Nashville, T.N., Aug. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addiction Policy Forum, a leading addiction nonprofit, has expanded its Addiction Resource Center (ARC) to include a database of treatment resources, facilities, and healthcare providers specific to Tennessee residents. In 2016, Tennessee saw more than 1,600 deaths from drug overdoses, and opioids accounted for 73 percent of those fatalities. The Addiction Resource Center (ARC) offers two ways to find lifesaving help; an online portal and confidential phone line.

“Tennessee saw more than 1,600 overdose deaths in 2016. With resources added to the ARC database to help connect Tennessee residents to local substance use disorder services, we hope to see these numbers decrease as more patients and families access the help they need,” said Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Addiction Policy Forum President and CEO.

The ARC includes a comprehensive, interactive website to help individuals and families struggling with addiction learn about substance use disorders and access critical resources. This platform dispels harmful myths about addiction by presenting the science behind the disease in easy-to-read formats, guiding concerned individuals through a self-assessment tool, helping to develop a proposed action plan and providing a database of local treatment providers.

The ARC also includes a resource line staffed by addiction counselors, licensed social workers, and peer recovery support advocates that provide callers with substance use disorder-related information, education on treatment options, and support. Tennessee residents can call the line at 1-833-301-HELP (4357) , Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST.

“As the founder of The Addicts Family, I have been working with community members and lawmakers to raise awareness of substance use disorders in Tennessee,” said Rhonda Coffey, Addiction Policy Forum’s Tennessee State Chair. “I’m confident that the ARC will help provide Tennesseans concerned about substance use and addiction with a quick and easy way to find local treatment centers and healthcare facilities.”

Addiction Policy Forum, which has chapters in 27 states and a national office in Washington, D.C., plans to continue adding state-specific resources to its database throughout 2018. In addition to addressing addiction through community resources, APF is committed to affecting policy change at the local, state and national levels and raising awareness of the nationwide addiction crisis.

 

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About Addiction Policy Forum

Addiction Policy Forum is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2015 as a diverse partnership of organizations, policymakers and stakeholders committed to working together to elevate awareness around addiction, and to improve programs and policy through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery and criminal justice reform. Jessica Hulsey Nickel, whose own family was devastated by addiction, is the founder of a coalition of 1,700 families impacted by substance use disorders and is available for further explanation and interviews by media.

Casey Elliott Addiction Policy Forum 3128605353 celliott@addictionpolicy.org