The Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage
has been helping people deal with alcohol and drug addiction for
20 years.
Desert Sun health reporter Francesca Donlan spent a month on
this four-day series spotlighting the center’s contributions and
the current state of alcoholism and chemical dependency across
the nation and in the Coachella Valley.
The stories provide an exclusive, first-time look past the gates
of the intensely private facility. Francesca was the only newspaper
journalist allowed to report from the campus for the center’s
20th anniversary. She spent a week with its professional in-residence
program, speaking with patients and observing their daily routine.
where staffers dedicate the majority of each day in the unit with
patients. It was there she spoke with 20 patients and observed
their daily routine while at the center.
A daily journal chronicles Francesca’s
experience with the women of Fisher Hall. She interviewed more
than 100 people including former patients, health-care professionals,
and even its namesake, Betty Ford.
The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol --
that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves
could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over
to the care of God as we understood him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human
being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects
of character.
7. Humbly asked him to remove our short-comings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became
willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible,
except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were
wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our
conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only
for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these
steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice
these principles in all our affairs.
(Source: Alcoholics Anonymous literature)
Information about Alcoholics
Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who
share their experience, strength and hope with each other that
they may solve their common problem and help others to recover
from alcoholism.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop
drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are
self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied
with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution;
does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor
opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help
other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
Local help
Call or go online for information on
an AA meeting nearest you:
Palm Springs area: (760) 324-4880
Palm Desert area: (760) 568-4004
Spanish speaking Alcoholicos Anonimos: (760) 347-4070
Local Web site: www.aainthedesert.org
hosted by the Central Intergroup of the Desert.
Other Resources:
Local inpatient and outpatient
substance abuse programs in the Coachella Valley:
ABC
Recovery Center
44-374 Palm Street
Indio
(760) 342-6616 The Counseling
Center
1111 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs
(760) 318-6570 Ranch Recovery
Centers Inc.
The Ranch (for men)
7885 Annadale Ave.
Desert Hot Springs
(760) 329-2924 Ranch Recovery
Center Inc.
Hacienda Valdez (for women)
12890 Quinta Way
Desert Hot Springs
(760) 329-2959 The Awareness
Program
45-561 Oasis Street
Indio
(760) 342-1233 The Awareness
Program
1700 East Tahquitz
Palm Springs
(760) 322-4554 CASA Las
Palmas
83884 Hopi Ave.
Indio
(760) 347-9442 CASA Las
Palmas Recovery 2
77595 Chihuahua St.
La Quinta
(760) 771-4966 CASA Cecilia
83-385 Rose Ave.
Thermal
(760) 347-9442 |
Soroptimist
House of Hope
13525 Cielo Azul Way
Desert Hot Springs
(760) 329-4673 Hope’s Horizon
4491 Camino San Miguel
Palm Springs
(760) 322-1609 Village
Counseling
51800 Harrison, Suites 4 and 5
Coachella
(760) 398-8055 Life’s Journey
291 East Camino Monte Vista
Palm Springs
(760) 864-6363 Michael’s
House -- the treatment center for men
430 South Cahuilla Rd.
Palm Springs
(760) 320-5486 Pine Ridge
Outpatient Treatment Center (for profit)
77-734 Country Club Drive. Suite F. Palm Desert
(760) 200-1339 Resolutions
Recovery Center (non profit - outpatient)
77-734 Country Club Drive. Suite F. Palm Desert
(760) 200-1339 The Betty
Ford Center
39000 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage
(760) 773-4100 Riverside
County Substance Abuse Program
83912 45th Ave.
Indio
(760) 347-0754 Riverside
County Substance Abuse Program
68615 Perez Rd.
Suite 8
Cathedral City
(760) 770-2222 Detox hot
line: (800) 499-3008 |
