Addiction is a chronic disease that affects millions of people. Recent surveys found that one in ten Americans aged 12 and above suffers from a substance use disorder (SUD).
New York State is no exception, with previous reports from the Office of Addiction Services and Reports indicating that 2.8 million New Yorkers are struggling with an addiction.
The good news is that the rate of overdose fatalities in the Empire State has significantly dropped beginning in 2024, as treatment and education programs have become more widely available for the masses.
Long Island, once at the forefront of the opioid and addiction epidemic, has seen major drops in drug and alcohol-related deaths.
However, the fight for sobriety continues. Women, in particular, can face numerous barriers from receiving adequate and effective intervention for alcohol and drug abuse.
Long Island Treatment Center offers personalized and gender-informed services for women and families struggling with addiction. With state-certified programs and a team of humane experts, LITC ensures women receive the compassionate support they deserve.
Here’s everything you need to know about Long Island Treatment Center’s role in women’s SUD treatment.
Table of Contents
Why Personalized Treatment Matters for Women
You might find this surprising, but men and women experience addiction differently.
How Addiction Affects Women
The female body doesn’t react to drugs or alcohol the same way a male does.
Studies show that women typically experience a faster progression from first use to dependence. This means that, compared to males, female users tend to be more at risk of developing SUD faster and more intensely.
A woman’s cyclical hormonal fluctuations, particularly the changes in estrogen, are also pinpointed to reinforce how substances rewire the female brain’s reward system, which often results in severe withdrawal symptoms.
But women don’t just get addicted faster; they get sick quicker, too.
New evidence suggests that women who are diagnosed with an SUD are highly likely to experience physical health consequences, such as high blood pressure, liver disease, heart disease, and reproductive issues.
That’s not mentioning the co-occurring mental health issues women suffering from drug and alcohol addiction have to deal with.
Women have a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders than their counterparts.
Many of them have past or ongoing trauma that has contributed to their substance abuse, which may not be addressed in a generalized treatment approach. This includes sexual abuse, domestic violence, or childhood trauma.
Trauma-informed care focused on women’s addiction addresses these issues.
Barriers to Seeking Treatment in Women
Nearly 21 million women aged 12 and older have some sort of drug abuse problem in the US. Unfortunately, not all of them get proper care and treatment.
Finding sufficient and expert support for women living with alcohol or substance use disorder can be uniquely difficult due to several reasons.
One barrier is simply the unwillingness to seek help, either due to denial or fear. Even when they’re hurting and know they’re suffering from a substance use disorder, some women may refuse intervention.
In fact, one study found that, compared to men, women, on average, are less likely to reach out to address an addiction.
Financial problems and dependence on others also play a key role. Women in the US generally earn less than men, with some individuals living with unstable financial resources, making it harder to afford treatment.
This, paired with the fact that many women shoulder other responsibilities, including caring for children and family. It’s not uncommon for a woman living with an addiction to fear leaving their loved ones behind.
The shame and guilt associated with people who seek treatment is an aspect that further discourages treatment.
A personalized, gender-informed treatment acknowledges these obstacles and tailors the program based on the individual’s unique needs.
Long Island Treatment Center works with a profound understanding of the impacts of addiction on one’s life and designs holistic interventions with the whole person in mind.
Compassionate Drug and Alcohol Rehab For Women in Long Island
Located in Hicksville, NY, Long Island Treatment Center is a trusted provider of addiction treatment programs designed for women struggling with substance use disorders, alongside their co-occurring disorders.
At its core, LITC is guided by a simple but powerful mission: to bring accessible, professional, and personalized care to people fighting with substance use in their lives.
Long Island Treatment Center is a dedicated outpatient addiction treatment facility that offers flexible and effective ways to overcome drug and alcohol use disorders while continuing to live at home.
For women and families looking for individualized, evidence-based, and gender-informed rehab programs, LITC is more than ready to provide the care and support they need.
Receive the Right Level of Care
Long Island Treatment Center delivers a broad continuum of services guided by the five levels prescribed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), the country’s largest professional medical society.
These five criteria are as follows:
- Early intervention services
- Outpatient care
- Intensive outpatient (IOP) & partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Residential and inpatient treatment
- Medically managed intensive inpatient treatment
A growing body of research confirms that receiving the right level of care, based on individual needs, increases the chances of lifelong recovery.
But healing is rarely a straight line for anyone. The path to sobriety, especially for women, demands flexibility around work, family, and everyday responsibilities.
To this end, Long Island Treatment Center designed outpatient services that meet patients where they are.
Outpatient rehabilitation can be ideal for women who need consistent professional care but would also prefer to keep their employment, continue studying, or take care of loved ones who depend on them.
An outpatient treatment typically follows residential rehab, but it also serves as a primary option for individuals with mild to moderate drug abuse problems that don’t necessarily require round-the-clock supervision.
For people who would benefit more from a more structured program, LITC’s intensive outpatient program (IOP) may be suitable. This approach increases the frequency of sessions to help patients build momentum in the early stages of recovery.
Partial hospitalization (PHP) is ideal for situations that warrant medical supervision, but aren’t serious enough for 24/7 inpatient care. PHP’s program is more comprehensive, with 4 to 8 hours of appointments multiple times a week.
For working women who struggle to find time for treatment, Long Island Treatment Center’s outpatient detox and ancillary withdrawal services offer home-based clinical care.
Recovery from addiction is a lifelong endeavor. As such, LITC provides aftercare initiatives to aid alumni’s transition smoothly into everyday life, equipped with the right tools.
