LOUISVILLE, Ky. and
TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the face of
a growing opioid abuse epidemic, WellCare of Kentucky is donating $35,000 to support addiction recovery programs in
Louisville and eastern
Kentucky.
WellCare of Kentucky, a
subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), is this week
donating $10,000 to The Healing Place
in Louisville and $25,000 to Addiction Recovery Care, (ARC) which
operates seven residential facilities throughout eastern
Kentucky.
"Our interest is in saving lives and improving the health of
people in Kentucky," said
Bill Jones, president of WellCare of
Kentucky. "Opioid abuse is
life-threatening – that's obvious. But it, and other addictions,
also prevents entire families from living healthy lives and meeting
their full potential."
According to data from the Kentucky Office of Drug Control
Policy, emergency departments in Kentucky saw a 266 percent increase in heroin
overdoses between 2013 and 2016. As the largest Medicaid managed
care organization in the state, WellCare is concerned about both
the direct and indirect health implications of addiction.
"When someone is suffering from addiction, their family may be
in a perpetual crisis – and that potentially affects the health of
each family member," Jones said. "When a family member is
struggling, it makes it harder for others to seek regular
preventive care and treatment. It may even be impossible for them
to stay in their home or keep the fridge full. Addiction has ripple
effects throughout the community that can be nearly impossible to
measure."
The Healing Place has served metro Louisville and surrounding areas since 1989
with a nationally recognized, innovative social model recovery
program for drug and alcohol addiction. More than 5,000 clients
have completed their program, which is one of the most effective
long-term social model recovery programs in the nation with a 75
percent success rate.
"It's heart-wrenching to turn people away from our services
because we're at capacity. Our programs can radically change
lives; we want even more people to have access to that
transformative experience," said Karyn
Hascal, president of The Healing Place. "We are grateful to
WellCare for providing additional funding to support our addiction
treatment programs. Each donation helps us connect with more
people who desperately want a fresh start."
Addiction Recovery Care, LLC (ARC) operates a network of
state-licensed residential and outpatient drug and alcohol abuse
treatment centers in Kentucky. The
network includes residential and outpatient centers in Boyd, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Lawrence, and Montgomery counties. With more than 70 of
their 200 employees being program graduates, Addiction Recovery
Care has emerged as a state leader in holistic addiction treatment
- utilizing medical, clinical, spiritual and vocational programs.
Clients who complete ARC's Peer Support Specialist Academy (PSSA)
job training program have an 85 percent success rate.
"The drug epidemic in our state is Kentucky's top public health concern. We
appreciate WellCare investing in successful programs and Addiction
Recovery Care is looking forward to serving their members with
world-class drug and alcohol treatment," said Tim Robinson, president of Addiction Recovery
Care.
"So many people with addictions continue to suffer not because
they aren't ready to quit, but because they can't get the help they
need – our state is woefully short on effective treatment options,"
said Kentucky Senate President
Robert Stivers of Manchester. "I applaud WellCare's efforts to
support these treatment centers. Their donations will help more
families get a fresh start, creating more stable communities."
"Our communities are in need of additional support to combat the
strains of addiction, and WellCare's donation to The Healing Place
will help provide the services needed to address the growing
problem in Kentucky," said Senator
Julie Raque Adams of Louisville. "We are grateful for The Healing
Place's work in providing treatment to people fighting addiction.
The donation from WellCare will open new doors of opportunities to
families in our community."
"No one is immune from the tragedy that is addiction. It affects
family, friends and our communities. The Healing Place offers hope
and help to those battling addiction. This donation will assist The
Healing Place to continue that noble cause of helping save and
rebuild lives," said Senator Denise Harper
Angel of Louisville.
"ARC is recognized as an outstanding treatment option for people
in the grip of addiction," said Senator Brandon Smith of Hazard. "It's not
surprising that their services are in high demand. I commend
WellCare on their active support to the organizations
programming."
As of Sept. 30, 2017, WellCare
serves approximately 446,000 Medicaid members, 9,000 Medicare
Advantage plan members and 23,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
members in Kentucky. To learn more
about how we care for Kentuckians, watch Brandi's story at
http://youtu.be/YwOw5EgeSYo.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in
Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health
Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing
government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through
Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans,
to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical
needs. WellCare serves approximately 4.3 million members nationwide
as of Sept. 30, 2017. For more
information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at
www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at
https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.
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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.