Amid Workforce Shortage, Phoenix House NY + Universities Train Early Career Addiction Treatment Professionals

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (02/17/2022) (readMedia)-- As addiction treatment facilities struggle to hire, retain, and grow new staff after a tragic year of record overdose deaths, Phoenix Houses of NY/LI is expanding and innovating addiction treatment education through its partnerships with New York University's Rory Meyers College of Nursing, Pace University School of Nursing, and Weill Cornell Medical College. Through these partnerships, among the firsts of their kind, nursing and medical students complete internship and fellowship rotations at Phoenix House facilities, learning how to fight this crisis on the frontlines at the start of their careers.

"It's a challenging time to provide addiction treatment, to say the least. The challenges of the pandemic have left a devastating effect in every corner of what we do - rising numbers of overdose deaths, an increased demand for our services, and not enough resources to meet this demand. The workforce shortage is devastating addiction treatment across the country, and I'm so proud to work with this team that has found an innovative way to combat the shortage. I hope more partnerships like ours are formed - we need a stronger base if we are going to fight this crisis," said Ann Marie Foster, president and CEO of Phoenix Houses of NY/LI.

Over 100,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses from May 2020 to April 2021, up almost 30% from the previous year. This is attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic's devastating effects for people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and the rising prevalence of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, cut into nearly every type of substance. The addiction crisis has never been more urgent, and made more so by the shrinking addiction treatment workforce.

An increased workload, fear of Covid exposure, burnout, and fatigue are causing this essential and challenging profession to lose even its most dedicated staffers. In a recent survey, the Rockefeller Institute of Government found that the current workforce is too small to meet the demand brought about by the opioid-fueled drug overdose epidemic. And nationwide, the nursing shortage, expected to continue through 2030, is the worst the U.S. has ever experienced and will require 1.2 million new RNs by 2030. The shortage has serious implications for patient care. New and innovative clinical academic partnerships with organizations such as Phoenix House will help get nurses out into the workforce well prepared to manage complex issues and improve care for those dealing with behavioral health issues.

Phoenix House is combating the workforce shortage by expanding the pool of qualified clinicians prepared to treat SUD through its model partnerships with nursing and medical schools. Students learn the nuances of providing comprehensive treatment for individuals with complex substance use problems, including psychotherapy and medication-based therapies, which has proven to be one of the most effective SUD treatment methods.

Phoenix House is a clinical placement site for NYU Meyers' nurse practitioner students, and in 2020, became a new clinical site for undergraduates as well. The Pace University partnership started January 2022 and places both undergraduate BS students and graduate NP students at Phoenix House facilities.

"Through our partnerships with NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and Pace University School of Nursing, we are expanding the scope of practice of registered nurses. When I was in nursing school, I didn't even know that addiction treatment was an option for nurses - that's how novel this partnership is. Facilities like Phoenix House are just as important to the healthcare landscape as hospital systems, where nursing internships are traditionally completed. I'm proud to be training the next generation of devoted nurses who are thoroughly qualified to treat Substance Use Disorder," said Justin Shaw, RN, NP, Associate Medical Director at Phoenix Houses of NY/LI.

"Through my medical internship at Phoenix House with Weill Cornell Medical College, I treated patients with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders in a residential treatment setting. I saw firsthand the type of treatment that helps improve the lives of the residents, and it set me on my career in addiction treatment. Programs like these are crucial to building and expanding our workforce, which is desperately needed right now," said Dr. Alexis Vien, Medical Director at Phoenix Houses of NY/LI.

"Phoenix House is equipping our students with the experiential knowledge necessary to effectively address historically stigmatized conditions," said Michelle Knapp, DNP, PMHNP, director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program and the Substance Use Disorders Specialty Sequence at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.

"I am consistently impressed with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes imparted to NYU Meyers students who take part in clinical learning at Phoenix House. They are well prepared to communicate therapeutically and they learn firsthand how to advocate for individuals experiencing substance use disorders and other mental health conditions," said Kelseanne Breder, PhD, PMHNP, clinical assistant professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.

"I am incredibly grateful that I was placed at Phoenix House for my psychiatric clinical rotation during my nursing program. My time at Phoenix House showed me that nurses can be a valuable member of the health care team for patients with SUD and truly help throughout their recovery journey. I have had the opportunity to lead psychoeducation groups, participate in group therapy, and perform outreach activities. I have also learned about the comprehensive services Phoenix House provides to ensure patients with SUD are able to be successful in their recovery during their time at Phoenix House and long after. I had such an amazing experience during my clinical rotation that I have continued working at Phoenix House as an intern and hope to begin my career as a nurse here!" said Stephanie Curtis, an undergraduate nursing student at NYU.

"Working at Phoenix House gives me great fulfillment. Addiction has long been seen as a moral failing of an individual, and I'm glad that I am part of a community that educates our patients that addiction is a chronic illness no different from diabetes. This perspective radically changes the stigma of addiction and fosters hope and desire for change," said Dave Ofori, an undergraduate nursing student at NYU.

About Phoenix House

Since 1967, Phoenix House New York has helped thousands of people overcome substance and alcohol use in order to lead healthy, productive, and rewarding lives. Phoenix House New York offers short-term and long-term residential, intensive outpatient, and general outpatient treatment. Phoenix House also offers treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders, medical, psychiatric, and dental services, and impaired driver programs. These services are designed to meet the individual needs of adults at various stages of recovery, including military personnel, and veterans. In addition, Phoenix House provides educational and supportive services to family members, friends, significant others, and the community.