Oklahoma State University, Hazelden Betty Ford Partner to Expand Addiction Treatment Resources

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Initial collaboration to focus on making addiction care more available in rural areas via telehealth

The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and Oklahoma State University Medicine (OSU Medicine) have signed an agreement to work together to expand access to high-quality, evidence-based treatment services and resources for individuals and families in Oklahoma.

The two organizations have signed a memorandum of understanding for a long-term arrangement aimed at getting more addiction treatment and long-term recovery solutions to Oklahomans who need them and expanding Oklahoma’s addiction care infrastructure. Efforts will focus initially on utilizing virtual care to expand access and engagement in rural parts of the state and will expand to include development of the clinical workforce; community engagement; prevention and education; and collaboration on cutting-edge, behavioral health research and technology development.

“The goals of our partnership are to expand access and services in the near term in response to the ongoing opioid crisis, build the state’s capacity to address addiction in the long term, and at the same time establish OSU Medicine as a national resource on addiction education, research and treatment,” said Mark Mishek, president and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

Hazelden Betty Ford is the nation’s leading nonprofit addiction treatment provider with 17 sites nationwide. The OSU Addiction Medicine Clinic has been a member of the Hazelden Betty Ford Patient Care Network since September 2018. In March, OSU Medicine received nearly $200 million from the state of Oklahoma’s opioid lawsuit settlements to support its National Center for Wellness & Recovery.

“Oklahoma, like the rest of the country, has been hit hard by the opioid addiction crisis,” said Dr. Kayse M. Shrum, president of OSU Center for Health Sciences. “We are excited to join forces with Hazelden Betty Ford to provide Oklahomans with greater access to evidence-based addiction treatment and recovery services. Hazelden Betty Ford, with its national network and decades of experience, is an ideal partner, and we’re grateful to work together with an organization we hold in high esteem.”

In addition to its industry-leading substance-use treatment services—which include medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder and mental health services—the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a center of excellence in addiction- and recovery-related research, education, prevention and publishing, with robust collaborations throughout health care.

The National Center for Wellness & Recovery (NCWR) at OSU Medicine is committed to improving the lives of those affected by pain and substance use disorders through treatment, education, research and policy. NCWR collaborates with leading addiction treatment and research organizations such as the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation to promote collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to addiction prevention, care, training and research.

“These are the kinds of partnerships we envisioned when launching our Patient Care Network two years ago,” Hazelden Betty Ford’s Mishek said. “This expanded collaboration with OSU Medicine will help both organizations serve more people and reduce the negative impact of addiction on our society.”

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Samantha Mot-Gottfried, 651-213-4728, smoy-gottfried@hazeldenbettyford.org

Melani Hamilton, 918-561-8462, melani.hamilton@okstate.edu