From personal Struggle to Leading Recovery: Dr. Teitelbaum‘s Journey and the Expanded UF recovery Center
Dr. David Teitelbaum, the current director of the University of Florida’s (UF) Recovery Center, has dedicated his life to helping others overcome addiction, a path forged through his own personal battle with substance use. He has maintained sobriety for 29 years,a milestone reached after entering a treatment program in the 1990s.
Teitelbaum’s journey wasn’t without significant consequences. His medical license in Connecticut was revoked in 1996, a decision he recalls being driven by preventative concern from a state medical board member who stated they wouldn’t wait for a patient to be harmed before taking action. While his license was later reinstated, the loss profoundly impacted his life, costing him his family, profession, and other vital relationships.
“Anyone who suffers from addiction usually has to hit rock bottom before recognizing they are not living the life they truly want to live,” Teitelbaum explained.”No matter what the substance is,at the end of the day,people use any substance to change the way they feel in that moment.”
The UF Recovery center, where Teitelbaum now leads, has a history dating back to 1998, when it first opened near Williston Road on Southwest 13th Street under the direction of Dr. Mark Gold. Recently, UF Health celebrated the opening of a new, expanded five-acre campus off Northwest 39th Avenue in Gainesville on July 16, 2024, following a groundbreaking in May of the same year.
The new facility significantly increases the center’s capacity,growing from 80 to 124 patient beds,offered in both single- and double-occupancy rooms. A 47,600-square-foot building provides residential, therapeutic, and recreational space, complete with a swimming pool, gym, outdoor recreation area, and pickleball court.
An existing 18,700-square-foot administrative building houses offices offering a range of services,including addiction evaluations,individual and group therapy,lectures,and outpatient care.
Teitelbaum focuses on evaluating and treating “safety sensitive professionals” – individuals in roles requiring a high degree of public trust, such as doctors, judges, police officers, teachers, and pharmacists – from across the country. However, he emphasizes that the center welcomes individuals from all backgrounds facing behavioral health issues, substance use disorders, and addiction.
The UF Recovery Center uniquely positions itself as the only treatment center affiliated with an academic institution in the nation.
Teitelbaum notes the complexities of treating addiction, particularly with substances like opioids, marijuana, and cocaine. Alcoholism, he stated, remains the most prevalent addiction treated at the center and is the leading cause of death related to addiction.
“Everybody’s got a story, we all have a story of where we came from and of how we became who we are,” Teitelbaum saeid. “We treat a lot of people that share in common that their lives have been drastically influenced in a negative way by their use of substances,but they often will have co-occurring issues like trauma,depression,anxiety and medical issues.”
Driven by his own experience and a commitment to healing,Teitelbaum expressed his hope that the UF Recovery Center will continue to be a source of encouragement and support for generations to come.
