FRANKLIN, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHC) today launched a national behavioral health crisis hotline designed to offer urgent assistance to anyone across the country who is in need of mental health or addiction services. Individuals can call 1-833-TREATBH (873-2824) toll-free to be immediately connected to the behavioral health treatment resources they need.
Staffed by trained advisors, the crisis line will serve as a treatment gateway. Once assessed, individuals will be connected instantly to the appropriate treatment channel, whether it is a specialty service hotline, a facility nearest to them that can appropriately meet their needs, or a first responder in the most emergent situations. This hotline is free of charge and will be operated 24/7, serving the full spectrum of mental health and addiction concerns.
“Part of America’s recovery from this pandemic and the related shutdowns will be a rebuilding of our society’s mental and emotional strength,” said Dr. Michael Genovese, Chief Medical Officer of Acadia Healthcare. “As we have seen through the approximately 900% increase in crisis hotline calls during this pandemic, the mental, emotional and addiction concerns that previously existed have not gone away and have likely only been exacerbated by the restrictions that have been put in place to curtail the virus. Through our national network of dedicated resources, Acadia can help individuals get the clinical support they need immediately. We are pleased to do our part in helping our society work through this trying time.
"Times of great crisis have historically seen an increased need for psychiatric care. The mandates to isolate or quarantine for 14 days after exposure or possible exposure, in addition to the social distancing recommendations that have been applied to the entire population, are unlike anything we have ever experienced. The mental and emotional effects will have immediate and long-lasting repercussions on our population.
"Data on deaths by suicide and from drug overdoses during 2018 and 2019 – when economic conditions were largely positive and society was not faced with a global health crisis – show only a baseline of what America could face in the coming months and years:
- In 2019, 129 Americans died by suicide every day. That is more than 47,000 deaths by suicide during the year. Approximately 1.4 million Americans attempted suicide last year.
- In 2018, 128 Americans died every day from opioid overdoses, and 67,850 Americans died from overdoses on all forms of substances. Some of the states that have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic are the ones with the highest rates of overdose deaths."
“We have seen our society overcome many global and economic crises, from 9/11 and the H1N1 swine flu outbreak to the 2008 financial crisis and natural disasters,” continued Dr. Genovese. “The far-reaching and sustained psychological and economic impact of COVID-19 could be even more severe as they were in the aftermath of those devastating events. As America prepares to reopen the economy, we must provide as many resources as possible for those who will experience ongoing challenges in the months ahead.”
About Acadia
Acadia is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services. As of March 31, 2020, Acadia operated a network of 588 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 18,200 beds in 40 states, the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico. Acadia provides behavioral health and addiction treatment services to its patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers, and outpatient clinics. Acadia also offers anyone in need of mental health or addiction services a free, national behavioral health crisis line at 1-833-TREATBH (873-2824).
