Background of the Van Ost Institute:

A Community Resource

The Van Ost Institute was established in 1983 as the first outpatient, free-standing, not-for-profit center for the treatment of chemical dependency in Bergen County, New Jersey. It's founding was in response to the then emerging recognition that adequate treatment of addiction must involve the entire family which, by definition, includes the children and the oft-forgotten senior citizen members.

Under the leadership of the Co-Founders, Dr. William C. Van Ost and his wife, Elaine, who have never lost sight of these goals, the Institute continues to be a vital community resource after well over a decade of responding to the necessity of full family treatment of addiction. Dr. Van Ost remains one of the few Bergen County physicians certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine

The Van Ost Institute can proudly list its accomplishments:

• Over 4450 families treated since it's founding
• Over 370 children treated in its unique free Kids and Teens Count programs
• Nearly 4000 visits at no out-of-pocket cost to the Institutes's Seniors Count program by over 260 older citizens aged 60 to 84 since November 1989
• Over 2200 in-patients and family members treated under contract at Englewood Hospital between July 1986 and July 1993
• Ten years of a continuing, free lecture series (Addiction and Recovery 101) reaching nearly 4400 attendees.
• Over 600 patients and family members involved in its Intensive Outpatient Program since inception
• A weekly column entitled "Ask Dr. Bill" contributed to the local newspapers as a public service for readers seeking information about addictive illness.
• Literally hundreds of appearances and presentations on TV and radio, at community centers and service clubs, and at schools and religious centers by the Co-Founders.

The staff of the Van Ost Institute for Family Living is fully certified and is continually updating its skill with continuing professional education.

During its many years of service, The Institute holds the justifiable reputation as a provider of the highest quality professional treatment program for family members affected by addictive illness throughout Northern New Jersey and the New York Metropolitan area.