Arapahoe House began in 1975 as a community effort launched by the Arapahoe County Colorado League of Women Voters. Today, what started as a single treatment center has grown to 11 locations in the metropolitan Denver area. The Arapahoe House staff includes close to 400 employees providing 20 unique services to more than 15,000 clients each year.
The community support that's been vital to Arapahoe House since its beginnings was on full display at a recent 40th Anniversary celebration and fundraising event. The sold-out Arapahoe House Luncheon with former professional golfer David Flaherty drew 750 attendees and raised $250,000 for the organization.
Arthur Schut, president and CEO of Arapahoe House, joined the organization in 2008. Along with community support, many other any factors have contributed to the organization's success, says Schut.
"We are regarded as an evidence-based and innovative organization," he explains. "That's come about through our relationships with NIATx and the NIDA Clinical Trials Network, as well as our work in more than 30 SAMHSA-funded pilots and demonstration projects," he explains.
One of the first things Schut did when he joined Arapahoe House was to conduct a classic NIATx walk-through.
Before joining Arapahoe House, Schut had acquired a strong NIATx background as CEO of MECCA Services in Iowa City, Iowa. MECCA was one of the first treatment organizations to test the NIATx model as part of both the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded Paths to Recovery and the CSAT-funded Strengthening treatment Access and Retention (STAR) projects.
Arapahoe House had also built up its NIATx skills as part of the STAR project as well as STAR-SI, Advancing Recovery, and the Accelerating Reform Initiative.
Schut's walk-through at Arapahoe House was immensely informative.
Schut and his team then set about addressing those challenges—one at a time.
A refresh of NIATx principles is planned for all leadership staff in the next couple of months.
Schut also attributes Arapahoe House's success today to its advance planning for the changes that came with full implementation of health care reform.
"Because of our relationships with NIATx and SAAS (now part of the National Council), we knew what to anticipate and started to work on it early," comments Schut.
· Establishing an internal training program to supervise staff to obtain licensure required for substance use and mental health credentialing.
· Embedding behavioral health clinicians in primary care clinics to promote integrated care services.
· Establishing relationships with more than 20 emergency rooms in the Denver area: Arapahoe House transfers patients with high levels of intoxication or a SUD from the ERs to one of its detox centers, thus freeing up ERs for critical care needs.
· Medication-assisted treatment: Arapahoe House has offered a variety of MAT, including Suboxone, Vivitrol, and naltrexone, combined with appropriate counseling therapy.
· Providing services for diverse populations, including Spanish-speaking clients and the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
· Embracing technology: Arapahoe House offers its clients use of A-CHESS, the smart phone app for recovery support.
Arapahoe House also participated in public policy discussions with the federal government that led to treatment for substance use disorders being included as an essential health care benefit of the Affordable Care Act.
Health care reform is bringing attention to the need to integrate addiction treatment services with other areas of health care. Schut says addiction treatment will be seen as specialty care, similar to oncology or orthopedics.
He shares a story of one patient he encountered early in his career.
And as it has for the past 40 years, Arapahoe House will continue to offer hope for those in need of treatment, building on its history of research-based and compassionate care.