Highlands Hospital » Center of Excellence

What is a Center of Excellence?

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services designated Centers of Excellence (COE) across the state to implement programs to address the opioid crisis. Highlands Hospital’s has received designation as a COE and our program has been providing addiction recovery support services in Fayette County since February 2017. We are available to individuals and their families during all phases of recovery.

As a Center of Excellence we strive to guide and encourage individuals as they develop a vision for their future and establish a healthy and diverse recovery support network.

• To achieve this goal the Highlands Hospital Center of Excellence offers a team-based holistic approach focused on the “whole person.”

• We are available in the hospital and in the community to coordinate care with detox and inpatient rehab facilities, outpatient mental health providers, drug & alcohol providers, and medication assisted treatment programs.

• We offer recovery support to individuals and their families with intensive case management and referrals to social service agencies and varied community resources.

• We also offer individual and group spiritual counseling, stress management courses, life skills coping techniques, and a weekly 12- Step Yoga Recovery class.

If you or a person you love is suffering from the disease of addiction we encourage you to take the first step to recovery by visiting or calling our office today.

Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 4:30 pm 724-603-2874 | Evening and Weekends 724-626-2270

Click on the graphics above to read more about about the programs and
services offered by the Highlands Hospital Center of Excellence (PDF)

Benefiting Those in Our Community and Surrounding Areas

“The opioid epidemic does not discriminate—it affects Pennsylvanians from all walks of life. With these additional Centers of Excellence (COE) locations, my administration is continuing its commitment to expanding high-quality treatment across Pennsylvania” — Governor Tom Wolf

“Having an addiction center so close to home is critical to assisting people with opioid related issues, ensuring that they get the behavioral and physical healthcare they need. Highlands Hospital will help to assist patients and families through drug treatment and point them toward recovery.” — Senator Pat Stefano

The Statistics: Opioid-Related Substance Use Disorder

Opioid dependency has now reached epidemic proportions in the United States. This disorder will shape the future of our communities if it cannot be dealt with effectively. Treatment for addiction is just the first step in the long process to managed recovery.

• Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin as well as the licit prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others.

• Opioids are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain and nervous system to produce pleasurable effects and relieve pain.

• Addiction is a primary, chronic and relapsing brain disease characterized by an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.

• Of the 20.5 million Americans 12 or older that had a substance use disorder, two million had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers and 591,000 had a substance use disorder involving heroin.

• It is estimated that 23% of individuals who use heroin develop opioid addiction.

• Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 55,403 lethal drug overdoses in 2015. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 20,101 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 12,990 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2015.

Information collected by the American Society of Addition Medicine (ASAM) | Opioid Addition – 2016 Facts and Figures

For further information, please contact:
Vicki Meier, Director of Development/Planning
724-626-2440 or vmeier@highlandshospital.org

Westmoreland Guide to Good Health Brochure Winter 2017 Issue (PDF)

hope after heroin video

“Hope After Heroin” – A WQED Documentary

This program explores the opioid crisis in Western Pennsylvania. People who have experienced addiction, either themselves or through a loved one, share their stories of struggle, stigma and loss. But they also show how they’ve managed to use their pain as a catalyst for change, providing hope for others.

Click here to see the “Hope After Heroin” video at WQED