PEABODY — A new drug and alcohol treatment center, Boston Addiction Treatment, opened its doors Tuesday for those in need of support on their rehabilitation journey.
Located off Route 1, the over 5,000 square feet area features amenities like a ping pong table and a spacious dining room, all in an effort to make clients feel comfortable and safe while they get help.
According to Harry Pappas, a licensed independent clinical social worker and the center’s clinical director, Boston Addiction Treatment offers two tracks for clients with either a Partial Hospitalization Program or an Intensive Outpatient Program.
“The differentiator between the two is PHP is five days a week for about five hours a day, and IOP is three days a week for about three hours a day,” Pappas said. “The daily program consists of various clinical groups utilizing evidence-based practices that we in the field have recognized through research is really effective. ”
Each client has weekly individual counseling sessions with their clinicians to make sure they’re getting the medical attention they need. Pappas will also be contracting a nursing group to come in to see how individuals can get help from a medical provider.
The facility practices treatment techniques both new and old, like those from 12-step fellowships that are tried and true, along with community and life skill building in group therapy.
“We recognize that folks are coming to us usually post-crisis or very early in sobriety and oftentimes in one’s using careers, things go unattended,” Pappas said. “They may have some career job issues, or they may not have a job and are looking to get one, so we’ll assist them in that process and help them get the support that they need in order to find employment in their community.”
Since clients are going back home every day, helping with the journey towards reintegration into their community while allowing for scheduling flexibility is one of the main goals for the team at Boston Addiction Treatment.
Also offered to clients is online treatment, and Pappas hopes to start evening programs for the intensive outpatients, meaning people who work or have to watch their children during the day can still receive treatment.
In an effort to make their services as accessible as possible, the organization is also going to award scholarships for individuals who aren’t insured or are underinsured but are still in need of help.
The ultimate goal is to get as many people who need Boston Addiction Treatment’s services into their programs as possible and then welcome those individuals into a space that they want to return to day after day.
“Many folks may have just completed a detox day, but in-patient detox is typically now, unfortunately, only about five days before insurance is asking you to leave. That’s just not enough time.” Pappas said. “When you look at the data, it’s clear cut. The longer you’re in a program, the longer you have support in early sobriety, the better chances you have at long-term sobriety.”
It’s something that Pappas knows from experience, as he struggled with addiction before entering into the social work field.
In fact, it was at a halfway home that he met Anthony Secatore, who owns Boston Addiction Treatment along with his wife Diane.
Now, 22 years after first crossing paths while in recovery, the two friends are looking to establish themselves in the North Shore community as a place where people can get the same sort of help that they once received.
To that end, the team, which also consists of Program Director Marc Coppola and Business Development Director Damian Sabatino, has been going to local crisis teams, non-profits, school guidance counselors, courthouses, and police departments to introduce the services Boston Addiction Treatment is bringing to the area.
“We’re introducing ourselves to let them know that we’re here and we’re ready to help fill this gap, because there still is a gap in substance abuse and alcohol abuse treatment programs, we still have some work to do,” Pappas said. “We’re in this for the community, and we’re in this for the folks like us, to give them the chance that we got, and to give them the support that folks gave us. We just want to pass it on.”
