The following is being submitted as a letter to the editor in
response to an editorial dated April 7, 2006. The editorial was
excellent and focused on the observation made by Mike Dumas
concerning the impact of substance abuse on the workforce in
Arkansas and the detrimental impact, not only to the employee
and family, but to the employer as well. As noted, many times
employers cannot hire a potential employee because of the
addiction they are experiencing.
Serenity Park is a non-profit organization and has been in the
business of providing substance abuse treatment to Arkansas for
35 years and is located in Little Rock. Until recently, we have
only treated men. We currently have a fundraising campaign and
are building the only gender-specific treatment facility for
women in the State of Arkansas, Serenity Home For Women.
Construction is scheduled to begin in May 2006. The decision to
separate men and women was based solely on quality treatment and
the need to decrease the confusion that ensues when treatment is
co-ed. Services for men and women encompass 28-day residential,
out-patient, and extended care.
Our C.E.O., Joe McQuany is known worldwide for his contribution
to the field of substance abuse treatment and has received many
honors for his efforts. Recently, we released a newsletter
indicating that a part of our mission is to assist employers
with cost-effective treatment in order to maintain quality
delivery of services within their organization. The impact to
employers concerning substance abuse is tremendous and many
times they are not able to replace an employee or hire potential
employees because of addiction.
The total cost for residential treatment is $3,500 (the most
affordable in the nation) and outpatient is a total cost of $610
for approximately six weeks. Extended care cost $55 per week
and provides a setting for long-term care. No one is turned
away based on ability or lack thereof to pay. Serenity Park has
a comprehensive treatment model developed by Joe, Recovery
Dynamics, which teaches people precisely what to do to maintain
abstinence from substance abuse and quality in their lives. Joe
has treated thousands of individuals with considerable success
over the years. Recovery Dynamics is offered in over 400
treatment facilities in the United States and in 7 foreign
countries.
We would like to extend an invitation to employers, employees,
and concerned citizens of South Arkansas to tour our facility,
call with questions, visit our website,
www.serenitypark.org, and enter into a partnership with
Serenity Park in terms of employee assistance programs. We
consider ourselves a valuable community resource for South
Arkansas and its citizens, including of course, employers. We
continue as well to need donations, which are tax deductible,
for our fundraising campaign although we have been very
successful. I grew up in South Arkansas, have family and
friends that reside there, and would love to be a part of
helping others in that area.
Bob Jorgensen
Director of Development
Serenity Park
