SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — ATLAS, a first-of-its-kind online tool, will now help families in New Jersey find the right treatment for a loved one battling drug addiction, thanks to a father who developed this system after he lost his son to an overdose.
“You’re going to Google, or you're calling a friend, or you’re calling a neighbor for names of treatment programs,” Gary Mendel said of how difficult it was for him to seek help for his son.
Mendel started the non-profit Shatterproof because of how flawed he found the process of researching treatment centers. His son Brian died of an overdose in 2011.
“What hurts most is knowing we didn’t have to lose my son.”
Google elevates places that can afford advertising, not necessarily the best of the best. Mendel says that ATLAS asks people important questions about what they’re seeking, and quickly offers targeted suggestions based on their individual needs.
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“The big secret, if you will, about addiction is that it’s a disease like many others, and it is treatable if you have the right information.”
Connecting people with the right addiction services for them is a pretty simple idea that nobody had been doing.
“You put in your zip code and you will see treatment programs listed that fit the right level of care, whether it’s outpatient or residential [and] what additional services you need,” Mendel said.
Shatterproof now helps families in New Jersey. It’s already operating in Pennsylvania and eight other states. Deals are in place with four more states.
“Because it was such a void that families didn’t have, and it fills that void so well and helps so many people.”
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New Jersey’s Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman says it’s vital to empower families to make informed decisions and this will help with the agency’s goal of saving lives.
The ATLAS portal even allows families to compare services and check insurance information right there.
“This is yet another tool in our collective work to make addiction treatment as accessible as possible so individuals and families can get the help they need – because treatment works and recovery is attainable,” Adelman said. “Our goal, always, is to save lives. This is another way to do so.”
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