Betty Ford Center seeks partnership The Betty Ford Center, the most prestigious name in drug and alcohol treatment for three decades, is seeking some help of its own. The famed hospital in Rancho Mirage plans to become part of the larger Hazelden Foundation, a Minnesota nonprofit and another pioneer in addiction treatment. Details of the proposed deal weren't disclosed Tuesday. But the planned retirement of the Betty Ford Center's longtime chief executive early next year could clear the way for Hazelden to take over the facility's operations, said people familiar with the situation who could not speak publicly. Hazelden may also look at an extension of the Betty Ford brand name to its 11 treatment centers across the country, the people said. Even after her death in 2011, the former first lady remains synonymous with recovery from substance abuse. She brought addiction treatment into the mainstream, and her center became the go-to place for many celebrities who had hit bottom from alcohol and drugs. Since it opened in 1982, the 160-bed hospital has treated more than 100,000 people, including well-known stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Johnny Cash and Lindsay Lohan. It spawned countless imitators across the nation. But in recent years, the center was beset by infighting on the board and a high-profile falling-out with Betty Ford's daughter, Susan Ford Bales, who left the center's board in 2010 along with others. Some of the discord appeared to stem from the power held by the center's longtime CEO, John Schwarzlose. That internal strife was an unwelcome distraction as the center faced looming changes under the federal healthcare law and increased competition from a new breed of treatment centers that pitched luxury amenities and addiction "cures" in frequent TV ads. Tuesday's announcement did indicate the Ford family was returning to the fold. Susan Fox Gillis, chairwoman of Hazelden's board of trustees, said "members of the Ford family are a critical part of the ongoing collaboration conversations," and one of the top priorities is "ensuring that the extraordinary legacy of Betty Ford continues to be honored." Gillis said the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act was a key reason for this proposed deal as all types of medical providers look at consolidation in order to better compete in a rapidly changing industry. The federal law pushes hospitals and doctors to collaborate more on patient care in hopes of holding down ballooning costs in a fragmented business. Medical providers are also looking to merge to gain leverage with major health insurers, which are slated to enroll millions of new patients under the government's massive expansion of health coverage starting next year. The healthcare law also expands coverage of mental health and substance abuse treatment for millions of consumers who buy their own health insurance or get benefits from a small employer. Many policies now don't cover those services, and these new government requirements could lead more patients to seek help. Gillis said it made sense for the two organizations to join forces to tackle those challenges. "Both Betty Ford and Hazelden are recognized as industry leaders, but the fact is we'd be even stronger if we collaborated on a formal basis," she said. Mary Pattiz, chairwoman of the Betty Ford Center's board, said the two nonprofits are "natural partners" that have long-standing ties. Thomas McLellan, a veteran substance abuse researcher and another board member at the Betty Ford Center, said in an interview Tuesday that mergers make sense as treatment centers are expected to do much more than they have done in the past, such as offering ongoing care similar to what diabetics and other chronically ill patients receive today. "There is a need for consolidation in the substance abuse field so that organizations can deliver high-quality care," said McLellan, a former deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. A merger between any two large, well-respected organizations has to be a good idea. McLellan declined to comment on the board's deliberations or thinking. Hazelden and the Betty Ford Center said both of their boards "have approved in principle the concept of a formal alliance." Russ Patrick, a spokesman for the Betty Ford Center, said this process has just begun and "operationally and functionally we don't know exactly how this is going to unfold." A spokeswoman for Hazelden declined to speculate on any details about the combination. Schwarzlose, the current center's CEO, plans to retire early next year when he turns 65, Patrick said. A search committee had been looking for his successor. In 2011, the most recent figures available, the Betty Ford Center had annual revenue of $40.2 million, up 4% from the previous year. Hazelden said its annual revenue grew 10% in 2011 to $128.9 million. Schwarzlose previously served as a consultant at Hazelden and brought with him that organization's "Minnesota Model" treatment philosophy, which focuses on the interaction between an addict and counselor. Schwarzlose has been CEO of the Betty Ford Center since it opened in 1982. Hazelden, founded in a Minnesota farmhouse in 1949, is one of the country's largest nonprofit alcohol and drug addiction treatment centers. It has 11 locations in five states, but none in California.