The Martin and Pickup families, Orange County philanthropists and longtime Hogue supporters, donated $25 million to build a unique, state-of-the-art facility focused on treating people suffering from substance abuse disorders.
The Caremar Recovery Center, scheduled to open in 2028 on the campus of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Hospital in Newport Beach, will offer both inpatient and outpatient services and provide a full range of care.
This donation was led by Carol Pickup, her children Devon Martin and Todd Pickup, and their spouses, and was inspired by Carol’s long-standing commitment to addiction recovery. did. Their donation aims to fill a major gap in local treatment options and ensure people across the region get the help they need.
“Our hope is that the Martin/Pickup family’s gift to CareMar Center will strengthen programs and provide funding for others in our community who share a similar passion for community-based recovery facilities. “We encourage people to make gifts of size that will provide additional philanthropic support to support convalescent patients in Orange County,” Martin and Pickup’s family said in a statement to the Business Journal. said.
Devon Martin, director of the Hoag Hospital Foundation, said it has been the family’s goal for years to create a facility where people can seek out and access life-changing resources.
“We see this gift as the first step toward making it a reality for everyone, no matter where they are in their recovery journey,” Devon Martin said.
Treatment of all types of substance abuse disorders
CareMar Recovery Center is located in a 25,000 square foot, two-story building on the lower side of Hoag’s Newport Beach campus. The first floor will be dedicated to residential treatment services, while the second floor will provide outpatient services, including partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs.
Residential areas are designed to feel like home, with private consulting rooms and indoor and outdoor communal spaces that promote wellness and collaboration. Professional staff, including doctors, therapists, drug and alcohol counselors and other professionals, are envisioned to be part of the comprehensive team, Hogue said.
Eventually, the facility aims to host wellness initiatives and evening programs for alumni.
Cambria Hittelman, Hogue’s executive director of addiction treatment, told the Business Journal that it’s unusual to have such a treatment facility on a hospital campus.
“It’s very unique,” she said. “The fact that we have an emergency room here for all kinds of acute medical issues is great.”
The on-campus facility will also be a safe facility for patients who are familiar with Hogue.
“It’s really necessary to have this here because it feels like a home to come to for medical care,” said Hittelman, who also serves as executive director of Hogue’s ASPIRE and Young Adult Mental Health Programs. “So I think having it done in a hospital setting makes them feel a lot better.”
Hogue executives said the center will treat all types of substance abuse disorders, from opioids and benzodiazepines to alcohol.
Other Hogue executives also emphasized the center’s unique hospital-based model, which integrates medical and addiction services and provides patient-tailored treatment plans.
“Being part of the hospital allows us to care for patients with addictions and co-occurring medical conditions that often present barriers to treatment at other facilities,” said Hoag Hospital’s inpatient pain and outpatient pain management team. said Dr. Matthew Reid, Director of Addiction Services. The medical director of residential addiction treatment said in a statement:
“This unique integration allows us to provide comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of a patient’s health.”
Emergency response to the addiction crisis
Hogue currently provides treatment services for patients recovering from substance abuse. But the new center will allow Hogue to increase its ability to help many other community members, as well as expand into specific tracks such as “a gender-specific track, a trauma track, a first responder track.” said Hittelman.
Robert Braithwaite, Hogue’s president and chief executive officer, said there is a great need for a first-in-class facility that will expand Hogue’s ability to provide essential services for addiction support and care.
“This gift puts our plan into action, and acting quickly is paramount to saving lives for addicts,” Braithwaite said in a statement.
More than 5,500 hospitalizations and nearly 700 deaths in Orange County each year are due to drug or alcohol overdose or addiction, according to a 2022 Orange County Health Department report. Additionally, the agency’s latest statistics show a dramatic increase due to the opioid crisis.
“When considering all substances involved in drug- or alcohol-related deaths, alcohol and opioids are the most frequently present. In fact, from 2019 to 2020, the number of opioid-related deaths increased by 45%,” Medical the agency said in its 2022 report.
Hittelman noted that about 350,000 people in Orange County struggle with substance abuse, and “we don’t have that many people getting treatment.”
Carol Pickup, the center’s namesake, has been an advocate for addiction recovery for decades. She called it a “blessing” to provide healing facilities so people can live happier lives.
“It has been rewarding for me to dedicate so much of my life to raising awareness and providing resources for people living with the challenges of addiction,” she said. “So many people need a safe space and caring professionals around them to lift them up. My family has partnered with Hogue to create this center for our community. I am grateful to be able to establish it.”
history of giving back
This $25 million gift joins a $50 million gift to establish the Richard H. Pickup Center for Brain Health in 2023 and a $50 million gift to establish Hoag’s Pickup Family Neuroscience Institute in 2018. It follows other major gifts from the Pickup family, including a $15 million donation to the United States.
The family philanthropy led by Dick Pickup, who passed away from a stroke earlier this year, has consistently aimed for innovative initiatives to benefit Orange County.
“The Caremar Center at Hogue will fill a gap in the region when it comes to comprehensive care at every stage of treatment and recovery,” said Todd Pickup. “Our location on a hospital campus ensures clinical safety and the ready availability of physicians and medical staff. We are proud to make this investment.”
Hogue said other gifts will be added to the $25 million endowment to support the $50 million CareMar project.
“We are extremely grateful to the Martin and Pickup families for their continued investment in Hogue and improving the health of our community,” said Caroline Pereira, president of the Hogue Hospital Foundation, in a statement. “Our shared goal of helping those affected by drug use will create a unique center that will serve many people.”
Hoag Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Andrew Guarni said the hospital is grateful to the Martin and Pickup families for their generous support over the years.
“This allows us to continue to provide the highest quality health care to our community.”
