The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit addiction treatment providers, has partnered with Emory Healthcare, Georgia’s largest healthcare system, to create the Addiction Alliance of Georgia. This ambitious partnership represents a major step toward improving substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, prevention, and recovery support in the Peach State.
The collaboration between Hazelden Betty Ford and Emory Healthcare combines decades of expertise, strong community ties, and a shared mission of reducing the devastating impact of addiction. With addiction rates climbing and the COVID-19 pandemic compounding challenges, the timing of this alliance underscores the urgency of tackling SUD as a public health crisis.
The Mission of the Addiction Alliance of Georgia
At its core, the Addiction Alliance of Georgia seeks to create a comprehensive system of prevention, treatment, education, and research. Unlike programs that focus narrowly on one area of addiction care, the Alliance aims to integrate services across multiple dimensions of recovery.
Initially, the Alliance will emphasize outreach and education initiatives. Planned efforts include school-based prevention programming, community workshops, and public awareness campaigns. These programs are designed to empower Georgia residents with knowledge, reduce stigma around SUD, and connect individuals to care earlier.
In 2021, the Alliance intends to launch clinical services in Atlanta. Emory Healthcare’s experienced staff will deliver direct patient care, while Hazelden Betty Ford will oversee management, training, and operational support. This structure leverages each organization’s strengths while ensuring consistent, high-quality care.
The Strength of Hazelden Betty Ford
Founded in 1949, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a pioneer in addiction treatment and recovery. Headquartered in Center City, Minnesota, the organization operates 17 locations nationwide. Its services range from inpatient and outpatient treatment for both adolescents and adults to a graduate school of addiction studies, publishing division, advocacy initiatives, and an addiction research center.
The foundation has long been recognized as a leader in integrating evidence-based care with compassionate support. Its holistic approach to treatment—addressing mental, emotional, and spiritual health alongside substance use—has made it a trusted name in recovery services.
By bringing this expertise to Georgia, Hazelden Betty Ford is helping ensure the Addiction Alliance is grounded in best practices and positioned for long-term success.
Emory Healthcare’s Role
Emory Healthcare, based in Atlanta, is Georgia’s largest health system. Its network includes 11 hospitals, an outpatient physician practice, and more than 250 provider locations. With deep community ties and a reputation for excellence, Emory is well-positioned to extend high-quality addiction care across the state.
The healthcare system also houses the Emory Brain Health Center, a hub for advancing research and clinical care in neurology, psychiatry, and behavioral health. The Addiction Alliance will likely benefit from these resources, especially as long-term plans evolve to include new detox and residential treatment facilities near the Brain Health Center campus.
By aligning with Hazelden Betty Ford, Emory can expand its behavioral health capabilities and provide more specialized, coordinated care for those struggling with SUD.
Addressing Georgia’s Needs
Georgia faces significant challenges in addressing substance use disorder. Like many states, it has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic, while also grappling with rising alcohol misuse and other substance-related issues. Access to comprehensive treatment remains uneven, especially outside urban areas.
The Addiction Alliance of Georgia seeks to bridge these gaps by creating an integrated model of care that can reach more residents. The partnership has also consulted with state behavioral health leaders to identify the most pressing needs and ensure services are tailored to Georgia communities.
Philanthropic funding will support much of the Alliance’s work. By combining community investment with clinical expertise, the program aims to build a sustainable framework that reduces addiction rates and increases recovery success.
Education and Professional Development
In addition to direct patient care, the Addiction Alliance will emphasize professional education. Within the first few years, Hazelden Betty Ford will collaborate with Emory to provide training opportunities for medical professionals. This includes equipping clinicians with the skills to identify, treat, and support individuals with SUD in various healthcare settings.
Hazelden Betty Ford’s Graduate School of Addiction Studies and research division will also collaborate with Emory faculty on projects designed to advance the science of addiction treatment. This focus on education ensures that the Alliance will not only treat patients today but also prepare future generations of providers to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Long-Term Vision
The long-term vision for the Addiction Alliance of Georgia includes developing a new detox and residential treatment facility in Atlanta. By situating it near the Emory Brain Health Center, the Alliance hopes to create a comprehensive hub for integrated behavioral health care.
This facility would allow patients to access detoxification, residential treatment, outpatient services, and research-driven care in one location. It would also strengthen the link between treatment and academic research, enabling faster adoption of innovative approaches.
Ultimately, the Alliance aims to reduce addiction rates, improve recovery outcomes, and save lives. Leaders from both organizations emphasize that the effort is about long-term collaboration and building a model that can be replicated beyond Georgia.
Quotes from Leadership
Hazelden Betty Ford President and CEO Mark Mishek highlighted the public health importance of this initiative, noting the added urgency brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized that tackling addiction requires sustained collaboration among multiple partners, and the Alliance embodies that spirit of teamwork.
Similarly, Jonathan Lewin, CEO and chairman of Emory Healthcare, described the Alliance as a potential national model. By integrating prevention, treatment, research, and education, the Alliance could demonstrate how comprehensive approaches make recovery more accessible and effective.
A Model for the Nation
While the Addiction Alliance of Georgia is focused on meeting local needs, its leaders hope the initiative will serve as an example for the rest of the country. The U.S. continues to face rising rates of substance misuse and overdose deaths, with the pandemic only heightening the crisis.
Many states struggle with fragmented care systems where prevention, treatment, and recovery support are siloed. By showing how a unified approach can work—combining clinical care, education, and research—the Alliance may inspire similar collaborations nationwide.
Conclusion
The partnership between Hazelden Betty Ford and Emory Healthcare represents a bold step forward in the fight against addiction. The Addiction Alliance of Georgia combines the strengths of two respected organizations, addressing prevention, treatment, education, and research in a unified model.
In the short term, Georgia residents will benefit from increased outreach, education, and clinical services. In the long term, the Alliance aims to build new facilities, expand access to care, and establish a national model for addiction treatment.
As the addiction crisis continues to affect millions of Americans, initiatives like the Addiction Alliance of Georgia provide hope. By working together, communities can create sustainable solutions that not only reduce the harm of substance use disorder but also build stronger pathways to recovery.
