History
The Center was co-founded by late U.S. First Lady Betty Ford, Leonard Firestone and Dr. James West in 1982. West also served as the Betty Ford Center's first medical director from 1982 until 1989. He left that position to become the Betty Ford Center's director of outpatient services.
Betty Ford's decision to undertake such a project followed on the heels of her own battle with alcohol dependence and opioid analgesic addiction, and after her release from the Long Beach Naval Hospital, she pursued the goal of creating a treatment center that emphasized the needs of women.
In September 2010, the Center introduced a pain management track. The program allows patients to gain insight into the ways in which pain has changed their ability to think and approach life.
BFC has an active alumni program, with groups meeting on a regular basis across the United States and Canada.
The Betty Ford Center Foundation is a vital part of the life of the Center and raises money to support the mission of the Betty Ford Center through gifts, pledges, and planned giving programs.
In 2006, the Betty Ford Institute was created. Its mission is to conduct and support collaborative programs of research, prevention, education and policy development that lead to a reduction of the devastating effects of substance use disorders on individuals, families and communities. In 2008, the BFI established the Children’s Program Training Academy with the goal of training and certifying service providers in cities around the country to offer Children’s Programs locally. In 2009 the Professionals in Residence Program (PIR) and the celebrated Summer Institute for Medical Students (SIMS) were realigned within the Betty Ford Institute. Both programs offer an incomparable learning opportunity about the Betty Ford Center. Mary Pattiz is currently the Betty Ford Center Chairman of the Board.
Read more about this topic: Betty Ford Center
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