Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addiction Policy Forum, a leading addiction nonprofit, has expanded its Addiction Resource Center (ARC) to include a database of treatment resources, facilities, and healthcare providers specific to Iowa.
“Over 330 Iowans lost their lives to drug overdose last year according to preliminary CDC data that is currently underreported. With these new resources added to the ARC, we hope that residents of Iowa can find trustworthy healthcare providers and treatment centers more easily in their moments of crisis,” says Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Addiction Policy Forum Founder.
The ARC includes a comprehensive, interactive website to help individuals and families struggling with addiction learn about substance use disorders and access critical resources. This platform dispels harmful myths about addiction by presenting the science behind the disease in easy-to-read formats, guiding concerned individuals through a self-assessment tool, helping to develop an action plan and providing a database of local treatment providers. The ARC also includes a resource line staffed by addiction counselors and licensed social workers that provide callers with substance use disorder information, education on treatment options, and telehealth support. Iowa residents can call the line at 1-833-301-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM CST.
“We’ve added this new researched, unbiased database of treatment centers and healthcare providers in Iowa so that Iowa residents can more easily search for the type of help they need. Users can filter the database by their county, type of payment accepted, and type of treatment needed,” says Danielle Tarino, Addiction Policy Forum VP of Health Information Technology.
Addiction Policy Forum, which has chapters in 42 states and a national office in Washington, D.C., plans to continue adding state-specific resources to its database throughout 2018. In addition to addressing addiction through community resources, APF is committed to affecting policy change at the local, state and national levels and raising awareness of the nationwide addiction crisis.
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About Addiction Policy Forum
Addiction Policy Forum is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2015 as a diverse partnership of organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to working together to elevate awareness around addiction, and to improve programs and policy through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery, and criminal justice reform. Jessica Hulsey Nickel, whose own family was devastated by addiction, is the founder of a coalition of 1,700 families impacted by substance use disorders and is available for further explanation and interviews by media.
More information on our mission and projects is available at http://addictionpolicy.org.