Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. in Los Angeles (TTC) plans to open one HIV medical clinic in Palmdale and a second clinic site in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley (AV).  Tarzana Treatment Centers will provide low and no cost primary medical care, specialty care, dental care, case management, mental health, and transportation assistance to Antelope Valley residents living with HIV/AIDS.  This is yet another example of our commitment to provide integrated health services to underserved individuals in Southern California.

Tarzana Treatment Centers already treats thousands every year for medical, mental health, substance use, and behavioral disorders.  Our expertise doesn’t stop with providing a wide array of services, though.  We integrate services so patients can receive all of them “under one roof”.  Even if patients need long-term residential alcohol and drug treatment, for example, we provide the health care services they need so treatment is not interrupted.

The original goal of health care integration was to provide worry-free treatment to substance abuse and behavioral health patients, and it has evolved to include most common health care needs.  By applying this to HIV/AIDS services we set the stage for patients to live long and fruitful lives.  This is because many of them live with substance use and/or mental health disorders which can deter them from getting the treatment they need.  By integrating health services, we can treat all issues for each patient.  And in most cases, we can treat them all at the same time.

With an expert staff of medical and behavioral health providers, our new clinic sites in the Antelope Valley will serve 350 patients living with HIV/AIDS in the first year of operation.  As with the HIV services we provide in the San Fernando Valley, patients will have access to needed medications, medical care, mental health treatment, alcohol and drug treatment, and more.  The Office of AIDS Programs and Policy (OAPP) grant that funds the clinics allows us to also provide services for oral health needs, lab work, and transportation as well.

The inclusion of case management for medical and mental health is what most benefits our patients living with HIV/AIDS.  Individuals who have medical and mental health issues that require treatment, for example, can schedule appointments in the same time frame at one location.  A Case Manager oversees patients’ treatment to ensure they get all of the services they need.  This means convenience and better health for HIV positive individuals seeking health care at Tarzana Treatment Centers.

Comprehensive assessment services at Tarzana Treatment Centers give our Case Managers a clear picture of the health care needs for each new patient.  After medical and psychological assessments, lab tests, and basic interviews, we know the primary and secondary issues that patients face.  We can then admit patients into our various programs as needed, and Case Managers can follow their progress and adjust treatment as may be necessary.

Health care becomes a top priority for individuals when they discover they are HIV positive.  Tarzana Treatment Centers seeks to decrease the number of those who postpone treatment for any reason with these convenient clinics.  When more of the HIV positive community receives treatment, we have a chance to limit spreading of the virus.  So our HIV treatment services not only help the individuals we treat, but the public at large as well.

The mission of Tarzana Treatment Centers at our HIV medical clinics is to help individuals to live long and healthy lives.  We provide a setting that encourages them to look forward at life, in a positive manner.    Our patients are therefore empowered to live normal lives and continue with the treatment they need.  We make them active players in treatment which gives them a better sense of self and ownership.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is thrilled at the news that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vivitrol for use in opioid addiction treatment.  The evidence was clear to us that Vivitrol reduced opiate cravings, but the FDA went one step further in approving it for the “prevention of relapse to opioid dependence.”  This means that we can finally say what we’ve also known for a long time; Vivitrol prevents relapse.

Tarzana Treatment Centers offers Vivitrol for alcohol treatment and opiate treatment as part of our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program.  It is a Naltrexone injection taken monthly that reduces alcohol cravings and opiate cravings.  This allows individuals in recovery to focus on addiction treatment, and offers a better chance at long-term recovery.  For more information about the FDA approval and Vivitrol, click the link below for the press release by Vivitrol manufacturer, Alkermes.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/alkermes-announces-fda-approval-of-vivitrolr-for-prevention-of-relapse-to-opioid-dependence-2010-10-12?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles is pleased to report that the US Food and Drug Administration is one step closer to officially approving Vivitrol for use in opiate addiction treatment.  This Naltrexone injection was originally meant to reduce alcohol cravings, with full knowledge of its potential to reduce opiate cravings.  After opiate detox, individuals with heroin, prescription drug, or other opiate addiction can use Vivitrol to improve their chances at long-term recovery.

For more information on this exciting news, please click on the link below:
http://investor.alkermes.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=92211&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1472331

Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol as part of our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs for qualified patients.  Our MAT programs include Methadone Maintenance, Suboxone Maintenance, and 21 Day Outpatient Detox.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  Our services are also available via telemedicine for those who qualify.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

For more information on Vivitrol, contact us via email at vivitrol@tarzanatc.org

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides telemedicine services to qualified patients in alcohol and drug treatment, mental health treatment, and primary medical care.  After careful research of the technology available, we chose to partner with MDLiveCare in Florida so we could deliver services conveniently and securely at affordable rates.  The technology was a key in making our decision considering what our patients would need in order to use these services.

During our research of available telehealth technologies for video conference sessions, we were happy to discover that most of our services could be delivered through this medium.  Assessments of new patients entering addiction treatment or mental health treatment can be completed before they come to one of our locations.  This allows our staff to better prepare for their arrival, and saves patients critical time in on-site admissions time.  It can also be used for outpatient services for some patients.  We can also see qualified patients in primary medical care from their homes and offices.  

The MDLiveCare technology is browser-based.  This means that patients simply need to open Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or whatever they use on a daily basis, and log in to their account.  Once logged in, a simple interface makes it easy for them to schedule appointments with Providers, send and read secure messages with them, and view records.  Anyone who browses the internet should be able to use the interfaces we provide, known as MDLiveVisit and TherapyLiveVisit.

Much of the technology used for telehealth video conferencing today would be considered complicated by the everyday computer user.  Some require special software that, putting it simply, directly connects one specific computer with another over long distances.  This adds work for the patient in setting up the software, which may not go well and lead to a need for technical support.  Also, if the program crashes there is no backup means to connect to a session, creating a delay in services.  These are issues that patients do not want to deal with when they need health care.

The MDLiveVisit and TherapyLiveVisit interfaces that are used by Tarzana Treatment Centers require no initial setup on patient computers.  They only need a login ID and temporary password to get started.  Literally within minutes, patients can set an appointment to see one of our health care providers.  And, if the browser they are using happens to crash, they can switch to another to start or resume a session.  All of this simplicity is delivered with the same or better security as those described above.

The LiveVisit application was started using the popular Flash Player to deliver video.  This meant that almost anyone already had the software needed to send and receive video before they used LiveVisit.  To improve services, a switch was made to using the VSee video format in LiveVisit.  The new format uses less bandwidth, meaning that even patients with very slow internet access can send and receive smooth video.  Patients still do not need to install bulky software to use this advanced video format.

We chose to partner with MDLiveCare and use the LiveVisit telehealth applications because the simplicity and security satisfied our high standards in delivering services to patients.  The goal was to make getting treatment easier for patients, with almost no chance that problems will occur.  No special equipment is needed, either, other than an inexpensive webcam since high resolution is not necessary in LiveVisit.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

The California Telehealth Network (CTN) was launched by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on August 17, 2010.  CTN will operate on both public and private funding, and is expected to lead California into an exciting new era in health care.  Tarzana Treatment Centers is pleased to announce our involvement.  We are thrilled at the opportunity to provide our addiction treatment, mental health treatment, and medical care to individuals in California who find it difficult to travel to facilities.

CTN is expected to connect 900 health care facilities by 2011, providing specialized health care services to California residents who normally can’t access them.  Rural health care providers will have access to specialists who can either assist them or work with their patients directly.  Currently, there are 50 sites that are being set up initially to begin this important project, which will have its control center at the UC Davis Medical Center.

Tarzana Treatment Centers, based in Los Angeles, California, is providing services at 3 of these initial sites.  Our specialized services will be a valuable part of CTN, making addiction treatment, HIV/AIDS services, and related mental health disorder treatment available along with the common services we also provide.  Many individuals suffer needlessly because they are immobile or live in remote rural areas.

The funding for CTN is $30 million, which includes $21 million from the Federal Communications Commission, $3.6 million from the California Emerging Technology Fund, and the rest from a combination of private and other public funds.  AT&T will build a secure, medical-grade telecommunications system that will provide the high bandwidth needed.  The goal is to reduce medical costs and improve clinical outcomes for patients.

Telehealth, also known as telemedicine, is online mental health treatment or medical care that can be conducted by video conference or by phone.  Online health care has become secure and affordable.  The cost-effectiveness makes for a lower cost to set up the program than to continue with the status quo in health care.  Its use has proven to reduce readmission rates for patients in medical care, and is expected to do the same for those in behavioral and mental health treatment.

Of course patient security is an obsession for the staff at Tarzana Treatment Centers.  So we would not have started working with telemedicine if there was even a hint that patient confidentiality could be compromised.  Our internal telehealth system, powered by MDLiveCare, is protected by several layers of encryption.  While details have not yet been released by CTN about the security this network will provide, we can assure you that our involvement will result in the high security.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has taken pride in our efforts to remain current with health technology advancements.  We have now partnered with MDLiveCare to provide telemedicine services.  This will enable us to offer alcohol and drug treatment, mental health treatment, and medical care via video conference technology, which will allow access to more individuals who need these services.

Please click the link below to read the press release:

MDLiveCare® Health Services, Inc. Announces Agreements in California, Florida and Illinois as It Continues Building National Provider Network and Licensing Relationships

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

After years of suffering, and finally making the decision to enter alcohol and drug treatment, the last thing alcoholics and drug addicts want to do is wait.  Forms need to be completed, printed and signed, and all of that paper used can’t be good for the environment.  Digital signatures address both of these issues.

When alcohol and drug treatment centers stay current with technology in health care, the main goal is to improve patient outcomes.  Any new technology aims to provide better security, efficiency in treatment, and the ability to store and share information between staff professionals.  But even with efficient systems in place, paperwork can seem overwhelming to patients being admitted to treatment.

Many individuals entering alcohol and drug treatment require medical detoxification to minimize withdrawals.  The decision to enter treatment may have taken months, partially out of fear over alcohol, heroin, or prescription drug withdrawals.  Once they enter the doors of a facility, with no access to their drugs of choice, that fear makes every minute seem like an hour.

Suddenly, they are faced with a stack of paperwork that needs to be read and signed.  Before they are halfway through the stack, physical signs of withdrawal may begin to appear.  No matter how quickly an admissions counselor wants to proceed, this work needs to be done to ensure patient security and proper treatment.

Paper use is a problem in this process, as well.  If two professionals need to see a form at the same time, it means that copies need to be made.  Most of those copies are shredded after use.  Digital creation and storage of many forms minimizes waste, but there are still some that need patient signatures.  This still means that paper is printed, copied and shredded over and over again.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles has addressed this issue by incorporating digital signature capturing into the admissions and counseling process.  Patients can now proceed through the admissions process without waiting for forms to print.  They can simply sign them using a digital signature pad during the admission interview process, effectively cutting the admission time in half.

When patients complete the admissions process, they are walked into a treatment unit with minimal paperwork.  This not only saves paperwork, but also provides better security for patients.  This is because their detailed information is only available on a secure network computer, accessible only to treatment staff.  It also means that two professionals can look at the same information simultaneously, without needing to make copies.

Our goal is to be completely paperless as a health care organization.  The ability to capture digital signatures provided a bridge over a big chasm that prevented us from reaching that goal.  This took some time to accomplish, but it was worth it considering that we made great leaps toward two of our goals.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles uses the latest technology to provide effective alcohol and drug treatment.  We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

The most troublesome factor for anyone who knows an alcoholic or drug addict is a lack of understanding and knowledge about the disease.  So the first step in any treatment for friends and family is education.  Alcoholism and drug addiction sufferers face many issues in life, even if they have already received treatment and are living in recovery.  For those who love them, life can be equally difficult or even worse.  

Years ago, effort was necessary on the part of the general public to learn about the disease aspects of addiction.  Books about alcohol dependence and drug addiction were available in stores and libraries, in “self-help” sections.  But it was a treasure hunt to seek detailed medical, psychological, and statistical information.  In general, those who found these sources were individuals in those respective fields and not many in the general population.

Information is everywhere on the internet today, especially regarding alcohol abuse and drug abuse.  Blogs that offer opinions and recovery stories are interesting and relatable.  Professional blogs and websites tend to provide valuable and categorized facts, like this one, that help individuals to learn and understand the disease of addiction.  And detailed medical, psychological, and statistical information can be found at professional organization and government websites.

