National Drug Recovery HQ Event At Bowling Green Brandywine In Kennett Square Fri., September 21, 11am-noon, To Feature Phillies 1980 World Series Champion Pitcher, PA Drug Czar, Former US Drug Czar, State Legislature Leaders, Labor Leaders, Local Officials, Mayor, Country's Largest Treatment Provider, National & Local Treatment Experts

Will Address 23 million-person National Treatment "Gap" and 1 million without treatment in Penn-Del

Friday, Sept. 21, 11:00AM, Bowling Green Brandywine Treatment Center, 1375 Newark Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa., Sept. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Recovery Month Headquarters news conference event for over 100 facilities nationwide, celebrating those in recovery and highlighting the 23 million-person national drug and alcoholism treatment "gap" and one million without treatment in Pennsylvania and Delaware, will be held at CRC Health Group's Bowling Green Brandywine Treatment Center in Kennett Square, 11AM to Noon on Friday, September 21, followed by lunch 12-1 for all participants.  Speakers at the 11 AM News conference will include Philadelphia Phillies 1980 World Series Champion pitcher Dickie Noles; Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Gary Tennis; Former White House Drug Czar and Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey, national media expert on terrorism, national security, and drug policy;  state legislature leaders including Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, prime creator of the new state Cabinet Department on Drug and Alcohol Programs;  Teamsters National Fund Administrator Andy Johnson; the host CRC Health Group, the nation's largest behavioral treatment provider, with Chief Operating Officer Jerry Rhodes; Kennett Square Mayor Matthew Fetick; Bowling Green Alumni President Jim Phalan;  and emcee Lisa Olander, Executive Director of Bowling Green Brandywine and Regional Director of White Deer Run's 20 Pennsylvania facilities. 

Also participating will be State Representatives Doyle Heffley and Thomas Murt; Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone, PA Deputy Secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Kim Bowman; and national and local treatment advocates and experts, as well as treatment alumni, families, and law enforcement officials.

Bowling Green Brandywine was selected as the National Recovery Month Headquarters this year because its expansion is testimony to the importance of addressing the national and state treatment gaps, and the facility rightly takes pride in serving as a national model in assisting the most difficult populations.  At the event, Bowling Green Brandywine will announce construction of a 40% expansion of its facility.

General McCaffrey has called opiate prescription explosion "the new heroin." At the event the facility will highlight opiate treatment services, serving as one of the few non-hospital treatment facilities to treat opiate dependent pregnant females in the country, and over 30 years of providing drug and alcohol treatment services. The opiate prescription drug epidemic in this country – abuse has quintupled in the past decade according to SAMHSA-- and the number of opiate related deaths -- are primary reasons for the bed expansion.  The Bowling Green Brandywine facility expansion adds 42 new beds and 23 new jobs.

The event will underscore the importance of quality treatment programs in this country. MEDIA NOTE: Immediately following the news conference speeches, and before lunch, the event includes a tree planting, a ribbon cutting for the expansion of the Brandywine facility, and a balloon liftoff.

The news conference kicks off a larger national event to celebrate National Recovery Month sponsored by SAMHSA, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  This year's Recovery Month theme, "Join the Voices for Recovery:  It's Worth It," and the Tree Planting theme of "Recovery Takes Root", emphasize that while the road to recovery may be difficult, the benefits are significant for individuals, families, and communities.

Rhodes stated that in addition to its expansion showing a means to address the treatment gap, Bowling Green Brandywine's selection as this year's Recovery Month headquarters event facility is based on its excellence in service including the following achievements:

1. Have treated over 40,000 patients in the 30 years of business.
2. 87% of all patients complete treatment successfully or are transferred successfully to the next level of care.
3. Experts in the Opiate Treatment population – specifically the epidemic related to Prescription Meds.  Utilization of Cutting Edge Treatment Methods such as Vivitrol.
4. Only facility in Northeastern United States that will accept and treat Addicted Pregnant Women
5. Unique specialty program to treat FIRST RESPONDERS developed in tandem with the NYPD, specifically focusing on the trauma related to a job where they will inevitably be re-traumatized:   STATT Program (SubsTance Abuse Trauma Treatment).  This program is run by a Program Director who is a retired DE State Trooper and Veteran of the Vietnam War and also includes a contracted Trauma Specialist. 
6. Licensed as a Co-Occurring Treatment Facility;  contracts with highly regarded psychiatrists allows facility to treat more complex patients.

Contact: Robert Weiner/Richard Mann 301-283-0821, cell 202-306-1200 [email protected]

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates