Passages Malibu
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Rehabilitation |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Malibu, California, United States |
Key people |
Chris Prentiss Pax Prentiss |
Number of employees | 100+ |
| Website | Passages Malibu Addiction Treatment Center |
Passages Malibu Addiction Treatment Center, known as Passages Malibu, is a for-profit addiction treatment facility located in Malibu, California and founded by Pax and Chris Prentiss in 2001.
History and Founders
The center was founded by a father and son, Chris and Pax Prentiss. Chris Prentiss is a former real estate developer with no formal training in rehabilitation or medicine.[1]
Passages operates on the principle that people become addicted to drugs and alcohol due to underlying and unresolved problems in their lives. Passages relies on one-to-one therapy sessions.[1]
The center comprises a $15 million mansion on 10 acres (4.0 ha)[2] overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The center provides a number of recreational opportunities, including tennis and swimming. Unlike many other centers, clients are allowed to use their cell phones and have computer access.[3]
A second, less expensive facility called Passages Ventura opened in 2009 in Port Hueneme, California.[3]
In 2012, the center had 29 beds and approximately 25 percent of its clients were Californians.[3]
Controversy
Passages, and the treatment method it employs, have been the subject of controversy. According to a September 2013 New York Times report, it is "the largest and most expensive" of the many rehab facilities in Malibu.[4] In 2011, treatment at the center cost $88,500 a month.[3] In contrast, the Betty Ford Center cost $27,400 for 30 days in 2011.[5] Passages keeps any money that has been deposited, even if a patient exits the center before completing treatment similar to other addiction treatment facilities.[6]
In addition, Passages' treatment philosophy is controversial both because it disputes the efficacy of multi-step treatment programs and also because the founders do not believe that addiction is a disease.[7] Passages claims that its method produces above an 80-percent rehabilitation rate.[6] However, the accuracy of these statistics have been questioned by other rehabilitation professionals, particularly because they include people who have been out of treatment for only 30 days.[7]
References
- 1 2 Valhouli, Christina (March 17, 2004). "Most Luxurious Places To Dry Out". Forbes. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
- ↑ "Top 10 Rehabilitation Hospitals". Healthcare Global. June 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
- 1 2 3 4 Bruce, Allison (March 7, 2011). "Passages Ventura offers Malibu-style rehab at lower price". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
- ↑ Peter Haldeman, "An Intervention for Malibu", The New York Times, September 13, 2013.
- ↑ Deni Carise, " Substance Abuse Centers: Does Higher Cost Mean Higher Quality Treatment?", Huffington Post, June 15, 2011.
- 1 2 Paul Pringle, "The trouble with rehab, Malibu-style", Los Angeles Times, October 9, 2007.
- 1 2 Mark Groubert, "Addiction: Buying the Cure at Passages Malibu", LA Weekly, June 25, 2008.