Residents in Arkansas Can Now Find Local Addiction Resources by County

Washington, D.C., Sept. 10, 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 Arkansas.

“According to preliminary 2017 CDC data of overdose deaths, we lost 428 lives in Arkansas last year due to overdose. I am hopeful that this new resource will help save more lives in the state by providing access to a reliable listing of healthcare providers and treatment centers,” said Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Addiction Policy Forum President and CEO.

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 a proposed action plan and providing a database of local treatment providers. The ARC also includes a resource line staffed by addiction counselors, licensed social workers, and peer recovery support advocates that provide callers with substance use disorder information, education on treatment options, and support. Arkansas residents can call the line at 1-833-301-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM CST.

“By expanding our Addiction Resource Center database to include a researched and unbiased listing of treatment facilities and providers in Arkansas, we hope to see the numbers of overdose deaths in the state decrease as more residents utilize this new resource,” says Danielle Tarino, Addiction Policy Forum Vice President of Health Information Technology.

Addiction Policy Forum, which has chapters in over 30 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.  

Casey Elliott
                  Addiction Policy Forum
                  3128605353
                  celliott@addictionpolicy.org