Focus Treatment Centers proudly celebrated its 20-year anniversary last month. With the commitment to the belief that recovery is possible, the Chattanooga-based company has become a true small business success story that started with a simple vision of helping others recover from drug and alcohol addiction.
Most everyone nowadays seems to know at least one person who has been affected by addiction. Whether it’s a neighbor, a colleague, or a family friend, there’s no denying its prevalence. Two decades ago, that wasn’t the case. The United States was still riding the first wave of the opioid epidemic, yet most of the general public didn’t recognize how truly widespread the disease was. The reach was far greater, and despite cultural stigmas surrounding “drug addicts,” the face of addiction was more common than most understood. A local family saw how deeply rooted the issue was and the impact it was having locally. Noticing there was a lack of resources available in the community, a vision began, and shortly after, the front doors of Focus Treatment Centers opened in January 2005, welcoming those who were ready to get their lives back on track.
Initially constructed as a senior living facility, the center itself was already suited for residents. With its one level design and an atrium separating two units, the space would prove to be beneficial in the years to follow when in 2009 another treatment program launched – this one for eating disorders. Due to the aforementioned layout, patients admitted into the eating disorder program would reside on the first unit located on one side of the facility, while individuals admitted for substance use resided on the second unit located on the opposite side of the building. The layout served not only to separate two very different types of patients and programming, but it also embarked Focus on a specialized path to treat individuals who suffered from both illnesses. These co-occurring conditions could be addressed simultaneously under the same roof, rather than going to two different treatment centers. As admissions steadily grew, Focus opened doors to a second location in 2010, this time in neighboring city Knoxville. Located near the University of Tennessee’s campus, Focus Integrative Centers would offer an outpatient eating disorder program for both adolescents and adults, as well as therapy, nutrition, and other integrative services.
With growth, however, comes obstacles. The need for mental health services sharply increased during-and-post pandemic. More residential accommodations were needed, yet square footage was limited. With the help of some flexible staff and a little creativity, offices were turned into patient rooms to fulfill the growing demand. Today, Focus has 45 patient beds in total, which is more than double of when it first opened. And what started out as a modest operation of 30 two decades ago, the “Focus Family” has grown to just under 100 employees. In comparison to other treatment centers, Focus remains relatively small, which is intentional for providing quality care and keeping a low therapist/nurse-to-patient ratio.
Executive Director, Jennifer Massengale, RN, started with Focus in 2007. When asked about Focus’s success, she says that one of the key components is the people. “A lot of our staff are in recovery, so working here isn’t just another job. They have real empathy for how a patient feels because they’ve been in their shoes. The early stages of the recovery process are hard but having someone to relate to during a very dark time makes a significant impact on an individual’s outlook during treatment. Our team shows up every day ready to transform lives, and that’s a remarkable thing.”
Massengale says they will have a small celebration to recognize the milestone but continuing to provide exceptional care for lasting recovery continues to be the goal. “We’re all really proud to see how far we’ve come over the last 20 years, and we’re eager to see where the journey takes us.”
If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use or food and body image issues, please reach out to the team at Focus Treatment Centers for a confidential and complimentary assessment to determine the best level of care needed. Call or text 423.308.2560 or email admissions@focustn.com to take the first step towards recovery.
