Healthcare Transformation Consortium employees gain greater access to behavioral health treatment | ROI-NJ

Much has been said about the stress and strain placed on healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Through a new partnership announced Monday morning, team members from six New Jersey health systems that make up the Healthcare Transformation Consortium You can now access drug and alcohol addiction treatment at Recovery Centers of America inpatient and outpatient facilities nationwide at a significantly reduced out-of-pocket cost.

Under the partnership, HTC team members and their families can now access Recovery Centers of America’s 10 inpatient facilities across the country, multiple outpatient facilities, including three in New Jersey, and programs of opioid treatment in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as a Tier 1 benefit, which carries the lowest financial responsibility for the patient and makes it equivalent to receiving treatment at a facility in its own system.

In New Jersey, that includes inpatient/outpatient facilities at south amboy Y May landingan outpatient center Voorhees and stand-alone facilities in Trenton, Woodbridge and Somerdale.

The partnership involves more than 60,000 caregivers at 14 New Jersey hospitals in the six systems that make up the consortium:

• Atlantic Health (based in Morristown);
• Central state (full ownership);
• Holy Name (Teaneck);
• Hunterdon Health Care (Flemington);
• San Pedro Health System (New Brunswick);
• Virtuous Health (Marlton).

The medical community has been one of the hardest hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its members are not only overwhelmed by responsibilities and extra hours, but often provide emotional support to seriously ill or dying patients when family and friends are unable to visit the hospital due to restrictions.

David Dorschu, executive director of Recovery Centers of America at Raritan Bay in South Amboy, said his team wants to help.

“Now, more than ever, medical professionals, who give their lives to care for others, need us to care for them,” he said. “We’re partnering with HTC to remove any barriers to treatment and provide the coping skills our medical heroes need to achieve a sustainable recovery and improve their overall health and well-being.”

HTC team members and their families suffering from alcohol or drug addiction will be able to receive a full spectrum of care, including:

• medically supervised detoxification;
• inpatient residential treatment;
• partial hospitalization;
• Intensive outpatient services;
• General outpatient services;
• Medication assisted treatment services;
• office opioid treatment;
• Peer services and case management.

Most outpatient services are offered both in person and virtually.

Antell Mitchell-James, director of total rewards and shared services at Atlantic Health System and chair of HTC’s Employee Health and Wellness Committee, said providing additional assistance is the right thing to do.

“Throughout the pandemic, our healthcare heroes have never shied away from the challenge of bringing high-quality care to our communities,” said Mitchell-James. “But they and their families are not immune to the same diseases and conditions that affect the communities in which they live, including addiction. We are honored to work with Recovery Centers of America on this partnership, which will provide important treatment in a time of need.”

Corey Richey, executive director of Recovery Centers of America at the Lighthouse in Mays Landing, agreed.

“Addiction does not discriminate,” he said. “Doctors, nurses and other health professionals and their families are as vulnerable as any population, a situation that is compounded by the extraordinary stress and anxiety they have experienced during the pandemic.

“We are proud to provide HTC employees and their families with the best treatment options and personalized care, just as individual hospitals do for their own patients.”