FINALIST
After a family friend lost his life to drug use, Michael Vasquez delved into the reasons behind the low 15 percent national success rate of traditional drug and alcohol treatment centers.
Utilizing his findings, Vasquez has since driven change in the areas of addiction treatment, recovery management and center operation as CEO of St. Gregory Centers Inc. — a Des Moines, Iowa-based inpatient facility dealing with substance abuse. He and his staff developed and introduced a new model of treatment in 2006, the St. Gregory Recovery Program, which has since become the leading program in America.
The St. Gregory Recovery Program integrates multiple proven therapies to address the wide range of symptoms addicts suffer from, including medical, psychosocial, social and spiritual issues. The program employs specific treatment strategies in the categories of neurochemical dysfunction, neurocognitive deficits, poor nutrition, unhealthy behaviors, cognitive/psycho-social dysfunction and the unwillingness to attempt treatment.
Post-discharge, the organization continues to work with clients for 12 months through Recovery Life Coaches. As a result of its cutting-edge therapies and industryleading practices, St. Gregory now boasts a 75 percent success rate over the 15 percent national average and attracts a majority of its patients from outside of Iowa — including international patients. The facility was recently selected as a premier site for clinical trials by several universities for the research of genetic relationships to addiction.
By addressing the wide range of addiction symptoms and tailoring its program to each patient’s particular needs, St. Gregory ensures a more complete, and thus more permanent, recovery for its patients.
How to reach: St. Gregory Centers Inc., www.stgregoryctr.com
