At one time you didn’t usually have to spend anything.  Alcohol and addiction were recognized as diseases by the AMA, APA and various governmental agencies and, as such this placed the burden of financial responsibility in the hands of the insurance providers as well as the healthcare system.  However, because of a saturation of ineffective, short-term, high cost, billable treatment programs during the 1980’s with very poor long-term abstinence results, insurance companies have become more and more reluctant to pay for treatment expenses beyond 10 days of inpatient or even outpatient.  As a result, the burden of financial responsibility has been placed back in the hands of addicts, alcoholics and their family members.  When looking for treatment we can generally describe the various price ranges of treatment and what you can expect from each.

FOUR A BETTER TOMORROW STAFFERS RECEIVE NATIONAL CERTIFICATION AS CERTIFIED ADDICTION SPECIALISTS

MURRIETA, Calif., Nov. 5, 2008 – Four support staff members of A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center Inc. have become Certified Addiction Specialists after completing a training program administered by the California Association of Recovery Resources.

Clinic staffers receiving CAS certification include Meg Dean, lead house manager; Rebecca Magaña, house manager; Tami Scarcella, intake coordinator; and Cecilia Franklin, intern.

Based in Murrieta, A Better Tomorrow is the only drug and alcohol clinic in southwest Riverside County that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT CLINIC GIVES ARIZONA FAMILIES A FRESH START

A Better Tomorrow, which opened two years ago in Murrieta, Calif., near San Diego, is drawing growing numbers of patients from Arizona

BUCKEYE, Ariz., October.  2006 – Ted Hamel can trace his 15-year addiction to drugs and alcohol all the way back to his sophomore year of high school.
But while he subsequently managed to complete school, get married, father two children and find work as an electrical contractor, his life became totally unmanageable last year and, fearing the breakup of his family, he finally sought help.

Hamel left Arizona to spend 28 days at A Better Tomorrow, a drug, alcohol and gambling treatment center in Murrieta, Calif., roughly an hour north of San Diego. It marked a turning point in his life.

The clinic not only gave him tools to control addictions, but information about some of the psychological factors that led him to pursue addictive behaviors in the first place.

“It was a good move, not only for him, but for our whole family,” said Hope Hamel, Ted’s wife. “They really made a big change in our lives.”
The Hamels’ story is not unique.

According to a recent national survey by USA Today, one in five Americans has a close family member who has suffered from addiction to drugs or alcohol. The greater Phoenix area, on the other hand, has a relative shortage of private clinics that specialize in drug and alcohol recovery.

The Hamels said they liked A Better Tomorrow because it provided drug and alcohol treatment in a tranquil, suburban setting. It was also far enough away from Arizona to ensure that Ted would stick to it and not feel the temptation to drive home on the rough days. “We were looking for a place far away because we wanted his focus on recovery to be a serious effort,” Hope Hamel said.

Jerrod Menz, A Better Tomorrow’s president, said A Better Tomorrow has treated more than 300 drug, alcohol and gambling addicts during the past two years. While the majority of the clinic’s patients are from Southern California, the clinic has also been drawing large numbers of patients from Arizona and Nevada, which lack comparable private facilities.

A Better Tomorrow provides treatment for individuals suffering from drug, alcohol and gambling addictions. The Murrieta-based clinic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment clinics in California. For more information about A Better Tomorrow or to arrange interviews with professional staffers and consenting patients, please contact Jerrod Menz at (800) 757-9867. Additional information is available on the company’s websites at www.aabettertomorrow.com and www.treatment4gambling.com.

MURRIETA DRUG REHAB CENTER IS OFFERING ONE MONTH OF OUTPATIENT TREATMENT AT NO COST TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO TURN IN THEIR BONGS, SYRINGES, INDOOR HORTICULTURAL LAMPS AND OTHER DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

“Ironically, it’s often harder to open a drug and alcohol treatment center than it is to open a business that promotes the use of drugs and alcohol. It’s time somebody put the spotlight on these businesses because they’re leading our friends and family members onto a path of self destruction.”

— Charles Anderson, CEO, A Better Tomorrow

MURRIETA, Calif., August 22, 2007 ― A Better Tomorrow is one month of free outpatient treatment to a limited number of addicts who turn in their bongs, syringes, indoor horticultural lamps and other drug paraphernalia.

