The mission of the Greater West Bloomfield Community Coalition (GWBCC) is to keep the community healthy, safe and free from substance use by being committed to providing leadership, education, resources and programming for the youth in the community and those who support them.

Addiction is a disease that often develops during vulnerable teenage years, and one resource recommended by the GWBCC to help combat substance use and addiction is the Adolescent Addiction Recovery Center (AARC), operated by University Pediatricians and located within Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Troy at 350 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48084.

In partnership with The Children’s Foundation, the AARC provides “comprehensive, therapy-focused substance use disorder treatment programs for youth and adolescents under the age of 18.”

The AARC has been operational since the fall of 2022 and is a youth-specific addiction treatment clinic. The outpatient center treats “any and every adolescent that has trouble with drugs and alcohol,” said Dr. Matthew LaCasse, director of the clinic.

After completing his undergraduate studies and medical school at Michigan State University, LaCasse became a general psychiatrist who went on to specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry in addition to addiction psychiatry. He is one of a few dozen people in the United States to hold these credentials.

The center specializes in treating severe cases of substance use disorder and dangerous substance use including opioids, marijuana, alcohol, benzodiazepines, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine/amphetamine and hallucinogens.

In addition to treating addiction through their outpatient-based programs, the AARC simultaneously treats co-morbid psychiatric disorders and offers individual and family psychotherapy and psychiatric services.

“We offer a pretty intensive treatment model where we do therapy focused on reconnecting kids with the things they care about and value in life, and generally they realize that drugs distract them from living fulfilling lives,” LaCasse said.

He explained that the AARC also has the capabilities of using medications to handle any withdrawal that comes up during the course of treatment.

“Addiction generally never stands alone so when people come in with depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, ADHD – we treat all of that as well while they’re in the clinic,” LaCasse said.

While addiction treatment of this caliber is rare to begin with, what sets the AARC apart from other substance use disorder clinics is that they accept anybody and everybody regardless of their ability to pay or the insurance they have.

LaCasse explained that what’s special about this clinic is it’s completely philanthropically funded by generous donations from the Children’s Foundation and the Jamie Daniels Foundation, and they are able to take the time necessary to help and treat both the person and the family.

“We are honored to be a founding donor of AARC as it aligns perfectly with our overall mission to support children and their families who are battling substance use disorder,” said Ken Daniels, co-founder of the Jamie Daniels Foundation.

LaCasse wants parents and community members to know that they are not alone and help is available regardless of their ability to pay.

For more information about the Adolescent Addiction Recovery Center or to make an appointment or refer a patient, call (248) 377-8717 Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For additional resources, visit www.gwbcoalition.org/resources.