Cooper University Health Care and Advanced Recovery Systems announced a $27 million inpatient treatment facility as part of their efforts to address the opioid crisis in the southern area of the state.
ARS currently operates addiction and substance abuse treatment centers in five states, and is entering the New Jersey market with a 90-bed facility in Cherry Hill — the first of several planned, according to the announcement Tuesday.
It will be located in the former Baker Bowling Lanes property on Cuthbert Boulevard and is scheduled to be completed in late 2019.
“Drug addiction and deaths from drug overdoses, particularly opioids, continue to rise nationally, and Cooper physicians are dealing with the results of addiction every day,” said George Norcross III, chairman of Cooper University Health Care. “There’s a clear need for responsible and effective treatment centers for patients, and we look forward to working with ARS to create a facility that will fill an existing gap in the continuum of care and offer quality treatment for Cooper patients and all who are seeking recovery from addiction.”
Drug overdose deaths reached 2,715 in the state in 2017, an increase of more than 16 percent from the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
“Our patient-centered approach and focus on evidence-based care has successfully helped thousands of individuals in need of addiction treatment across the United States,” said Dr. Mitchell Eisenberg, CEO of ARS. “We are honored to partner with Cooper University Health Care and look forward to serving residents in New Jersey and the surrounding region by offering our effective treatment model.”
A quality committee with representatives from both institutions will be formed to develop treatment guidelines and best practices.
