Cyclobenzaprine, better known as the brand name medication Flexeril, is a muscle relaxant used to treat muscle-related pain such as tenderness and spasms from strains and other types of muscle injuries. Despite being deemed low to no-risk by the DEA (Flexeril is not a...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on Nov 11, 2020
Although people struggling with addiction are encouraged to seek treatment, they don’t always do. This is mainly because addiction isn’t treated the way cancer or cardiovascular disease is treated. Much of this can be attributed to the stigma of addiction. One study...
Last updated Jul 31, 2023 | Published on Nov 11, 2020
Whether it be for anxiety, depression, or heightening one’s sexual performance, there is a drug that some use to self-medicate; this drug is referred to as Kratom. According to those who use it, the drug offers relief from pain. Some even claim it helps their...
Last updated Jul 31, 2023 | Published on Jun 16, 2018
Marijuana withdrawal and detox timelines are important for severe drug users. Quitting marijuana use can be difficult when you don’t have a timeline in mind. After all, you may feel like you’re going through withdrawals for days or weeks. At some point in time, the...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on Jun 15, 2018
Marijuana is one of the most abused drugs in all of America, so understanding the signs and symptoms of marijuana withdrawals is quite important. Many admit to using the drug at least once. Many Americans are regular users. They first smoked marijuana for fun, but...
Last updated Jun 15, 2023 | Published on Jun 1, 2018
We’ve all heard about it. You might have even seen a loved one go through it. We’ve all been warned of how dangerous the effects are, but what really is alcohol poisoning? We know the effects of alcohol on the body after a few drinks. What happens when a person...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on Jun 1, 2018
You might be asking yourself what a sobriety calculator is. You’ve come to the right place. We love to use sobriety calculators to highlight the success of our patients through the recovery process. Sobriety calculators simply take into account the sobriety date of an...
Last updated Nov 24, 2020 | Published on May 30, 2018
What Is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s derived from opium or the poppy plant. First synthesized in the 1960s, fentanyl and its analogues are some of the strongest opioids available today. These prescription drugs treat moderate to severe pain, like...
Last updated Apr 26, 2023 | Published on May 30, 2018
Rehab for heroin addiction usually involves some form of medical detox. Heroin dependence completely rewires the brain. It causes an influx of dopamine and other neurotransmitters. Those who have developed dependence usually experience serious side effects when...
Last updated Jan 24, 2023 | Published on May 25, 2018
More Americans have a cocaine addiction than you’d think. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 1.5 million Americans struggled with cocaine abuse in 2014. Of these people, 913,000 Americans met the criteria for...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on May 21, 2018
Oxycodone and alcohol are a deadly combo. In terms of polydrug use, they’re perhaps two of the worst illicit substances that you can use at the same time. Both substances tend to enhance the effects of the other; as a result, it increases the risk of overdoses. Side...
Last updated Apr 26, 2023 | Published on May 15, 2018
If you’re addicted to heroin or abusing it, you’ve probably wondered how long does heroin stay in your system for. Heroin is one of the most commonly abused drugs in America. Over 948,000 Americans abused this illicit drug in 2016. Studies show that these...
Last updated Apr 26, 2023 | Published on May 5, 2018
Cocaine addiction is prevalent worldwide. This party drug and stimulant is the second most trafficked illicit drug in the world. Naturally, it’s one of the most commonly used illegal drugs worldwide. It’s the second most common illicit substance used in Europe...
Last updated Jul 24, 2023 | Published on May 5, 2018
When dealing with an alcohol or drug addiction, many drug addicts and alcoholics also struggle with a dual diagnosis. A dual diagnosis, also known as a co-occurring disorder, involves a concurrent presence of both of a substance use disorder and a mental health...
Last updated Sep 18, 2023 | Published on Apr 5, 2018
In the state of Ohio during the middle of the summer in 2016, there were 41 drug overdoses in a total of three days. Six of these drug overdoses resulted in death. It took a total of three days for 35 people to damage their bodies and six families to lose a loved one...
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.
Laurel, 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 Rodriguez
Director of Human Resources
Brie 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 BAIZA
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Cori’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 GAU
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
John’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 GUDIM
DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES
Mark’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.
Medical Director, Board Certified in Addiction Medicine
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.
Call our 24/7 helpline now to speak with an admission specialist.
AMANDA MARINELLI, DNP, BBA, AG NP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP
PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER
Amanda 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.