“The treatment is being made available at no cost in evening sessions at our private facility in Murrieta as an act of community service,” said Charles Anderson, A Better Tomorrow’s CEO.

“Ironically,” Anderson added, “it’s often harder to open a drug and alcohol treatment center than it is to open a business that promotes the use of drugs and alcohol. It’s time somebody put the spotlight on these businesses because they’re leading our friends and family members onto a path of self destruction.”
Indeed, since A Better Tomorrow opened its doors over three years ago, the clinic has seen a dramatic increase in its local patient base.

While A Better Tomorrow offers treatment for alcohol, drug and gambling dependencies, including addiction to prescription painkillers, Anderson said addiction to illegal drugs continues to account for half of the clinic’s caseload. He added that while some states are now making it legal to use marijuana for pain management, the federal government still considers it to be an illegal drug.

In fact, a major study by the British Health Department this year found that even infrequent use of marijuana can increase the risk of developing a serious mental illness by 40 percent. The study, which was published in The Lancet, examined 35 other studies that tracked the short- and long-term effects of marijuana use on the mental health of tens of thousands of people.

“While it’s hard to dispute marijuana’s ability to relieve the pain of the terminally ill, we know from experience and from the latest research that its use often leads to nothing but irresponsible behavior and even mental illness for everyone else,” Anderson said, adding, “The best rule of thumb is to simply avoid marijuana and other illegal drugs at all cost, and to seek immediate treatment if you or a family member has developed an addiction to these illegal substances.”

Based in Murrieta, Calif., A Better Tomorrow has the highest level of certification of any drug or alcohol treatment center in southwest Riverside County. The clinic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment clinics in California. For more information about A Better Tomorrow, please contact Jerrod Menz at (800) 757-9867. Additional information is available on the company’s website at http://www.abttc.com/.

A BETTER TOMORROW TREATMENT CENTER OFFERS 50 PERCENT DISCOUNT ON ITS INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT SERVICES

“We are seeing more people who need addiction treatment and counseling as a result of the worsening economy.”

Jerrod Menz, President, A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center Inc.

MURRIETA, Calif., Feb. 23, 2009 ― A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center Inc. is offering a 50 percent discount on its intensive outpatient treatment services to accommodate individuals who are developing drug or alcohol addiction problems as a result of job losses and economic stress.

“We are seeing more people who need addiction treatment and counseling as a result of the worsening economy,” said Jerrod Menz, A Better Tomorrow’s president, adding, “By reducing our outpatient treatment fees, we can get more of these people into treatment and perform a community service during these difficult economic times.”

Unlike A Better Tomorrow’s standard 28-day inpatient treatment program, which includes 36 hours a week of counseling and group activities, the outpatient program provides three hours of treatment three days a week. Sessions are available in the evening, although morning and mid-day sessions are also available upon request.

Menz said A Better Tomorrow is providing outpatient treatment services for three hours, three days a week for $2,990 per month, which is half its standard rate for outpatient treatment.

“Outpatient treatment is ideal for people who want to stop their addictive behavior before it takes over their lives,” Menz said. “It also gives people the ability to quietly deal with their addiction issues in a responsible way without having to take time off of work.”

Most major health insurance providers, including Cigna, Magellan, PHCS, MHN and Value Options, cover A Better Tomorrow’s intensive outpatient treatment services, although out of network agreements can also be negotiated. “If we find that an individual requires more intensive treatment than what we normally provide on an outpatient basis, we will contact their insurance provider to see what other treatment options they will cover,” Menz said.

Based in Murrieta, Calif., A Better Tomorrow has the highest level of accreditation that can be obtained by a drug or alcohol treatment center. The clinic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment clinics in California. For more information about A Better Tomorrow, please contact Jerrod Menz at (800) 757-9867. Additional information is available on the clinic’s website at http://www.abttc.com/.

A BETTER TOMORROW TREATMENT CENTER’S PRESIDENT IS APPOINTED TO CALNET’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MURRIETA, Calif., March 24, 2009 – Jerrod Menz, president and co-founder of A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center Inc., has been appointed by CALNET to serve on the statewide organization’s board of directors.

CALNET is a statewide not-for-profit provider services network founded in 1983 to help bring together high quality behavioral treatment providers with insurers and managed care organizations.

