Pax Prentiss, CEO/co-founder of Passages

Malibu, CA (PRWEB) May 17, 2012

Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura, the world’s leading drug and alcohol rehab centers, are proud to support the first annual National Prevention Week, which is held from Monday, May 21, 2012 through Friday, May 25, 2012. This health observance is an opportunity for community members and leaders to learn more about behavioral health issues and get involved in ongoing prevention efforts.

National Prevention Week is a new annual health observance week that is supported by SAMHSA(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) to celebrate and support the work that community organizations, individuals, healthcare providers, and treatment centers, such as Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura, do year round to help heal and to promote mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being.

National Prevention Week’s themes are as follows:

Monday, May 21: Prevention of Underage Drinking

Tuesday, May 22: Prevention of Prescription Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Use

    Wednesday, May 23: Prevention of Alcohol Abuse

    Thursday, May 24: Suicide Prevention

Friday, May 25: Promotion of Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Well-Being

Being an alcohol and drug treatment center that takes the holistic approach to healing the mind, body, and spirit to help promote overall wellness, balance, health, and freedom from substance and alcohol dependency, Passages is thrilled that this new observance has been placed on our national calendar.

“My hope is that we can bring more awareness to the growing problems of underage drinking, prescription drug abuse, and illicit drug use this year and the years to come. National Prevention Week gives us the opportunity to just that. Bringing awareness to these important issues in our society is exactly what’s going to create positive change. Hopefully, everyone will participate in spreading the message during this week and beyond,” says Pax Prentiss, CEO and co-founder of Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura.

National Prevention Week 2012 is timed for the start of summer because, as SAMHSA explains, “Summer is a season filled with celebrations and recreational activities that can potentially be linked to substance use and abuse, such as graduation parties, proms, weddings, boating, and camping excursions. It is also timed to allow schools to take part in a prevention-themed event before the school year ends, raising awareness in students of all ages. The percentages of marijuana, cigarette, and alcohol initiates among youth increase between spring (April and May) and summer (June and July), and the timing of National Prevention Week 2012 will help to raise awareness in youth at this crucial time of year.”

    If you or a loved one is in need of help with an addiction to any type of substance – alcohol, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, prescription medicine, painkillers, or any other type of addictive substance – help is out there. Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura offer customized, holistic, non-12 Step treatment plans for every type of addiction. Their addiction treatment centers in Malibu and Ventura, California are two of only 6% of the nation’s behavioral health treatment programs that have earned the coveted JCAHO accreditation.

    Please join Passages Malibu, Passages Ventura, and SAMHSA in spreading the word of National Prevention Week.

About Passages Malibu & Passages Ventura:

Founded by Chris Prentiss and Pax Prentiss, Passages Malibu opened in 2001 with its second location, Passages Ventura, opening in 2009. The two drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers offer an alternative to the 12 Step/AA model of addiction treatment by taking a holistic approach with a program that focuses on the underlying issues of substance dependency, rather than suggesting that addiction is an incurable disease. Passages Malibu and Passages Ventura have earned the coveted JCAHO (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) accreditation, which has only been given to 6% of the nation’s behavioral health treatment programs. The co-founders are also authors of the acclaimed series of treatment books that include their groundbreaking flagship book, “The Alcoholism & Addiction Cure.” At Passages, we believe: Addiction Ends Here™.

For general inquiries about treatment, contact: 866-233-1753

For more information:

http://www.facebook.com/passagesmaliburehab

http://www.twitter.com/passagesrehab

http://www.youtube.com/passages

For media inquiries, contact:

press (at) passagesmalibu (dot) com

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(PRWEB) May 17, 2012

Clopton Capital, a secondary market commercial lender which provides commercial real estate loans for income producing properties nationwide, is announcing the expansion and addition of loan options for developers and owners of assisted living facilities and health care properties.

The real estate capital firm is currently seeking funding opportunities for the acquisition, refinance, and construction of health care and assisted living projects. “We have a large pool of capital available to offer and are looking for viable funding opportunities in which we can assist.” Says Jake Clopton, founder, “We are specifically targeting these lending scenarios due to very attractive loan options which we can provide.” Clopton Capital sees tremendous opportunities for execution in the healthcare sector and is actively seeking borrowers and developers of hospitals, assisted living facilities, senior housing, and memory care facilities with whom to work with. The best way to find out more information about this program is to contact the company directly.

Clopton Capital ranks as one of the most active and dynamic commercial real estate finance firms providing lending options nationwide for income producing properties. Offering commercial mortgages, construction loans, bridge loans, and CMBS loans to borrowers for a diverse range of property types and ownership structures, Clopton Capital has the capability to meet almost any lending needs of property owners and managers.

For more information contact a loan officer by calling 866-647-1650 or

http://cloptoncapital.com/commercialmortgages.html

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Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) May 17, 2012

Whitehall Boca Raton has been recognized as a 2012 recipient of the Bronze Commitment to Quality award for its dedication to improving quality care. The skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility was one of only 32 eligible facilities to receive the award in Florida.

The award is one of three distinctions possible through the National Quality Award program, presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). The program honors facilities across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to the quality improvement journey.

“We work hard every day to provide the highest possible quality care to our residents and patients,” said Whitehall Boca Administrator Gilda Osborn. “To be recognized for those efforts through the American Health Care Association’s rigorous evaluation process is an honor. But for us, quality care is an absolute, not just a goal. We’ll always look for more and better ways to achieve the best outcomes for anyone who stays at Whitehall, no matter how short or long the individual’s stay.”

Implemented by AHCA/NCAL in 1996, the National Quality Award Program is centered on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The program assists providers of long term and post-acute care services in achieving their performance excellence goals.

The program has three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Facilities begin the quality improvement process at the Bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with essential performance elements such as vision and mission statements and an assessment of customers’ expectations. Bronze applicants must demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system. A team of trained Examiners reviews each Bronze application to determine if the facility has met the demands of the criteria. As a recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality award, Whitehall Boca Raton may now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the criteria required for the Silver – Achievement in Quality award.

“The commitment these facilities have made to quality care does not stop with this benchmark award” says Chick Stepahin, Chair, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers. “The journey to quality care requires dedication, and Whitehall Boca Raton has risen to the challenge.”

The awards are sponsored by AHCA/NCAL Associate Business Member My InnerView, a Web-based applied research and quality-management company that supports leaders across the entire assisted living, senior housing and skilled nursing profession with tools to measure, benchmark and improve performance. Whitehall Boca Raton was one of 402 facilities nationwide to receive the Bronze level award. The award will be presented to Whitehall Boca during AHCA/NCAL’s 63 Annual Convention and Exposition, October 7-10, 2012 in Tampa, FL.

———————————————————————————–

Whitehall Boca Raton is a 154-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility at 7300 Del Prado South, Boca Raton, Florida. It specializes in short-term rehabilitation and long-term care. It was opened in 1982 and remains a family-owned and operated company. In addition to the Bronze Award, Whitehall Boca was also named “Facility of the Year” by the National Association of Health Care Assistants in 2009 and in 2010 was recognized by Dorland Health for its outstanding rehabilitation programs.

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Leicester , UK (PRWEB UK) 17 May 2012

An innovative healthcare service has been short-listed for a top national award by the world renowned medical publishers, the BMJ Group. The Leicestershire Fit for Work Service have reached the final four in the “Working in Partnership” category of the BMJ Awards, which are the equivalent of the “Oscars” of the medical world. The final decision on the awards will be made at a ceremony at the London Hilton Hotel on May 23rd.

Simon Calvert, Managing Director of the Leicestershire Fit for Work Service says, “The service we provide is breaking new ground in healthcare and involves careful collaboration with a range of healthcare providers and other services. To be recognised at national level for the excellence of our partnership work is a tribute to the professionalism of the team we have working on the project.”

The Fit for Work service was established in 2010 and aims to reduce sickness absence in companies by case-managed interventions to facilitate an earlier return to work. The team have had over a thousand referrals from GP’s across Leicestershire since they were established, most of which are people who are struggling with mental health or musculo-skeletal problems. Of people who engage with the service 77% return to or stay at work.

Dr Rob Hampton, Clinical Lead for the service says, “In 2008, a government report highlighted the complex network of factors which contribute to people being off work on a long term basis and the need for early intervention. It was this challenge that led the team to develop this innovative pilot for Leicestershire. The success of our approach is of benefit to individuals, companies and the economy as a whole. Work is a fundamental aspect of the human being as a social animal. Being in work, as opposed to being on benefits, is now proven to improve a person’s health. Encouraging more people to work, whatever their problem, is good for local business, the economy, but most importantly to the person’s own health.”

The BMJ awards shortlist highlights how the Leicestershire team built a partnership to create a commissioning group to successfully bid for the pilot project in liaison with a multidisciplinary team to deliver the service. The partnership was built from seven local commissioning bodies including JobCentre Plus, both Primary Care Trusts in the county and both Local Authorities. The team of fourteen people delivering the service are from five local organisations.

Calvert observes, “When you are dealing with complex issues that cut across the remits of a number of organisations it is necessary for those organisations to work together in a co-ordinated partnership. It is the success of this unique partnership, working in collaboration, which has helped us to deliver a service that has been recognised by this nomination.”

Media Contact

Andrew Third, Integra Communications Ltd, 0115 912 4350, andrew(at)integracommunications(dot)co(dot)uk

Notes for Editors

Simon Calvert and/or Dr Rob Hampton are available for interview by arrangement through the media contact above.

Example case studies can be made available but the material will be anonymised.

Leicestershire Fit for Work

The Fit for Work Service in Leicestershire provides early intervention, designed to enable those in danger of long term sickness absence to return to work as quickly as possible. The services provide one to one case management to help individuals access the help they need and to work with employer and employee to achieve an outcome which ensures continuing employment and minimises the absence period.

The service is a pilot programme, funded by central government, looking at the best ways to provide early intervention support for which present health and employment services do not provide a systematic pathway.

The service is looking to work with the media to build awareness, particular among businesses, of the benefits of early intervention to avoid long term absence. Keeping people in work also has significant social and economic benefits.

http://www.leicesterfit4work.org.uk

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Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) May 17, 2012

Healthcare cost increases have led providers and payers to scrutinize the use of certain clinical services. As a result, a lot of focus is being placed on proper utilization of diagnostic imaging. Many cite inappropriate ordering, self referral and defensive medicine as contributors to these cost increases. However, the clinician treating and seeing patients often finds it a necessity to seek additional insight in order to provide top level care through diagnostic testing that some have deemed to be excessive. We at Foundation Radiology Group actively monitor utilization of services, but ultimately defer to what is going to provide the best patient outcome.

In a recent presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons(AAOS) Annual Conference in March 2012, Dr. S. Patel announced some interesting findings regarding the effectiveness of ordering a knee MRI. The presentation titled “Value of Knee Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Diagnosis and Management of Knee Disorders” disclosed that MRI frequently changes clinical diagnosis and patient management while improving diagnostic confidence, even when a clinical evaluation is performed by a highly specialized physician. This was most noticeable in the presence of lateral joint line pain and/or tenderness.

The purpose of this study was to determine how frequently the outcome of a MRI of the knee changes clinical diagnosis and management of a patient. The study also sought to prove whether certain characteristics of a patient or ordering physician can affect how knee MRI impacts diagnostic confidence and accuracy.

The study was conducted by three orthopedic surgeons and three sports medicine physicians from a single multispecialty practice who completed surveys on patients that received a knee MRI between June 2010 and January 2011. The pre-MRI survey recorded clinical history, symptoms, physical exam findings, diagnosis with confidence level and planned management. The post-MRI survey recorded diagnosis with confidence level and planned management.

Results showed that MRI changed the primary diagnosis in 29.3% of cases and patient management in 25.3% of cases. MRI changed management in 34.6% (18/52) of cases where a non-surgical management was planned, usually to either surgery or referral to an orthopedic surgeon in 94% of cases (17/18). MRI averted the need for surgery in 13.6% (three/22) of cases and changed the type of surgery in 12.5% (three/24) of cases.

To ensure the most accurate diagnosis for the patient, Foundation Radiology Group also relies on a proactive quality program for clinical assurance and issue review called SAFR (Strategically Aligned Foundation Radiology Quality Review). The program features benchmark imaging read accuracy rates over the national average – 99.6% vs. 96%. It is this type of diagnostic analysis that can help the physician community be confident that he/she ordered the right exam for the patient. Employing such an approach can actually prevent costly surgical procedures or more expensive treatment.

