Twenty-six years ago, the Day family received the most difficult news to accept. They were told that 26-year-old Tim Day died alone in an automobile accident. The cause of the accident was drug and alcohol abuse.
Tim was the middle son of Ron and Mariellen Day and brother to David and Michael Day. His late father described him as a wonderful child growing up who always had a smile on his face. However, when he got older, Ron noticed a change in his behavior. He said that Tim began to shift his focus from things like work and school to heavy partying that involved drug and alcohol abuse. That’s when Ron and Mariellen turned to St. Joseph Hospital, Orange for help.
Although Tim received treatment for his substance abuse issues, his behavior spiraled out of control to the point where he lost his life.
“Many behaviors such as substance abuse are secondary or the result of other underlying medical conditions,” said Jack Lianjie Du, MD, staff psychiatrist and addiction specialist at St. Joseph Hospital, Orange.
Tim’s family was aware that he was most likely suffering from a psychiatric condition that caused the changes in his behaviors, and ultimately led him to abuse drugs and alcohol. Even though the outcome of his decisions devastated his family, Ron and Mariellen were grateful for the care Tim and their family received. To show their appreciation, they started the first Behavioral Health Services Chemical Dependency Endowment at St. Joseph Hospital, Orange.
Today with the increased awareness surrounding the need for mental health services in Orange County, the Day family is seeing their investment come to fruition. St. Joseph Hospital, Orange will be opening a 12-bed chemical dependency unit with semi-private rooms for individuals with substance abuse issues. These patients will now receive highly-specialized care from a team of addiction specialists through the chemical dependency program.
“The new dedicated area will provide chemical dependency patients with more focused care to address their unique needs and allow them to interact with other patients with similar diagnoses,” Dr. Du added.
For more information about Behavioral Health Services at St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, visit sjo.org/behavioralhealth.
This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional's instructions.