Menz also serves on the advisory board of The Addiction Hotline, a Riverside, Calif.-based 24-hour addiction hotline service, as well as the board of advisory for Outreach Services, a Los Banos, Calif.-based addiction resource and referral center.

Based in Murrieta, A Better Tomorrow has the highest level of accreditation that can be obtained by a drug or alcohol treatment center. The clinic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment clinics in California. For more information about A Better Tomorrow, please contact Jerrod Menz at (800) 757-9867. Additional information is available on the clinic’s website at http://www.abttc.com/.

YOUTHS ARE MAKING A MOCKERY OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS

One California drug rehab center is seeing increasing numbers of youths in their 20s who have obtained medical marijuana cards after telling their doctors they were suffering from back pain and other ailments

MURRIETA, Calif., March 31, 2009 – Thirteen states have legalized the medical use of marijuana with a doctor’s approval, a development that has led to the rapid growth of cannabis dispensaries from coast to coast.

But one prominent drug treatment center in Southern California is finding that the recipients of medical marijuana cards are not just elderly people with
terminal illnesses, but young people in their 20s who are faking back pain and other ailments in an effort to legally obtain the drug.

“Young people are finding they can easily trick doctors into giving them medical marijuana cards by claiming they are suffering from back pain and other ailments whose existence is difficult to prove,” said Jerrod Menz, president of A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center Inc., a Murrieta, Calif.-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.

“We recently had one client in his 20s who told us he obtained a medical marijuana card by telling his doctor he was suffering from foot pain. He laughed and said his doctor gave him the prescription after a five-minute examination,” Menz said.

Menz said several young people have voluntarily surrendered or destroyed their medical marijuana cards after receiving treatment at his clinic. But he said doctors need to use more care in their examinations of young people who come into their offices with complaints of persistent pain to better prevent people from abusing the intent of medical marijuana laws.

Thirteen states have legalized the medical use of marijuana, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Additional states are considering laws that would legalize marijuana for medical treatment.

Based in Murrieta, Calif., A Better Tomorrow is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment centers in California.  For more information about A Better Tomorrow, please contact Jerrod Menz at (800) 757-9867.  Additional information is available on the clinic’s website at http://www.abttc.com/.

ALL AMERICAN GIRL WHO BECAME A “HEROIN JUNKIE” SHARES HER
HER STORY OF RECOVERY TO INSPIRE OTHER ADDICTS TO GET HELP

Jennifer Hood, 23, who completed her treatment at A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center Inc. in Murrieta, Calif., shared a happy ending to her addiction story last week on “The Steve Wilkos Show”

MURRIETA, Calif., March 24, 2009 – Jennifer Hood’s nightmare with drugs started at age 18, when her boyfriend introduced her to OxyContin, a prescription painkiller known for its addictive qualities.

She quickly got hooked, and by the time she was 20, she started taking heroin and her life spiraled out of control. In fact, by the time the Virginia native landed on the syndicated Steve Wilkos Show last November, she was homeless and prostituting herself.

“I was an all-American girl who turned into a homeless, heroin junkie,” Hood, 23, recalled. “I was my father’s nightmare. I built walls around myself to keep everyone who loved me at a distance.”

But after Hood shared her story with a national television audience, The Steve Wilkos Show referred her to A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center in Murrieta, Calif., which provided her with three months of residential treatment, interrupting her cycle of drug dependence and giving her the tools to rebuild her life.

“A Better Tomorrow changed my life completely,” Hood said. “I went from having low self esteem to feeling better about myself and realizing that there is another life out there for me if I want to pursue it. I now have real friends who want to see me do well and I’ve repaired my relationships with my family.”

Hood said she will spend several months in a sober living facility and plans to return to complete her studies in college and pursue a career as a counselor. “I didn’t (share my story last week) for the air time,” Hood said. “I did it to help inspire other addicts to get help so that their life doesn’t become what mine used to be.”

Based in Murrieta, Calif., A Better Tomorrow regularly treats addicts that have appeared on The Steve Wilkos Show. The clinic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment centers in California. For more information about A Better Tomorrow, please contact Jerrod Menz at (800) 757-9867. Additional information is available on the clinic’s website at http://www.abttc.com/.

NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY ARE BUSIEST TIMES OF YEAR
FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHABILITATION CENTERS

“In the four years we’ve been open, we always pick up right at Thanksgiving,” said Jim Fent, executive vice president of
A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center in Murrieta, California

MURRIETA, Calif., Dec. 4, 2008 – Counselors at A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center in Southern California don’t need a calendar to know when the holidays have arrived. They can tell by looking at their caseload of new clients seeking treatment for drug and alcohol abuse.

“November, December and January is when we have the most new clients coming in,” said Jim Fent, A Better Tomorrow’s executive vice president, adding that the surge in new patients usually starts right at Thanksgiving.

“In the four years we’ve been open, we always pick up right at Thanksgiving,” Fent said.
A Better Tomorrow, in fact, had three new clients sign up for treatment on Monday, all three of which were “stressed out” about seeing family members on  Thanksgiving.

“Emotions run high during the holiday season,” Fent explained. “People use more alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism, and that sets the stage for a crisis.”
Fent said family gatherings are usually the biggest stressors for drug and alcohol addicts because mental health problems often have their roots in difficult family relationships.

The good thing, however, is that the stress that drug and alcohol addicts experience during the holidays often prompts them to seek treatment for their addictions. In many cases, the erratic behavior that drug and alcohol addicts display at family get togethers also prompts families to seek professional interventions to force their loved ones into treatment if they are unwilling to get the help they need on their own.

Drug and alcohol addicts often deny that they have a problem, even when their addictions are tearing apart their families or leading them down a path toward unemployment or financial ruin. That’s why a professional interventionist is often needed to convince the addict to seek professional counseling and treatment, Fent said.

A Better Tomorrow provides professional intervention services as well as inpatient and outpatient treatment programs for alcohol abuse as well as addiction to illegal and prescription drugs.

Based in Murrieta, Calif., A Better Tomorrow has the highest level of certification of any drug or alcohol treatment center in southwest Riverside County. The clinic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment clinics in California. For more information about A Better Tomorrow, please contact Jim Fent at (800) 757-9867. Additional information is available on the clinic’s website at http://www.abttc.com/.

A BETTER TOMORROW LAUNCHES INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT (IOP) TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO SUFFER FROM ADDICTIONS TO ALCOHOL, GAMBLING, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

The programs, which are now covered by most health insurance providers, are designed for southwest Riverside County residents with minor addictions as well as recovering addicts who believe they could benefit from follow-up treatment services

MURRIETA, Calif., June 6, 2007 ¾ A Better Tomorrow is now providing intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment services for recovering addicts as well as individuals who need help overcoming addictions to alcohol, gambling, prescription drugs or controlled substances.

“We are offering this new service as a convenience to southwest Riverside County residents so that they can receive treatment for drug, alcohol or gambling addictions without disrupting their work schedules,” said Jerrod Menz, A Better Tomorrow’s president. He said the clinic’s outpatient programs are specifically designed for individuals with minor addictions as well as recovering addicts who need follow up treatment services.

Unlike A Better Tomorrow’s standard 28-day inpatient treatment program, which includes 36 hours a week of counseling and group activities, the outpatient program provides three hours of treatment three days a week. Sessions are available in the evening, although morning and mid-day sessions are also available upon request.

“Our new outpatient treatment program is ideal for people who want to stop their addictive behavior before it takes over their lives,” Menz said. “It also gives people the ability to quietly deal with their addiction issues in a responsible way without having to take time off of work.

Most major health insurance providers, including Cigna, Magellan, PHCS, MHN and Value Options, cover A Better Tomorrow’s intensive outpatient treatment services, although out of network agreements can also be negotiated. “If we find that an individual requires more intensive treatment than what we normally provide on an outpatient basis, we will contact their insurance provider to see what other treatment options they will cover,” Menz said.

Based in Murrieta, Calif., A Better Tomorrow has the highest level of certification of any drug or alcohol treatment center in southwest Riverside County. The clinic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), placing it in the top 5 percent of drug and alcohol treatment clinics in California. For more information about A Better Tomorrow or to arrange interviews with professional staffers and consenting patients, please contact Jerrod Menz at (800) 757-9867. Additional information is available on the company’s website at http://www.abttc.com/.