BRATTLEBORO, VT—On Tuesday, July 7, the Brattleboro Retreat will launch a new inpatient mental health and addiction treatment program designed exclusively to meet the needs of individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).

The new 16-bed program is the first of its kind in New England and one of only a handful in the United States. Patients will receive care for a variety of issues including:

• Depression and other mood disorders
• Anxiety
• grief and loss
• sexual compulsivity
• sexual identity issues
• HIV/AIDS and related concerns
• alcohol and other drug addiction.

“The need for this type of program is timely, and the Retreat will provide members of the LGBT community with outstanding care delivered in an environment that is safe, respectful and positive,” said Dr. Rob Simpson, president and chief executive officer. “We are intent on building a center of excellence for the treatment of LGBT individuals from the northeast and beyond.”

Program services will include psychological and medical evaluation, around-the-clock acute hospital care, drug and alcohol detox/short-term stabilization, medication management, group and individual therapy and therapeutic recreation along with after care planning that is tailored to the needs of LGBT individuals.

“The environment of care will be 100 percent LGBT affirmative,” said Julie Praus, MD, medical director. “Every member of the Retreat’s clinical team has been carefully selected for this program and is trained in sensitivity to LGBT issues. We will be able to accomplish results that are often impossible for patients in ‘mixed’ clinical settings. In addition to excellent clinical care, the support and acceptance patients share with each other plays a powerful role in the healing process.”

Dr. Praus recently relocated to Brattleboro from Minnesota in order to pursue this opportunity as medical director. In addition to her many years of work as a psychiatrist she has in depth experience working with transgender individuals. Other members of the Retreat’s LGBT clinical leadership team include Susan Pickford, RN, nurse manager, and Erica Masson, LICSW, lead social worker.

Contact Julia Sorensen for more information at 802-258-3719.