A new addiction rehab center in La Plata, Maryland, creates a holistic treatment plan unique to each of its patients.
鈥淲hat I need from treatment might be different from you,鈥� said Marcus Smith, executive director of .
The team at Alpas focuses on teaching life skills, such as creating safety and healthy boundaries in relationships that patients have. Smith talked with 蜜桃视频app about the treatment approach of the center, which opened in fall 2023, for our 2024 Get on Top of Your Health series.
鈥淵ou may be very adept in creating healthy relationships, but you may struggle with safeguards. So, we won鈥檛 have you going to groups where you are getting information that doesn鈥檛 apply to you. We want you to attend more of the safeguard groups. Then you can know exactly what to do if you are triggered,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚f healthy relationships are what you struggle with, we鈥檙e going to tailor your curriculum, and what we are offering, to healthy relationships.鈥�
The program is crafted for each patient and offers medication services for withdrawal, depression and anxiety. Interventions take on a multidisciplinary approach. Alpas offers both residential stays and detox services.
鈥淲e understand that mental health and substance abuse all come together, so we treat both,鈥� Smith said.
The 108-bed facility in La Plata, Maryland, is modern, bright, and has a fitness area, where a dedicated team works to treat the mind and the body.
鈥淲e have a phenomenal, wonderful staff that is comprised of very experienced therapists and a clinical director who has worked in multiple areas of treatment,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e have a licensed, clinical art therapist on our clinical team. We have a family nurse practitioner and a psychiatric nurse practitioner, fantastic RNs, LPNs, case manager to treat whatever your need is.鈥�
The clinical programming is what sets Alpas apart from other substance abuse treatment centers, Smith said, likening it to a college setting where students take required core classes but can also choose elective classes based on their interests and challenges.
Offering new techniques for recovery
Alpas Wellness offers a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, from biomedical to therapy-based tools and holistic interventions.
鈥淔rom the resident鈥檚 rooms to the cafeteria, everything was designed to take away the stigmatization of treatment. We don鈥檛 want you to feel like you鈥檙e in a treatment center. We want you to feel like you are in a luxury facility,鈥� Smith said.
Need to decompress? How does 30-minutes of guided meditation sound?
Alpas provides two rooms that offer both patients and staff a place to enrich their holistic experience, in an effort to feel calmer and more relaxed.
鈥淭he colors, there鈥檚 aromatherapy, there鈥檚 music, there鈥檚 dim lighting, there鈥檚 a television where you can watch things that are very scenic. Not a lot of facilities have a place where staff can go throughout the day to decompress,鈥� he said.
Patients and staff can schedule the relaxation rooms and take up to 30 minutes inside. The rooms were constructed in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, which is studying the benefits of this intervention, by measuring the user鈥檚 heart rate through a finger sensor, both before entering and after exiting the rooms.
鈥淭he staff really cares about the work that we do and the people that we serve,鈥� Smith said.
The philosophy is to 鈥渉elp patients develop the skills needed to navigate life.鈥�
Covering the cost of recovery
In-patient recovery and mental health treatment can be expensive.
鈥淲e ask for a minimum of 30 days,鈥� but patients can stay longer, Executive Director Marcus Smith said. Alpas also offers a 45-day and a 60-day program.
Alpas Wellness works with all major insurance companies and is considered in-network with Medicaid. Private pay is also offered.
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