Betty Ford Center celebrates new entrance, first part of $30 million campus expansion

The Betty Ford Center celebrated the first of many campus transformations Monday with a ribbon-cutting at the drug and alcohol treatment center's new entrance, which center operators hope will make the trip to the facility easier and more welcoming for patients.

The new entrance is part of the center's $30 million, multi-year project — the most significant expansion since the center was established. When the project is completed in 2025, the Betty Ford Center will increase from 184 to 240 beds, including many more at the day treatment level of care.

The milestone was celebrated with staff members and current patients. Laurie Skochil, the longest-serving current Betty Ford Center employee (35 years), and Dr. Olatunde Bosu, the newest employee (three weeks), cut the gold ribbon.

The center's new address will be 39-407 Vista Del Sol in Rancho Mirage, which will go live on Google later this week. The address numbers represent founder and former first lady Betty Ford's sobriety date on April 7, 1978.

The Betty Ford Center was established in 1982 on a portion of the Eisenhower Health campus but is not affiliated with the hospital. It is a private, nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment center that provides in- and out-patient treatment as well as rehabilitation programs, virtual care and family and children's programs.

Currently, when someone tries to navigate to the center using a driving directions app, they are taken to Eisenhower Health's campus where they have to follow several signs until they reach the entrance. With so many arrows to follow and words to read, it's easy to get lost and feel anxious, said Tessa Voss, administrator and vice president of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation’s California Region.

When the new address goes live, "it'll take them right to our front door," she said. "(The entrance) will be prominent with a beautiful sign and landscaping. It will send a message that you have arrived, we are here for you, it'll be reassuring with no anxiety or stress."

Read more: Betty Ford Center to break ground Tuesday on $30M, multi-year expansion

Related: Tessa Voss named Betty Ford Center administrator, first woman to lead the Rancho Mirage site

Other planned changes to campus will include:

• The construction of a one-story, 22,748-square-foot pavilion that will accommodate out-patient treatment options for 44 patients and include offices for counselors, group rooms for treatment, and an auditorium for lectures, education and training

• Updates to landscaping and parking spaces

• The removal of two of the existing residential buildings and construction of a two-story, 20,935-square-foot residential pavilion

• The construction of a second residential treatment pavilion, replacing the other two existing residential buildings

Construction on a new day treatment pavilion will begin in August and is expected to be completed in May 2023. It will bring another transitional level of care to campus for those who are ready to leave the residential program but might not be ready to go to Daisy Lane, the center's sober living community, or back home.

The Betty Ford Center currently has four residential buildings with 20 beds each, a fifth 20-bed building for medical stabilization and other services, and 84 sober living units on nearby Daisy Lane.

The campus expansion project comes at a critical moment, Voss said, when the campus is "seeing the highest number of admissions every day, so more people need help now more than ever."

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on mental health and substance abuse. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance abuse in late June 2020. Additionally, the CDC estimates there there were 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the year before.

"About 10% of people who need treatment for substance use disorders receive it, so 90% of people who need it don't receive treatment," Voss said. "Any effort to improve access for people to get help is important, so I'm thrilled we can offer more access."

A walking trail around campus will also be available for staff members and patients to connect with nature, encourage exercise and promote wellness.

This year also marks a special year for the center as it celebrates its 40th anniversary. Several events have taken place in honor of the celebration, such as a public recovery speaker series and The Grant Fuhr Celebrity Golf Invitation. The Betty Ford Center 40th anniversary weekend is scheduled for Nov. 11 through 13. The multiday event — open to former patients, donors and invited guests — will feature speakers, activities and opportunities for fellowship and quiet reflection.

"The ability to honor the last 40 years and set us on a path for the next 40 is really just a remarkable and exciting time," Voss said.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Betty Ford Center celebrates new entrance, part of major expansion