Betty Ford Merger with Hazelden: New Opportunities for Expansion

In September, the world-renowned Betty For Center merged with the Hazelden Foundation to create the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. The immediate focus of this new organization will be to create outpatient treatment centers across Southern California, in cities like San Diego and Los Angeles. This merger will create the largest nonprofit provider of addiction treatment programs in the nation. 

According to USA Today, after a regulatory review that should be completed by the end of this year, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation will have fourteen locations nation-wide and an annual $180 million operating budget (Felci, 2013). The goal is to create more outpatient centers, as many residential programs in the country are having a hard time filling beds. 

Additionally, the timing of this merger and the new outpatient centers that are planned could not be more appropriate. With the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollment in full-swing, many people suffering from addiction will receive new benefits for mental health and substance abuse disorders. 

References  

Felci, E. (2013). Betty Ford Center’s mission to grow with merger. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/29/betty-ford-centers-mission-to-grow-with-merger/2888919/