With outcomes based research we can better manage patient care to maximize exam utilization rather than being subject to system wide reimbursement cuts and excessive management of radiology benefits. This type of research approach along with an emphasis on sub-specialty reading, like we perform at Foundation Radiology Group, can help grow and maximize the care provided in orthopedics as well as other service lines. This ensures the highest standards for patient care.

About Derek R. Armfield, MD:

Derek R. Armfield, MD, is a co-founder of Foundation Radiology Group and the Chief of Musculoskeletal Imaging. As co-founder he has played an integral role in the organization’s growth, direction and development since its inception.

Dr. Armfield holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Engineering Management from Stanford University. He received an M.D. and completed his residency from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine. Post residency, Armfield completed a Musculoskeletal Fellowship through the University of Pittsburgh.

About Foundation Radiology Group:

Foundation Radiology Group, founded to revolutionize the practice of radiology in community healthcare settings, combines the subspecialty services of a renowned, highly-trained physician team with a state-of-the-art technology solution to provide hospitals, physicians and patients access to a high-quality, elegant diagnostic imaging solution, with industry-leading, final diagnosis clinically relevant turn-around times.

Foundation Radiology Group’s unique Elegant Radiology Model ensures comprehensive service line alignment by routing each patient study to the appropriate subspecialty radiologist. Foundation supports all hospital service lines including: Cardiovascular, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Oncology, Women’s Health, Gastroenterology, Pediatrics and Emergent/Ambulatory Care.

Foundation Radiology Group radiologists are all board certified, US-based providers. Our physicians and highly-skilled customer service team are available 24/7/365. For more information, visit http://www.foundationradiologygroup.com, call 412-223-2272 or follow on Twitter@FoundationRad.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Healthy Trucking Fleet of the Year

Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) May 17, 2012

The first-ever Healthy Trucking Fleet of the Year Award, a collaboration between FusionHealth and Navistar, was presented to Celadon Group, Inc. at their headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. The award honors the trucking company that excels in integrating health and wellness programs and practices into their operations for improving the health and well-being of its driver workforce.

Chelle Pfiffner, Vice President of Strategic Employer Solutions at FusionHealth, elaborated on the significance of the Healthy Trucking Fleet of the Year Award. “Drivers power the industry, and it can be difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle during long stints on the road,” said Pfiffner. “The program is meant to raise awareness of employer initiatives to support health among drivers and to recognize outstanding fleets leading those efforts. FusionHealth and Navistar believe the trucking industry can set the example for moving America forward to better health.”

“Just as healthy drivers are paramount to a successful fleet, a healthy fleet is essential to a successful business,” added Phil Tindell, Vice President, North American Regional Sales, Navistar. “Navistar and International Truck are working toward a healthier population of drivers and part of that is recognizing those individuals and fleets that are dedicated to a healthier industry.”

Celadon Group, Inc. ranks as one of North America’s largest truckload carriers with more than 4,000 employees and annual revenue exceeding 0 million. Despite its size, Celadon’s turnover rate is almost 50 percent less than the industry standard which can be attributed, in part, to its wellness programs. These include an on-site, full service health clinic that offers primary physician care, prescription services, workers compensation rehabilitation, and physical therapy. The comprehensive Wellness Program further consists of health screenings, health seminars, diet and weight loss programs, nutritional and exercise programs, and incentives for healthy habits.

“We have worked diligently to initiate innovative health practices recognizing the importance of health and well-being of our employees,” said Paul Will Celadon Vice Chairman, President and COO. “We are excited to be awarded the Healthy Trucking Fleet of the Year Award and help elevate industry adoption of pro-active healthcare and healthy lifestyle choices.”

The Healthy Trucking Fleet of the Year award is scored on a set of criteria focusing on how the company’s program integrates into its operations, how it targets the continuum of healthcare issues, tailors to population needs, includes high participation of employees and evaluates the results on clear definitions of success.

For winning the award, Celadon will receive a comprehensive FusionHealth® Health and Productivity Assessment™, a Worksite Health Station, Healthy Driver Training Sessions conducted by FusionHealth Driver Care Teams, and an award with the official designation as the Healthy Trucking Fleet of the Year.

