In the throes of addiction, not one facet of the victim's life is left unaffected. Everything from familial and personal relationships to daily tasks are impacted. Knowing that, the Chemical Dependency Treatment Program of Catholic Charities' Monsignor Carr Institute seeks to treat the whole person - both physically and mentally.

Catholic Charities Chemical Dependency Treatment Program, housed at 76 W. Humboldt Parkway in Buffalo, is a New York state OASAS licensed outpatient program that provides services to adolescents, adults and families where substance use/abuse is an ongoing concern.

The program has a multi-disciplinary team comprised of counselors, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and two medical doctors who work together to offer clients a combination of therapies and medications, including Suboxone, to support recovery and overall wellness. As the program takes an abstinence-based approach, participants are also encouraged to engage in a 12-step program and other sources of sober support. Groups focus on relapse prevention, stress management, motivation and fun in recovery.

Additionally, since addiction often presents with co-occurring disorders, the program is equipped to treat psychiatric problems, such as depression, anxiety and bi-polar disorder, concurrent with addiction treatment.

"Our program is comprehensive in that we offer the mental health component. When a patient comes into our program, we can offer a psychiatric evaluation and consultation. Once that is completed, we can link a patient to counseling services within Catholic Charities," said Mark Barry, director of Catholic Charities Department of Clinical Services. "So not only can we address addiction through therapy and medication, we can also work through any psychiatric problems that might be causing or exacerbating the substance abuse."  

The program accepts walk-in intakes weekdays during clinic hours, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Friday. Patients who cannot make walk-in hours will be given an appointment to fit their availability.

Medicaid and most insurances are accepted. A sliding fee scale is also available. For more information or to make an appointment, call (716) 835-9745.
Other services available through Catholic Charities' Monsignor Carr Institute are: Behavioral Health Central Intake; mental health treatment for adults at two Mental Health Clinics in Buffalo and several satellite locations in Erie County, and for children ages 5 and up at three clinics in Niagara County; Project HOPE (Helping Older People Excel) and the Diocesan Counseling Center for Clergy & Religious. For more information on these services, call (716) 895-1033 or 1-877-448-4466, or visit ccwny.org.

Catholic Charities has helped individuals and families in need since its founding in 1923. That need is varied and widespread - from emergency assistance to counseling, and from specialized services for the elderly to help with job training. Catholic Charities empowers children, families and seniors to achieve meaningful, healthy and productive lives. In all situations, Catholic Charities delivers support to meet immediate needs, and then assess its clients for other needs to ensure long-term success.

For further information, contact Catholic Charities at 716-856-4494 or go to ccwny.org.