NORRISTOWN, PA. (August 2022) – Gaudenzia, Inc. Chief Executive Dr. Dale Klatzker, who oversees one of the region’s largest non-profit providers of treatment for substance use disorder, has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health.
The appointment was made by Governor Tom Wolf and recognizes Klatzker’s 40 years of leadership and expertise in the area of behavioral health at a time when the needs in Pennsylvania are greater than ever.
The 24-member commission is charged with distributing $100 million to improve mental health services in Pennsylvania that was included in the 2022-23 state budget. This funding will go to a wide variety of programs, including crisis intervention services, mental health specialists in emergency departments, outpatient and telehealth initiatives, education initiatives and training.
“Throughout his tenure, Governor Wolf has made an unprecedented commitment to building a strong public health infrastructure that is inclusive of behavioral health,” Klatzker said. “I am honored and grateful to join him in this effort to address our growing public health crisis in behavioral health, in a meaningful way that saves lives and creates a better tomorrow for so many of our fellow citizens across the Commonwealth.”
Klatzker was named Gaudenzia CEO in 2019, leading the organization through the pandemic and implementing a new treatment model. In alignment with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, Gaudenzia provides a full continuum of evidence-based treatment services and specialized programming to meet the needs of pregnant and parenting women, adolescents, individuals with co-occurring disorders and those with criminal justice involvement.
Gaudenzia’s comprehensive approach takes into account not only the challenges presented by substance use and co-occurring disorders but also social determinants of health such as homelessness, poverty, education, food insecurity, incarceration and unemployment.
Klatzker previously served as senior consultant and chief clinical officer at The Margolin Group and as president and CEO of The Providence Center in Providence, RI. He is known nationally for visionary guidance in behavioral healthcare and treatment for substance use disorder.
He holds a PhD in Social Policy, Planning & Administration from the Heller Graduate School for Advanced Studies in Social Welfare at Brandeis University and a Master of Social Work from Boston University.
More information on Gaudenzia’s programs can be found at www.gaudenzia.org. Those who are in need of treatment can call Gaudenzia’s 24/7 Treatment and Recovery Helpline at 833-976-HELP (4357).
ABOUT GAUDENZIA, INC.
Gaudenzia, Inc. is one of the largest nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment and recovery centers in the United States, with 51 facilities operating in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. The agency serves about 15,000 individuals annually and operates 120 substance use and co-occurring disorders for men and women. Since 1968, Gaudenzia has provided specialized services and programs to users of all demographics, including pregnant and parenting mothers, adolescents, people with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders, and more.
