Sovereign Health Launches Fourth Installment of Groundbreaking, Six-Part Series: The War on Behavioral Health Care

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The fourth installment of a ground-breaking series, "The War on Behavioral Health Care," launches today. The new installment, "Distinguishing Quality from Fraud," explores the nature of addiction treatment, the growing drumbeat for harsher law enforcement tactics to combat drug use, and strategies for avoiding fraudulent and exploitative business practices in addiction treatment centers.

Sovereign Health, a leading national behavioral health treatment system, launched the editorial series in August. The six articles explore the barriers that prevent thousands of people from receiving life-saving treatment for mental illnesses and addiction. Confluences of social, financial, legal and systemic factors conspire to limit or eliminate access to vital services, fueling the addiction and mental health crises in America. The crisis is intensifying — death rates from suicide, drug overdoses, and alcohol-related illnesses and accidents are spiking. The public, bombarded by media reports of unethical business practices, shady treatment center operations and police busts of crooked care providers, is pulling back at a time when vital services are most needed.

Distinguishing quality addiction and mental health treatment can be difficult for anyone, especially for families in crisis. The decision to enter a treatment program can be scary at first, let alone when media reports of profiteering on the backs of sick people make it even scarier. But the risks of a continuing drug or alcohol addiction far outweigh the risks of entering treatment. There are basic principles and standards to look for when patients and their families search for an appropriate treatment facility. There are ways to avoid scammers and fraudsters, and receive high-quality, effective care. Guidelines on finding the right treatment to ensure safe and value-based care are detailed in the new installment, and readers are welcome to join in the discussion in the comments section at the end of the article.

Last week's installment, "The War on Behavioral Health Care: Part 3. Double Standards Fuel Death Toll," outlined why addiction treatment standards are lacking, despite scientific evidence and recommendations by expert consensus. Look for next week's installment, "The War on Behavioral Health Care: Part 5. Not in My Backyard" on Thursday, September 14^th.

About Sovereign Health
Sovereign Health is a national leader in the treatment of addiction, mental illness, and co-occurring behavioral health disorders. Sovereign Health's mission is to provide a broad spectrum of high-quality behavioral health treatment services for adults and adolescents, including support services for family members. One factor that differentiates Sovereign from other treatment providers has been the company's ability to offer separate mental health and addiction or dual diagnosis treatment programs at its facilities. For more information, visit www.sovhealth.com.

SOURCE Sovereign Health

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