Other finalists for the award included J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., Prime, Inc. and U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc. For more information about the Healthy Trucking Fleet of the Year Award, visit http://www.healthytruckingawards.com.

About FusionHealth

FusionHealth® specializes in technology-enabled integrated care management solutions for companies seeking to reduce health-related costs linked to workplace fatigue and employee sleep disorders. Clinical research has proven that sleep disorders, which remain untreated, cause preventable conditions such as Obesity, Type II Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart Disease and Stroke, that are costing employers millions. FusionHealth’s groundbreaking i.AIM™ technology coupled with a unique process to Analyze, Intervene and Manage sleep disorders impacts up to 30% of health-related costs for employees under treatment. For more information, please see http://www.fusionhealth.com.

About Navistar

Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses, Monaco® RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis for motor homes and step vans. The company also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at http://www.Navistar.com/newsroom.

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Angel Springs

(PRWEB UK) 16 May 2012

Leading water cooler supplier Angel Springs is exhibiting at this year’s Facilities Show in Birmingham.

The annual event, at the National Exhibition Centre, brings together the best in estate and facilities management, with buyers, manufacturers and service providers set to attend.

The NEC is given over to the intricacies of facilities management for the event – from sourcing water to meeting health and safety legislation.

Angel Springs, based in Wolverhampton, will have a stand in the main hall for the event. Exhibiting at K7, Angel Springs’ stand will feature bright brand colours and popular products from its unique product range.

Angel Springs prides itself on its national distribution network, which allows the company to provide locally-sourced water for bottled water coolers, and helps businesses minimise their carbon footprint.

They also have a large range of mains-fed water coolers, which filter and chill mains water, as well as a selection of time and money-saving eco boilers. The eco boilers can make up to 156 cups of hot water an hour – but only use energy when it’s needed. Unlike the traditional kettle, eco boilers only boil the exact amount of water needed, and they do it instantly, so staff don’t waste time waiting around.

The new range of Everest water coolers are environmentally-friendly, too – the first water coolers in the UK to earn a Green Energy Star rating. Everest bottled water coolers are robust, sleek and modern, with a non-spill guard and secure bottle seating. They can chill water to 2 to 7oC and are ideal for an office or workplace.

The Facilities Show is taking place from May 15 to May 17 at the NEC in Birmingham. A number of free visitor tickets are still available.

For more information on Angel Springs, its bottled and mains fed office water coolers, or eco boilers, visit http://www.angelsprings.com

ENDS

Notes to editors

Angel Springs:

Angel Springs (http://www.angelsprings.com) is the longest-running water cooler company in the UK, supplying customers with fresh spring water, water coolers and water boilers for 21 years. The company employs 180 staff and is committed to working and developing successful relationships with local community groups, charities and businesses across the UK.

The Facilities Show

The Facilities Show is an annual event, held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, UK. It brings together the best of the facilities and estate management industries, including buyers, manufacturers and service providers. It runs from May 15 to 17, 2012. For more, visit http://www.facilitiesshow.com

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

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Reedley, CA (PRWEB) May 16, 2012

Fifteen-year-old Xiomara first appeared on Dr. Drew Pinsky’s television show “Dr. Drew’s Lifechangers” weighing 417 lbs. and feeling deflated from repeated attempts to try and lose weight in her home environment. Even with the assistance of two former “Biggest Loser” contestants, Xiomara just couldn’t stick with a weight loss and exercise plan. Realizing that Xiomara needed to make real changes to her lifestyle, Dr. Drew sent her to Wellspring Academy of California, a top residential treatment program for overweight young people. This week, his daytime talk show checks in on Xiomara’s progress and viewers get to see her dramatic transformation.

“Wellspring has changed me in all areas,” says Xiomara. “It has been such an incredible journey. You learn to live with a group of people and wonderful staff that… support one another. We are all here for the same reason, to get our life back. It has helped me realize how much to look forward to in life. That I can take this program home, and continue my journey. It’s not one of those cheap diets, it’s a life change!”

“I have seen [Xiomara] transform into a much more confident, outgoing young lady,” said Dr. Don Burnard, Executive Director of Wellspring Academy of California. “She is regaining her sense of self-worth, is even jovial at times, and displays a sense of humor that was not initially visible. She moves freely among her peers, and has even ascended to somewhat of a leadership role within the student community.”

