​Member Spotlight

Sunrise Treatment Center Gets Creative During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant challenges for individuals experiencing addiction. Over 20 million adults aged 18 or older have some type of substance use disorder. Isolation, unemployment, and the personal health problems brought on by the pandemic have made all our lives more difficult. The pandemic has been particularly difficult for those trying to achieve sustained recovery. Fatal overdoses in Ohio rose from 85 in the week immediately following the national emergency declaration, to a peak of 145 in the week of May 31^st. This represents an increase of over 70% from the beginning of the pandemic to late May, and a 73% increase relative to the same week a year earlier.   

The pandemic has forced addiction treatment organizations to change the way that they operate to meet the needs of their patients. Addiction treatment companies and their staff have had to innovate to solve these new issues. One such company is Sunrise Treatment Center. Sunrise has an office on North Breiel Boulevard that services the Middletown area. They also have offices in Cincinnati (West Side & Over-the-Rhine), Forest Park, Milford, Dayton, and Piqua.

Sunrise used technology and ingenuity to continue to deliver its services when their patient population needed it most. First, they reduced the frequency of attendance at the facilities so as to limit the amount of people physically in their treatment centers. To do this, they provided additional days of medication, eliminated most of the routine interim monitoring practices, and suspended onsite group counseling services. This allowed for patients and employees to feel safe while at the office. Second, Sunrise utilized telehealth technology to ensure that their patients were still receiving the quality care needed to maintain their sobriety.

Sunrise also had to get creative to allow employees to keep working. Employees were given significant access to PPE including gloves, sanitizing products, and face masks. Staff temperatures were taken at all sites upon entry to minimize the spread of the disease. As a special treat, meals were provided daily to employees to both minimize their exposure, and to support local restaurants.

Sunrise is unique in that they have been expanding their services to new communities during the pandemic. Sunrise opened the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) location in November of 2020. They are also expanding into Florence (KY) this year, as well as Springfield.

The pandemic has brought on a significant challenge for those experiencing addiction. Sunrise Treatment Center is a great case study on how to continue on during challenging times. Through innovation, ingenuity, and a little bit of elbow grease, Sunrise was able to keep patients on track and employees safe.