Stella Center Launches in Chicago To Provide Relief to Millions of Mental Trauma Sufferers Through the Stellate Ganglion Block Procedure.

CHICAGO, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sterling Partners and its investment incubator '87 today announced a partnership with Stella Center to provide a new model of care for the millions of Americans struggling to find effective relief from mental trauma-related symptoms such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other mental health-related suffering. Stella Center has partnered with Stella MSO, a managed services organization run by James R. Williams as its newly-appointed chief executive officer. Stella Center is based on the pioneering efforts of Stella's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Eugene Lipov, a board-certified anesthesiologist. Dr. Lipov is widely considered one of the first doctors to use the "Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB)" procedure to treat mental trauma-related symptoms.

"Stella launched to address the bleak reality of mental trauma sufferers in our country," said Williams, CEO of Stella MSO. "Dr. Lipov's decades-long commitment to perfecting this technique is central to our mission to improve the lives of millions of mental trauma sufferers nationwide, while working to destigmatize trauma. Among today's pandemic, our mandate to provide effective relief from mental trauma symptoms is more important than ever."

The National Council for Behavioral Health reports that more than 223 million people in our country have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetimes. Meanwhile, we continue to lose more than 20 veterans every day to suicide. The Stellate Ganglion Block – a 20-minute outpatient procedure traditionally used for pain management – involves the injection of a local anesthetic into a bundle of nerves at the base of the neck. Dr. Lipov's own personal experience with trauma has motivated his innovation of this procedure.

"There is an enormous gap between the standard of care for mental trauma-related symptoms and the innovative treatments available," said Dr. Lipov. "I'm thrilled to work with Sterling Partners and '87 to expand the availability of what can be a life-changing procedure. Now more than ever, we can play a central role in connecting people in need of mental trauma symptom relief with effective care."

Stella Center combines Dr. Lipov's expertise with SGB and the speciality of licensed psychologist and national expert on veteran trauma, Dr. Shauna Springer, Chief Psychologist. She is also the author of the newly released book, "WARRIOR: How to Support Those Who Protect Us?" which has been endorsed by Academy Award-winning film-maker and best-selling author, Sebastian Junger, offers a glimpse of how our bravest citizens may struggle and how we can better support those who protect us.

"I've seen firsthand in my practice how transformative SGB can be in helping patients achieve breakthroughs in their psychological care and overall trauma symptom management," commented Dr. Springer. 

Stella MSO is the latest investment by Sterling Partners. Sterling hired Stella MSO CEO James R. Williams, a proven health-care executive, having previously expanded and led U.S. care networks for companies, including Miller Vein, Vein Clinics of America, Accelitech, and ProCure Proton Therapy Centers. Earlier in his career, he served as Chief Operating Officer for DaVita Lifeline Vascular Access.

"Stella Center is a strong opportunity for us to draw on our years of experience in healthcare investing and our entrepreneurial roots," said Steven Taslitz, Sterling Partners Chairman and Co-Founder. "We were honored that Dr. Lipov came to us to help bring this meaningful relief to more people, and we're thrilled James has joined our team. His extensive healthcare track record and operational prowess will be key to Stella both as it launches and in the long term."

Stella Center is located at 2425 22nd St., Suite 101, Oak Brook, IL, 60523. For more information about Stella Center, and to learn if SGB is right for you or a loved one, visit www.StellaCenter.com.

About Stella Center

The Stella Center aims to provide relief to the millions of people affected by mental trauma-related symptoms. Through a modification of a procedure called the Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB), the treatment targets the brain's fight or flight response. Dr. Eugene Lipov, a world-renowned board-certified anesthesiologist, is widely accepted as the pioneer of SGB for the treatment of mental trauma-related symptoms, having performed the procedure on patients from across the world over 1,000 times over the past fifteen years.

About '87

'87, a subsidiary of Sterling Partners, specializes in building and supporting story-driven consumer businesses that attract and retain customers through powerful content. '87's vision is to assemble and grow a world-class portfolio of companies that improves communities in both simple and profound ways.  '87 portfolio includes Stella Center, Jetson, Fancy Sprinkles, Grounds & Hounds and Black Rifle Coffee Company. 

About Sterling Partners

Sterling Partners is a diversified investment management platform founded in 1983 and based in Chicago. The firm started with four young entrepreneurs, who went on to build one of Chicago's most prominent private equity firms. Today, the firm has expanded beyond its strong private equity practice into a number of other investment strategies. Complementing its institutional fund practice, since 2017 the firm has nearly a dozen investments on a deal-by-deal basis. Sterling invests in a wide variety of companies in various stages of growth - from early stage, high-growth businesses to mature, profitable companies. These investments are across several industries, and the firm makes control, non-control, and preferred equity investments.  Sterling adds value to its portfolio companies and the founders with whom it partners with its entrepreneurial roots, deep domain expertise, focus on transformational growth, and access to world-class executive talent. For more information, please visit www.sterlingpartners.com.

Media Contact:

Kelli Hartsock-Packer
mPR, Inc. for Stella Center
[email protected]

SOURCE Stella Center

Related Links

http://www.StellaCenter.com