Introducing the New DMV-PLA

A major issue taking place within the addiction treatment field is the lack of leadership, training, mentorship, guidance and understanding of appropriate scope of practice for those individuals in the roles of outreach, marketing and business development. All too often addiction treatment centers and rehabs employ individuals with no experience in marketing, outreach, business development other than that they are people in personal recovery. Many are given little guidance and direction other than “go get referrals” or “go find us patients” and this type of lack of support and training can be a springboard for unethical or inappropriate business practices. Far too often the individuals in the outreach/marketing/business development role doesn’t know what they may be doing wrong. They were simply following direction from management or ownership. For that reason, Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, along with several local treatment organizations, has come together to help support a new professional liaison’s association in the Mid-Atlantic region, the DMV-PLA (D.C. Maryland Virginia Professional’s Liaison Association.)

The DMV-PLA is not an organization ran or managed by any facility or treatment center, rather it is a collective of like-minded professionals that work for several different organizations that have come together after seeing a need within the local community regarding support, leadership, mentorship and guidance related to ethics, business practices, clinical assessment and other job functions for local outreach, marketing and business development representatives. Maryland Addiction Recovery Center Co-Founder and Director of Business Development Zach Snitzer and Community Relations Specialist Mallorie Schwartzman comprise two members of the founding board. Other DMV-PLA board members include Drew Powers of Sandstone Care in Rockville, Maryland, Brad Master of Serenity Acres Treatment Center in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Rob Devereux of Ashley Addiction Treatment in Harford County, Maryland and Tom Walker and Shannon Harris of Encore Recovery Solutions of Arlington, Virginia.

The DMV-PLA was founded in May 2018 to facilitate the professional development of participating members who hold a position in business development, outreach, marketing or admissions with the Maryland/DC/Virginia region and provide an opportunity for business development and marketing professionals in the behavioral health field to collaborate regularly. The DMV-PLA will become a monthly forum that allows members to share experienced viewpoints, organize vital trainings and educational opportunities, maintain clinically appropriate admission referral resources, and identify new behavioral health services and programs for patients and their loved ones.

A special emphasis will be placed on ethics trainings and understanding scope of practice and clinically appropriate referral relationships that put patient care first. The DMV-PLA has borrowed from the National Association of Addiction Treatment Professionals (NAATP) Code of Ethics as well as from some of the successful practices of other PLA organizations nationwide.

For more information on the DMV-PLA, there is a website now active (www.dmvpla.org) as well as a Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/749402155449698/) that will keep individuals up-to-date with upcoming PLA events and trainings as well as other appropriate events throughout the region.

If you or someone you know needs help for addiction or dual diagnosis issues, please give us a call. Maryland Addiction Recovery Center offers the most comprehensive dual diagnosis addiction treatment in the Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or your loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a treatment center or provider that better fits your needs. Please give us a call at (410) 773-0500 or email our team at Contact us today. For more information on all of our drug addiction, alcohol addiction and co-occurring disorder services and recovery resources, please visit our website at www.marylandaddictionrecovery.com.

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