Addiction, Treatment and Recovery

Note:  Content in this article may be dated and include staffing and program information that is no longer current.

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.

Somewhat overlooked was the fact that the Center’s leadership team has been remarkably stable over that quarter-century – and that that stability has been reflected in the ranks of the staff, as well.

For example, the Center’s President and Chief Executive Officer, John T. Schwarzlose, has been the Center’s lead administrator since its inception.  Michael S. Neatherton, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been with the Center since 1989.  Charlene Montgomery, Vice President, Human Resources, began her association with the Center in 1989 (before becoming a full-time BFC employee, she was with the Eisenhower Medical Center, which until 1998 handled HR for the nearby Center.) Malcolm Butler, Senior Admissions Counselor, has been with the Center since 1984.

The “granddaddy” of the Betty Ford Center in terms of tenure is its long-time former Medical Director, the venerable and venerated Dr. James West. As a member of the BFC Board of Directors, Dr. West remains an active member of the BFC family. He is 94 years old.

Noted addiction/treatment/recovery historian William L. White says he believes continuity of leadership is a key ingredient for the success of the Betty Ford Center.

In a recent interview White said, “There is a core of long-tenured leaders at the helm of some of the more successful treatment centers in the U.S. Those leaders share values of knowledge, competence and dedication. They are utterly dedicated to high quality treatment.”

White continues, “As a historian, I must be candid. Many CEOs in the treatment field got seduced in the early 1990s by the notion of treatment as profitable business. They lost focus on the principle of treatment as a desperately-needed service for individuals whose lives are deeply troubled.”

Related posts:

1. Betty Ford Institute Names CEO