Bluff Plantation Addiction Treatment Program Awarded Prestigious Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval

AUGUSTA, Ga., Feb. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- RiverMend Health is pleased to announce that Bluff Plantation, a comprehensive residential addiction recovery program located in Augusta, Georgia, has earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation.

Established in 1969, the Joint Commission is the nation's leading health care accreditation organization. To receive Joint Commission behavioral health care accreditation, addiction treatment centers must meet rigorous standards related to the quality and safety of care, treatment and operations.

"The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval is a widely recognized symbol of quality that reflects our commitment to meeting, and exceeding, the highest performance standards," said Dr. William Jacobs, Medical Director of Bluff Plantation. "Our team is honored to receive this distinction, and dedicated to providing our patients with evidence-based, multidisciplinary addiction treatment in a beautiful, serene environment."

"Joint Commission accreditation provides behavioral health care organizations with the processes needed to improve in a variety of areas related to the care of individuals and their families," said Tracy Griffin Collander, LCSW, executive director of the Joint Commission's Behavioral Health Care Accreditation division. "We commend Bluff Plantation and RiverMend Health for its efforts to elevate the standard of care it provides and to instill confidence in the community it serves."

Nestled amidst the rolling green hills just outside of Augusta, Bluff Plantation is one of seven recovery programs located across the United States that are a part of RiverMend Health, a premier provider of scientifically driven behavioral health services to those suffering from alcohol and drug dependency, eating disorders and addiction-related diseases.

Bluff Plantation is led by board certified physicians and credentialed clinicians, and guided by a Scientific Advisory Board comprised of internationally-recognized experts in addiction, behavioral health, neurology, neuropsychiatry, epidemiology, psychology, psychiatry and neurobiology. Dr. Jacobs is triple board certified in anesthesiology, pain medicine and addiction medicine.

Bluff Plantation is also affiliated with the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, a level IV trauma center which provides Bluff Plantation patients suffering from co-occurring conditions and other medical complications access to a variety of medical specialists as well as inpatient detoxification.

Because research indicates that a holistic approach aids recovery, Bluff Plantation provides multidisciplinary therapeutic modalities including equine therapy, yoga, meditation, exercise physiology, gardening and hiking along nature trails, along with world-class dining and nutritional counseling.

The Joint Commission accreditation process included reviews, on-site observations and interviews to evaluate behavioral health care standards related to areas including care, treatment, and services; environment of care; leadership; and screening procedures for the early detection of imminent harm.

About Bluff Plantation 
Spanning 178 beautiful acres on the Savannah River just outside Augusta, Georgia, Bluff Plantation is one of the most comprehensive, scientifically-driven addiction treatment centers in the United States. Our team of renowned addiction medicine physicians and clinicians deliver multidisciplinary addiction treatment and rehabilitation therapies in a secluded, five star residential setting. Affiliated with the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Bluff Plantation is led by medical director William S. Jacobs, M.D., a nationally recognized expert triple board certified in addiction medicine, anesthesiology and pain medicine. For more information about Bluff Plantation's Joint Commission accredited addiction recovery programs, visit www.bluffplantation.com or call (844) 856-9450.

RiverMend Health is a nationwide provider of scientifically driven, specialty behavioral health services to those suffering from alcohol and drug dependency, dual disorders, eating disorders, obesity and chronic pain. Founded on the belief that addiction, eating disorders and obesity are the nation's most pressing health care challenges, the company brings together the world's preeminent experts and a nationwide network of recovery programs to provide neuroscience-driven treatment, research and education. To learn more about RiverMend Health, visit www.RiverMendHealth.com.

About the Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at http://www.jointcommission.org.

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SOURCE RiverMend Health