Baltimore Magazine recognizes local members of the community in its annual GameChangers edition, highlighting and spotlighting local businesses, organizations, or community members that are creating positive change in the local Baltimore community or throughout the state of Maryland. Honorees are nominated and selected by the Baltimore Magazine editorial staff. In 2021, Maryland Addiction Recovery Center Co-Founders Sam Bierman and Zach Snitzer were recognized as 2021 GameChangers by Baltimore Magazine for the work that MARC is doing to help combat addiction and mental health issues within the local community.
Focusing on the unique long-term model of MARC that approaches addiction as a chronic illness, Baltimore Magazine interviewed both co-founders to get a better understanding of the background and founding of Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, the reasoning behind why MARC chooses to offer a long-term continuum of care, and the benefits of such a long-term model in the treatment of addiction, substance use disorders, and co-occurring mental health conditions. The article also touched on the personal recovery of both co-founders, previous experience working in addiction treatment and behavioral healthcare, and why they believed such a model would be beneficial to the local Baltimore community and surrounding areas.
The impact of the COVID-19 global health pandemic over the last 18+ months also was a factor in the recognition given by Baltimore Magazine to both co-founders and to Maryland Addiction Recovery Center. As rising numbers of both fatal and non-fatal overdoses continue, fentanyl continues to plague drug users nationwide, and mental health concerns like anxiety and depression are being reported at record rates, MARC as an organization was able to help more people in the last two years than ever before. While historically patients admitting to MARC had a long history of substance use disorder and often multiple addiction treatment experiences, since early 2020 more and more calls to MARC have come from individuals or concerned family members detailing a recent history of substance misuse or mental health concerns that were new, many of them based on the stress of the coronavirus pandemic and the fears, doubts, insecurities, and panic caused by COVID-19.
Additionally covered by Baltimore Magazine were many of the differentiators offered by MARC within their addiction treatment programs, highlighted by the expertise of the MARC staff. These included the extensive family engagement and involvement that occurs when a loved one receives treatment at Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, the development of life skills that occurs in the extended care Community Living Treatment program, and the different college success and vocational programs offered at the rehab facility.
Finally, Baltimore Magazine touched on the way the MARC views the success of their patients. For years in addiction treatment, the term success or the thought of positive outcomes related to one thing: sobriety. If a patient went to treatment and stayed abstinent from drugs and alcohol, they were often viewed as successful. However, MARC’s approach is a more holistic one, looking at quality of life. While sobriety is important, an individual that achieves success in recovery should be looking at more than just being sober, but rather looking at how they are thriving in life. MARC’s belief is that a patient should receive treatment, and while in treatment begin to develop all manners and abilities needed to succeed in life, including finding meaning and purpose in their academic and career pursuits, developing healthy interpersonal relationships, creating healthy coping mechanisms that allow them to handle life situations and stressors without needing to seek relief in the detrimental use of drugs and alcohol, and creating a purpose-driven, self-directed life that they are excited about and can be proud of.
To see the GameChangers article in Baltimore Magazine, click here.
If you or someone you know needs help for addiction or co-occurring disorder issues, please give us a call. Maryland Addiction Recovery Center offers the most comprehensive dual diagnosis addiction treatment in the Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or your loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a treatment center or provider that better fits your needs. Please give us a call at (410) 773-0500 or email our team at info@marylandaddictionrecovery.com. For more information on all of our drug addiction, alcohol addiction and co-occurring disorder services and recovery resources, please visit our web site at www.marylandaddictionrecovery.com.
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