Agency Offers New Hope through Expanded Programs and Research Initiatives

Since its inception in 1970 as a small program for men with alcohol dependence, New Hope Foundation has greatly expanded to provide a full array of services for substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders to include compulsive gambling. In addition to offering inpatient, residential halfway house and outpatient services, New Hope is also involved in research initiatives that aim to enhance the overall effectiveness of treatment.

Tony Comerford, Ph.D., New Hope's CEO and a licensed Psychologist also licensed as a Professional and Alcohol and Drug Counselor stated that "co-occurring disorders are really the norm at New Hope with roughly 70-80% of those entering our main inpatient setting being treated concurrently for a substance use and other mental health disorders. There are no barriers to admission at New Hope as long as the person is suffering from a substance use disorder and meets ASAM* admission criteria. Our inpatient services include 24-hour nursing and physician and psychiatric care and we work closely with emergency rooms and county ICMS and PACT* teams in central New Jersey. We are contracted with major insurance and managed care companies, the NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, The Department of Children and Families and 17 of New Jersey's 21 County Governments." Dr. Comerford indicated that New Hope is also monitoring the State's move to ASO* and ultimately the MBHO* management of indigent funds to include Medicaid and anticipating an increased demand for inpatient acute care and outpatient services that will need to be served. "I don't believe that inpatient facilities are at risk. They will be at risk only if they don't provide intensive services for sicker patients," he said.

(* ASAM: American Society of Addiction Medicine; ICMS: Integrated Case Management Services; PACT: Programs for Assertive Community Treatment; ASO: Administrative Services Organization; MBHO: Managed Behavioral Health Organization)

Providing a Combination of Housing and Services

"Housing is a major problem in New Jersey and driving some of the demand for inpatient and residential services that could be delivered in an outpatient setting if housing accommodations were available; in other words some are being driven into more intensive settings than would be necessary if more basic needs were met. In part, licensing is also driving care in an artificial level-of-care model as opposed to providing the services that are actually needed; many miss the fact that ASAM* criteria is really primarily focused on matching people with service needs and not the boxes they are placed in; there is a great deal of research indicating that you get better outcomes when service needs are met, worse when they are not."

New Hope provides Halfway House services for both men and women and has some low income housing available under its Epiphany House programs. Ron Hari, a now retired former Chairman of New Hope's Board indicated that New Hope saved the Epiphany House programs from total collapse when they began managing them and eventually took them over several years ago. Housing residents include Epiphany House Halfway House graduates that may continue to be engaged in outpatient services and others qualified for low income housing; applications from others recovering from substance use and other mental health disorders and in need of and qualified for low income housing are encouraged.

Treating All Addictions, Including Gambling

New Hope has the State's only inpatient care for compulsive gambling and has five certified gambling counselors on staff providing care in inpatient, outpatient and halfway house settings. According to Dr. Comerford, 7 percent of individuals admitted into inpatient services screen positive for gambling disorders, and most have other substance use problems.

"The pleasure center in the brain is affected the same way from gambling as it is with drugs," Dr. Comerford said. He noted that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual V will likely include gambling under addiction, not as a separate impulsive disorder.

Developing Tools for Better Engagement and Prediction of Relapse

While overseeing programs that serve an increasing number of clients and preparing the agency for massive changes in the healthcare system, Dr. Comerford is also involved in the development of tools that would help maximize clients' participation in treatment and improve treatment outcomes.

Dr. Comerford expressed confidence in receiving a grant from the National Institutes of Health on one of these initiatives: the development of Polaris EECD (Engagement Enhancement for Chemical Dependency) system. The project is in collaboration with Polaris Health Directions, a Pennsylvania-based company that Dr. Comerford has worked with for over ten years. "Researchers have documented the potential of several evidence-based practices for improving engagement, but their adoption in routine clinical practice has been hindered by the lack of efficient methods for introducing the practices. Information technology can play an important role in overcoming the barriers to implementation," as explained in the abstract submitted as part of the grant application.

