FRED A. TRAPASSI JR., CEO of AdCare Rhode Island, received the Aquidneck Island Rally 4 Recovery Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the celebration of National Recovery Month in September. Trapassi’s career began more than 30 years ago as a VISTA volunteer, providing outreach to adolescents and adults living on the streets in Providence. He now oversees a treatment provider for substance-use disorders.
What does receiving the award mean to you? The Lifetime Achievement Award is special because the honor comes from my colleagues and the organizers of the [Aquidneck Island] Rally 4 Recovery. It reflects not only my accomplishments, but the strides that we’ve made together since the rally began on the grounds of the former Institute of Mental Health in Cranston in 2003. The theme of this year’s rally, “Together We Are Stronger,” rings true. Throughout my career, my focus has been helping people on the path to ongoing recovery. Now held in Bristol, Middletown, Providence and Warwick, the rally’s growth is powerful. It shows the breadth and strength of the recovery community and the resources now available.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge people face during recovery? Recovery is a lifelong endeavor, and as such, finding supportive environments, building or rebuilding relationships, and developing a sense of well-being and worth are among the biggest challenges faced by people in recovery. To help our patients develop and sustain healthy, long-term recovery, we introduce a variety of treatment therapies and specialty tracks, such as medication-assisted treatment, motivational enhancement therapy, trauma-informed care, gender-specific meditation, relapse-prevention and spirituality groups.
What do you feel the state needs to implement in order to help lessen the addiction problem? Rhode Island is progressive in combating the opioid epidemic. However, the state needs more resources, particularly in the area of recovery housing. Expanding education around opioid dependence and treatment for primary care physicians would also benefit Rhode Islanders by augmenting treatment at the primary care level and increasing referrals to addiction specialists.
What new programs, if any, are in the works at AdCare Rhode Island to combat addiction? In addition to standard opioid and alcohol detox protocols, medication-assisted treatment induction is now available on-site at AdCare Rhode Island. For patients struggling with opioid-use disorder, we have established a unique set of enhanced MAT protocols … that include Suboxone maintenance therapy, naltrexone/Vivitrol treatment, and methadone maintenance treatment. Patients currently on methadone maintenance and doing well in recovery also have the option of rapidly detoxing from high doses of methadone and transitioning to either Suboxone or Vivitrol over a four-week period.
