Recovery Advocate Michael Walsh, Former President and CEO of NAATP, Joins HARP Treatment Center as COO

SINGER ISLAND, Fla., Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- HARP Treatment Center, one of the leading alcohol and substance abuse recovery centers in Palm Beach, Florida, has announced a key addition to its executive leadership team with the recruitment of Michael Walsh as Chief Operations Officer.

"Michael has provided a powerful voice for recovery in the treatment industry for more than a decade on both a regional and national level," said Gino Cicerchia, Founder and CEO of HARP Palm Beach. "More importantly, Michael is someone who cares about helping. He's devoted his life to recovery and helping the people and families affected by addiction. To have someone of his caliber joining the HARP family will allow us to change so many more lives. I couldn't be more excited for our organization, and where HARP is headed."

Michael's national and international profile is well respected in the industry. In his previous role as President/C.E.O. of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and liaison to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, Michael led NAATP through a period of significant growth, both from a membership standpoint and in improving its relationships with other like-minded agencies. Initiatives such as the Parity study, "like- minded physicians group", and NAATP's Ethics policy spearheaded this significant growth.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 23.5 million persons aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol abuse problem in 2009 (9.3 percent of persons aged 12 or older). Of these, only 2.6 million—11.2 percent of those who needed treatment—received it at a specialty facility like HARP. With the addition of Mr. Walsh as COO and Executive Director, HARP Palm Beach continues to position itself as one of the leading recovery centers in the nation. HARP Palm Beach is an ideal platform to apply his knowledge and expertise of the industry, and to guide HARP's operations as they continue to grow into a world-class behavioral healthcare brand. HARP Palm Beach recently received the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' Gold Seal of Approval. 

Mr. Walsh, a Masters level Clinician, Certified Addiction Professional and Certified Intervention Professional, has been featured as a key note speaker and presenter for many local, national and international conferences including the Cape Cod Symposium, Florida Lawyers Assistance, Southeastern Conference on Addictive Disorders, NCAD, West Coast Symposium, All-Party Parliamentary Drug Misuse Group, UKESAD and Axis.  

"I've been a tireless advocate for recovery in every position I've held; I like to shake things up and bring a new energy to recovery," said Walsh. "HARP is the perfect place for a person like me because they are shaking things up. I've always been impressed with HARP Treatment Center and their highly experienced team.  They incorporate groundbreaking therapies with well-established evidence based practices. They're challenging the status quo and that's what I want to be a part of in Florida and beyond."

* Statistic provided by DrugAbuse.gov at http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-statistics

HARP Palm Beach is a residential addiction treatment center located in Palm Beach, Florida on a barrier island known as Singer Island. HARP treats clients eighteen years of age and older. HARP believes that in order to completely recover from addiction and alcoholism, one must address their core issues, through a holistic treatment approach addressing the mind, body, and spirit. Through its branded clinical curriculum, HARP clients are introduced and taught to integrate the four major "hallmarks" by which the clinical program is built upon; Honesty, Assertiveness, Responsibility, and Peace. These principles must be present in every person's recovery, in order to achieve sustainable recovery. If an individual has the ability to incorporate these principles into their everyday life, sobriety will be inherent.

Contact

To learn more about HARP Palm Beach, please contact
Ryan Riley
Email
561-623-3303

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SOURCE HARP Treatment Center, Palm Beach