Dr. Kapila Marambage, Medical Director for the Addiction Recovery Program, discusses treatment options for a first responder patient with Jim Schneider.
The Princeton House First Responder Treatment Team includes, from left, Director of Clinical Services Dr. Michael Bizzarro, Senior Outreach Coordinator Ken Burkert, Director of Allied Clinical Therapies Iris Perlstein and Peer Support Specialist Jim Schneider.
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nearly two years ago. Iris Perlstein, a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor and EMT in East Windsor for nine years, is the team’ s director of allied clinical therapies, and Jim Schneider, a retired lieutenant from Westfield Police and PBA Local 90 member who also served four years in the U. S. Army Military Police Corps overseas, is the Peer Recovery Support Specialist.
Clinical distinctions and credentials aside, though, their experience and expertise creates a place where always are heard encouraging words. Whether sitting in the first responders team office that is a tribute to the strength and resiliency of law enforcement, or meeting with patients each morning of their 14-day stay or any other time of the day( or night), you might hear any of the following messages( and probably all of them):
•“ I know you are uncomfortable, but this is the beginning of a new day,” Burkert reassures.“ There’ s a treatment here that works for you.”
• In response to that feeling of being in the last place officers thought they would be or ever want to be, Perlstein notes that she has heard Schneider tell them,“ You don’ t ever have to feel like this again.”
• More than a few officers who check in for treatment convey their lament about not being strong, not being able to be the one people turn to or not being the stand-up guy. To which Perlstein will say,“ You are a stand-up guy. You are standing up and saying there is something you need help with. That’ s really powerful.”
• Amidst the depression and confusion, Schneider offers the following calming words:“ You are here now. You made the courageous step by coming in.”
• When skepticism and resistance take over the first couple of days, Schneider suggests,“ Once you feel better about your decision to come here – and less sick from the drugs and alcohol – you will be more receptive to the treatment.”
• Dr. B echoes a mantra all members of the First Responder Team offer:“ Every time you drank or drugged you probably didn’ t get in trouble, but every time you got in trouble, you were probably drinking or drugging.” To which he adds,“ I’ m surprised at how much they nod in agreement when they hear that.”
• And then there’ s a line that the team often gets back from the officers, which Schneider relates:“ Often we hear,‘ I have never said those words out loud in my life.’”
Think about these words as you read them. Burkert implores you to use them when you have to be your sister’ s or brother’ s keeper, or the next time a call comes in at 4 a. m. and help them get the help they need. The passion and compassion that greets members upon check-in and follows them throughout their stay are reasons enough to make the call to Princeton House.
But there are more. Many more.
Handle with Care
In a competitive industry marked by the billboards on so many of New Jersey’ s interstates, Princeton House has generated differentiators with staffing, treatment approaches, facility and clinical proficiency. And leadership.
Princeton House President Richard Wohl had been wanting to add what he calls a“ professionals program” for first responders to a vast array of services that attracts nearly 500 patients treated per day at any of its eight locations.
Wohl was motivated to treat professionals primarily because he says,“ the population is so essential.” He had previously tried a couple of approaches to work with first responders then found the right avenue through the NJ State PBA and its Director of Clinical Services, Dr. Gene Stefanelli. Dr. Stef connected Wohl with his cohort, Dr. Bizzarro, who brought the type of support Wohl felt Princeton House needed to serve this professional population.
“ You can’ t fake staff competence,” Wohl confirms.“ It starts and stops there. That’ s what attracted me to start this program, and it has only gotten better. We have staff members who are experts in one area or another and that lends credence and all the gravitas to the program.”
Differentiators and separators can be found in nearly every nook and cranny of Princeton House. To name a few:
•“ I think an important point from my perspective is that( patients) are talking to people who have been there and are not going to judge them,” Perlstein submits.
• The majority of the doctors on site are board certified in addiction medicine.
• Officers checking in inevitably deal with the paranoia of the what-if scenarios.“ What if everybody at work finds out?”“ What if I have to face disciplinary action?”“ What
32 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ FEBRUARY 2017