The Jackie Nitschke Center One of Only Ten Sites Selected to Lead Substance Abuse Field in Process Improvements

Jackie Nitschke Center has been chosen as one of ten substance abuse treatment sites to participate in a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The project, called Paths To Recovery, is a unique learning collaborative which will address the organizational barriers to substance abuse treatment.

"We are honored to be part of the Paths To Recovery project," says Judy Glenz, Executive Director. "It is a great opportunity for Jackie Nitschke Center and the Brown County community to be seen as leaders in improving access to substance abuse treatment."

Nationally, fewer than one in four people addicted to alcohol or drugs receive treatment, and as many as half of those who do successfully access treatment leave their treatment program before its full benefit can be realized. There are three main reasons for this, explains David Gustafson, director of the Paths To Recovery initiative. "For some the issue is finances, for others the issue is readiness. But we've found that often the real issue keeping patients from treatment is the way that services are delivered, and this is the issue each organization participating in the Paths To Recovery program is addressing."

The participating treatment sites are leading providers in the field (from nine different states) who have been making innovative changes in their own organizations. By redesigning processes such as client intake, assessment, scheduling, outreach, and family involvement, the Paths To Recovery goals is to create a more efficient system that is less frustrating for both clients and staff, and that makes it easier for clients to complete treatment.

For more information about the Paths To Recovery project and the selected substance abuse treatment sites, please visit www.pathstorecovery.org.

Jackie Nitschke Center is a non-profit residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment center located in Green Bay, WI.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, N.J., is the nations largest philanhropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. It concentrates its grantmaking in four goal areas: to assure that all Americans have access to quality health care at reasonable cost; to improve the quality of care and support of people with chronic health conditions; to promote healthy communities and lifestyles; and to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse – tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs.