BARRYVILLE, NY — Alcohol use disorder is a growing problem that has expanded, especially during the pandemic. For many people, this can lead to problems that can disrupt lives and tear apart families. However, there is hope for rehabilitation and reintegration into society. To learn more about programs that support people who are struggling with alcohol addiction, the River Reporter spoke with Sarah Cooper, the assistant executive director of New Hope Manor.

It was a chance to learn more about the program and how it is useful for people struggling with alcohol use disorder. 

New Hope Manor (NHM) is a women-only facility and treats up to 53 women at a time. It receives most of its referrals from the criminal justice program. 

To start, potential patients undergo a telephone screening, where there is a “brief assessment to see what the person’s needs are and whether they can be met here,” Cooper said.

New Hope Manor is a long-term residential facility for people with substance use disorder, mainly alcohol use and opioid use. If someone arrives and their mental health needs exceed their substance use disorder needs, then they are referred to other programs such as a hospital program or other facilities where there is a higher level of care. 

NHM receives its funding from OASAS, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports. It also accepts Medicaid and Medicare. 

Cooper emphasized that the uninsured can also come to NHM as the center works to “decrease barriers to treatment.” 

NHM isn’t your typical facility. What makes it stand out is the mother-infant program: a mother with a child up to three years of age can also be in the facility, so that NHM can “bring the stress away from treatment,” Cooper said.

What also makes NHM unique is that the center fosters a “home-like environment,” in which there are support services, nurses, counselors etc., Cooper said. It is not meant to feel like an institution, and it fosters a family-style environment to support people throughout their stay. 

NHM sees patients generally aged 19 to the seventh decade, and the goal is for treatment, rehabilitation and “reintegration” into society. The typical stay is six to nine months and patients can return home or be referred to sober living if that is still needed. 

Treatment is multidimensional and consists of cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectal behavioral therapy as well as medications for addiction and withdrawal. Some of the more common medications used are Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone), which is used to treat opioid use withdrawal, and Vivitrol (naltrexone), used for both opioid and alcohol-use withdrawal. Other medications used such as methadone are also offered through agreements with other facilities. 

Cooper added that the office is always available and people can call in for questions or just to reach out. New Hope staff are happy to help refer you to another organization if NHM is not a good fit, she said. 

Learn more at www.newhopemanor.org. 

Somar Hadid is from Newburgh, NY and is a medical student at New York Medical College. He’s particularly interested in public health and has published in medical journals as well as the River Reporter.