90-Day Hope’ initiative will be more affordable and focus on women’s opioid addiction crisis; rehab center also begins accepting insurance for first timeCOLUMBUS, GA — Adult & Teen Challenge (www.teenchallenge.cc) – Southeast Region based in Columbus, Ga. announced the launch of a new 90-day drug and alcohol treatment program, serving women throughout Georgia and surrounding states. The program is now available to women 18-years and older. For more information, visit www.90dayhope.com.

“This is the first-time Adult & Teen Challenge – Southeast Region — has condensed its highly-successful 12-month residential recovery program into a 90-day offering,” said Brice Maddock, president and CEO of Adult & Teen Challenge, Southeast Region. “The new 90-day program puts recovery and hope within reach of more addicts in Georgia and across the region who can’t commit to a year-long residential program.”

“Our traditional 12-month residential recovery program is a hallmark of Adult & Teen Challenge and continues to produce amazing results — the vast majority of people who complete the program never return to substance abuse” said Maddock. Our new 90-day program pledges to be “vastly more affordable and effective” than private, for-profit recovery programs.”

Adult & Teen Challenge’s 12-month residential program in Georgia costs participants approximately $2,000 per month on average ($24,000) and is largely subsidized by donations from corporations, individuals and churches. The 90-day program will also cost participants about $2,000 a month ($6,000 total).

Up to 30 women at a time will participate in the 90-day program located at Adult & Teen Challenge Women’s program in Columbus – a city of 200,000 in western Georgia, a region at the center of the nation’s opioid addiction epidemic. The Columbus facility draws heavily from greater-metropolitan Atlanta, as well as surrounding states such as South Carolina and Florida.

Female Opioid Crisis

Women are the fastest growing demographic of alcohol and drug use in the United States, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). As many as 4.5 million women over the age of 12 have a substance use disorder (SUD), 3.5 million misuse prescription drugs and 3.1 million regularly abuse illicit drugs. There were 1,014 opioid-related overdose deaths in Georgia in 2017, according to the federal government’s National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“The top three addictions are alcohol, methamphetamines, and opioids,” Maddock said. “About seven out of every 10 people entering our program are addicted to opioids.”

Deaths connected to street drug opioids – mostly fentanyl – and heroin skyrocketed from 2012 to 2017, but prescription opioids were involved in most overdose fatalities in Georgia, linked to 568 deaths in 2017, the federal agency reported.

Georgia has experienced a “tidal wave” of prescription opioid pain killer abuse, Maddock said. According to a report in the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (March 7, 2018), northern Georgia had an opioid prescription rate in 2014 of 99.6 for every 100 people – or one opioid prescription for every man, woman and child living in the area. In 2016, the rate dropped to 90.7 per 100 people – still significantly higher than the U.S. average of 66.5 per 100 individuals.

‘Professional Addicts’

“Many of our clients are high-functioning addicts who have not yet hit rock-bottom,” Maddock said. “They include professionals who have a mortgage and kids in school. Addictions are no respecter of persons.”

With more than 200 recovery centers across America and endorsed by former U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, Adult & Teen Challenge claims to have the highest success rate for long-term addiction recovery, a claim that the organization says is supported by government and independent studies.

“Our substance abuse and alcoholism recovery rate is second to none,” said Maddock, citing almost 300 successful graduates from the Southeast Region last year. “We are faith-based, so we work with the whole person – physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually – to solve the root causes of their addictions.”

“Our residents receive a new spiritual foundation on which to rebuild their lives, in addition to guidance, mentoring and motivation to stay clean and sober.”

Each addict agrees to participate in a tailor-made, education-focused recovery plan, which includes individual and group counseling, job skills training, Bible studies, and an “exit” plan that offers ongoing support.

“We have great belief and optimism in the ability of women in our new 90-day program to conquer their addictions as they face them with faith and fortitude,” Maddock said.

It’s also the first time Teen Challenge Southeast Region will accept insurance.

About Teen Challenge Southeast Region

The Teen Challenge Southeast Region – Columbus Women’s Home is an effective alcohol and drug rehab center that offers help and care to those who need it. It is a 501 (3) (c) Christ-centered, residential program that has helped people struggling with life controlling problems for 30 years. There are more than 200 Adult & Teen Challenge USA residential programs throughout the U.S. For more information, visit www.teenchallenge.cc.

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