This article was originally published in the special Addiction Treatment edition of Healthcare Business Review in April 2024. It was republished in the Summer 2024 issue of Living Recovery. To view the full issue, click here.
Addiction affects every aspect of an individual’s life, and the healthcare industry must find a more holistic solution for those caught in its grip. Substance use disorder (SUD) treatments are currently inundated with a fleeting acute care model, often supplemented by limited outpatient services primarily reliant on medications — where patients undergo short-term medical intervention before they are reintegrated into society. This approach, primarily centered on physical detoxifications, merely scratches the surface of a complex recovery journey; it’s more like the proverbial Band-Aid on the bullet wound.
Identifying and addressing underlying mental urges and triggers is paramount, preventing patients from being vulnerable to relapse and empowering them to attain a full and lasting recovery. This requires seeking assistance from dedicated therapists and support groups to facilitate a proactive approach to tackling the challenges head-on and fostering a journey of recovery and transformation.
A leading provider of addiction treatment in Kentucky, Addiction Recovery Care (ARC) checks all the boxes as a trusted full-service recovery provider, addressing the multifaceted aspects of substance use disorders while facilitating total life transformation.
“We focus on creating opportunities for people to discover hope and live their God-given destiny,” says Matt Brown, Chief Administration Officer of ARC and President of ARC Healthcare.
Staying true to this mission, ARC identifies each patient’s unique path to recovery and delivers a treatment plan that best fits their individual needs. The organization’s guiding principle hinges on R.O.P.E.S. — recovery, opportunity, physical health, emotional health and spiritual life — which serves as the cornerstone of its holistic approach to recovery. Each of its treatment programs is rooted in the R.O.P.E.S. approach to care, equipping patients with the necessary resources to embark on a journey of enduring recovery. ARC’s expertise entails withdrawal management, residential, intensive outpatient, transitional living, medically assisted treatment (MAT), vocational rehabilitation, education and job training.
ARC offers the appropriate blend of counseling, social work, and peer support to provide every patient with the strength and skills to live their life to the fullest. Through optional spiritual life programs, individuals are equipped with a sense of purpose and meaning in life, motivating and directing them toward sobriety. Accreditations from the international and national authorities speak volumes, positioning ARC as a highly coveted and trusted substance use treatment facility. Its ability to accommodate the needs of patients from all walks of life also adds to its value proposition.
Crisis to Career: ARC’s Pathway of Creating Opportunities
ARC’s approach to recovery transcends mere treatment by empowering patients with dignity through various employment opportunities. Their Crisis to Career model, lauded for its effectiveness, facilitates individuals’ reintegration into the workforce, offering them a renewed sense of purpose and societal contribution. This comprehensive program not only addresses substance use disorder treatments but also encompasses counseling, peer support, education, life skills, and job training.
Recognized nationally, ARC’s Crisis to Career model spans four phases over the course of a year, strategically blending SUD treatments with educational and vocational components. The program provides diverse educational and vocational programs, equipping individuals with practical skills through on-the-job training. The team helps clients complete their general equivalency diploma (GED) and obtain work-ready certificates — in automotive services, carpentry, Christian studies and services, culinary, general studies, peer support, phlebotomy or welding — while securing an addiction recovery studies certificate.
ARC leverages strategic partnerships and collaborations with organizations across Kentucky, which allows the team to tap into prime workforce development opportunities. Through its subsidiary staffing firm — Destiny Workforce Solutions (DWS) — ARC establishes talent pipelines for second-chance employers. DWS supplies qualified, dependable, and sober labor, addressing local workforce gaps and fostering economic growth. Notably, DWS recently supplied 50 welders to an automotive manufacturer, allowing them to eliminate overseas labor outsourcing. ARC has also placed 25 employees through partnerships with Toyotomi of America, Thai Summit of Kentucky, and Redbanks Skilled Nursing Home. Many of these individuals have become full-time employees, advancing to effectively execute crucial operations.
DWS has also linked arms with Lincoln Trail District Health Department, Lebanon and Springfield career centers, and the Kentucky Department of Public Health, creating a Peer Support Specialist position within the local Career Center to offer additional services for those re-entering the workforce. These innovative partnerships help provide people in recovery with vital job training to equip them for stable, long-term employment while also addressing Kentucky’s overall workforce needs.
Driving Transformation Through Shared Experience
ARC stands out among recovery providers in its commitment to embodying the principles it advocates and setting a new standard of excellence in educational and vocational programs. This commitment is exemplified by its own workforce, where nearly one-third of its 1,200 staff members — including executive leadership team members like Brown — have been part of these very programs. As ARC’s workforce has faced similar challenges and embarked on comparable journeys, they profoundly understand the obstacles facing patients, enabling the team to forge genuine, empathetic connections with them. This shared experience allows its teams to serve as effective mentors for individuals seeking life transformation. The dedicated ARC team supports over 2,000 clients on any given day and has treated more than 65,000 individuals to date, thanks to its unrivaled industry knowledge and patient-centric business model.
ARC’s growth from its humble beginnings to a network of over 30 licensed addiction treatment centers in 22 counties in Kentucky is a testament to its expertise and pursuit of excellence in the field. The organization always keeps its doors open for innovation, empowering it to evolve along with dynamic patient needs and market demands. This approach enabled ARC to incorporate various services into its portfolio, like peer support, telehealth, primary care, psychiatry, mental health, infectious diseases, and MAT, delivering high-quality patient care. ARC also operates a rural health clinic, provides pharmacy services and operates in-house analyzer labs to ensure accessible care to all.
Through housed and traditional outpatient care services, patients can receive treatments either at its state-of-the-art facilities or from the comfort of their own homes. In addition, ARC’s treatment-on-demand model ensures immediate access to care, eliminating delays in receiving life-saving treatment. This includes quick enrollment into programs, transportation and round-the-clock support through professional call centers. Each patient reaching an ARC facility will undergo in-depth clinical and medical assessments within 24 hours, showcasing ARC’s dedication to timely meeting their needs.
Leading the Path to a Brighter Future
Patient-centered care models, coupled with a commitment to continuous improvement, have helped ARC foster a sense of community and support clients to reintegrate into societies post-recovery. In 2023, the organization opened the innovative Bellefonte Hospital and Recovery Center in Greenup County, providing comprehensive care by incorporating critical psychiatric and behavioral support into recovery. ARC prides itself on continuing to build on strong momentum, striving to expand its geographic footprint and spectrum of treatment offerings.
Moving beyond Kentucky’s borders, ARC aims to extend its presence into Ohio and Virginia. In addition, the company will open a new comprehensive residential treatment center in Louisville, at the site of the former Spencerian College campus. It also plans to launch new patient care strategies that include efforts to combat houselessness and poverty and provide services specifically for adolescents. Focusing on innovation to align with the evolving needs of patients empowers ARC to lead thriving and fulfilling lives beyond sobriety.
“We’re committed to utilizing every available tool to fight the addiction epidemic, restoring healing and instilling hope to transform individuals and communities — focusing on one life at a time,” says Brown.
ARC’s commitment to patients goes beyond offering innovative treatment and recovery programs to treating them with dignity and respect. Its guiding philosophy — that everyone was created on purpose and for a purpose — is embodied in its mission statement: “We create opportunities for people to discover hope and live their God-given destiny.” The company implements this core mission into its endeavors through five integral values — compassion, accountability, respect for the dignity of life, entrepreneurial innovation and stewardship.