He added, “She has a good rapport with staff and has developed countless life-long relationships and supporters.”

The Wellspring Plan that Xiomara has followed for success has three basic elements. One is to take at least 10,000 steps daily, measured by wearing a pedometer; the second is to always aim for zero fat grams, but accept up to 20; and the third is to always “SMJ,” the acronym used for Self-Monitoring Journal in which the participants write down or journal all meals, thoughts and feelings.

“By using these three steps daily, I know I can be successful,” says Xiomara.

On Wednesday’s show, Dr. Drew speaks with Xiomara about her new body and her new outlook on life. In the show, taped in January, Xiomara announces her weight loss achievement, and has continued to lose another 42 lbs. since then. She is still attending Wellspring Academy, but will be returning home next month.

“As I transition home, the way I plan to continue my journey and weight loss, is to live up to the Wellspring program,” she says. “I want to personalize my program at home as I know there will be many temptations. But, even when things become rough, I know I must always continue on the Wellspring basics. I realize that daily exercise and the right nutrition will play a big part in my transition at home. I hope that when I feel like giving up, that I can look back to when I was at Wellspring and know that I don’t have to still be there to change my life, that I can do it at home.”

She adds, “I cannot explain to you how grateful I am to have received this opportunity. I have learned so many new things about myself that I hadn’t known. I have so much to look forward to in life. I never thought I would have made it this far to be honest, but look at me now. I have gained so much confidence. This isn’t the last time you will hear of me, my story is far from finished!”

Dr. Drew’s Lifechangers can be seen on The CW at 3pm (check local listings).

Wellspring is America’s leading provider of weight-loss camps and residential treatment programs for overweight young people, families, and adults. Wellspring Camps and Wellspring Academies have helped thousands of overweight and obese individuals achieve dramatic weight loss, better fitness, and improved moods and self-confidence. With 12 programs nationwide and one in the UK, Wellspring programs have achieved among the best results ever reported in scientific journals for non-surgical weight loss programs for children, adolescents or adults.

Wellspring is a member of CRC Health Group, the most comprehensive network of specialized behavioral care services in the nation. CRC Health Group offers the largest array of personalized treatment options, allowing individuals, families, and professionals to choose the most appropriate treatment setting for their behavioral, addiction, weight management and therapeutic education needs. CRC is committed to making its services widely and easily available, while maintaining a passion for delivering advanced treatment. Since 1995, CRC programs have helped individuals and families reclaim and enrich their lives.

###

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

NY, NY (PRWEB) May 16, 2012

Southern University School of Nursing (SUSON) Baton Rouge and Education Online Services Corporation (EOServe Corp.) proudly announce the launch of a fully 100% online RN to BSN degree program starting June 2012. This announcement comes on the heels of the recent report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics last month stating that job growth in the healthcare sector was outpacing the growth realized in 2011, accounting for one out of every 5 jobs created this year.

The Baccalaureate program at Southern University School of Nursing is approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). National licensure exam pass rates for SUSON graduates have been above the national average for ten of the last twelve years. The School of Nursing was recently named “Nursing School of the Year for the second time in three years by the Louisiana Nurses Association and Louisiana Nursing Foundation.

“Offering our RN to BSN degree online is the perfect resolution for the growing number of people who have inquired about our program but, because of their schedules, found it difficult to get to the campus,” said SUBR Chancellor James L. Llorens. “We are excited about the easy accessibility we can now provide and what it will mean to the careers of so many nurses.”

“With the Institute of Medicine calling for at least 80% of the nursing population to hold a BSN degree by 2020, the announcement of this degree comes at a very good time” stated Ezell Brown, Chairman of Education Online Services Corporation. “Last year, one of the top reasons why nursing schools did not accept qualified students into BSN programs was due to limited classroom space. Launching the BSN degree program online will not only enable Southern University of Baton Rouge to increase their student enrollments, but it will help them extend their student reach beyond their geographical boundaries” Brown continued.

The BSN program encompasses the fundamentals taught in associate degree and diploma programs plus a more in-depth study of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nurse management and the humanities. In addition, it prepares nurses to actively participate in assessing and developing patient care plans, educating patients on caring for their own health, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope of practice and provides a better understanding of issues that affect patients and influence health care delivery.

