AtlantiCare is now parent company of John Brooks Recovery Center

AtlantiCare is now parent company of John Brooks Recovery Center. Under the deal, which was previously announced in January, JBRC will now be known as John Brooks Recovery Center, a member of AtlantiCare.

The acquisition expands AtlantiCare’s breadth of mental health and substance use services; ensures JBRC’s essential substance use disorder programs and services continue; and makes AtlantiCare southeastern New Jersey’s largest provider of mental health, substance use/addiction recovery services and family care social services.

Lori Herndon. (File photo)

“For nearly three decades, AtlantiCare has been committed to addressing the growing need for services to support individuals with behavioral health, substance use disorder and co-occurring health issues,” Lori Herndon, CEO and president, AtlantiCare, said. “The pandemic dramatically increased the need for these services while also affecting the viability of organizations that provide this critical care, including John Brooks Recovery Center. Through this strategic acquisition, AtlantiCare is ensuring the exceptional care and critical services JBRC provides continue. We are also growing our already extensive mental health services to more broadly meet our community’s increasing needs for care.”

AtlantiCare has been providing its expansive mental health services through AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, AtlantiCare Physician Group — including APG Primary Care and AtlantiCare Behavioral Health — and AtlantiCare Health Services. Its substance use disorder services already included outpatient and intensive outpatient services, ambulatory withdrawal management, medication-assisted treatment services, Opioid Overdose Recovery and Support Team for Addiction Recovery programs, and other programs.

The acquisition of JBRC adds to AtlantiCare’s services a residential treatment facility, opioid treatment programs and outpatient and intensive outpatient substance use treatment programs. JBRC also brings its Sober Living Housing, primary health care clinic for individuals with Hepatitis C, Community Peer Recovery centers, and other services to AtlantiCare.

“JBRC has long partnered with AtlantiCare in caring for individual patients and clients and addressing the opioid epidemic and other behavioral health issues,” Michael Santillo, previously CEO of JBRC, and now director II, AtlantiCare, said. “We share a deep, mutual commitment to serving the health care needs of our community.”