What is Medical Detox? Medical detox, also referred to as medically assisted detox, is the use of medication in a controlled and monitored environment to flush drugs from the body. It is also particularly useful in managing short-term drug withdrawal symptoms, which...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on Jun 28, 2019
What Are The Different Levels of Care? And, Why Are They Important? When looking for addiction treatment, you’ll come across different levels of care. Understanding the unique differences between each level of care will allow you to make a more informed decision on...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on Mar 29, 2019
Dual diagnosis refers to a person that is suffering from substance use disorder in addition to an underlying psychiatric or mental health issue. While alcoholism and drug addiction are themselves mental disorders, many people that are experiencing addiction also have...
Last updated Jul 20, 2023 | Published on Jun 7, 2016
It’s no secret that life expectancy is a lot higher these days than it used to be. And while we usually compare the expected longevity of today’s populace to what it looked like centuries ago, we are still increasing at a slow yet steady rate. In fact, between 2000...
Last updated Jul 31, 2023 | Published on Jun 2, 2016
Depending on your knowledge and experience when it comes to addiction treatment, you might have one or two views regarding the general length of most treatment programs. A number of treatment centers have programs lasting about ninety days, but those who have watched...
Last updated Jan 24, 2023 | Published on May 31, 2016
While doing our series on the Twelve Concepts for World Service, we have made an effort to show how these concepts may apply to more than just AA groups and elected service representatives. Instead, we have attempted to broaden our scope by also demonstrating how...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on May 27, 2016
Every so often, you will see us make mention of a spiritual experience, or spiritual awakening. This is a phrase that you hear a lot in recovery. It shows up multiple times in AA literature, as well as in several of our articles. But while we have discussed its...
Last updated Jul 24, 2023 | Published on May 26, 2016
Those who are self-employed or who work in certain fields may be familiar with the concept of branding. A logo must be representative of a company and everything for which it stands. Sometimes a company’s logo may be representative of the company’s name itself. For...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on May 23, 2016
Many of our previous articles have discussed various selling points of our program, from our personalized treatment to our size and even our location. But there is one core component of Amethyst Recovery’s services on which we have not elaborated very much—our staff....
Last updated Jul 24, 2023 | Published on May 20, 2016
Nobody can go through addiction recovery alone. If we are to remain sober, we need a healthy support network upon whom we can lean when we need help. But for some people, this will be difficult to attain. Some of us have found that our social skills were lacking while...
Last updated Jul 24, 2023 | Published on May 19, 2016
Of the many things addicts and alcoholics have in common with those who have enabled them, the tendency to engage in numerous unhealthy habits is near the top of the list. When addiction turns into a family disease, everyone affected will develop this tendency to an...
Last updated Jul 31, 2023 | Published on May 17, 2016
Everyone is guilty of self-medicating at one time or another. After all, to self-medicate is simply to take one’s problems into one’s own hands. If you are feeling down and you decide to eat a few pints of ice cream, you are self-medicating. If you are in pain and you...
Last updated Aug 28, 2023 | Published on May 16, 2016
We’ve talked before about the notion of addiction as a family disease. From stories of hope to the effects of a relapse on the family members, it’s a topic we’ve covered from multiple angles. Even so, there’s one thing we have never discussed, one question that may be...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on May 11, 2016
Amethyst Recovery offers a fair number of amenities in addition to the many benefits of our programs themselves. But there is one aspect of treatment at Amethyst that some prospective patients may at first overlook: our location. It may seem as if this is a secondary...
Last updated Aug 1, 2023 | Published on May 10, 2016
With so many treatment centers out there promising quality care, addicts and alcoholics in need of help may sometimes have a bit of difficulty making the right choice. There are a lot of fears that may influence the decision, from the fear of encountering scam artists...
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.