"EECD will incorporate an existing outcomes management system, Polaris CD, which assesses most known predictors of engagement," Dr. Comerford explained. "In Phase I, we will develop and field test three enhancements to Polaris CD: a multivariate model for prediction of risk for non-engagement; a motivational, personalized feedback report for clients; and a guide for using EECD to implement two evidence-based practices, Patient-Services Matching and Motivational Enhancement Therapy, as part of routine treatment."

Dr. Comerford and Polaris Health Directions are also working with Rajita Sinha, a researcher at Yale University, on a new application that would predict "post treatment relapse by combining biomarkers of stress with psychosocial predictors that have been established," he said. "The project holds the promise of helping inpatient, intensive outpatient and hospital based treatment programs to more accurately target both behavioral and pharmacological interventions that will more effectively and efficiently reduce relapse events, readmissions and other adverse events."

When last I looked New Hope Foundation was providing addiction treatment services to roughly 4,000 people a year and I believe that it remains the most contracted with organization of its type in the state of New Jersey. Many of the treatment stays and services delivered are below cost and the Foundation provides free services in an amount exceeding $1/2 million annually. I know; I struggled with the finances.

Under the Epiphany House mission, the apartments were targeted to provide transitional housing to those completing halfway house services and never intended to provide permanent, subsidized housing. Epiphany was never funded to provide subsidized housing and it does not seem to make sense that it should place its core halfway house services at risk by duplicating government programs that serve this purpose. The fact that many of the residents in the apartments remain from the time I served on the board suggests that, while they are well beyond a transitional stay, New Hope has absorbed the cost and not put them out. I’m sure that putting anyone out on the street is still not on the Foundation’s agenda, and confident that self sufficiency for the women involved is.

Dr. Comerford’s salary was reviewed under my Chairmanship in 2009 and an adjustment was made after we surveyed the compensation of his counterparts across the state. Even with the adjustment Dr. Comerford remained the lowest paid of all of his counterparts and I suspect he remains in that position. I should also say that as an organizational psychologist and licensed practicing psychologist, he is also likely the most qualified of his counterparts.

Last, I looked at the most recent financials publicly available and New Hope Foundation continues to be a best donation value with .93 of every dollar donated going directly to the delivery of services. Please join with me in supporting the work of both New Hope and Epiphany; organizations known across the state for their good work and integrity.

Ronald S. Hari

Former Chairman of the New Hope Foundation Board of Trustees]]> http://www.newhopefoundation.org/2012/01/housing-not-part-of-epiphanys-mission/feed/ 0 http://www.newhopefoundation.org/2011/12/new-hope-receives-fidelis-charitable-foundation-gift-to-support-unfunded-care/ http://www.newhopefoundation.org/2011/12/new-hope-receives-fidelis-charitable-foundation-gift-to-support-unfunded-care/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:16:52 +0000 admin http://www.newhopefoundation.org/?p=2052 Kenneth Schwartz, the Chairman of the Fidelis Charitable Foundation and Dealer Principle at World Jeep Subaru in Eatontown announced that Fidelis was making a $17,000. donation to New Hope Foundation. Mr Schwartz reported that “…this is to continue the Fidelis Charitable Foundation’s ongoing support for the many necessary and unfunded medical, psychiatric and other services that New Hope provides to clients who do not have the resources to pay for care that is called for.” Dr. Tony Comerford, New Hope’s CEO stated that “New Hope is finding it ever more difficult to provide for these unfunded services because of increases in overall costs; the Fidelis gift will make it possible to provide many with that specialty care that will improve their ability to embrace recovery and a full and productive life in society."

New Hope Foundation is a non-profit [501(c)(3)] corporation dedicated to the treatment of those in need with the least ability to pay for the treatment that will help them to begin their recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction and compulsive gambling. Over its 30+year history, the Foundation has become a symbol for self-renewal for the many who have been rescued and this past year we were blessed with the resources to help more than 5,000 to begin their journey in recovery.

