Scared to Go Home After Mental Health Treatment? Try Sanford Supportive Living

Recovery-Friendly Homes and Supportive Living At Sanford Behavioral Health, we believe a recovery-friendly home is essential to long-term healing. That is why our family and friends support provides ongoing education and encouragement for the loved ones of individuals in treatment for substance use and mental health conditions. Recovery can be unpredictable, so we prepare families […]

11 Key Considerations when Choosing a Detox Center

Deciding to go to detox can feel overwhelming. We see the interaction in the parking lot at Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus when loved ones drop off clients. Uncertainty, physical discomfort, emotional vulnerability, and relationship conflicts converge. You can imagine the thought process. Maybe I can do this on my own. I don’t need to […]

Recovery Stories: Breaking Up with Addiction

Addiction is like being in an abusive relationship with yourself. And, like all toxic love affairs, after years of pain, guilt, secrecy, and deception, the chickens eventually come home to roost. When we finally decide to face those demons, it can seem like an insurmountable task – a mountain too high to climb alone.   […]

Silhouette of person celebrating sunrise with text "breaking up with addiction” symbolizing addiction recovery and sobriety

Fun & Camaraderie at the JOHN Veterans & First Responders Open House!

Thank you to everyone who attended our JOHN Open House last week in honor of our new facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thanks also to Sanford Director of Nursing Natalie Frelix for the fabulous photos! The party was a great success, with Sanford Behavioral Health team members mixing with neighbors, veterans, referral partners, veteran services […]

Veterans and first responders at Sanford Behavioral Health JOHN program open house July 2025 enjoying community camaraderie

Why Veterans and First Responders Only Treatment? 4 Questions for Executive Director Matthew VanLiere

Matthew (Matt) VanLiere has a BA in Criminal Justice and 29 years of experience in law enforcement. Matt worked with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department in narcotics investigations (undercover work), bench warrant enforcement, general road patrol, and crisis negotiation. He was an honor guard member for his entire law enforcement career. During his years of […]

Sanford Behavioral Health facility and therapy rooms for veteran and first responder mental health programs

Announcing J.O.H.N. Veterans & First Responders Only Residential Treatment

At Sanford Behavioral Health, we have a history of adapting to the needs of those we treat and the community we serve. At our Sanford West Behavioral Health Campus, we have a full complement of psychiatric and medical providers and staff who offer individualized solutions for long-term recovery from mental health conditions. We saw a […]

Sanford Behavioral Health's J.O.H.N. program residence for veterans, featuring a historic stone and brick building with an American flag under a clear blue sky

Addiction Treatment – Social Model or Medical Model?

Treatment for substance use disorders (addiction or SUD) comes in many forms. The”best fit” may vary significantly depending on an individual’s background, history of use, medical comorbidities, support system, and other factors. Two specific models of addiction treatment are often discussed—the medical model of addiction treatment and the social model of addiction treatment.   The […]

U.S.Households With an Addicted Parent Impact 19 Million Children

According to a new study based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 19 million U.S. children live in a household with at least one parent with a substance use disorder (JAMA Pediatrics). This figure represents nearly one-quarter of all children in the United States. The study analyzed data from 62 […]

Overnight Admissions Calls: A CEO’s Wild Ride

As the CEO of a behavioral health company, I never thought I’d be taking overnight admissions calls again, but it has been awesome! We created 24/7 EZ Admissions because nighttime or weekends can present an opportunity for an individual to seek help that they may talk themselves out of during the daytime or workweek. When […]

Announcing 24/7 Easy Admissions – Because Crises Do Not Happen 9 to 5

Mental health crises often happen at night for several reasons. Factors may include intoxication, nighttime anxiety or depression, secretive eating or purging, lack of daytime distractions, circadian rhythm disturbances, lack of empathy or argumentativeness from family members, or even the need to urinate (alcohol is a diuretic). Nocturnal anxiety makes everything seem more problematic. Likewise, […]