Hazelden Betty Ford's Dr. Marvin Seppala recognized by the American Society of Addiction Medicine

CENTER CITY, Minn., April 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At the dawn of the millennia, out of the cycle of drug trends and addiction rose an unprecedented killer that demanded a new way of thinking and treatment. Responding effectively to the nation's opioid crisis required a fierce conviction and compassion, nimble diplomacy, and thick skin to challenge tightly held beliefs and protocols, uproot deep-seated biases, and ultimately win over hearts and minds and save lives. This is the ongoing legacy of Marvin D. Seppala, MD, the chief medical officer of the nonprofit Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, and recipient of the American Society of Addiction Medicine's Annual Award.

When speaking with this soft-spoken man, his intentions come across loud and clear?make a real and lasting difference in the lives of patients struggling with substance use disorders. "I love what I do: I get to wake up every day and try to figure out how I can improve the outcomes of the people who come to us for help," Dr. Seppala said.

The Annual Award recognizes and honors an individual for outstanding contributions to the growth and vitality of ASAM, for thoughtful leadership in the field, for deep understanding of the art and science of addiction medicine, and for expanding the frontiers of the field of addiction medicine and broadening understanding of the addictive process through research and innovation. Dr. Seppala also is on a select list of finalists for Modern Healthcare's "2020 most influential clinical executives" recognition.

In addition to overseeing all interdisciplinary clinical practices and standards of care at Hazelden Betty Ford?a leading national provider of addiction treatment, education and recovery resources?Dr. Seppala serves as adjunct Assistant Professor at both the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. He is responsible for the development of Hazelden Betty Ford's Comprehensive Opioid Response with the Twelve Steps (COR-12®), an innovative and historic effort launched in 2012 to integrate medication-assisted treatment with psychosocial therapies and Twelve Step peer support to treat opioid use disorder in a specialized addiction treatment setting. It was groundbreaking and courageous because there were so many vocal critics ? both Twelve Step traditionalists who were skeptical of medications and medical providers who were skeptical about the value of Twelve Step peer support.

With the opioid crisis taking lives at record rates, his philosophy was to forge a thoughtful new path in the middle, leveraging every tool available. "The crisis is real. These medications are proven effective and they can provide better outcomes," Dr. Seppala said. "At the same time, we know evidence-based psychosocial therapies and peer support are effective, too?sometimes remarkably so. We need to use all of the tools and individualize care in a way that both prevents death and maximizes the potential for long-term recovery."

COR-12 caught the attention of healthcare providers across the country. It was recognized in 2015 by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in its annual report to the President, and other providers and health systems nationwide are now turning to the Hazelden Betty Ford and its professional education solutions division for help implementing a COR-12 framework in a variety of settings. In a peer-reviewed study published by the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, COR-12 was shown to result in high rates of medication compliance, high engagement in other aspects of treatment and recovery support, and high rates of continuous abstinence in the first six months after initiating recovery.

"The epitome of integrity in action. For his entire career, Dr. Seppala has been influencing change by breaking down silos, smashing stigmas, openly and honestly communicating, and leveraging the strengths of others to maximize outcomes," said Mark Mishek, president and CEO of Hazelden Betty Ford. "I have tremendous gratitude for the way his expertise and vision have enabled Hazelden Betty Ford?and the entire field of addiction medicine?to evolve and help exponentially more individuals, families, and communities find hope and healing."

Dr. Seppala also led the development of a Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) system at Hazelden Betty Ford, which allows patients to complete proven, objective survey tools that populate their charts through a patient portal, providing clinicians with information about their treatment progress. He explains, "The tools were taken from addiction research literature and predict positive and negative outcomes of treatment, thus allowing us to alter treatment planning in real-time to improve outcomes for individuals."

Dr. Seppala is the author of several books, including Prescription Painkillers: History, Pharmacology and Treatment. He served as an ASAM board member for several years and has testified on Capitol Hill numerous times, including emphasizing the need to expand addiction-related education for all medical providers, starting in medical school.

His guiding principle of treating each patient with dignity and respect shines through in all his endeavors. One of several research partnership projects in which he is currently involved examines the increased benefits of positive emotions and Twelve Step language associations. He noted, "In my ideal world, an expression of love with all the attributes found in the research of positive emotions would be just as important in a healthcare professional's interaction with a patient as their vital signs, diagnosis and their treatment plan. What a change that would be. If we're going to be human-centered in our approach to the treatment of illness, we should be expressing love to one another in the healthcare setting."

About the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As the nation's leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults and youth, the Foundation has 17 locations nationwide and collaborates with an expansive network throughout health care. With a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center, the Foundation today also encompasses a graduate school of addiction studies, a publishing division, an addiction research center, recovery advocacy and thought leadership, professional and medical education programs, school-based prevention resources and a specialized program for children who grow up in families with addiction. Learn more at www.HazeldenBettyFord.org and on Twitter @hazldnbettyford.

SOURCE Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation