WhiteSands Treatment Maintains Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Services and Commitment to Patient Safety During COVID-19

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- WhiteSands Treatment Center ("WhiteSands" or the "Company"), a leading provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health and addiction treatment services, announced today its commitment to providing its full suite of substance abuse services with the same best-in-class standards of patient care, safety and comfort, despite the unique challenges imposed on the addiction treatment industry by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is a critical time for the millions of Americans who suffer from addiction, mental health disorders, and other substance use conditions," says Garry Jonas, founder and CEO of WhiteSands. "The global pandemic has increased the challenges for these individuals, from sustained recovery, to access to treatment. By leveraging a combination of exhaustive safety measures, policies and protocols, WhiteSands has created an environment that helps reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, while also ensuring patients receive the same elite level of individualized care and comfort for which WhiteSands is well-known."

WhiteSands' COVID-19 risk mitigation system, which exceeds both state and federal mandates, has been designed to suit the company's sprawling campus-style layouts and spacious facilities. These facilities include private rooms and bathrooms for every patient, a feature that is unique in the inpatient addiction treatment industry. Other components of the COVID-19 risk mitigation system include:

• In-house lab testing. As part of the Company's modified admissions process, all patients are immediately tested for the COVID-19 virus upon arrival at a WhiteSands facility. While awaiting the test results, which are delivered within 10 hours using in-house laboratory capabilities, patients spend a brief quarantine period in their fully furnished private room. Team members are also tested at least once per week as a precautionary measure.
• Offsite quarantine housing. If a patient tests positive for COVID-19, WhiteSands has established offsite housing that allows an individual to quarantine comfortably for a minimum of two weeks. While in quarantine, patients continue to receive the same level of individualized treatment and care that is provided at WhiteSands' main campus. Following the two-week quarantine period and further testing to ensure the patient no longer shows positive results, these individuals are relocated to the main campus for the remainder of their treatment process.
• Strict social distancing practices. Unless a patient's treatment or other circumstances warrant otherwise, WhiteSands is enforcing a minimum distance of six-feet between patients and team members at all times. In order to maintain the same level of patient care and comfort in a socially distanced setting, WhiteSands constructed more than 12,000 square feet of new outdoor leisure/gathering space.
• Significant reduction of group gatherings. WhiteSands has not only restructured its campus to avoid patients and employees congregating, but has also adjusted its treatment practices in order to maintain social distancing.
• Therapy. Group therapy has been moved to larger locations to allow for socially distanced seating and the the number of patients within each group session has been reduced. Further, WhiteSands' therapists have implemented strict protocols for use of PPE equipment and hand sanitizing before and after meetings.
• Dining. WhiteSands has eliminated group dining. Prepared meals are now delivered directly to each patient's private room.
• Athletic complex. To accommodate all of its patients, WhiteSands has now expanded its athletic facilities' hours of operation to 14 hours per day and established one-hour daily time slots to allow each patient to safely work out at its 12,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art athletic complex where only four-to-six patients are allowed to be training at the same time.
• Spare time social gathering. WhiteSands built over 12,000 square feet of designated outdoor patio areas adjacent to blocks of twenty rooms which are exclusively used by assigned patients. Each patio area is monitored by a behavioral health technician (BHT) who enforces mask and hand sanitizer use at all times.
• Smoking areas. WhiteSands removed group smoking areas and placed chairs and ashtrays outside each patient's private room to create individual smoking areas.
• Increased cleaning practices with specialized approved chemicals and techniques. WhiteSands has always maintained its facilities and grounds to the highest sanitation standards. Since the start of the pandemic, the Company's exhaustive cleaning practices have not only increased in frequency, but expanded to include the latest Centers for Disease Control and Florida Department of Health recommended processes and solutions for preventing COVID-19.
• Specialized training for team members. WhiteSands understands that the most important component of its COVID-19 risk mitigation system is its talented team of over 290 clinicians, medical professionals and other support staff. Throughout the course of this pandemic, the Company will continue to provide its team with the appropriate best-in-class tools and information needed to get the job done well – and, above all, done safely.
• Proper and consistent supply of PPE. WhiteSands has ensured ample supply of proper PPE for all patients and team members across its treatment center footprint, including the latest innovations and data-backed solutions.

"We took an aggressive, proactive approach with this crisis," added Mr. Jonas. "While many treatment centers around the country have unfortunately experienced interrupted operations and, in some cases, closures as a result of COVID-19, our holistic patient-centric approach, dedicated team, willingness to invest in our platform, and unique infrastructure have allowed us – and more importantly, our patients – to continue to succeed despite the unprecedented challenges created by the global pandemic."

Founded in 2014, WhiteSands is one of the largest private insurance treatment centers in America, with three inpatient and 18 outpatient centers, all LegitScript-certified, located throughout Central and Southwest Florida. Providing care for more than 2,000 patients annually, WhiteSands is accredited by the Joint Commission and a member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. Newsweek recently named WhiteSands one of America's Best Addiction Treatment Centers, with the Company's Plant City and Fort Myers locations ranking #1 and #4 in Florida, respectively.

For more information about WhiteSands, please visit www.whitesandstreatment.com.

ABOUT WHITESANDS TREATMENT CENTER
WhiteSands Treatment Center ("WhiteSands") is a leading provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health and addiction treatment services for individuals suffering from substance use disorders. As one of the largest private insurance treatment centers in Florida, WhiteSands' team of over 290 clinicians, medical professional, and support staff utilizes an individualized dual diagnosis treatment approach at their three inpatient and 18 outpatient centers located throughout Central and Southwest Florida to identify and treat the underlying issues leading to addiction for more than 2,000 patients annually. With a commitment to the highest standards of patient care, safety and comfort, WhiteSands has successfully treated more than 10,000 Americans suffering from substance use conditions since its founding in 2014. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, WhiteSands is a member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, is accredited by the Joint Commission, and has received LegitScript's Addiction Treatment Certification for each of its locations. For more information, please visit www.whitesandstreatment.com.

CONTACT
Liz Holman
Gaffney Bennett PR
[email protected] 

SOURCE WhiteSands Treatment Center

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