Members of the Martin and Pickup families are propelling their advocacy for increased substance use recovery care and services with a transformational $25 million gift that will establish the CareMar Recovery Center at Hoag. This commitment will enable the development of a new facility, unlike any other in Orange County, that will provide residential and outpatient services for people living with alcohol and substance use disorders and will be guided by Hoag’s exceptional standards for health care.  

Carole Pickup, mother of Devon Martin and Todd Pickup, was the inspiration behind the contribution made by her family, honoring her decades of work in support of substance use recovery resources. Together, Carole Pickup, Devon Martin, and her husband Kevin Martin, along with Todd Pickup and his wife Natalie Pickup, made the generous gift, which will be used to build a multi-level facility at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.

“It’s been a longtime goal of our family to work with Hoag to create a facility that people know they can turn to with the resources to change their lives for the better,” said Devon Martin, who also serves on the Hoag Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. “We see this gift as a first step toward making that a reality for everyone, no matter where they are in their recovery journey,” she said. The CareMar Recovery Center will change the course of addiction treatment and recovery care, answering the growing demand for these services in the region.

A proposed expanded courtyard, seen in this artistic rendering, will be a welcoming open-air space for groups and individuals.

Growing Community Need 

A major differentiator of the CareMar Recovery Center will be the evidence-based care delivered to patients by leading medical professionals. While Hoag already delivers recovery services within the hospital, building an expanded facility with a larger capacity has been a priority. Nearly 370,000 people in Orange County suffer from addiction, and a growing number of those are people over the age of 50. 

“This gift will put our plans into action—and with addiction, moving fast is paramount to saving lives,” said Robert Braithwaite, president and CEO of Hoag. Major initiatives for this facility will center around increasing access to care and creating a robust roster of customized services. Part of the vision for this facility is to help alleviate financial obstacles to treatment by providing scholarships and other support to navigate patient care.  

Hoag physician Matthew Reed, MD, chief of inpatient pain and outpatient addiction, and medical director for residential addiction treatment, underscored the distinctiveness of the CareMar center's hospital-based program. "Being part of a hospital allows us to care for patients with addiction and co-existing medical conditions, which is often a barrier to treatment in other settings. This unique integration ensures that we provide comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of a patient's health.”

Tailoring programs to each patient will set apart the CareMar center at Hoag, which will emphasize personalized patient-centered care across all areas. In addition to clinical care and treatment services, other offerings are planned, including those that serve family support systems, residents and outpatients, long-term success, group sessions, wellness activities, and focused tracks that may include guidance specialized for women, people with trauma, and more.

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The Martin and Pickup families (clockwise from top left): Kevin Martin, Todd Pickup, Natalie Pickup, Carole Pickup, and Devon Martin. 

A Family’s Mission

Carole Pickup, the CareMar center’s namesake, has made it a personal mission to bring substance use services to people in need. It’s a blessing to be able to give to help others heal and live happier lives. It’s been rewarding for me to dedicate so much of my life to raising awareness and resources for people living with the challenges of addiction,” she said. “So many people need a safe place and compassionate experts around them to lift them up. I am grateful that my family can join with Hoag to  create this center for our community.”

Bringing a substance use treatment center to Orange County with the ability to serve many people was a longstanding goal. According to Todd Pickup, “The CareMar center at Hoag will fill a gap we have in our region for comprehensive care in all stages of treatment and recovery. Its location on a hospital campus will make sure that clinical safety and access to physicians and medical staff is always available.”

A rendering of the new CareMar Recovery Center at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach

Vital Continued Support 

Hoag has committed financial support in addition to raising more funding to advance the project. “We are immensely grateful to the Martin and Pickup families for their continued investment in Hoag and elevating our community’s health,” said Caroline A. Pereira, MBA, president of the Hoag Hospital Foundation. “This gift allows us to launch this important project and bring opportunities to more people who are passionate about supporting substance use resources.”

The CareMar Recovery Center will be a key part of the future expansion of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach’s south, lower campus off Pacific Coast Highway. 

Kambria Hittelman, PsyD, MBA, executive director of addiction medicine and mental health services at Hoag, has been instrumental in shaping the plans for recovery care and the new facility. “There is so much more we will be able to do for our patients toward reducing readmission and providing long-term success,” she said. “Our staff and expert minds delivering care will be key to that success.” 

As the facility physically takes shape, continued donor support will be vital to filling the space with all the necessary components to deliver treatment. 

“It is exciting to know that we can finally begin bringing this center to life,” Dr. Hittelman said. “This gift from the Martin and Pickup families shows their commitment to our community, and I look forward to partnering with them and others with our shared passion.”

Hoag has committed to raising additional support to advance the creation of the new facility. To learn more about supporting this project, please contact Jenn Brown, executive director of development, Hoag Hospital Foundation, at 949-764-7454 or jennifer.brown@hoag.org.

 
Read the press release here.

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