The American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) released data revealing that BSN credentialed graduates were much more likely to receive job offers upon graduation or soon after than graduates from other fields. Specifically speaking, according to a national survey of deans and directors from nursing schools across the United States, revealed that 65% of new BSN graduates had job offers at the time of graduation, which is substantially higher (24.4%) than the national average across all professions.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing is the largest occupation in the field of health care with approximately 2.6 million people holding nursing jobs. Salaries for nurses can be dependent upon job location, but are mostly based on level of education according to PayScale.com. Nurses who hold BSN credential tend to earn approximately ,000 more annually than RNs.

Applications are currently being accepted for the June 4, 2012, class start; however, students may enter any semester (fall, spring, or summer). Criteria for admission to the school of nursing includes a cumulative GPA of 2.6 or higher with a minimum grade of “C” for all prerequisites, must pass the university writing proficiency exam, and provide evidence of a current active unencumbered state board of nursing license. Federal financial aid is also available to those who qualify. For a complete list of admission requirements and further information on financial aid, please visit Southern University Online at http://www.GoToSouthernUniversityOnline.com/RNBSN or call Southern University School of Nursing at 866-895-8019.

About Education Online Services Corporation (EOServe Corp)

Education Online Services Corporation was founded by a select team of academic and marketing professional who recognized the opportunity to assist colleges and universities in underserved communities with the development of full-service online degree programs. With the primary focus on graduating students, Education Online Services Corporation works closely with the admissions, financial aid, and academic departments of each institution to help them market and increase enrollment by expanding their on-campus degree programs to online degree programs. For more information please got to http://www.EducationOnlineServices.com

About Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge (SUBR)

Southern University is a comprehensive institution providing four-year baccalaureate, graduate and doctoral degree programs. The campus is part of the only historically black land-grant university system in the United States. The University offers 57 bachelors, 26 masters, two post masters certificates, and six doctorates. Year-to-year, an average 8,000 students are enrolled at Southern University, Baton Rouge. More African-American graduates, together, in engineering, technology, computer science, and mathematics have earned their degrees from Southern University than from any other university in America. The University’s School of Nursing has ranked among the nation’s best based on student passage of the N-CLEX, a nursing certification exam. The school is a hub for local, state, and national health outreach through its “Jag Mobile”, a state-of-the art mobile health van that travels to inner city and rural areas. For more information please visit http://www.GoToSouthernUniversityOnline.com

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New York, New York (PRWEB) May 15, 2012

MetLife Foundation today announced the recipients of its 2012 Awards for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease: Clifford R. Jack Jr., M.D., professor of Radiology and The Alexander Family Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), and Christine Van Broeckhoven, Ph.D. D.Sc., professor and department director of the VIB Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). In addition, Randall J. Bateman, M.D., associate professor of Neurology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is recipient of MetLife Foundation’s Promising Investigator Award.

Dr. Jack, an innovator in clinical studies of brain structure in disease, developed and applied imaging methodologies to determine and track the stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Van Broeckhoven, a basic scientist and expert in molecular genetics, has made groundbreaking discoveries establishing the genetic basis of inherited Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. Dr. Bateman, a neurologist and biochemist, has pioneered the use of measurements of beta-amyloid protein in the brain to better understand the biochemical basis of this illness.

The winners were recognized at a scientific briefing and awards ceremony today in New York.

“MetLife Foundation is proud to present these awards that recognize outstanding achievements in medical research,” said Dennis White, president and chief executive officer, MetLife Foundation. “Doctors Jack, Van Broeckhoven and Bateman have made significant contributions to our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and their dedication helps bring us closer to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.”

About the Awards

Now in their 26th year, the awards provide outstanding researchers with an opportunity to freely pursue new ideas. At the heart of the program is a belief in research as the road to understanding and ultimately treating this devastating disease. Each major award recipient receives a 0,000 research grant for his or her institution to further their work, and a personal prize of ,000. The recipient of the Promising Investigator Award receives a 0,000 grant to his institution to further his work in Alzheimer’s disease. MetLife Foundation established the awards in 1986 to recognize and reward scientists demonstrating significant contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease.

