December 20, 2018

American Addiction Centers (NYSE: AAC), a leading national provider of drug and alcohol addiction treatment services, announces a new partnership with Young People In Recovery (YPR), an organization that provides resources and services to the recovery community. The two organizations will work together to ensure that young people in particular struggling with addiction are able to research and find quality addiction treatment options online.

In addition to providing treatment to tens of thousands of individuals struggling from substance abuse issues, AAC operates websites that provide directories of treatment centers and information about the disease of addiction, such as rehabs.com and recovery.org. AAC’s online directories include more than 1,500 listings for independent treatment centers and those listings have led to more than 1.8 million calls to non-AAC treatment providers by people searching for help. YPR will provide expertise on how young individuals seek and access treatment through online resources and will recommend best practices to adopt. The partnership also comes at a vital time, as recent data has found that approximately one out of every six young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 has battled a substance use disorder.

“With Young People In Recovery as our partner, American Addiction Centers is even better positioned to help those seeking treatment options online find the help they need,” said Stephen Ebbett, chief digital and marketing officer of American Addiction Centers. “We know that a majority of people begin their search for help online. That’s especially true for the younger generation of digital natives. Our partnership with YPR will ensure we are always innovating to stay ahead of the curve and make sure patients can easily find treatment that’s right for them.”

“American Addiction Centers not only provides research-based, clinically excellent treatment, but has a wealth of digital resources that are second to none,” said Justin Luke Riley, President and CEO of Young People in Recovery. “AAC’s websites play a critical role in connecting young people to a variety of treatment options.”

Research has found the majority of those who attend addiction treatment centers start by looking for treatment centers online. An AAC survey also found that 50 percent of respondents under 35 indicated they search online to find treatment facilities, and 60 percent of respondents under 45 said that they would not choose a treatment provider if they were unable to find online reviews.

With the shame and stigma surrounding addiction, online directories and resources provide people brave enough to seek treatment with convenience, privacy and autonomy. AAC has led the conversation around the importance of ethical addiction industry marketing practices by supporting legislation at the state and federal levels that will protect patients.