The Betty Ford Center and the Hazelden Foundation, two leading substance abuse treatment centers, are exploring the possibility of a formal business alliance, in large part because of the influx of new patients expected as a result of the Affordable Care Act, the two organizations say.
The boards of both institutions have approved "in principle" the concept of a formal alliance between the Betty Ford Center, a licensed addiction treatment hospital in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and Center City, Minn.,–based Hazelden Foundation, which has facilities in five states.
The two make natural partners, according to Mary Pattiz, Ph.D., chairwoman of the Betty Ford Center. "Before Betty Ford Center opened its doors in October 1982, we looked to Hazelden. For more than 30 years, we’ve worked side by side as philosophical partners in providing quality care to alcoholics, addicts, and their families." Both follow treatment protocols based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The two organizations are working to iron out the details of how an alliance would be structured, said Susan Fox Gillis, chairwoman of Hazelden’s board of trustees. Gillis said in a statement that a top priority in the alliance discussions is making sure Betty Ford’s legacy is honored.
Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and all health insurance policies sold on the insurance exchanges will be required to cover services related to substance abuse disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that between 6 million and 10 million currently uninsured individuals have untreated mental illnesses or addictions.