Seabrook House Founder Honored at Livengrin Benefit

SEABROOK, N.J., Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Seabrook House Founder, Margaret "Peg" Diehl, was recently honored with the Standish F. Hansell Award for Excellence in Addiction Treatment.  This distinctive recognition lauded her dedication to providing assistance for those struggling with addiction, along with offering support services to a patient's family members.

The award is made by Livengrin Foundation, of Bensalem, PA, to acknowledge significant efforts in the field of addiction services and related cultural, medical and policy advances undertaken by its honorees.  Mrs. Diehl thus joins the small list of Hansell Award winners who have dedicated themselves to improving the nation's attitudes about, and services for, those challenged by alcoholism and drug dependency.  

"It was truly an honor to see my mother be recognized for her hard work and dedication over the years by others in the addiction treatment field," said Ed Diehl, President of Seabrook House and son of Peg Diehl.  "My mother co-founded Seabrook House in 1974, and has been devoted to a 'family treatment approach.'  She saw firsthand the importance of providing support services to spouses, parents and the children of those struggling with addiction. It was her desire to establish a treatment center closer to home in South Jersey, where both patients and family members could work towards recovery together."

Mrs. Diehl began a nearly 45 year journey of healing from the effects of living with alcoholism and addiction when she, along with her alcoholic husband, first reached for help in 1968, stated, Ed Diehl. As Peg and Jerry began to discover how to follow and truly begin to live their programs of recovery, they witnessed families much less fortunate try, but slip repeatedly in and out of AA. 

Ed Diehl noted that, his parents along with their fellowship friends, found themselves driving late into the night often to get relapsing members to rehabs far away.   The idea came to try to establish a treatment center closer to home in South Jersey. 

At that time, the newly established National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, was seeking innovative projects to discover new approaches to treatment.  Jerry and Peg Diehl chose to submit a research application to start a treatment center that focused on supporting the family as well as treating the addiction. 

Mrs. Diehl observed that, in earlier times, "Wives would drop their husbands off at the door of rehabs and at best be given a warm smile and an AlAnon meeting list.  We need to treat the loved ones.  Families are deeply affected and deserve professional attention too."

Seabrook House was then awarded two years of NIAAA funding to demonstrate the new organization's "family treatment approach".  Thanks to Peg's personal struggle and the experience of her recovery, Seabrook House was funded as the first project of the new agency.

According to Ed Diehl, the Seabrook House vision statement, "To make recovery possible for every family that needs it" was his mother's unique belief which is still their mission today. 

"My mother led the development of Seabrook House's clinical program when its doors opened in June of 1974, " said Ed Diehl, "Her influence has brought equal attention to the alcoholic's significant others.  Family members were to become Seabrook House's patients, too."

Observed Livengrin CEO Richard M. Pine, "The Hansell Award is named for our visionary founder, who created the Foundation as one of Pennsylvania's first nonprofit addiction treatment nonprofits in 1966.  It's a singular distinction when we present the award, to honor someone such as Peg who has made the help and hope of recovery a life's work and passion."

Mrs. Diehl was honored on September 15, 2012, at a Livengrin annual anniversary event benefiting its FRAT program that provides treatment to police and other "first responders."

Background

Margaret Diehl was born August 2, 1927.  She was raised in the Logan section of Philadelphia, attended Holy Child Parochial School and Little Flower High School for Girls.  She was married in 1950 to Jerome Diehl, together raising five sons.  Her alma mater, Little Flower honored Peg as "Alumni of the Year" in 2007, in recognition of a life devoted to helping families with addiction. Peg has been named "Woman of the Year" on six different occasions in six different counties in New Jersey for her pioneering work in the treatment of addictions.  Co-founder of Seabrook House in 1974, Peg's work as a therapist at Seabrook House for 35 years, retiring in 2009.  Peg Diehl celebrated her 85th birthday in the company of her entire family at her home in Ocean City this summer.

Seabrook House is an internationally recognized, private CARF-accredited addiction treatment center with several locations. The main facility is located in Bridgeton, NJ, convenient to Pennsylvania, New York and surrounding states. Our 90-day transitional living facility for men, Seabrook House West, is located in north central Pennsylvania in the town of Westfield. Our 90-day transitional living facility for women, Changes, is located on our main campus. A regional office is located in New York City, along with outpatient offices in Cherry Hill and Northfield, NJ. Seabrook House has been helping families find the courage to find recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse and other compulsive diseases since 1974.

To contact Seabrook House, please visit the organization's web site at www.SeabrookHouse.org, or call the 24-hour help line at 1-800-761-7575.

SOURCE Seabrook House