Making Effective Addiction Treatment More Affordable and Accessible

In 1973 my staff and I set out to replicate in an outpatient rehab setting the successful results of inpatient rehabilitation treatment. Our model for outpatient drug rehab has now been copied throughout the country by many substance abuse treatment centers. Studies in academic centers have documented its effectiveness and significantly lower cost (McCrady et al., Frankel, Soyka, Witbrodt et al.) than other types of substance abuse treatment facilities. We have now treated over 18,000 patients through our substance abuse treatment facility and have presented our program in many professional forums.

The staff and I have created this website as an added resource for those in the community who are interested in recovery. We hope that you enjoy your visit to our site and would appreciate any feedback that you have about it.

George Kolodner, M.D.
Cofounder and Medical Director

Medical Director's 2013 Annual Review

Kolmac Headlines

Friday, May 24th's DC Kolmac School event has been cancelled.

General

• Kolmac Clinic Attends College Health & Wellness Fairs
• Dr. Kolodner Appeared on the WCBM Radio Show “The Medical Hour with Dr. Jim Novick” to Discuss the Topic of Addictions

Presentations

• Elmore Briggs and Jennifer Dorsey Present to Prince George's County Police
  

• Dr. Kolodner Presents at the Annual Medical-Scientific Conference of the American Society of Addiction Medicine
• Dr. Kolodner Presents at Tuerk Conference
• Elmore Briggs Presents to Boy Scout Troop 209

More News from Kolmac Clinic

Drug and Alcohol Treatment

The Kolmac Clinic provides outpatient rehabilitation and treatment for adults with alcohol, and other drug abuse problems. Because Kolmac is an outpatient drug abuse treatment program, patients can receive treatment without taking leave from work or family responsibility. At Kolmac, as at other substance abuse treatment centers, drug treatment and alcohol treatment are no longer considered separately. Patients with problems in one or both areas are treated together. The term "substance abuse treatment" has been used at times, although the stigmatizing implications of the word "abuse" has led to a search for a preferable term such as "substance use disorders."

The heart of our drug and alcohol treatment program is the participation of patients in the rehabilitation and continued care phases of our program. Detoxification is required for approximately 14% of our patients with alcohol disorders and 85% of those with opioid disorders. Kolmac substance abuse treatment facility has pioneered in outpatient detoxification from drugs and alcohol, allowing patients with severe physical addiction to avoid hospitalization. Since 2003, the availability of buprenorphine has dramatically reduced the discomfort of detoxification from prescription pain pills and heroin.

Although we do not have any "magic bullets", new medications have helped reduce the frequency of relapses and improved the odds for recovery for those seeking outpatient drug rehab services. An added benefit is that these medications have minimal side effects. For alcohol treatment, acamprosate (Campral) and naltrexone (Revia, Vivitrol) have been useful. For drug treatment, using buprenorphine for a period of time beyond detoxification has helped to stabilize patients with opioid addiction. We have become one of the leading substance abuse treatment facilities advancing the use of buprenorphine as a stabilizing agent for patients addicted to opioids. Our medical staff continuously monitors the safety and effectiveness of new medications to determine which ones to make available to our patients.