Desert Canyon Rehab Closes - More Closures Coming Soon

Here in California, the County and State funded drugpeers! By making the career decision to go into the
treatment programs have been cutting back and/ortreatment business instead of becoming a stock
laying off staff for a while now. Long-term programsbroker or financial analyst, they could make plenty of
have become 10-day "spin-drys" in the blink of an eye.money and even get their picture in the paper a few
It was only a matter of time before economictimes a year...and it isn't even a mug shot.
conditions began to force private detox facilities andWhat had somehow remained "mom and pop" far
inpatient rehabs into cutting back as well.longer than any economist would have believed, this
But I never thought the dominos would start falling withbudding industry is now having to answer to
a well-respected program (a 12-step alternativeshareholders and CEO's.
treatment center) located in Arizona. Using a WellnessI have no facts to make the argument that this is a
model rather than the disease model of addiction,negative trend. Yet. But I don't have any information
Desert Canyon was one of the first large-scalewith which I can form a positive opinion either. Recent
treatment centers to introduce a Holistic approach tonews regarding the behaviors and actions of the
treating addiction. And remarkably, in my 8 plus years"leaders" of many other industries- banking, Wall Street,
attending treatment conferences, consulting with otherautomobile manufacturing to name a few- forces me
rehabs, or posting my opinions all over the 'net, I neverto take a long hard look down the road.
heard a negative word about them. You'll just have toAnd the realist in me can easily imagine a day when
trust me when I say how truly remarkable that really is.when, much like our automobile industry, we will have a
It was while making my rounds surfing the Internet theBig Three of Addiction Treatment. It figures. Just when
other morning that I happened to follow a link that ledscience finally begins to "catch up" with addiction;
me to their front page.spending time, energy and money on the many
At the very top was written, "We are sorry topossibilities for both harm reduction and yes, maybe
announce that Desert Canyon has closed its doorseven a "cure", the options for the addict have begun
due to economic conditions..."disappearing.
And that's it. A program that had gone into business toIs it a coincidence that our politicians have suddenly
help people was forced to make a business decision.begun to rethink our countries failed drug war? Or is it
That decision resulted in the closing of its doors andbecause they've used up every other option for
the laying off of its entire staff. And at once I wasacquiring funding and fear that what's happening here
reminded that the treatment industry has become justin California today could be reality for their State
that...an industry. A profit-driven business model thattomorrow? California State funded programs-rehabs,
can be affected by the economy the same way afood banks, community colleges... almost every one of
bank, a gas station or a restaurant can.course but prisons, were issued IOU's from a
And while the idealist in me wanted to immediately gobureaucracy that has no idea how they're going to
into denial, I've been inside far too many treatmentmake up a deficit hovering close to 45 Billion (with a
center board rooms and attended too many treatment"B") dollars.
conferences to let that happen.A deficit so big that men who have opposed abortion
Treatment=Business.their entire political careers, or fought to keep the
It has for a long time now.drinking age at 21 (while allowing 18 year olds to die in a
Slowly, but very surely, individual owner-operators ofwar that was launched on lies), are really and truly
rehabs are being bought out and squeezed out by theconsidering the legalization of Marijuana... Pot. Weed.
new "Corporate Clinicians". Most of whom have neverMary Jane. Reefer.
experienced for themselves the agony of addiction. IIs it because they were struck by the realization that
cannot and will not try to claim that I know theirtheir Drug Policies have been a miserable failure? I think
motives. But this I do know: The men and women innot. I think it's because someone put pen to paper and
charge of Addiction Treatment today did not come upshowed them the "pot" of gold that legalization would
through AA or NA, LifeSpring, The Salvation Army orbring. The taxes that would be generated by legalizing
even Rational Recovery. Most have never been to aMarijuana would be more than enough to get even the
meeting or made a 12-step call or took a panel to Skidworst politician re-elected at least a few more times.
Row. I think I would be safe in betting that not even aSo its off into the sunset for the Desert Canyon drug
fraction of a percentage have ever tied-off under aand alcohol treatment program. I wish all of them
bridge or personally know anyone at 5th andnothing but the best. As for the rest of us? I have to
Broadway.wonder... If we don't buy State grown weed will more
They went to college and majored in Finance orteachers be laid-off? Will I be placing an unfair burden
Marketing or Business and learned that addictionon my neighbor if I don't smoke the Official State
treatment took in quite a bit of cash and checks, plusBlunts? Actually, I really shouldn't worry. Now that
insurance money, grants, and for the non-profits,addiction treatment will be run by big corporations
tax-exempt status.(putting them in direct opposition to addiction research
And they learned that because they were now partof any kind), they'll be paying their fair share of
of a "Helping Profession" that the communities theycorporate taxes.
"served" would automatically respect them. Heck, theyBig corporations always pay their fair share...right?
are even given awards by their neighbors and their