Japanese delegation studying special victims investigations explores Mirmont Treatment Center's VIPER program
Mirmont Treatment Center January 28, 2019 News Releases
Mirmont Treatment Center President Tom Cain (far right) discusses the VIPER Program with the Japanese delegation
A delegation of 12 experts from Japan studying progressive approaches to special victims investigations visited Mirmont Treatment Center, part of Main Line Health, on January 14. One of the themes the group is exploring is support services for first responder, law enforcement and prosecutors who experience trauma while they work. Mirmont's Valor with Integrity Program for Emergency Responders (VIPER) was of interest to the delegation, whose trip was sponsored by the International Visitor Program of the U.S. State Department.
"We are so proud of our specialized VIPER program and how it benefits first responders in our community," said Tom Cain, president, Mirmont Treatment Center. "It was an honor to be able to showcase this unique program to the Japanese delegation."
Rachel Shifman, international programs assistant, Citizen Diplomacy International, a local organization that coordinated the delegation's trip, said that during their meeting and tour with Cain and Mirmont staff, "the delegation remarked how uplifting it was to know a program like VIPER exists and they hope to incorporate what they learned at Mirmont into new policies that they are developing for police and investigators treating trauma."
The VIPER program, which began at Mirmont in 2008, is a specialized treatment track that consists of first responders who struggle with addiction and, in many cases, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When the program began, it was intended for inpatient rehabilitation, but it has evolved and now treats both inpatient and outpatients. The program offers a community where first responders can talk to and meet people who have had similar experience to their own so that they feel less alone and, hopefully, less guarded.
Learn more about the VIPER program
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health is a not-for-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. Main Line Health's commitment—to deliver advanced medicine to treat and cure disease while also playing an important role in prevention and disease management as well as training physicians and other health care providers—reflects our intent to keep our community and ourselves well ahead. A team of more than 10,000 employees and 2,000 physicians care for patients throughout the Main Line Health system.
At Main Line Health's core are four of the region's most respected acute care hospitals—Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital—as well as one of the nation's recognized facilities for rehabilitative medicine, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital.
The Main Line Health system also includes Mirmont Treatment Center for drug and alcohol recovery; Main Line Health HomeCare & Hospice, which includes skilled home health care, hospice and home infusion services; Main Line Health Centers, primary and specialty care, lab and radiology, and other outpatient services located in Broomall, Collegeville, Concordville, Exton and Newtown Square; Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a biomedical research organization; and Main Line HealthCare, one of the region's largest multispecialty physician networks.
Main Line Health is the recipient of numerous awards for quality care and service, including System Magnet® designation, the nation's highest distinction for nursing excellence, the Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Performance Excellence (MAAPE) Excellence Award, and recognition as among the nation's best employers by Forbes magazine. Main Line Health is committed to creating an environment of diversity, respect and inclusion and has proudly embraced the American Hospital Association's #123forEquity Pledge to Act to eliminate disparities in care. We are dedicated to advancing patient-centered care, education and research to help our community stay healthy.
About Mirmont Treatment Center
Mirmont Treatment Center, part of Main Line Health, was founded in 1985 to provide inpatient and outpatient treatment for patients with drug and alcohol dependence. Mirmont is located on 33 acres in Lima, Delaware County, in a spacious facility that includes treatment areas for individual and group therapy, a fitness center, and 900-square-foot meditation hall. Treating adults age 18 and older, Mirmont's staff—including physicians, nurses, master's level therapists, and psychiatrists—provide medically monitored detoxification, inpatient and dual diagnosis rehabilitation, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs. Mirmont's nationally acclaimed Valor with Integrity Program for Emergency Responders (V.I.P.E.R.) provides addiction and trauma treatment for law enforcement/police, firefighters, EMTs and combat veterans. Mirmont utilizes a foundation in 12-step recovery and trauma informed treatment complemented by holistic therapies including mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), meditation, yoga, supervised exercise, and nutrition counseling.
Bridget Therriault
therriaultb@mlhs.org
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