This story originally appeared in Milford Live.
by Terry Rogers
On September 14, Banyan Centers, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, opened in the Milford Wellness Village. According to Allison Seriani-Rush, National Public Relations Director for Banyan, the center has been well-received, and they are excited to be in Milford.
“We do considerable research before we open a center,” Rush said. “We discovered that Milford has had a heavy spike in alcohol and drug abuse, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2008, Milford had 401 overdoses and that number rose to 431, an increase of 8 percent. Because drug and alcohol abuse can lead to other issues in a community, we felt Milford was the perfect location to open our newest center.”
The new center offers detoxification and residential services using dual diagnosis methods to address not only substance abuse problems, but also underlying mental health problems that could lead to the abuse of drugs or alcohol. Rush also explained that job loss during the pandemic could result in depression while also exacerbating undiagnosed and diagnosed mental health issues.
According to Banyan’s statistics, Delaware is second only to West Virginia in overdose deaths per 100,000 people. In the first six months of 2020, there were 199 overdose deaths in Delaware, a higher increase than was seen between 2018 and 2019 when overdose deaths were at a record high around the region.
This is the 12th location opened by Banyan who also operate facilities in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, California and Illinois. The Milford location has 32 beds currently but will expand to 60 when construction is completed by the end of 2020. The center offers medically monitored detox, residential care, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and inpatient care and alumni services. There are also group therapy sessions daily and the option for individual counseling on a weekly basis. Gender-specific and smaller group therapy sessions are also available. Banyan also offers chiropractic, acupuncture and a Biofeedback Serenity Bed that is helpful for those who suffer from anxiety and panic disorders.
Banyan has Joint Commissioned Accreditation, an independent, not-for-profit organization that certifies United States healthcare programs. The company opened in 2013 as a sober home in Pompano Beach, Florida. In 2014, Banyan opened the first patient hospitalization program (PHP) in Pompano Beach and, the following year, opened a Christian-based program, Faith in Recovery, in the city. They also opened a location in Chicago. Over the next five years, Banyan opened six more locations in Philadelphia, Boca, Clearbrook, Palm Beach, Heartland and Cathedral City locations.
For more information about the Banyan Center in Milford, call 888-230-3122.