ST. LOUIS (May 2012) – Assisted Recover Centers of America (ARCA), a mental health facility specializing in the outpatient treatment of addictive disorders, announces the addition of Benjamin Williams as Chief Operating Officer. Williams brings more than ten years of program management and development expertise to ARCA.

“Ben’s experience working with State and private agencies, coupled with an MBA and MSW, will significantly contribute to ARCA’s growth,” said Percy Menzies, President of ARCA. “With the addition of Williams, who oversees a staff of more than 30, we now have the management capacity to begin rapidly expanding patient services to meet the growing demand for evidence-based treatment in our community.”

Williams moved to St. Louis in 2006 while attending Washington University’s Masters of Social Work program. Williams’ previous work experience includes the Peace Corps, Council on Social Work Education, Provident, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, St. Louis Alliance for Reentry (STAR), and MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries. While at MERS Goodwill, Williams raised significant funding in public and private grants as a Program Development Specialist.

Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Emory University, MSW from Washington University, and is currently completing his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ Professional MBA program. Williams currently resides in University City, Missouri.

Percy Menzies founded ARCA in an effort to bring effective treatment of addictive disorders into mainstream medicine; especially interventions to treat alcohol and opioid-based drugs like Vicodin, Oxycontin and heroin. Over the past 5 years St. Louis has quickly turned into a hot bed for heroin use. Heroin has become easier to buy than marijuana, cheaper than a 6-pack of beer, has become upwards of 50 times more potent, and is purer now than it ever has been before. According to The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (NCADA), the average bag of heroin in 1980 was 4% pure; the average bag today can range from 40% to 70% pure. The increase in purity results in the user’s ability to snort or smoke the drug instead of injecting it (NCADA). And yet, the heroin epidemic should not overshadow the serious and unrelenting problem of alcoholism. Therefore, ARCA will continue to focus its resources on battling these two major public health crises.

About Assisted Recovery Centers of America:

Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA) was founded in 2001 by Percy Menzies, M.Pharm, RSAP. ARCA is a mental health facility that specializes in the outpatient treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction through a combination of FDA-approved non-addictive anti-craving medications, counseling, and treatment of co-occurring disorders/dual-diagnosis. Based in St. Louis, this evidence-based treatment approach can allow patients to return to work within days. For more information on ARCA please visit, www.ARCAMidwest.com.