Television shows about addiction, intervention, and alcohol and drug treatment have become more common than ever.  Even the shows that highlight celebrities can be educational if the viewer focuses on the recovery efforts made by counselors, rather than seeking tabloid style entertainment.  To avoid the temptation away from education, it is better to also watch shows that involve people who are not celebrities.

A new series on TLC’s cable channel titled Addicted currently airs on Wednesdays at 10pm.  As with most cable TV shows, new episodes are rerun several times over the week that follows so it is easy to catch.  Each episode follows an individual who suffers from alcohol dependence or drug addiction through the addiction, treatment, and recovery from an interventionist’s point-of-view.

TV series’ and specials that show the activities of addicts are very effective teachers.  Viewers who suffer from addiction, or know someone who does, can relate to the issues faced by the individuals profiled each week.  Even more importantly, viewers can see the connection from addiction to problems, and the differing reactions of addicts and their loved ones.

Friends and family members often feel alone when they see a loved one sink into the depths of alcoholism or drug addiction.  Many secrets, stigma, and emotions surround the disease.  It traps people in a world of hopelessness, where the decision to fix the problem takes a leap of faith.  TV shows about addiction can build bridges of knowledge that make the path to recovery easier to travel.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides family services as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana Treatment Centers has been awarded a grant that will allow us to provide care for diabetes and hypertension to more patients in the San Fernando Valley.  Our Compassionate Clinical Care Project will serve patients with no access to medical care due to lack of insurance, and those who live below the federal poverty level.

Thanks to this grant from Providence Health and Services/Mother Joseph, we can now provide these services to more individuals who need them.  For more information, please call our primary care clinic at 818 534-1820.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides primary medical care as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare, along with alcohol and drug treatment.  If you or a loved one needs help for alcohol dependence or drug addiction, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.

Individuals who suffer from mental health and substance use disorders need treatment the same as anyone dealing with issues of physical health.  It stands to reason, then, that they should get equal coverage by insurance companies.  HR 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is now law, and includes language that will now require mental health and substance abuse parity in coverage.

Parity, in simple terms, means to put things on par or to make things equal.  In terms of health care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment is usually not covered on par with medical care.  Examples of inequality include premium, copayment, and deductible rates.  It is hard to argue that the majority of insurance companies have kept up with trends in mental health and substance abuse care to provide proper coverage.

Mental health disorders, alcohol dependence, and drug addiction all affect more individuals than just those who directly suffer.  Family members, friends, employers, and co-workers are all pulled into the world of the sufferer at one time or another.  Treatments for all illnesses in these categories have greatly advanced in the past few decades, and so has the cost.  So when treatment is needed, it is often not sought due to poor coverage that can cause a drain on personal finances.

It is rather unusual for individuals to forego treatment for medical problems when they are insured.  This is especially true for moderate to major physical health problems.  For example, when individuals experience pain in an area where there was none previously, they see a doctor because they want to be sure nothing serious is developing.  But with mental health and substance abuse issues, this is not always the case.

It may be an underlying reason behind the “I can handle it” attitude that is often associated with mental health issues, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse.  While there are inherent symptoms that postpone treatment being sought, the cost factor can be a final deterrent.  Even when sufferers reach the point where the treatment need is acknowledged, the cost reality stops them from getting that treatment immediately.

People are often reluctant to spend money on mental health treatment or alcohol and drug treatment while they can still moderately function in society.  But they are not, by definition, in good health.  In fact, they forego treatment for these problems at the time when it can be most effective; in the early stages.  If mental health and alcohol or drug abuse issues are left untreated, they get worse in most cases.  As the illness gets worse, life problems also mount along with costs to society.

Parity in mental health and substance abuse coverage is helpful to society.  Untreated, those who suffer often are incarcerated for various crimes or are in need of health care.  Incarceration and public health care costs can be greatly reduced with treatment.  With parity, treatment becomes a viable option so fewer sufferers will reach the point where they are incarcerated or need health care.

The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Act was included in the final version of what is now known as Health Care Reform.  This means that insurance companies must now provide equal coverage for mental health and substance abuse treatment as they would for medical care.  Separate deductibles are no longer allowed, and premium rates must be on par.  Our hope from this is for more of those who need treatment to get it before illness-related problems become overwhelming.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides mental health treatment as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare.  If you or a loved one needs help with mental health disorders, or alcohol and drug treatment, please call us now at 800-996-1051 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.