Passages Malibu

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]

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]

• Official Website