addiction ,” says HJC Vice President and Addiction Recovery Program Director Kris Bertelsen , Ph . D .
There are even few programs that incorporate both substance and process addictions , such as sex , gambling , shopping and video-game addictions , into their curriculum , as well as teach classes that help students understand the root causes of addiction , such as family dynamics and trauma . HJC intends to do both in an effort to be a significant part of the regional solution to the addiction crisis .
West Virginia , Pennsylvania , Ohio and Kentucky are among the states struggling with the highest levels of addiction and lowest levels of treatment access options in the country , according to data from the CDC ’ s National Vital Statistics System and the Department of Health and Human Services ’ ( HHS ) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration .
Meanwhile , the Health Resources and Services Administration , another HHS agency , predicts there will be a shortage of more than 24,000 behavioral health providers by 2030 , with the lack of addiction counselors and adult psychiatrists making up the bulk of the projected shortfalls .
“ Our two-year associate degree program can start you on a career path to help change the lives of those struggling in your communities with addiction issues ,” Bertelsen says .
The program allows students to study online at their own pace , work side-by-side with licensed addiction counselors and work in the field during an externship . At the end of the program , students will be prepared to begin working with individuals in recovery or complete a four-year university degree . Most HJC students are eligible for student aid .
HJC also has an agreement in place that allows HJC graduates with a grade point average of 2.0 or above guaranteed admission to West Virginia University . The college has rolling and open admissions so students can enroll and begin working towards their Addiction Recovery Counseling Assistant associate degree every 12 weeks year-round .
PCH Surgeon Completes Milestone 1,000th Robotic Case
Gene Duremdes , M . D ., MBA , FACS , a general surgeon at WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital ( PCH ), has reached a milestone in robotic-assisted surgery . He completed his 1,000th case with the da Vinci robotic surgical system .
Duremdes has been performing the minimally invasive surgery offered by the da Vinci system for a decade . He utilizes the system to perform robotic hernia repairs , anti-reflux surgery and colorectal surgeries .
Performing robotic-assisted surgery using a da Vinci system extends the capabilities of the surgeon ’ s eyes and hands . The important news for patients is that having surgery utilizing the da Vinci robotic system can result in fewer days in the hospital as compared to laparoscopic surgery and traditional open surgery .
Findings reported by Duremdes from robotic-assisted surgeries he has performed during the past year indicate that the average length of stay in the hospital for patients following robotic-assisted colon resection surgery is two days as compared to published national data averages of five days for laparoscopic surgery and eight days for traditional open surgery .
Additionally , robotic-assisted surgery can also reduce complications . The national data regarding complication rate is 16 % for laparoscopic surgery and 32 % for traditional open surgery . Duremdes reported zero complications with colon resections using robotic-assisted surgery during the past year .
Duremdes with PCH team members .
West Virginia Doubles Higher Education Grant Award
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission voted to strengthen the state ’ s needs-based Higher Education Grant Program ( HEGP ), allowing the maximum award amount to double from $ 3,400 to $ 6,800 for the 2024-25 academic year for eligible students .
This one-time increase was made possible by funding proposed by Governor Jim Justice and approved by the West Virginia Legislature during a recent special session to support students amid ongoing challenges with the federal government ’ s rollout of a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ), which is the key to unlocking funds for college . As a result , $ 40 million is going toward increasing the HEGP award amount , while an additional $ 11.2 million will support a newly established College Access Emergency Grant — providing up to $ 2,000 for students who qualify for the upcoming academic year .
“ I thank Governor Justice and the Legislature for their strong leadership in allowing students to access these funds ,” says Sarah Armstrong Tucker , West Virginia ’ s chancellor of higher education . “ Thanks to them , students who qualify for HEGP will have access to up to double the normal amount for the upcoming academic year . This is in addition to a newly created grant program that will allow that support to reach even further . This is a game changer for our students in an otherwise challenging year .”
If a student completed last year ’ s FAFSA and qualifies for HEGP , they will automatically receive an award of up to $ 6,800 for the upcoming academic year . If a student doesn ’ t have a previous FAFSA on file but is eligible for programs such as TANF and SNAP through the West Virginia Department of Human Services or West Virginia Department of Health , they can show their eligibility letter to their higher education institution ’ s financial aid office to receive HEGP .
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