Leading Addiction Medicine Expert Omar Manejwala, M.D., Joins Hazelden

Program for addicted health care professionals expands to Minnesota campus

CENTER CITY, Minn., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hazelden, the internationally renowned nonprofit addiction treatment center, has named Omar Manejwala, M.D., F.A.P.A. as medical director of its Center City, Minnesota, addiction treatment programs.

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Dr. Manejwala, a psychiatrist, is a leading expert in addiction medicine whose practice includes a focus on addiction treatment for health care professionals. In his new role with Hazelden, Dr. Manejwala will lead a team of physicians, provide care for patients, and oversee Hazelden's addiction treatment program for health care professionals which is being expanded to its Center City campus.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Manejwala on the Hazelden team," said Hazelden chief medical officer Marvin D. Seppala, M.D. "There is no one who better understands Twelve Step recovery in relation to psychiatry and addiction medicine. Dr. Manejwala emphasizes this approach in his care of patients as well as in his work to inform and advance the field of addiction medicine and psychiatry."

With Dr. Manejwala's arrival, Hazelden will expand its specialized addiction treatment program for health care professionals to its Center City, Minnesota, campus, Dr. Seppala announced. This highly regarded and highly specialized program has been offered at Hazelden's Springbrook center in Newberg, Oregon, since 1990.

"We are seeing increasing concerns and greater awareness of addiction in the health care field," observes Dr. Seppala who has authored several recent articles on the topic. "Addicted health care professionals face some very complex recovery issues, from having ready access to drugs in their workplace to licensure issues and other return-to-practice matters. Hazelden is the nation's only addiction treatment provider offering a specialized program for health care professionals at two campuses -- in Oregon and now in Minnesota," he notes.

Dr. Manejwala most recently served as associate medical director at The Farley Center at Williamsburg Place in Virginia, an addiction treatment center known, in particular, for its health care professionals program. He is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he began his career in organizational leadership as the executive chief resident in Psychiatry at Duke. Dr. Manejwala's background also includes education in business and organizational development at the University of Virginia's prestigious Darden School.

One of today's leading addiction medicine experts, Dr. Manejwala has been interviewed on Good Morning America, The Early Show, CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, Primetime, the UK's Sky News, and the international RTL Network. He has also been featured in articles by The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and the UK's Guardian.

About Hazelden – Hazelden, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1949, helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. Built on decades of knowledge and experience, Hazelden offers a comprehensive approach to addiction that addresses the full range of patient, family, and professional needs, including treatment and continuing care for youth and adults, research, higher education, public education and advocacy, and publishing. It has facilities in Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, and Florida. Learn more at www.hazelden.org.

SOURCE Hazelden