NNews April 2024

46 April 2024 In April 2020, Maryville began collaboratingwith Rowan University School of OsteopathicMedicine and Rutgers University on a program funded by a five-year grant from the Substance Abuse andMental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The goal is “to demonstrate the efficacy of certified peer recovery support services embedded in our inpatient treatment programwith a particular focus on serving African-American men who have or are at risk of HIV. Rutgers is the research armand has proved that the outcomes are positively correlated with our programs and key factors of long-term recovery: stable housing, employment, decreased involvement in the criminal justice system and more social connectedness,” McWilliams said. “SAMHSA has noted that these outcomes are among the best in the nation,” she added. Since 2021, Maryville has been partneringwith Camden County Health andHuman Services towork inmultiple homeless shelters and many sober living residences, providing recovery support; referrals to treatment and harm reduction centers; Narcan training in schools, to bus drivers, and in various community settings; and offering linkages to safe housing for all clients. More recently, Maryville received a grant to further support Burlington County with emergency responses to overdoses. In addition, Maryville applied for certification as amobile harm reduction center. Maryville’s broad spectrumof services and positive impact on individuals’ lives led to the agency being honored in March 2023 as the Non Profit of the Year by the National Association ofWomen Business Owners, South Jersey chapter. This award recognizes Maryville’s recovery support services, inpatient and outpatient treatment, Burlington County Hope One, the Straight to Treatment program, services for homeless individuals in shelters, and alumni services. “We also helpwith housing, employment, education and rebuilding social connections. All of these programs are essential for long-term recovery,” McWilliams said. Meeting the Unique Needs of Specialty Populations Over the past few years, Maryville developed even more programs to serve four specialty populations that were launched in February 2023. Funding for all of these programs was secured through a competitive grant process with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. One of these programs is contingencymanagement in an outpatient program for adults with stimulant use disorder, which often doesn’t respond to medication assisted treatment,” according to McWilliams. “We use amonetary and nonmonetary reward system, and outcomes have included abstinence, and improved programattendance andmedication adherence. We’ve built a trust protocol through cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing and evidence-based substance use treatment,” she explained. Another special population is the Spanish-speaking community. Maryville has bilingual clinicians, front desk and support staff at its Vineland location. “This has been very well received by the community, andwe are seeing great outcomes,” McWilliams said. For the LGBTQIA+ population, Maryville created a queer and trans-ledmental healthcare and SUD treatment program, which achieved impressive results in the first year: 82%of clients had no relapses, and four clients (continued from page 45) “ Nonprofit work with underserved populations dealing with mental health and substance use is of the utmost importance for our communities. ” KendriaMcWilliams, MBA CEO