American Addiction Centers (AAC), CHESS Health To Provide Online Support Platform for AAC Patients, Alumni in Recovery
Robust Tools To Support Recovery and Reduce Relapse Risk, Are Available 24/7
BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Feb. 15 – American Addiction Centers today announced an innovative partnership with CHESS Health, the leading provider of evidence-based digital health solutions for substance use disorder (SUD), to provide ongoing recovery support for individuals who previously received treatment at an AAC facility or who now participate in an AAC aftercare program, and track patients outcomes post-treatment.
AAC, in addition to providing treatment to tens of thousands of individuals managing SUD, operates a program for its former patients known as CARE (Community of Alumni Recovering Everywhere). One of the most significant aspects of the program is community.
“Addiction is a chronic disease, and it must be managed for a lifetime,” said Dr. Lawrence Weinstein, M.D., AAC Chief Medical Officer. “The absence of a positive support system is often an obstacle to staying sober. Once our patients leave treatment, we want them to stay connected, and this app will allow us to foster community and provide a supportive environment to help them achieve long-term recovery.”
CHESS Health’s eRecovery solution, which includes the Connections app, will allow AAC alumni to connect with each other through a single platform, access a team of certified peer recovery support specialists, and find robust digital tools 24 hours a day, seven days a week via their smartphones. The goal is to reduce isolation, build confidence and help individuals adhere to a treatment and recovery plan.
The peer recovery specialists available via the app all have lived experience and moderate online discussion groups to provide help for those feeling at risk for relapse or looking for additional support. Avoiding a relapse after a period of sobriety is crucial, because someone’s tolerance may have changed and more drugs are now contaminated with potentially deadly substances, such as fentanyl, putting them at increased risk for an overdose. Using the Connections app is correlated with a 40% to 50% reduction in key relapse risk factors and a 20% increase in the duration of treatment.
“Being able to lean on someone who has been in your shoes – and still is – is the key to sustained, long-term success,” said Hans Morefield, CEO of CHESS Health. “That means we need to get tools like the Connections smartphone app in individuals’ hands throughout their recovery. Evidence-based virtual health tools make a difference each and every day in the lives of diverse populations in myriad locations. We are proud to collaborate with AAC in this latest effort.”
Through the platform and the case manager dashboard, AAC clinicians, case managers and others can also engage with former patients and monitor reductions in risk factors.
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About American Addiction Centers
American Addiction Centers is a leading provider of inpatient and outpatient substance use disorder treatment services. We treat clients who are struggling with substance use disorders as well as co-occurring mental/behavioral health issues. We currently operate substance use disorder treatment facilities located throughout the United States. These facilities are focused on delivering effective clinical care and treatment solutions. For more information, please find us at AmericanAddictionCenters.org or call 866-244-1070 for help. We also offer several online resources for the public. Visit americanaddictioncenters.org/online-resources to learn more.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
American Addiction Centers: Joy Sutton, Director of Corporate Communications; jsutton@contactaac.com; 615-587-7728
CHESS Health: Alissa Kaplan Michaels, Albert Communications; alissa@albertcommunications.com; 212-864-5374
