J. Craig Allen

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT J. CRAIG ALLEN

As Unit Chief at the Connecticut state hospital for Children and Families I was challenged by the need for SUD treatment for our adolescent patients. Working with Rushford, a local community mental health provider, we were able to develop evidence based programs for this population. In 2005 I joined Rushford as the Chief Medical Officer. Over the next few years we expanded our outpatient SUD services for adults and opened the state’s first SUD residential treatment center for adolescents. Although my training as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist included exposure to addictions, after graduation there were few opportunities for ongoing training or clinical experience with adolescents or adults. To enhance knowledge of addiction and co occurring disorders, we established training rotations for residents, medical students, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, bachelor level nurses and social work clinicians. In 2012 Rushford\'s Addiction Medicine Fellowship was certified by ABAM and in 2018 we were in the first waive of programs to receive ACGME certification. As the largest Substance Abuse and Co-occurring treatment organization in Connecticut, Rushford provides a full continuum of services from prevention to withdrawal management, residential care and recovery management. In response to the opioid overdose crisis we\'ve developed community based “MATCH” clinics providing access to Medication Assisted Treatment, Psychiatrists, psycho social treatment and recovery supports as well as complimentary medicine (acupuncture, Yoga, Meditation and art therapy) close to home. Our MATCH clinics have grown to treat over patients and families in the last year.As VP of Addiction Services, I work with medical providers across HHC to expand and enhance our ability to identify, treat and seamlessly transition patients to the clinically appropriate level of care ensuring the best opportunity to get into recovery.