Passages Malibu's Ventura Location Awarded Accreditation From the Joint Commission

LOS ANGELES—Passages Malibu's Ventura location has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety in behavioral health care. The accreditation award recognizes Passages' dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission's state-of-the-art standards.

"With Joint Commission accreditation, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence". Passages Malibu's Ventura location underwent a rigorous on-site survey in March 2011. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated Passages Ventura for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of individuals served and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

"In achieving Joint Commission accreditation, Passages Malibu's Ventura location has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for the people they serve," says Mary Cesare-Murphy, Ph.D., executive director, Behavioral Health Care Accreditation, The Joint Commission. "Behavioral Health accreditation is a voluntary process and I commend Passages for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves."

"With Joint Commission accreditation, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence," says Passages Malibu CEO & Founder Pax Prentiss. "Achieving Joint Commission accreditation, for our organization, is a major step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the care we provide."

The Joint Commission's behavioral health care standards address important functions relating to the care of individuals served and the management of behavioral health care organizations. The standards are developed in consultation with behavioral health care experts, providers, measurement experts, individuals served and their families.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission also provides certification of more than 1,700 disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

Passages Malibu was founded in 2000 by father and son team Chris and Pax Prentiss as a result of a father's unconditional love and ongoing concern for son Pax and his downward life spiral of addictions. Pax's personal journey in overcoming heroin and cocaine addiction was the foundation for Passages to pioneer the approach which has now become the new standard for the treatment of alcohol and drug dependency. Rather than simply following the basic one-size-fits all 12 step rehab model in which clients attend group meetings and receive little individual counseling, Passages provides 60-65 hours/month of concentrated one-on-one therapy to every client. These personalized sessions focus on determining the underlying causes of dependency on drugs and alcohol. At Passages, a consulting physician and skilled team of licensed therapists customize a treatment program for each individual in a naturally serene and beautiful setting. In 2010, a new Passages wellness center, Passages Ventura, was established in Ventura, California.

To learn more about Passages Malibu please fan/follow us online on Twitter at http://twitter.com/passagesrehab, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/passagesmaliburehab and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/passages or visit our website at www.passagesmalibu.com.

Contacts
Rogers & Cowan
Holly Taylor, 310-854-8115
hetaylor@rogersandcowan.com