Health: Mental Health

Farley Center adds Dr. Melissa Lee Warner to help medical professionals, lawyers, and corporate leaders receive specialized addiction treatment.

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WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (PRWEB)

Veteran addiction physician Dr. Melissa Lee Warner has rejoined The Farley Center, the nationally renowned addiction treatment program, as director of its professionals program. Warner previously served as Farley’s medical director from 2000–2013. She returns to lead and continue the ongoing augmentation of Farley’s longstanding professionals program that thirty years ago was one of the first in the country to address the needs of specific professionals and their unique needs. This population includes doctors, nurses, lawyers, and other professionals who must also navigate licensure issues and recovery monitoring by governing boards as part of their recovery. Other professionals, such as pilots or military leaders, who are responsible for the lives of others on a daily basis, are good candidates for the program.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, access to addiction treatment has been a growing concern and need. Medical professionals are among the top of the list of people dealing with stressful and traumatic situations. While there is great public awareness around the opioid crisis, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism lists alcohol-related fatalities as the third preventable leading cause of death in the United States, killing an estimated 88,000 people annually. Factoring in the surging rise of alcohol sales in recent weeks, we may soon face an even greater and more complicated addiction crisis.

Market research firm Nielsen reported:

  • U.S. sales of alcoholic beverages rose 55% in the week ending March 21

  • Spirits rose 75%

  • Online alcohol sales were up 243%

“We know that addiction can manifest at any time but one of the factors associated both with relapse, and with an escalation of active addiction, are stressors. There are a multitude of reasons why stressors are higher right now than at other points in time,” said Dr. Warner. “What’s important is that we maintain our system of in-depth evaluations, and continue to serve addicted professionals and others who need treatment. We understand that when a window of opportunity opens and someone is willing to get help for their addiction we need to bring them in as soon as possible and get them settled and safe.”

About The Farley Center

The Farley Center provides a continuum of care for individuals who have a primary substance use disorder, requiring intensive, in-depth psychotherapeutic intervention, safe medicated withdrawal, as well as educational and experiential approaches to assist them into recovery. Many of our patients have been diagnosed with complicating medical conditions, co-occurring mental health and/or chronic pain syndromes. Learn more about The Farley Center at http://www.farleycenter.com.

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