Together Magazine

The Courage to Do Things Differently

Dear Friends,

Welcome to your commemorative issue of Together magazine, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

Seventy years ago this spring, Hazelden opened on the banks of South Center Lake in Minnesota as a refuge for "the convalescent alcoholic"—a place of nature strolls, easy chairs, long conversations over coffee and a holistic approach to healing the body, mind and spirit.

While the idea of creating a humane, therapeutic environment for people with addiction doesn't seem a remarkable concept today, it was almost unheard of in 1949 when Hazelden was established. You can trace this same spirit of innovation and compassion—the courage to do things differently—throughout our organization's 70-year history, inspiring breakthroughs such as:

• Establishing one of the nation's first addiction treatment centers for women
• "Professionalizing" addiction counseling with specialized counselor training (the precursor to our fully accredited graduate school)
• Pioneering a program of support for families and children hurt by addiction
• Developing the leading evidence-based treatment protocol for opioid use disorder

With each new day, we embrace the challenge of helping more people reclaim their lives from addiction. Together, let's keep pushing forward, united in our vision that no one need suffer or die from a disease that can be treated, managed and overcome.

Mark G. Mishek
President & CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation