenville and South Kingstown locations. Instead of coming to the treatment center weekly for care, patients can meet virtually with a licensed counselor for therapy sessions. In the coming days, AdCare plans to expand its telehealth services to include group meetings and other levels of care.

“We don’t want anything to get in the way of our patients continuing on their path of recovery,” said Jessica Elliott DeMello, Director of Outpatient Services for AdCare Rhode Island. “These are challenging times for all of us, particularly those in recovery. We know that stress, anxiety and isolation are triggers for relapse. Telehealth allows us to serve our patients in the comfort of their homes and continue to provide them with the support they need in early recovery.”

Over half of AdCare Rhode Island’s patients are in an outpatient program. Since launching the telehealth service, the treatment provider has seen nearly a 100% show rate for appointments.

“We must not forget we are also in the midst of an addiction crisis,” said Fred Trapassi, AdCare Rhode Island CEO.  “People are also still dying every day from drug overdoses. We must continue to provide critical addiction treatment services. Lives are depending on it.”