Premier Inc. Honors Indiana Recovery Home for Women with National Award and $100,000 Prize

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 22, 2022) — The BreakAway, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women recover from the disease of addiction in New Albany, IN, has received the 2022 Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award and a $100,000 cash prize from Premier, Inc. (NASDAQ: PINC), a leading healthcare improvement and technology company.

Sponsored by Premier and its alliance of more than 4,400 hospitals and health systems and approximately 225,000 other providers and organizations, the Premier Cares Award recognizes standalone community agencies and health organizations that are improving the lives of the medically underserved.

The BreakAway, a 14-bed, residential home for women, opened in 2017 to help meet the overwhelming demand for accredited addiction treatment options in Indiana. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 2020 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, 797 of every 100,000 Indiana residents are in treatment for substance abuse, a 57 percent increase since 2011. The utilization rate for beds at residential treatment facilities in Indiana is 106 percent compared to the national average of 79 percent.

“‘The BreakAway saved my life’ is something we’ve heard dozens of times from graduates,” said Lisa Livingston, Founder of The BreakAway. “That statement, along with our waiting lists and inquiry call volume, are constant reminders of the overwhelming demand for reputable addiction recovery homes. We’re grateful and honored to be recognized by Premier, and we look forward to expanding our capacity to ensure we can accept as many women as possible who could benefit from our program and receive the help they desperately need.”

Inspired by her own journey to recovery, Livingston’s vision for The BreakAway is to offer an abstinence-focused, safe, positive environment where women can see hope for recovery. By understanding the addiction process and its impact on the brain, residents recover and develop tools for abstinence during their six- to nine-month stay.

Central components to The BreakAway program include physical and mental health assessments, participation in weekly therapy, house meetings, Recovery Dynamics curriculum and established programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. To help build habits for self-reliance, the women are required to obtain insurance, find a job and pay $100 per month in rent.

“Treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, access to mental health services and tools to fight homelessness and poverty are critically needed, especially in our small communities,” said Michael J. Alkire, President and CEO of Premier. “The BreakAway is a beacon, addressing these social issues with a program that’s proven to increase sobriety, reduce recidivism for participants with a criminal record, strengthen financial independence and improve family function. We are proud to advance their work and honored to recognize their achievements with the 2022 Premier Cares Award.”

A panel of national healthcare leaders selects the Premier Cares Award winner each year. The program spotlights community-based healthcare initiatives and helps other organizations learn to replicate activities, as well as provides funding support to help winners advance their programs and services. To date, the Cares program has provided more than $3 million to more than 100 organizations nationwide.

Premier has presented the Cares Award annually since 1991, when it was created by Monroe E. Trout, M.D., former CEO of American Healthcare Systems, one of Premier’s heritage organizations. The competition is open to nonprofit organizations that have been in existence for more than two years, are providing creative solutions to health status improvement, can provide documentation of outcomes and impact on a specific population, and have programs that can be replicated in other communities. The BreakAway is accepting the Cares Award and $100,000 cash prize on June 22, 2022, during an awards ceremony held at Premier’s annual Breakthroughs Conference.