NEWS RELEASE
April 7, 2008

For more information, contact:
David A. Sharar, Ph.D.
Managing Director of Chestnut Global Partners
(309) 827-6026
dsharar@chestnut.org

CHESTNUT HEALTH SYSTEMS’ STAFF CONSULT ON CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT CENTER IN BRAZIL

Under the project leadership of James Fraser, Director of Business Development, Chestnut Health Systems has been working with representatives of the Samaritano Hospital, the Sao Paulo Secretary of Health, and Vila Serena (Brazil Treatment Center) to create a consortium to deliver substance abuse treatment services to youth in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Construction of the facility is presently underway and a team from Samaritano, Secretary of Health, and Vila Serena are scheduled to visit Chestnut Health Systems’ Bloomington Adolescent Treatment Programs the week of April 14. Staff at Chestnut will provide a full orientation of program development, clinical consultation, and evaluation services.

“We are pleased and honored to be collaborating on this project” said Chestnut CEO Russell J. Hagen, “it is our hope to help Brazil rapidly adopt and implement state-of-the-art evidence-based treatment models”.

The unit at Recanto Maria Theresa (a partner hospital) is anticipated to provide initial services to 30 adolescent males in July, 2008.

ABOUT CHESTNUT HEALTH SYSTEMS
For more than 35 years, Chestnut Health Systems has offered a broad array of behavioral healthcare services to residents in Central and Southern Illinois, fulfilling its mission of “making a difference: improving quality of life through excellence in service”. Known throughout the state as one of the leading providers of substance abuse treatment & prevention, mental health counseling & housing, credit counseling, substance-abuse related research, training, and publications, and employee assistance & workplace services, Chestnut’s team of caring professionals now numbers about 700 full and part time staff.

To learn more about Chestnut Health Systems, please visit our website at www.chestnut.org or contact Dietra Kulicke, Director of Marketing & Communications at (309) 827-6026.