Addiction is a disease, but it is so much more. Learn more about this complex condition that millions of Americans are struggling with right now.
Thousands of troops become military veterans within their communities every year. These military personnel return to their day-to-day lives. As stated by the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 1.5 million veterans aged 17 or older (6.6 percent of this...
Many veterans are struggling with substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder in the United States. Traumatic events such as combat exposure and multiple deployments can trigger drug or alcohol use. It can also damage one’s mental health after returning home. ...
When a person relapses after a significant period of sobriety, they often find their substance abuse to be as bad as it was when they quit. In some cases, it may even be much worse. There are a few reasons that their use may spiral out of control in a very short...
We talk pretty frequently about the rising opioid epidemic, but addiction takes many forms. And while overdose deaths related to heroin and prescription opioids continue rising, benzodiazepine addiction poses yet another threat. In fact, many overdose deaths appear to...
Amethyst Recovery focuses on the treatment of drugs and alcohol. Nonetheless, we like to occasionally cover certain forms of behavioral addiction in our articles. Examples that we have covered in the past include eating disorders, gambling addiction and hypersexual...
The Human Genome Project, launched in 1990, endeavored to map all genes in human DNA in order to determine their function. To this day, no biological project of its scale has existed. When the Human Genome Project wrapped in 2003, researchers began working to discover...
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often seems to go hand-in-hand with addiction. This is especially true of addicts in the military, but PTSD is not exclusive to such individuals. Some addicts suffer traumatic abuse during childhood. Others suffer near-fatal...
Do you allow a loved one such as a child or spouse to act recklessly without consequence? Are there times at which you experience difficulty expressing emotions other than fear, anger or depression? Do you tend to put your own needs after those of others? How often do...
Peer pressure is something they tell you about early on in life. Many of us first hear about it from DARE officers in school. We see PSAs on television, and often receive talks from our parents. Unfortunately, however, we don’t always pay too much attention. We figure...
Most people know college as a time for experimentation. This is when you drink, try out a few drugs, and maybe even test out your sexual preferences. At least, that’s what TV and movies might have us believe. In truth, it doesn’t take that long to decide whether or...
People like to say that confidence is the greatest quality. If you simply believe in yourself, you’ll soon find yourself acing every job interview. You’ll have no shortage of second dates, and everyone will look up to you for the amazing person you are. And, yes—in...
When we discuss the opioid epidemic, we generally discuss it as a nationwide problem. Rarely do we really hone in on the fact that some states get it worse than others. But there are some states in which heroin addiction has reached truly epidemic proportions, and the...
If you suffer from addiction or alcoholism, then you’ve probably heard about the First Step. You know that many people say you must admit that you are powerless over drugs and alcohol in order to begin recovering. But many people shorten this step. The shortened...
sober.
Whether you or your family member is struggling with addiction, you are not alone in this journey. Explore our expansive addiction resources, including our guides for teens, parents, and spouses, as well as relatable recovery stories from Amethyst Alumni.
Call our 24/7 helpline to speak with an admissions cordinators and get the support you need when you need it.
Laurel McGinnisLaurel, as the Director of Corporate Compliance for USR, is responsible for ensuring that the facility follows all federal and state regulatory requirements, accreditation standards and industry best practices. Laurel has over twenty years’ experience in legal and regulatory affairs in both the public and private sectors. She attended the University of Kansas where she studied political science, and she is designated by the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) as a Certified National Investigator and Inspector (CNII). Prior to joining Amethyst, she served as the Director of Enforcement for a state regulatory body.
Brie RodriguezBrie joined the Amethyst Recovery team in 2017 as an HR assistant. Her over 15 years’ experience working in healthcare administration and management quickly launched her into a leadership role. Now serving as the Director of Human Resources since 2018, she leads our organization through the intricate requirements of recordkeeping, recruitment, staff development as well as compliance. While also directing all aspects of HR including payroll, benefits administration, performance management, and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, as well as licensing and accreditation standards.
Brie graduated as a high school valedictorian with a major in Health Technologies and continued her studies at Springfield Technical Community College with a focus on healthcare. She served in Operations and HR for a finance company for ten years, before returning to healthcare and eventually arriving at USR.
Brie works closely with the leadership team to develop and implement effective HR strategies that support our organization’s goals and values. As an HR professional, Brie’s primary focus is on ensuring that our organization attracts and retains the most talented and qualified individuals to help us fulfill our mission of providing compassionate care to those struggling with addiction. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by those working in the substance abuse field, Brie is committed to creating a positive and supportive work environment where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to make a difference in the lives of others.
Brie is known for being compassionate and empathetic as well as for her ability to navigate complex and sensitive situations and find solutions that benefit everyone involved. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and their fur babies!
CORI BAIZACori’s key responsibilities include supervising financial operations, and daily financial reporting and account management. Cori’s goal is to ensure all patient’s needs are met in an accurate and timely manner. She is a Certified Recovery Residence Administrator with The Florida Certification Board and licensed Notary Public in the state of Florida. Her experience includes accounting and finance training.
JOHN GAUJohn’s key responsibilities include maintaining the day-to-day operations from both a clinical and housing perspective. John’s goal is to monitor every department to ensure proper policies and procedures are in place and client care is carried out effortlessly. John joined Amethyst as a behavioral health technician where he quickly developed strong personal relationships with the clients through support and guidance. John understands first hand the struggles of addiction and strives to provide a safe environment for clients. John is a Certified Recovery Residence Administrator.
MARK GUDIMMark’s key responsibilities include handling day-to-day maintenance matters and oversees our Environment of Care management plan in conjunction with Joint Commission and DCF regulations. Mark’s goal is to provide a safe environment where distractions are minimized, and treatment is the primary focus for clients and staff alike. Mark received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Economics from the University of Rhode Island. He is a licensed residential home inspector in the state of Florida and relates his unique experience of analyzing a property and/or housing condition to determining any necessary course of action at our facility.
Jeffrey M. Bishop, D.O.Dr. Jeffer M. Bishop was born and raised in Florida. He joined the U.S. Navy while attending the University of Nebraska for this undergraduate degree in Medicine. When he left the Navy, he went on to graduate from e Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1985.
He worked in Family Medicine for 35 years before retiring from his practice. He then went on to be the Chief Medical Officer at Wellington Regional Medical Center for an additional seven years until resigning from his position in 2013 and started Addiction Medicine.
He is a member of over a dozen professional medical associations and in his free time enjoys a number of different activities. Although now retired from racing, was a member of the International Motor Sports Association and Sports Car Club of America. Dr. Bishop is also a certified open water scuba diver, he enjoys fishing, traveling, and hunting.
AMANDA MARINELLI, DNP, BBA, AG NP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN-APAmanda Marinelli is a Board Certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over 10 years of experience in the field of mental health and substance abuse. Amanda completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice and Post Masters Certification in Psychiatry at Florida Atlantic University. She is a current member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and the Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society.