The following is a letter from Dr. Kolodner summarizing our 2016 activity, and looking ahead to 2017.
Thank you for your continued support of the Kolmac Integrated Behavioral Health Centers. I would like to highlight our achievements in 2016:
- New Name. We made this cosmetic change so that Kolmac could be easily found by people searching online for treatment programs. There has been no change in the Kolmac treatment approach.
- Telephone Intakes and Walk-In Appointments. We added these to our traditional scheduled intake appointment to make our program easier to access for prospective patients.
- New Group for Relapsing Patients. We established a new track in the “IOP” rehabilitation treatment level to expand our capacity to work with patients who are struggling with recovery in our program in a way that previously would have led to an inpatient referral. We are finding that a substantial number of them are stabilized with this approach and return to traditional continued care level of treatment.
- Waiving of Large Deductibles by CareFirst/Blue Cross. This lowers the financial barrier to patients entering treatment.
- Day Program Added to Gaithersburg Office. Patients now have the option of our 10 AM to 1 PM program hours in 5 of our 6 offices
- New Partnership with Greater Baltimore Medical Center. A Kolmac addiction specialist has been integrated into the 10 primary care practices of this large medical facility in Towson, Maryland to improve access into addiction treatment for patients.
Our plans for 2017 include:
- Collaboration with Lawyers. We have expanded our collaboration with lawyers to include appearing personally in court on behalf of patients.
- Expanded Medication Alternative for Patients Who Do Not Want to take Buprenorphine (Suboxone). We are establishing a new medication protocol for opioid addicted patients who would prefer to take naltrexone (Vivitrol).
- Tricare Coverage. The health insurance program for military dependents and retirees will now cover free-standing IOP addiction rehabilitation programs, such as Kolmac.
In 2016, for the second time in a row we received a full 3-year certification by CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. We are particularly proud of the comments about our program made by the CARF staff who surveyed our facility:
“The persons served express their belief that the staff members are present to help them resolve issues and have a genuine concern of how they are feeling and what they are experiencing. The persons served indicate that they are heard and understood as they work toward their recovery goals.”
“Staff members are dedicated, motivated, and driven to provide person-centered services. Staff members’ enthusiasm and skills contribute greatly to the provision of high-quality programming. They hold the recovery of the persons served as a priority and show compassion and respect to those they serve.”
In closing, I appreciate your support. If you have questions about this or any other questions about our program, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Best Wishes,
George Kolodner, M.D.
Chief Clinical Officer
