Lakeside-Milam Recovery Centers is and will continue to remain open for treatment. We are committed to providing effective, quality care to individuals struggling with a substance use disorder and/or mental health.
Our response to COVID-19 is led by a special response management team that includes our Medical Director, Dr. Terry Rogers, Sr. VP of Operations, Julie Mitchell, and CEO, Carl Kester. We continue to monitor developments and directives through the Center for Disease Control (CDC), The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), and the King County Health Department. We are acting immediately and continuously to meet or exceed their evolving guidelines.
Our inpatient program has temporarily suspended family visitation. Instead, we have expanded our capacity for individuals to visit virtually with family members. Patients and families needing to meet on a clinical basis will be arranged individually by our clinical team. We are offering group and individual sessions virtually for our family members and we continue to work with families to provide care, support, and education by offering resources. In addition, our family liaisons are always available to update families on their loved ones care and health.
We have also suspended any patient programming off campus, with the exception of emergency medical or clinical purposes. Success in recovery includes being active in a supportive community and we are using video conferencing so that our residents can connect with local 12-step meetings.
All staff members are screened at the start of each shift; including taking their temperature. Staff members not feeling well or having any symptoms have been directed to stay home. New patients to the campus spend at least three days in our medical wing, regardless of their withdrawal management needs. We have nurses on campus around the clock; and our Medical Director and Nurse Practitioner are ensuring all infectious disease protocols are followed.
Any patients showing symptoms of infectious disease are transferred home and our medical team will coordinate care with the individual’s local healthcare provider. Individuals may return to treatment when they have been cleared by their healthcare provider and our medical staff, following a period of being symptom free as outlined by the CDC.
For our Alumni and individuals currently enrolled in one of our outpatient programs, we have set up an Alumni app that provides a HIPAA compliant space for individuals to receive support from each other, the staff, as well as get resources and tools for them to explore. In that same app we offer a full continuum of virtual outpatient treatment so that our patients can continue with treatment while staying safe and healthy.
In all of our outpatient treatment centers, we are taking the temperature of visitors, patients and staff members daily and we have increased the frequency of disinfection of high touch areas and the availability of hand sanitizer. As well as monitoring group sizes to ensure the ability to maintain social distancing. We continue to emphasize hand washing and cough hygiene, posting additional DOH “how to” signs to help patients remember. Individuals in outpatient and all staff are asked to stay home if at all ill. Screening reminders are posted at each front desk.
We will continue to address new concerns with patients, visitors, and staff well-being as our focus. We are evaluating the spread of the virus with the understanding of the urgency necessary to treat addiction. We are focused on making adjustments that enable us to continue to care for all involved. Please contact us with additional questions. You can call us at 425-823-3116 or email at help@lakesidemilam.com.