The MetLife Awards for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease are managed by the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). Founded in 1981, AFAR has championed the cause and supported the funding of science in healthier aging and age-related medicine.

“We have selected these individuals because of their novel and significant approaches to Alzheimer’s disease, which are paving the way for additional discoveries that are important for diagnosis and treatments for this disease,” said Donald L. Price, M.D., chair of the MetLife Awards for Research in Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee, which selected the winners. Dr. Price, professor of Pathology, Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, is a previous recipient of the MetLife Award.

According to recent estimates by the Alzheimer’s Association, the number of Americans aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease will reach 16 million by 2050. Alzheimer’s costs related to health care and long-term care services are expected to total 0 billion this year.

Significant Discoveries That Have Shaped the Field

Drs. Jack, Van Broeckhoven and Bateman have made significant discoveries that have clarified our understanding, shaped new approaches to the disorder, and changed our view of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Jack is a pioneer in developing medical imaging methods that identify biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. Identification and validation of biomarkers – characteristics that measure a biological state, such as a stage of disease – is a major objective in understanding and developing treatments for this disease. Starting in the early 1990s, Dr. Jack introduced imaging methods to help delineate manifestations of the disease in the brain, assess its severity, measure disease progression, and make predictions regarding its future course. These concepts have been widely adopted. Dr. Jack’s initial studies focused on a type of brain imaging known as anatomic MRI, but he has also contributed pioneering work in other areas including MR spectroscopy, diffusion imaging, functional MRI, high field microimaging, and amyloid PET analyses of amyloid burden.

He has integrated information from measures of biomarkers for the disease, derived from studies of central nervous system imaging and levels of markers in cerebrospinal fluid, into a comprehensive model of brain abnormalities in parallel with clinical features. The staging of presymptomatic (preclinical) Alzheimer’s disease in recently published National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association criteria was based largely on his model.

Dr. Van Broeckhoven is a leader in the molecular genetics of Alzheimer’s disease and other complex neurological and psychiatric disorders. Her research has established critical features of the genetic basis of different types of dementia. Nearly 30 year ago, she identified the gene encoding APP (amyloid precursor protein), the first gene linked to familial Alzheimer’s disease. She and her colleagues demonstrated the involvement of the brain’s blood vessels in the neurodegenerative process. She helped identify the presenilin-1 gene on chromosome 14 as an additional gene involved in inherited cases of Alzheimer’s disease and contributed important information on the role of apolipoprotein E4, a protein that binds blood lipids, as a risk factor for both late-onset and early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Van Broeckhoven’s most recent work has focused on the genetics of other neurodegenerative diseases. She and her colleagues identified the gene that encodes the protein progranulin, an observation that provided the first evidence that growth factors play a major role in neurodegeneration in certain types of dementia.

Dr. Bateman has pioneered the use of Stable Isotope Labeling Kinetics (SILK) measurements of these disease markers in cerebrospinal fluid. Using this method, he has shown that people with Alzheimer’s do not properly eliminate amyloid-beta – the protein that builds into plaques in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s – from the brain as well as those without the disease. With a primary focus on the ways in which the disease changes the brain’s functional properties – in order to develop better diagnostic and treatment strategies – his lab has begun to study additional Alzheimer’s related proteins and their potential roles in the disease process.

In addition to conducting clinical trials, Dr. Bateman is director of the Therapeutic Trials Unit of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network, the largest international study of autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease. He has led efforts to make effective experimental treatments available to people with this hereditary form of the illness, with the goal of preventing clinical dementia before cognitive impairments are evident.

For additional background on the award recipients, visit: http://www.afar.org/research/MLF-awards

About MetLife Foundation

MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by MetLife to carry on its long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. For over 25 years, MetLife and MetLife Foundation have invested more than million for Alzheimer’s research and public information programs, including over million through the Awards for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease program. The Foundation has also supported a number of major initiatives, including the PBS documentary The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s; short pocket films on Alzheimer’s narrated by David Hyde-Pierce; an educational initiative with the National Institute on Aging’s Alzheimer’s Disease Centers; the film Alzheimer’s Disease: Facing the Facts; and initiatives that include caregiving videos, Alzheimer’s toolkits and resources for the Hispanic community.

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