You can add your support for New Hope’s mission to care for those in need with the least ability to pay by calling (732) 946-3030 X 226 or 240, or make a donation on line at www.newhopefoundation.org.

Dr. Tony Comerford and Dave Roden, LCSW, New Hope's CEO and COO respectively, delivered a "Working with Families" workshop at the Monmouth County Co-Occurring Conference on December 2nd. Their presentations are available here.

Click here for CRAFT Presentation
Click here for Monmouth University Presentation

Reelected as Vice Chairman and Treasurer respectively were Arthur Ryan, a management consultant from Manasquan, and Richard Violante, the Controller at Hamilton Farms Golf Club. John F. Kouten, the president of JFK Communications, a Princeton based public relations firm was newly elected as Secretary of the Corporation.

The NHF Board is also pleased to announce that it has elected John F. Tesauro, Jr. Esq. as a Trustee on the Foundation’s Board. Mr. Tesauro is a NJ-based practicing attorney and full time arbitrator empanelled with the New Jersey State Board of Mediation and the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission. He also serves on the New York State Employment Relations Board, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, as the permanent impartial umpire for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters benefit funds local 363, and as permanent contract arbitrator for the NJ State Police. Mr. Tesauro’s legal expertise will be a valuable asset to the board.

About New Hope Foundation

New Hope Foundation is a non-profit corporation (501(c)(3)) dedicated to serving those most in need of treatment for alcoholism, drug addiction and compulsive gambling. We provide state of the art care under license by the state of New Jersey and with the ongoing accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Private citizens, businesses and organizations, from both the private and public sector, help to support our mission to serve those in need with little ability to pay. We serve those with health insurance, and offer other options so our clients can afford to pay the reasonable fees we charge for high quality care. New Hope Foundation is one of New Jersey's largest agencies and served more than 5,000 of those in need in the last year.

Written by Bonnie Delaney | APP Staff Writer

ASBURY PARK — Epiphany House – which provides onsite housing, assistance and support to chemically dependent women and their children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless in Asbury Park – was one of 12 area organizations last fall to receive grants from Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of Gannett Co. Inc., which owns the Asbury Park Press.

A little girl with curly blonde hair peeked out the front door of the childcare center at Epiphany House to see what was going on outside. Read more and see photos...

Sister Mary Mason and Lynne Noel who help to coordinate mother and child care at Epiphany are grateful! “Our mom’s and children as well as staff members and volunteers are overwhelming grateful for the new playground.” And, resident moms registered also their appreciation: “Now I have a place to play with my children and have fun with them; my daughter loves to play outside and I know she’ll be safe; (and), my son loves to play in the sandbox and now there’s one for him to play in!”

The Board of trustees, staff members and volunteers are thankful for the generous support provided by the Gannett Foundation and TSB Landscaping of Manasquan, NJ that made the renovation of this playground possible, as well as to the Gannett employee volunteers who provided much of the labor for the project.

Epiphany House provides halfway home services specifically designed for women in Long Branch, NJ and for women and women with dependent children in Asbury Park, NJ. These settings provide safe and stable living environments where those new to sobriety receive valuable support in the development of the recovery and coping skills needed to complete their reintegration into the community, family and workplace. Individualized assistance helps ensure specific pre-determined medical, psychiatric, vocational, parenting and educational goals are met.

These programs are only partially funded by limited state and county resources and thus rely heavily on donations to insure women and women with children receive all of the care that they need to secure their recovery and a productive future for them and their children.

You can help fill a growing gap between the cost of providing high quality care and the small reimbursements we receive by making your own tax deductible contribution.

Epiphany House is part of New Hope Foundation, a Monmouth County non-profit (501 [c] [3]) corporation that strives to ensure that each dollar you donate is spent effectively and efficiently to provide those we serve with the highest quality, state-of-the-art addiction treatment services.

You can find out more about the New Hope Foundation and Epiphany House, and make your donation on line at www.newhopefoundation.org or send your donation to support Epiphany House or any of our other programs to the address below.

Thank you for your support.