The individual who presents to
the Division of Substance Abuse Services is first and foremost, a patient: a human being
entitled to the same degree of respect, dignity and quality of service that should be
afforded to any individual who seeks the services of North Shore University Hospital at
Glen Cove.
While societal and often
professional attitudes identify and associate substance abusers with words such as
"addict" or "junkie", it is the inherent philosophy of the Division
that continued application of these terms serves to perpetuate, rather than alleviate, the
lack of acceptance for the individuals who, because of their specific affliction are
considered to be untreatable, unmanageable, or both.
It is a basic philosophical
premise and clinical necessity of the Division of Substance Abuse Services to provide an
environment where the individual abuser is accepted as a patient, and wherein he or she is
offered the highest quality of service and care provided to all patients of North Shore
University Hospital at Glen Cove.
This attitude shall, without
exception, be representative of the overall commitment on the part of the Division of
Substance Abuse Services staff to combat "discrimination by disease" in the
delivery of health care services.
