SECAP cares for individuals who are addicted to alcohol or drugs and provides emergency department screening, inpatient monitoring, immediate access to medical specialists, and spiritual care.
St. Elizabeth's Comprehensive Addiction Program (SECAP) is a Level 4 certified medically monitored inpatient detoxification program and Massachusetts’ oldest and most established center focused on the treatment of substance use disorders.
Vivitrol Therapy Program
St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center has expanded its Vivitrol Therapy Program for individuals who have opioid and alcohol use disorders. Vivitrol is an extended-release injectable naltrexone which can block opioid receptors in the body as well as stop cravings to use opiates and/or alcohol. This medication provides individuals the opportunity to take effective medication monthly, as opposed to the daily dosing required by other medication-assisted treatment options (e.g., methadone, buprenorphine, oral naltrexone).
About 2.6 million people in the U.S. are addicted to opioids, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Since 2001, the number of people who have fatally overdosed on prescription opioids has more than tripled, and the number of people who have died from heroin overdoses has increased more than 600 percent.
The key to recovery is engaging in BOTH medical and counseling services. This combination of medication-assisted treatment and behavioral health provides a strong foundation for successful recovery.
Learn more about the program and our Vivitrol clinics by calling 617-789-2574.
Inpatient
SECAP’s Inpatient Unit is part of the Division of Addiction Services of the Department of Medicine at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Inpatient detoxification is an individually monitored process usually taking between one anfour4 days. Nurses provide around-the-clock care and SECAP’s doctors use evidence-based, symptom-triggered protocols for medication, such as benzodiazipines or buprenorphine/naltrexone. Counselors engage patients in group therapies, meditation, individual counseling, and discharge planning. Mutual help groups provide on-site support to aid in the transition to outpatient care.
Outpatient Psycho-Social Support
The Outpatient Unit, licensed by the Department of Public Health, offers outpatient services geared specifically for young adults, older adults, and women, with tailored programs at various levels of intensity to meet individual needs.
- Day Treatment: SECAP’s day treatment program is held Monday through Friday and offers short-term (one or two weeks), intensive treatment for individuals in early recovery or after a relapse. Family involvement is encouraged.
- Evening Treatment: SECAP’s evening treatment provides intense psycho-education about the nature of addiction, client’s roles and responsibilities in their recovery, and offers support to help achieve the goal of continued sobriety.
- Services for Families: SECAP’s staff is committed to assisting family members in a variety of ways, including guiding them to SECAP services or to group meetings.
- Interventions
- Family education
- Family support groups
- Referral to other services, including halfway houses and community programs
Groups and Counseling
Following day or evening treatment, most individuals seek the structure and support of an ongoing group. In addition to one-on-one counseling, SECAP offers group support, including:
- Early sobriety group
- Family support group
- Individual substance abuse counseling
- Marijuana recovery support group
- Men’s recovery group
- Mother’s CHAT group (an addiction program and parenting support group for pregnant women with children up to one years of age)
- Older adult group
- Opiate recovery support groups
- Relapse prevention group
- Seeking safety group (for women with post-traumatic stress syndrome and addiction)
- Treatment-intensive outpatient group
- Women’s recovery group
- Young adult group
Outpatient Medication Assisted Therapy
Medication Assisted Therapy is a physician-staffed outpatient program that provides medications to assist in the recovery of patients engaging in SECAP’s Outpatient Psycho-Social Support. All patients engage in outpatient psycho-social support. Among the medication provided are: buprenorphine/naloxone (suboxone); naltrexone (including the injectable vivitrol); disulfuram (antabuse); and others.
SECAP collaborates with other community organizations, including the Allston-Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force and Boston College in a combined effort to prevent and treat abuse and addiction of drugs and alcohol. St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center & Boston College Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a collaborative program to address substance abuse in the community by targeting the young adult, adult, and elderly community members who may be at risk for developing substance abuse disorders. Boston College students, certified as EMTs, are trained to provide SBIRT services to patients in the St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center Emergency Department. The goals of this program are to screen community members who are at risk for developing a substance abuse dependency and refer them to the appropriate form of treatment (either in a community or clinical setting) in order to prevent them from further developing a substance abuse disorder.
Our Team
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Katherine Grieco, DO
Addiction Medicine -
Michael G. Hamrock, MD
Substance Abuse -
Fariba Myousefi, MD
Substance Abuse -
Annalee Wells, DO
Substance Abuse
Resources
Allston Brighton Substance Abuse Taskforce
We are proud to be affiliated with the Allston-Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force whose mission is to prevent substance abuse in our community. The Allston-Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force educates members of the local school community and the community-at-large on the dangers of underage drinking, prescription drug use, and narcotics. By raising awareness about drug addiction within the community, the Task Force aims to introduce a dialogue a dialogue between children and their parents as a means of prevention.
Steward Health Care