Behavioral Health Expert, Recovered Investment Banker Join Forces to Establish 'World-Class' Behavioral Health Center

A 'come-full-circle' story that combines a highly regarded mental health treatment operator with his former patient, who will serve as CEO
The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center

The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center, a newly established treatment center focusing on mental health and substance abuse disorders, has announced that it will accept patients in early August 2021.

The facility represents a reunion of sorts for Jaime Blaustein, who will serve as CEO, and Ben Brafman, who will serve as General Manager and oversee all clinical operations.

An unlikely duo one decade ago, Brafman previously owned and operated an inpatient drug rehab attended by Blaustein when he was 21 years old. He ultimately had to dismiss Blaustein, who was in the grips of addiction and ultimately went through seven treatment centers, due to multiple relapses.

Blaustein eventually got clean and sober at 24 years old. He went on to sponsor dozens of men in recovery while reestablishing his career. After attending Duke University for his M.B.A., he became an investment banker in Credit Suisse's Global Industrials Group where he focused on M&A and capital markets financing.

Brafman, meanwhile, flourished as a behavioral health expert and gained a following and reputation as a thought-leader over the past decade. He continued to serve as owner and CEO of Destination Hope, which he founded in 2007, while also owning and operating The Academy for Addiction Professionals.

"This is a rare combination in which you take two people with completely different skillsets and experiences and combine them in a way that yields unmatched synergies," said Blaustein. "Our collective experience enables us to bring to the table every ingredient needed to help countless patients and families."

Named in honor of Brafman's late mother Sylvia, the treatment center will be located in Tamarac, Florida, and offers a variety of programs, including Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Outpatient Program (OP), Family Program, Professionals Program, and Career Services Program.

Focused primarily on mental health treatment, the center will treat chronic anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, and a number of other diagnoses. The treatment center will also have a core competency treating alcoholism and addiction, which is where the bulk of the founders' experience is grounded.

"We're going to do something a bit unique in terms of how we think about mental health and addiction," said Brafman. "Clinically speaking, addiction is a mental health disorder, and we need to stop separating the two."

"The universe really has a sense of a humor," said Blaustein. "I don't believe anyone would have predicted this a decade ago, but here we are — ready to launch into action and help a ton of patients and families."

For more information and inquiries, please visit sylviabrafman.com or contact Marnie Nathanson at [email protected].

Source: The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center

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Tags: addiction, Benbrafman, drug treatment, Jaime Blaustein, mental health