Addiction Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Withdrawal.net is an American addiction Centers Resource. With passion and vigilance, American Addiction Centers remains open and committed to serving the millions of individuals struggling with addiction, while enforcing safety and prevention as a top priority in regards to COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus). Amidst the global health crisis, AAC is strictly following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization’s recommendations and taking as many proactive actions as possible to protect our current and future patients and staff.

Overview of our approach:

1. Overall Patient and Staff Safety

Each facility has been tasked with establishing a Health Protection Committee (HPC). The purpose of the HPC is to ensure hygiene and safety measures are consistently in place and being followed at each facility, ensure a coordinated company response to any concerns and establish protective protocols in the event that the health of our patients or employees may have been compromised as a result of COVID-19. The HPC works directly and daily with AAC’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lawrence Weinstein to implement and enforce the most up-to-date procedures as the coronavirus information evolves.

2. Admissions

We will ask you about your vaccine status when you call our admissions center. If you have been vaccinated, please bring your vaccine card with you to treatment.

AAC screens all patients before admission to learn:

• Personal travel history.
• Potential exposure.
• Potential contact with someone who has traveled to areas of concern.
• Any direct contact by the patients with persons diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Any symptoms of illness.

Those who screen positive will not be admitted to treatment. Those who screen negative will be eligible for admission.

Per the updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, if you are fully vaccinated, you may not have to quarantine when you arrive at treatment.

You do not need to be vaccinated to get treatment at AAC.

3. Staff Monitoring

AAC is committed to ensuring staff at our facilities are not infected with COVID-19 virus. Staff who have traveled to areas of concern, have been in contact with someone in these areas, have been in direct contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or shows any signs of illness are asked to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which dictates 14 days of isolation with no symptoms from the time of contact.

4. Facility Hygiene

We are maintaining our already stringent cleaning and disinfecting processes throughout the day along with regularly scheduled deep cleanings and encouraging staff and patients to practice strict hand hygiene and avoid skin to skin contact. We are also closely monitoring the health of our patients.

5. Specialized Treatment

Our therapists have been trained on the effects of anxiety related to COVID-19 and are running groups at facilities to address concerns.

What you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your community:

The CDC recommends daily actions to help reduce the spread of respiratory diseases including:

• Avoid handshakes, hugs and kisses
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Stay home when you are sick and stay away from others if you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing: If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Our laboratory CEO Dr. Mark Calarco recommends the following immunity boosting measures:

• High doses of Vitamin D (10,000 units per day)
• Mushroom Complex supplements
• Drink plenty of water and fluids

Evolving Procedures and Policies

As information on the coronavirus continues to evolve, we are examining our procedures closely and updating our procedures and policies as necessary. We will remain open and look forward to continuing to provide critical addiction treatment and resources to the millions of people suffering from the disease of addiction.American Addiction Centers is the leading provider for addiction treatment nationwide, specializing in evidence-based treatment and mental health care. If you’re in need of help, please call us at 888-935-1318.

COVID-19 Testing FAQ

Who is eligible for the test?

1. A. All patients admitting to our facilities.
2. Current patients exhibiting symptoms and/or feeling sick.

What are the benefits?

1. Testing admitting patients, current patients, and staff will help protect the health and safety of all individuals associated with our facilities.
2. Patients who are both asymptomatic and exhibiting symptoms can be tested for COVID-19 upon admission to AAC to reduce any potential spread within the facilities.
3. We test only our own patients and staff, so your test is not with tons of tests coming from all over with the risk of getting lost.

What is the process?

A sample will be collected from the patient through a nasal swab. The results will be produced in 24 to 48 hours.

4. Will I get a copy of the results?

Individuals at the facilities will receive their reports through the LIS interface portal as they would with any other kind of testing. These can be reviewed with medical personnel at their respective facilities.

5. Who will see my results?

Our testing is 100 percent confidential and we maintain strict HIPAA compliance.

6. How accurate is the test?

As a leading lab in the country, our test accuracy is greater than 95%. One of the reasons why our test is more accurate and detects more positives/less false negatives than others is because we are looking for three different targets on the virus genome. Most labs’ tests are only looking for one specific gene on the virus. Our three targeted detection yields the most reliable results.

7. Will the test detect whether or not someone has already had COVID-19?

No, this is not an antibody test and therefore cannot predict previous exposure.

8. What happens if a current or admitting patient tests positive?

Each case will be dealt with on an individual basis in accordance with each individual facility’s COVID protocol.

9. Who pays for the tests?

The test is billed through insurance if you have a health insurance plan. Typically, there is no co-pay or deductible for the COVID-19 test. We also offer private pay rates.

Full sheet of the testing process, FAQ, and information can be found here.