South Jersey Community Leader Dawn Belamarich Promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Recovery Centers of America at Lighthouse in Mays Landing, New Jersey

News provided by

Aug 10, 2020, 10:20 ET

MAYS LANDING, N.J., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- New Jersey Leader Dawn Belamarich, LPC, LCADC, ACS, has been named CEO of Recovery Center of America's 133-bed inpatient substance use disorder treatment center in Mays Landing, New Jersey. Belamarich, recently named a 2020 Best 50 New Jersey Woman in Business by NJ.com, is a dynamic, respected community leader in southern New Jersey. Belamarich will oversee all operations at Recovery Centers of America ("RCA") at Lighthouse -- one of the top addiction treatment providers in New Jersey boasting comprehensive evidence-based care in beautiful, modern facilities. RCA has treated over 40,000 patients for substance use disorder with care that is affordable to families, as treatment is provided in-network with major insurers so that patients pay only a co-pay and/or a deductible.

Addiction treatment services are vital to New Jersey right now. According to data from the New Jersey state drug information dashboard, drug overdose deaths have increased 20% in 2020. Already 1,339 New Jersey residents died of suspected drug overdoses in the first five months of the year, 225 more than were recorded in 2019 over the same time period. Additionally, in New Jersey, about 87% of people who need addiction treatment do not receive it.

"We need to act now to help our loved ones obtain treatment for the chronic disease of substance use disorder -- especially during the pandemic," said Belamarich. "We are experiencing unprecedented times in not only our state, but our country, and, with the added burden of isolation, job loss and uncertainty, those struggling with this disease are facing more challenges than ever. It is life and death in many instances, so it is vital that we work together to help our fellow New Jersey residents receive the treatment they need," she said.

Belamarich has been at Recovery Center of America at Lighthouse since February of 2017 where she served first as Clinical Director and then as Executive Director with clinical and operational oversight of residential and detox programs at RCA. She holds two masters level degrees: a Master of Science degree in mental health counseling from Capella University and a Master of Science degree in Sociology/Criminology from St Joseph's University in Philadelphia. She also served as adjunct professor in criminal justice at Strayer University in the Philadelphia area.

Belamarich's dedication and leadership in South Jersey includes her role as founder of a comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder counseling program for the community, as well as membership in a variety of community-based organizations and committees working to bring about positive, sustainable change at both the community and state level. Belamarich's extensive community service background is also highlighted by her decade of service at Family Service Association of Southern New Jersey. As Vice President of Family and Community Development, Belamarich led all aspects of community-based programming to serve the needs of individuals and families in southern New Jersey.

RCA tapped David Dorschu, previous CEO of RCA at Lighthouse, to lead in a new role as CEO at RCA's newest facility on the East Coast - RCA at Raritan Bay in South Amboy, New Jersey. Dorschu has been CEO at Lighthouse since 2016 and has helped grow the specialized programming for addiction at Lighthouse to include a trauma program, a Christian program, a program for individuals who have relapsed and for those over the age of fifty, and a program for the LGBTQ community and for first responders.

RCA is committed to providing a safe and successful treatment environment for all patients, staff, and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic, complying with all New Jersey Department of Health and CDC mitigation measures for the coronavirus. All new RCA patients are screened for the COVID-19 virus prior to admission, and staff are routinely tested, using the GENETWORx diagnostic viral test which has an accuracy rate in the 99^th percentile. Virginia-based GENETWORx Laboratories, a subsidiary of Recovery Centers of America, is a CLIA and CAP-certified molecular diagnostic laboratory, designations considered the gold standard in the testing industry.

Patients can access substance use disorder care at RCA by calling 1-800-Recovery and talking to RCA care advocates 24/7/365. Intervention services are also available in many cases and complimentary to assist the families of individuals who need treatment.

Recovery Centers of America provides comprehensive addiction treatment at seven inpatient residential facilities in South Amboy and Mays Landing, NJ; Devon, Pennsylvania; Westminster and Danvers, Massachusetts; and Earleville and Waldorf, Maryland. A full spectrum of Outpatient treatment is also provided at many of these facilities and in Voorhees, NJ. RCA also provides Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) at its facilities in Trenton and Somerdale, NJ and in Lansdowne, PA.