The Betty Ford Center is possibly the most famous drug treatment center in the world. The recession has affected the Betty Ford Center, but it now bouncing back.
"We’re doing fine. Like everybody in the country and all around the world, we’ve taken some hits," said Mary Pattiz, the drug treatment center’s new board chairwoman.
The drug treatment center has 172 beds, and the census was recently at near capacity. This was a marked improvement from 2008 when the drug treatment center only averaged 130 filled beds on a day. During the recession, "people had no extra money of any kind to get things like treatment," said executive director John Schwarzlose. According to Schwarzlose, the recession led to a steep drop in private donations to the center, and ultimately, its assets plummeted by approximately ten million dollars.
The drug treatment center had to tap into its endowment to help fund its yearly $5 million dollars in patient "scholarships." This money allows those who could not otherwise afford treatment to get help at the Betty Ford Center. The drug treatment center, which is located in posh Rancho Mirage, California, costs patients $26,000 a month.
"We still have a stigma of being this fancy place…only for the rich and famous. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are still cheaper than the quality competitors," said Pattiz.
Substance abuse treatment is different than the treatment of other diseases, according to Robert Lindsey, president and chief executive officer at the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc., which is based in New York. Lindsey worked at the Betty Ford Center in the nineties.
"The general perception is if you go to rehab, it’s only for those with big dollars and resources that can get that help," Lindsey said.