Talking to someone struggling with an SUD to get help can feel overwhelming if you do it alone. Working with LITC’s team of expert interventionists can help families avoid unnecessary tension.
Gender and Trauma-Informed Programs
It’s often the case that women with some sort of substance abuse problem also live with certain trauma.
Research shows that an astonishing 80% of recovering female SUD patients admit to having experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, and childhood trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not uncommon in this group.
A history of trauma adds another layer of complexity to addiction treatment. Patients who have undergone traumatic events have an increased risk of relapse and exhibit severe symptoms.
Mental health conditions feed SUD, which, in turn, exacerbates the mental illness, becoming a vicious cycle most people will find difficult to get out of.
Gender and trauma-informed care recognize these deeply entwined realities. As such, they aim to establish a safe, supportive environment where women can share their stories without fear or judgment.
This is where many mixed-gender one-size-fits-all treatments fall short.
At Long Island Treatment Center, mental health professionals take trauma seriously and design personalized approaches with the individual’s whole person in mind. Safety, choice, and trust are emphasized to facilitate a nurturing environment.
LITC’s dual-diagnosis program assesses the person’s condition, with experienced clinicians working to identify and resolve underlying mental health conditions, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
Treatment is simultaneous, rather than isolating the diseases. This is important for better recovery outcomes.
Effective Evidence-Based Treatment Options
At Long Island Treatment Centers, women benefit from a whole range of evidence-based treatment options.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a key component in addiction treatment and a standard in LITC programs. In this therapeutic approach, patients talk one-on-one with a therapist or a licensed mental health counselor.
The goal of CBT is to help identify toxic thoughts and behavioral patterns that reinforce drinking or drug abuse. In determining these, the person can then replace them with healthier alternatives.
With CBT, women with SUD can learn to manage triggers and stressors, as well as withdrawal symptoms, strengthening their ability to navigate life without relying on a substance.
After CBT, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) can further enhance recovery by teaching patients to regulate emotions, tolerate distress, and improve interpersonal effectiveness.
By learning to set healthy boundaries and convey their needs, women with a substance use disorder can better manage conflict in their personal relationships. This is crucial in all forms of addiction intervention.
Apart from CBT and DBT, LITC also offers individual therapy, in which patients work with a clinician to address personal challenges hindering healing.
Family therapy helps mend relationships and improve communication between family members as they tackle the illness. Couples therapy teaches couples to navigate the complexities of addiction recovery healthily.
Together, these evidence-based treatment options aid women in overcoming addiction and building a robust network of compassionate support they can rely on.
Dedicated Experts Providing Humane Addiction Care
Effective addiction treatment must be guided by proven expertise. Long Island Treatment Center’s team of dedicated professionals ensures all programs are safe, sufficient, and tailored to individual needs.
Leading the facility is Daniel Schaffer, whose extensive experience in leading people made everything possible. He’s a Doctor of Law focused on Health Law and a licensed nursing home administrator.
Supporting Daniel are the Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Wishnia, and CRO Liam McElwee.
Dr. Eugene Vortman, a dual-board-certified expert in Emergency and Addiction Medicine, oversees the clinical scene at LITC.
Dedicated to providing safe and accessible addiction support for everyone, Dr. Vortman integrates his profound knowledge to design holistic trauma-informed interventions in a supportive environment.
Consulting Medical Director, Dr. Tildabeth Doscher, who works alongside Dr. Vortman, is an expert in Preventive and Addiction Medicine.
The LITC clinical team, including Clinical Director Carly Gutierrez and therapists Samantha Barone and Jamie Lastihenos, delivers humane, hands-on, and personalized programming. Gwyndoline Denny, a veteran in substance abuse counseling, handles admissions.
They, with the staff in operations, case management, and family services, combine forces to bring care and support to women and families feeling the effects of substance addiction.
Flexible Payment
Affording treatment is a common barrier for many people who truly need professional addiction support. Long Island Treatment Center is aware of this hurdle and works with various insurance providers to make treatment reachable.
The center accepts a wide range of private and state health insurance policies, including but not limited to the following:
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Blue Cross, Blue Shield
- United Healthcare
- Humana
- Emblem Health
- Oscar Health
- Highmark
- Government Employees Health Association (GEHA)
- Harvard Pilgrim
- Magnacare
That said, insurance coverage can change over time. Verify benefits directly with Long Island Treatment Center to learn which services are covered and avoid financial surprises.
Certified Expertise in Addiction Treatment
When looking for reliable addiction treatment and care, it’s crucial to know the credentials to look for in a facility.
LITC’s commitment to high-quality care is recognized by The Joint Commission (TJC), the largest and oldest accrediting body in the country.
Accreditation from the TJC serves as the gold standard of approval from the healthcare community, attesting to the facility’s commitment to safe, effective, and continually improving clinical care.
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) certifies LITC as part of the office’s 822 trusted rehab centers across the state.
The center has been verified by LegitScript, which means all services are legal and compliant with all existing laws and policies.
Bottom Line: Getting the Expert Help You Deserve
Substance use disorder in women is a complex and sensitive health issue demanding specialized care. If you or someone you know is currently living with addiction, don’t hesitate to reach out to Long Island Treatment Center.
You’re not alone in this fight, and help is closer than you realize. Get the help you truly deserve. Talk to us, and let our addiction treatment experts guide you in navigating your way toward a clean and sober life.