SVG Europe and Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation team up for substance use and mental health support

SVG Europe and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation are collaborating to make it easier for those in the European sports production community to access support in the areas of substance use and mental health.

Hazelden Betty Ford is the largest non-profit treatment provider of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient addiction, and mental health care, for adults and youth in the world.

“For the past two years, Hazelden Betty Ford and the Sports Video Group in the US have worked closely on a number of initiatives around mental health and substance use,” said Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, co-executive director.

“At the centre of that effort has been a dedicated resource that makes it easy for those to get the help they need. Now, with this new effort, we can also deliver on that promise for our members in Europe as well.”

Bob Poznanovich, Hazelden Betty Ford’s vice president of business development added: “The pandemic only increased the need for those in our industry to find quick, viable, and effective support mechanisms; our efforts are designed to help European sports production professionals get the help they need as soon as possible.”

At the centre of this European effort is Hallie Heeg, an international recovery coach with 18 years of expertise in eating disorders, substance use disorders, process addictions, and mental health.

Her UK-based organisation – WeRise – partners with the National Health Service and the University of East London in the UK as well as the University of Southern California in the United States.

Hazelden Betty Ford connected WeRise with SVG so that members of SVG Europe would have an accessible go-to resource for substance use and mental health needs.

Hallie can be reached at +44 7411966090 or via email at [email protected] The WeRise website is www.werise.co.uk.

For those unfamiliar with Hazelden Betty Ford, the non-profit is a force of healing and hope for families and communities affected by substance use and mental health conditions, with treatment centers and telehealth services across the United States as well as a network of collaborators throughout health care.

Harnessing science, love and the wisdom of lived experience, the organisation leads the way in providing comprehensive behavioural health care and helping society rise above stigma and overcome addiction.

Through charitable support and a commitment to innovation, it is able to drive ongoing advances in care, research, programs and services to impact more lives.

In addition to clinical care, Hazelden Betty Ford encompasses:

• a fully accredited graduate school of addiction studies
• the largest recovery publishing house in the U.S.
• a dedicated research center
• intensive educational programs for medical students and professionals
• community and school-based prevention programs and services
• unique family and children’s programs
• a consulting division, and
• influential thought leadership and public advocacy

“The sports production community in Europe has been an important part of helping bring a sense of normalcy to sports fans all around the world during the pandemic,” adds Kerschbaumer.

“This joint effort between SVG and Hazelden Betty Ford marks an important milestone in giving those professionals the type of support they deserve.”

Learn more at HazeldenBettyFord.org