Addiction programs begin new era with new homes

New Hope Foundation, Discovery Institute offer varied services

BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

New state-of-the-art facilities for people who are seeking help with their addictions have officially opened their doors inMarlboro.

The New Hope Foundation and Discovery Institute Inc. recently celebrated the opening of their new rehabilitation centers on Conover Road. The facilities will provide rehabilitation services for people who are dealing with the effects of an alcohol, drug or gambling addiction.

New Hope and Discovery are separate entities, but they share the same campus. Prior to moving into their new home both organizations were housed on the grounds of the now-closed Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital, Marlboro.

Tony Comerford, president and chief executive officer of theNewHope Foundation, said state officials allowed the foundation to continue its work on the hospital grounds until it was able tomove into its new home. Comerford said the New Hope Foundation moved into the Conover Road buildings in August.

“It’s a great relief,” Comerford said about being set up in the new facility, adding that he is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve more people in need. “Those in need with the least ability to pay is the real intention” of the facility, he said.

In a statement Bob Denes, chief executive officer of the Discovery Institute Inc., said, “We are committed to providing individualized, variable length of stay treatment and family education for the chemically affected populations.”

Denes was on vacation and unavailable for an interview at the time this article was being prepared.

At the present time there are 125 people staying at New Hope’s facility. Comerford, who started working with New Hope in 1989 as a volunteer, said the facility had 138 beds for people who need inpatient treatment.

NewHope is the only facility inNewJersey to offer inpatient treatment for gambling addiction, Comerford said.

Gambling is a compulsive disorder, he explained, describing that a gambler actually feels a high. He said a staff member at NewHope conducted a study to determine if people who have drug and alcohol addictions also had a gambling addiction.

Comerford said he believes the results showed that about 15 percent of patients also have a gambling addiction. The gambling program was added at New Hope in the hope that former patients who started gambling would not relapse into their former drinking or drug patterns, he said.

New Hope, which received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation on Healthcare Organizations, serves adolescents and adults. New Hope is one of the state’s largest agencies and was able to servemore than 3,500NewJersey residents in need in the last year.

Comerford spoke about the newest addition to the adolescent program, which is a virtual school. This allows students to pick up wherever they left off in the curriculum at their schools. One student may be working on basic algebra while another individual might be working on Advanced Placement calculus, he said.

Each treatment program at the facility is individualized for a person’s specific needs, with the length of stay depending on the individual’s need, being as short as 30 days or lasting up to eight months.

There are doctors and nurses present at the facility at all times. Patients may meet with staff members such addiction counselors or psychiatrists.Awhole range of services are supplied to patients,Comerford said.

New Hope’s patients have a higher retention average than the state’s average, according to Comerford. The CEO said adults who leave the treatment center have about a 70 percent retention rate, while the state average is about 55 percent.

He said people who leave the treatment center are encouraged to keep in contact with self-help communities to help prevent a relapse. Comerford said the organization is looking for better ways to stay in contact with individuals who have left the facility.

According to a prepared release, theDiscovery Institute is a state-licensed facility that has been accredited by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations for 10 years and most recently received accreditation fromthe Commission on Accreditation on Healthcare Organizations. Discovery Institute has provided a safe, residential “therapeutic community” for the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction.

“Therapeutic communities use the support of clinical staff, peers and those in recovery as a catalyst for change,” the release states.

Residential treatment at Discovery Institute lasts for between one and six months. In addition to the drug and alcohol treatments, Discovery Institute also offers specialized services for men and women who are suffering from physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Vocational assessment and training opportunities are also available to patients.