Dr. Jay Serle has worked with individuals in recovery in various aspects for over 25 years.

LAHAINA – Maui Recovery recently launched the only current structured, formal substance abuse-specific treatment program in West Maui.

Founder and Executive Director Dr. Jay Serle said substance abuse treatment options are limited on the island, and “West Maui, just like all of Hawaii, has a significant problem with addiction.”

The new outpatient program in Lahaina started during the second week of May under its subsidiary Behavioral Health Hawaii, which is nationally accredited for its outpatient program.

“I’ve always had a passion for helping people recover from addiction. Maui Recovery has been a dream of mine for probably ten years,” said Serle, whose company runs a residential substance abuse treatment program in Kihei and outpatient services in Lahaina, Kihei and Wailuku.

“There are limited opportunities for substance abuse treatment on Maui. Lahaina has historically been underserved. As a resident of Maui for 22 years and as part of the community, I wanted to help fill this gap. We are really excited to be able to provide this level of care to the residents of Maui.”

Dr. Serle and his team now offer Intensive Outpatient Therapy in West Maui and accept most major insurances, including QUEST plans.

As a structured program to treat substance abuse, it is designed for people capable of receiving treatment while they remain living in their home environment.

Treatment consists of teaching people about the disease model of addiction, helping them develop and maintain solid supports, and how to care for themselves in a safe manner in recovery.

“We provide the tools to assist clients in gaining a foundation to become and remain sober,” he commented.

This includes helping people identify and avoid triggers as well as develop appropriate emotional regulation.

His team in Lahaina includes Clinician David Brooke, a graduate of the prestigious Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies. Debbie Bayer serves as the clinical director and has led Behavioral Health Hawaii since 2013.

Dr. Serle’s ties to West Maui include serving as a behavioral health specialist at Lahainaluna High School and working in private practice in Lahaina for three years prior to developing Maui Recovery.

He served as a supervisor for a Maui program that handled case management for the severely mentally ill, and Dr. Serle currently sits on the boards for Beacon Health Strategies (the behavioral health arm of HMSA) and the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition.

Dr. Serle was proud to show emotionally charged messages from people he has helped.

“I have personal connections to addiction and find enormous satisfaction in helping others recover from addiction,” he explained.

“I absolutely love what I do! I get great satisfaction from my work and really appreciate helping people recover from a horrible disease. This truly is a dream come true, and I am so excited to be helping Maui’s ‘ohana recover from addiction.”

For more information, call 1-800-919-2066 and visit www.mauirecovery.com.