Southside residents now have increased access to crucial addiction recovery services at UofL Health – Mary & Elizabeth Hospital’s new voluntary medical detox unit. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital has partnered with UofL Health – Peace Hospital to create the unit, which will be staffed with medical personnel and therapists specifically trained to treat behavioral health issues and addiction.

While detox services have long been offered at Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, the new dedicated unit allows for specialized care team to better monitor health and vital signs throughout the detox process to prevent dangerous symptoms from occurring. The team also will offer therapy groups and licensed therapists who will assist with discharge planning and aftercare services to ensure patients maintain their treatment plans to achieve long-term sobriety and increased well-being. In addition, art and music will be incorporated into support groups and guided meditation.

“The neighborhoods that encompass Mary & Elizabeth Hospital and the surrounding area experience a disproportionate amount of opioid addictions and overdoses,” said Melisa Adkins, chief administrative officer at Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. “This new detox unit will help those who suffer take the initial steps to help conquer their addiction in a convenient, supportive and safe environment.” 

Mary & Elizabeth Hospital will initially staff 12 private-bed rooms, but has the capacity to care for up to 25 patients. The unit will specialize in those detoxing off various substances such as EtOH (ethanol/alcohol abuse), opiates and benzodiazepines that may also have a comorbidity or medical complication. Referrals are expected from the Mary & Elizabeth emergency department and Peace Hospital, across UofL Health, as well as from various other emergency departments or freestanding psychiatric facilities in the Louisville area.

At discharge, a therapist/case manager will work with each individual patient to assess future needs, including community resources, placement at a long-term rehab facility and continued therapy. Just across the street, Peace Hospital offers a full complement of adult outpatient services, including specialized treatment methods with motivational interviewing, group therapy and 12-step facilitation. The program focus is on adults 18 years or older, and additional support is available such as transportation and six months of free after-care.

In addition to the voluntary medical detox unit, both Mary & Elizabeth Hospital and Peace Hospital offer long-acting injection (LAI) clinics, which provide monthly shots of long-acting medications to help patients with opioid addiction and schizoaffective disorders. Some patients will be able to have orders issued from Mary & Elizabeth physicians to receive LAI injections immediately after discharge from the detox unit but before leaving campus to assist in their ongoing recovery.

“Addiction to opioids, alcohol or any other substance is a concerning medical issue — not a moral failing — and these patients need ready access to knowledgeable, compassionate care,” said Jeff Graves, M.D., chief medical officer at Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. “By increasing access to these services to the most vulnerable populations in the area, we are doing our part to help set them up for long-term success.”

For more information regarding Mary & Elizabeth’s voluntary detox unit, please visit: www.uoflhealthnetwork.org/inpatient-medical-detox.