90-Day Treatment Stay the New "Gold Standard"
It's one of the oldest truisms in the addiction treatment field: the best friend a patient has in treatment is time. For many years, lip service was paid to that old rule. But now longer-term treatment is becoming the norm.

Rundown Neighborhoods Contribute to Heavy Drinking
The past decade has produced research on relationships between neighborhood characteristics and health but few studies have specifically looked at how a neighborhood may play a role in shaping alcohol use and misuse.

Leadership Continuity Is Recognized at Betty Ford Center
When the Betty Ford Center celebrated its 25th anniversary last fall, the spotlight – deservedly – was on the 80,000 women, men and children who have received treatment at the Center since its doors opened October 4, 1982.

Betty Ford Institute Names CEO
Dr. Garrett O’Connor has been named the first Chief Executive Officer of the Betty Ford Institute. Dr. O’Connor served for several years as Chief Psychiatrist of the Betty Ford Center. He also founded and guided the Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation (CDE) Program at the Center.

Betty Ford Center Celebrates 25th Anniversary This Fall
The usual gift commemorating a 25th anniversary is something – anything – silver. In the case of the 25th anniversary of the Betty Ford Center, the gift that comes to mind is a massive quilt representing the 80,000 men, women and their loved ones who have begun a journey of recovery on our campus in Rancho Mirage, California.

Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty
Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty was recently appointed Vice President, Treatment Services, at the Betty Ford Center. Dr. O’Flaherty actually began her association with the Center nearly 20 years ago when she first referred airline employees who needed treatment for their alcoholism/drug addiction to Betty Ford.

BFC Children’s Program Expands in Colorado
The Betty Ford Center’s acclaimed Children’s Program is now being offered up to 14 times a year in Colorado. The content of the Colorado program is virtually identical to what is offered at the main Betty Ford Center campus in Rancho Mirage, California and the long-running Children’s Program in Dallas/Ft. Worth, but operationally the Colorado program is quite different. There is no campus, no office, no full-time Denver-based staff (although a part-time marketing/outreach person has just been hired). Instead, staff travel from Rancho Mirage to Denver to conduct the four-day-long sessions, and they are based at a hotel, the Four Points by Sheraton Denver Southeast.

Betty Ford Institute
“Recovery” means many things to many people. So many things to so many people, that the meaning of this word/concept/lifestyle has taken on a mysterious or even “fringe” quality that has prevented popular understanding and acceptance.

BFC Pioneer Dr. James West, 93, Stays the Course
He’s a renowned surgeon, one of the two doctors who performed the world’s first human organ transplant (a kidney). He later completed advanced studies in psychiatry and taught at the University of Chicago. He became physician director of the Betty Ford Center when it opened in October, 1982, and served as Medical Director of the world-famous treatment hospital for several years after that.

90-Day Treatment Program Launched At Betty Ford Center
Last summer the Betty Ford Center launched a new treatment program for persons addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs, which lasts for three months.

We've Lost a Friend - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
Just hours after we learned that President Gerald Ford had died, patients and staff gathered in the Firestone Auditorium on the Betty Ford Center campus, and I had the honor to share some reflections on a person all of us both respected and loved.

Betty Ford Institute Formed; Convenes Consensus Conference
Former First Lady Betty Ford, co-founder of the Betty Ford Center, announced this Fall the establishment of the Betty Ford Institute.

Like It or Not, Spirituality Actually Aids Recovery!
Past research has shown that spirituality facilitates recovery from alcoholism.

Betty Ford Center Collaborates With Partners On Science, Research Projects
The Betty Ford Center is first and foremost a licensed addiction treatment hospital for persons addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs. But the Center is also working with scientists and addiction researchers who are conceptualizing and seeking to refine treatment protocols for addiction. The intersection of science, research and the Betty Ford Center occurs on many fronts.

“Poppycock!” - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
"Contrary to the orthodoxy, drug addiction is a matter of morals." That quote appeared on the op-ed page of the influential Wall Street Journal – not 50 years ago, not five years ago. It appeared May 25, 2006.

Focused Continuing Care: One-Year, Extended Care at Betty Ford Center
Focused Continuing Care at the Betty Ford Center began as a pilot program in 1997. Every seventh patient was invited to participate. Upon discharge from formal treatment, individuals were contacted by telephone on a regular basis by a counselor, with whom they had met prior to completing primary care.

Addiction Beyond Borders - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
Addiction to alcohol and other drugs is, of course, not limited to the United States, or to North America. It’s a disease that does not respect national boundaries. It’s everywhere.

Superior Customer Service Supports Excellent Treatment At Betty Ford Center
The Betty Ford Center is continually identifying ways to improve addiction treatment. One essential aspect of addiction treatment is creating an atmosphere where patients feel safe and cared for while balancing the need for a structured program with rules and boundaries.

Awareness Hour Anniversary - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
Leftover coffee and donuts. That’s really what sparked the creation of a treasured institution that’s been alive and well in California’s Coachella Valley (home to the Betty Ford Center) for coming up on three decades.

Betty Ford Center Takes in Hurricane Victims for Treatment
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast with devastating fury in early September, the Betty Ford Center has taken in six persons from the area whose treatment for alcohol/drug addiction was interrupted by the storm...

Obesity Outweighs Addiction Concern - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
Quick. What now is America's #1 health priority, according to the polls? Cancer? Guess again. Heart disease? Guess again. Alcohol/drug addiction? Hah…

Betty Ford Center Works With Native Canadians
Shortly after Patrick Haggerson became a counselor at the Betty Ford Center in 1998, he made a phone call to British Columbia’s Alkali Lake Indian Band, to get information about a video he wanted to order, called “The Honor of All: The Alkali Story...

Treatment: Why Bother? - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
For those of us who work in the treatment field, the very question is offensive. For others, though, it’s a question they often struggle with...

Ask Dr. West - Breast Cancer Rates Increase With Alcohol Exposure
Question: Is there a connection between breast cancer and alcohol?

Ask Dr. West - Long-term Heavy Drinking Can Damage Stomach Lining
Question: Over the past few months I have pains in my stomach after a few drinks which continue for a couple of hours. When I don't drink alcoholic beverages, I don't have any trouble. I have been a fairly heavy drinker for years but I don't think of it as a problem. Now I know that if I take even two drinks I get these pains. What's happening?

Betty Ford Center Works with Drug Endangered Children Organization
On a Thursday morning in mid-May, Jenny Gomez of the Betty Ford Center Children’s Program in Dallas went to work especially early, at 4:30 a.m...

Underage Drinkers Hypocrisy - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
The facts are deadly. Underage drinkers, joined by adults who regularly drink excessive amounts of alcohol, account for half of all the alcohol consumed in this country. That devastating finding is supported by many research studies, including a recent one in the Journal of the American Medical Association...

Ask Dr. West - As Metabolism Slows With Age, Alcohol Sensitivity Increases
Question: I am 68 years old and for years I have enjoyed a glass or two of wine at dinner. However, throughout the past six months it seems the wine has a much stronger effect than it did before. Does my age have anything to do with it?

Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation Program Scores Major Gains
The Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation (CDE) program began four years ago at the Rancho Mirage, California-based Betty Ford Center as a service for health professionals.

Passing of the Torch - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
Last May, Betty Ford, co-founder and chairman of the Betty Ford Center, announced that she planned to “pass the chairmanship torch” to her daughter, Susan Ford Bales, in January, 2005.

Ask Dr. West - Alcohol Use Affects Sexual Function
Question: Can alcohol cause problems with sexual function?

Stress Management Activities Help Patients at Betty Ford Center
Yoga. Massage. Acupuncture. Biofeedback. Meditation. Physical exercise. They may seem unusual treatment tools for persons addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs – but they are tools used with increasing frequency and effectiveness at the Betty Ford Center

It’s All About Fairness - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
When it comes to health insurance, persons with the disease of addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs are often - make that usually - treated as second-class citizens in this country.

Ask Dr. West - Alcoholics Sometimes Suffer From 'Wet Brain' Condition
Question: What is meant by "wet brain?"

Ask Dr. West - “You Alone Must Do It, But You Cannot Do It Alone!”
Question: I have been going to A.A. for a number of years now but every couple of months I slip. I put together a year of continuous sobriety three years ago and felt so good about myself. I have a sponsor and I go to meetings. Am I going to be one of those people about whom they say “He could never make it?”

Ask Dr. West - Constant Vigilance Contributes to Sobriety
Question: I am two months into recovery and I feel great. Although I do not have any craving for liquor, I continue to go to meetings. What should I look for that would send me back to drinking? (This will never happen again.)

Ask Dr. West - Many People Stay Sober Following Treatment
Question: Can you give me some idea of the recovery rates for people who have gone through a treatment program?

Betty Ford Center Tests Back Use of Buprenorphine for Detox
In November, 2003, clinicians at the Betty Ford Center began using buprenorphine – a new prescription drug that relieves symptoms of opiate withdrawl like agitation, nausea and insomnia – for detoxification of incoming patients addicted to heroin or painkillers, such as Oxycontin and Vicodin.

