April 30, 2024
Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC) and partner National Capital Treatment & Recovery (NCTR) held a grand opening of the Health & Wellness Suite at MonteVerde Apartments on April 29. MonteVerde is a northwest Baltimore City community for nearly 300 seniors and non-elderly residents with a disability.
NCTR, a provider of treatment for people with substance use disorders, will use the space to support residents onsite through substance misuse treatment and counseling. Services include assessment, outpatient treatment, and medication-assisted treatment - all provided onsite. The support is possible through the Thome Aging Well program, which addresses persistent, ongoing health needs, mental health concerns, and high substance use at MonteVerde through partnerships.
“Today is a special day, filled with excitement and hope as we unveil this incredible space that will be a cornerstone of support for our community,” Cindy Rozon, Senior Director of Resident Services at AHC, said. “We're thrilled to introduce NCTR, who is bringing substance use disorder treatment services right to our residents’ doorsteps. This adds another layer of support to the existing health and wellness partnerships at our community.”
NCTR’s services will meet residents where they are, breaking down barriers to getting help.
“Providing onsite services will make treatment more accessible and will eliminate fears and other obstacles that residents may have had about treatment in the past,” Pattie Schneeman, NCTR Chief Clinical Officer, said.
The onsite treatment comes after AHC noticed a need for support for residents, but the need isn’t unique to MonteVerde. According to data from the Baltimore City Health Department, drug overdose deaths in the city have increased significantly for those in the 55 to 64 age range.
“We want to congratulate and acknowledge AHC for recognizing the need and not just recognizing it, but doing something about it,” George Knoerlein, NCTR Chief Operating Officer, said. “We will work as much as we can with the residents to try to problem solve and do anything that we need to do to get them the services they need.”
The innovative partnership between AHC and NCTR brings treatment like cognitive behavioral therapy, 12-step program facilitation, trauma-informed treatment, and medication-assisted treatment to people where they live. NCTR will have a nurse practitioner onsite to oversee the medication-assisted treatment, as well as an onsite counselor.
Attendees toured the 6th-floor wellness suite and the larger 11th-floor room where residents will be able to attend group counseling. Residents attending the event appreciated the new program and the services it brings to their friends and neighbors.
NCTR’s additional clinical onsite services will begin Thursday, May 2. Weekly substance use education sessions have been ongoing since November 2023. These non-clinical educational sessions are designed to help support residents wherever they may be in their addiction or recovery.
“As we open the doors to this new chapter, let's remember that this space is for all of us,” Rozon said. “It's a place where we can come together, support each other, and start our journey toward wellness, hand in hand.”
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Media contact: Jennifer K. Smith, AHC, Director of Communications, Affordable Homes & Communities, 571-556-7403