 | |
| Type | 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. Passages Ventura opened in 2009 in Port Hueneme, California.
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 has 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.