IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Trt and Recovery

The IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery sits on a 15-acre campus at 13400 Edgemeade Rd in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, within Prince George’s County. Built specifically for the fire service community, this behavioral health treatment center is not a general-population program — it exists solely to serve firefighters, IAFF members, and emergency medical workers who need structured, medically supervised care for substance use and co-occurring conditions. The center operates 24 hours a day and can be reached at (855) 900-8437.

The facility offers two confirmed levels of care: medical detox and intensive outpatient programming. Medical detox places patients under around-the-clock medical supervision during withdrawal, managed by an on-site clinical team that includes Medical Director Abby Morris, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist, and Director of Nursing Marisa Hall, RN. For those stepping down from inpatient-level care or requiring structured treatment without residential placement, the intensive outpatient program provides continued clinical support. Both levels address substance use alongside behavioral health disorders, with the facility also treating PTSD, depression, anxiety, and complicated grief.

Clinical oversight at the center is led by a credentialed multidisciplinary team. Site CEO David Thomas holds credentials spanning nursing, healthcare administration, and emergency care — a background that reflects the center’s orientation toward first-responder physiology and occupational stress. Clinical Director Remi Benson, MA, LCPC, carries certifications in EMDR therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and stress response treatment. Group therapy is a confirmed component of the therapeutic model. Aftercare planning and support after treatment are also part of the program, providing continuity beyond the acute phase of care.

The IAFF Center of Excellence serves a population that routinely faces barriers to seeking treatment: firefighters and emergency medical workers dealing with occupational trauma, cumulative stress, and the stigma that runs through fire service culture. Because the entire program is built around this population, patients are not mixed with general civilian caseloads. The clinical staff, peer environment, and treatment focus are all oriented toward the specific experiences of fire service members — a distinction that separates this center from generalist detox programs operating in the same region.

Medical detox at the IAFF Center of Excellence is conducted under 24-hour clinical supervision on a dedicated 15-acre campus in Prince George's County, Maryland. The detox program is staffed by a medical director, director of nursing, and a clinical team equipped to manage withdrawal while simultaneously addressing the behavioral health conditions — including PTSD and anxiety — that frequently accompany substance use in the fire service community.

The facility operates around the clock, meaning medical oversight is continuous rather than limited to daytime business hours. For firefighters or IAFF members in acute withdrawal or those whose family members are seeking same-day placement, the center can be contacted directly at (855) 900-8437. Medical detox serves as the entry point for patients who need stabilization before transitioning to the intensive outpatient level of care offered at the same facility.

After completing medically supervised detox, patients at the IAFF Center of Excellence have access to an intensive outpatient program (IOP) on the same campus. This step-down level of care provides structured clinical programming — including group therapy — without requiring full residential placement, making it a practical option for fire service members who need to maintain some degree of operational flexibility as they continue treatment.

The IOP also addresses co-occurring behavioral health disorders such as depression, complicated grief, and behavioral health conditions that frequently accompany substance use in high-stress occupational settings. Aftercare planning is integrated into the program, with support structures in place to assist patients after they complete active treatment. The combination of medical detox and intensive outpatient under one roof allows for a more coordinated clinical transition between levels of care.

The IAFF Center of Excellence is led by Site CEO David Thomas, MBA, MPA, BSN, RN, FACHE, CEN, RN-BC — a credentialed nurse executive with a background in emergency care and healthcare administration. Medical Director Abby Morris, MD, is a psychiatrist overseeing the medical components of detox and behavioral health treatment. Clinical Director Remi Benson, MA, LCPC, holds certifications in EMDR therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and stress response treatment, bringing specialized trauma-focused clinical training to the program. Director of Nursing Marisa Hall, RN, rounds out the core team overseeing day-to-day patient care.

This leadership structure reflects a deliberate alignment between clinical credentials and the occupational realities of the populations served. First responders presenting with substance use disorders often carry compounding factors — occupational trauma, shift-work disruption, and peer-culture stigma — that require clinical staff who understand the fire service context. The center's team composition addresses that need directly rather than applying a generalist model.

The IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery exclusively serves firefighters, IAFF members, and emergency medical workers. This population-specific focus is the defining structural feature of the program. Patients are not placed alongside general civilian caseloads; the peer environment, clinical framing, and treatment content are built around the shared occupational experience of fire service and emergency medical work.

Beyond substance use and addiction, the center treats PTSD, depression, anxiety, complicated grief, and behavioral health disorders — conditions that are disproportionately prevalent among first responders. For IAFF members or their families seeking medically supervised detox in Maryland, the center is reachable 24 hours a day at (855) 900-8437 or by email at medicalrecords@advancedrecoverysystems.com.