The Political Season is Upon Us - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
Almost every public opinion poll indicates that Americans believe alcohol and drug use and abuse are critical problems in their communities – especially when the use and abuse involves young people.

Ask Dr. West - Intervention Patients Have the Same or Better Chance of Recovery
Question: I’ve been urging my sister-in-law to lay off as far as my brother’s drinking is concerned. He’s had a bad car accident and I think this will teach him a lesson. She keeps crying and hoping that he will decide for her sake and the kids he’ll go someplace for a treatment. Anyway, I heard that people who are forced into treatment don’t get anything out of it.

Ask Dr. West - People Are Vulnerable to Relapse During Times of Change
Question: I have been going to A.A. meetings for about two years and I have heard it all: I am moving to a new city and I’m inclined not to start these meetings again when I relocate. What is your experience with people who follow this plan?

Ask Dr. West - The Difference Between Abuse and Dependency
Question: Will you explain the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence?

U.S. Representative Jim Ramstad Announces New Congressional Recovery Caucus in Betty Ford Center Address
In an address to the Betty Ford Center Chairman’s Council, U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad announced the formation of a new Congressional caucus to promote awareness of chemical addiction issues and increase support for increased access to treatment.

One Step Forward, One Step Back - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
Good news … and other news … in the ongoing struggle to definitively define addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs as a disease, a disease that responds well to comprehensive professional treatment.

Ask Dr. West - Alcoholics Are Like Everybody Else, Except More So
Question: Is there such thing as an alcoholic personality?

Ask Dr. West - Marijuana: Myth of the Recreational Drug
Question: My son has a good job but has never reached the level of his potential. I visited him recently and he admitted that he still uses marijuana. I know that if he admitted using this stuff his job would be in jeopardy. When I mention anything about this he goes into a harangue about how drugs should be legalized, and that alcohol should be outlawed. I think it is a mistake to call drugs recreational, as he does. Calling them things like pot and grass seems to say that people are just being naughty by using them. What can you tell me about the effects of marijuana?

BFC Children’s Program Evaluated in First-Ever Scientific Study
Results have been released of the first-ever scientific examination of prevention/education programs in the U.S. aimed at children who live in a family environment in which the disease of addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs is present.

Larry and Betty: A Marvelous Media Marriage - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
On December 19, 2003, Betty Ford and I appeared on Larry King Live on CNN. (The show was repeated twice during the holidays.) This is the fourth time over the past six years that we have been guests.

Ask Dr. West - Addict Concerned Medicine May Trigger Relapse
Question: I am concerned that if I ever have to go to the hospital, I will be given medicine for pain that could set me off on the drug addiction that I have tried, with success, to be freed from through Narcotics Anonymous. How can I avoid getting the narcotics they give you after an operation?

Ask Dr. West - Addicting Drugs are All Cross-Addicting
Question: How do some people get hooked on cocaine while others become addicted to other drugs, including alcohol?

The Betty Ford Center Appoints Garrett O’Connor Medical Director of Professional Recovery Program
Dr. Garrett O’Connor has been appointed Medical Director of the Professional Recovery Program at the Betty Ford Center, the nation’s leading addiction treatment hospital.

New Betty Ford Center Book Salutes Women in Recovery - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
This November, a new book called Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery will be published by Putnam’s and will be available everywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

Ask Dr. West - Companies Studying Drug Vaccines
Question: Are there any new drugs in the pipeline to treat addictions beside naltrexone, anabuse and acomprosate.

Women’s Addiction Conferences to Explore Relationships and Recovery
Women’s Addiction Conferences will be convened in Baltimore and San Diego in September, 2003. The nation’s leading non-profit treatment providers...Betty Ford Center, Caron Foundation and Father Martin’s Ashley are the presenting organizations…

Betty Ford Center Old-Fashioned? Yessir! - Commentary by John Schwarzlose, Betty Ford Center President & CEO
"Last week, while on the road, a fellow professional in the addiction/treatment field approached me and said he had a question. “Is the Betty Ford Center old-fashioned?” he wondered. For a nanosecond, I was a little taken aback. But then the answer came quickly, “I certainly hope so!”"

Ask Dr. West - Relapsers Are Welcome in Alcoholics Anonymous
Question: Is it ethical to ask someone to quit coming to an AA group because he keeps having slips?

Ask Dr. West - Various Stages of Alcoholism Include Identifiable Symptoms
Question: Are there a specific set of symptoms by which a diagnosis of alcoholism can be made? I am a medical student, studying addictions, and the more I read about it the more vague it seems. Chronic relapses into drunkenness is just one of the manifestations of the sickness, but I know this is not the whole picture. Will you list the symptoms of alcoholism?