January 4, 2022 – The Boards of Directors of BestSelf Behavioral Health and Renaissance Addiction Services (RASI) announced today they have approved an agreement through which the RASI program will become part of BestSelf. BestSelf Behavioral Health, Inc. is the largest community-based behavioral health organization serving children and adults with mental health and substance use disorders in WNY. RASI is the only residential treatment and reintegration agency helping young people from early teens up to age 24. Together BestSelf and RASI will be able to maximize one another’s strengths and sustain this important service in our community.
“BestSelf is thrilled to have the RASI program and staff join our organization. As BestSelf continues to grow, we are able to be more diversified in our service mix and more financially stable, which allows us to continue to expand the services we provide and fulfill our mission of empowering everyone in our community to be their BestSelves,” said Elizabeth Woike-Ganga, LCSW-R, President and Chief Executive Officer of BestSelf Behavioral Health. “By working actively in the community to form partnerships, we are all lifted up and become stronger together.”
“Through this partnership we will be able to sustain and enhance RASI’s vital mission of helping young people heal from the disease of addiction and into recovery,” said Robin A. Clouden, Executive Director of Renaissance Addiction Services, Inc. “With the joining of BestSelf and RASI, stronger programming and additional resources will be available to the young people we serve. “
The Boards of Directors of BestSelf and RASI are working through the process of obtaining necessary approvals from New York State and are targeting March 31, 2022 for completion. The RASI campus is owned by Kids Escaping Drugs, which will remain a separate nonprofit and work closely with BestSelf, who will lease the buildings to continue to provide this vital service to the community.
“This is a natural partnership between two stellar organizations with outstanding reputations for client focused programs, evidenced based care and unmatched expertise. On behalf of the BestSelf Behavioral Health Board of Directors, we welcome the RASI team,” stated Ellen T. Bieler, Chairperson, BestSelf Behavioral Health. “The services both organizations provide are vital and only grow stronger as we come together.”
“This is an exciting time for RASI as we come together with BestSelf to expand our ability to provide access to life saving treatment programs,” stated John Berger Jr., President, Renaissance Addiction Services Inc. Board of Directors. “Our mission to empower adolescents and families to live a life free from the disease of addiction seamlessly integrates into the BestSelf mission as we join to form new ideas and vision for the future.”
BestSelf Behavioral Health, Inc. is the largest community-based behavioral health organization serving children and adults with mental health and substance use disorders in WNY. We provide easy access to a full continuum of person-centered, trauma-informed behavioral health treatment, rehabilitation and recovery services. BestSelf has an annual budget of $84 million which serves more than 40,000 children and adults in 60+ locations in Western New York.
Renaissance Addiction Services Inc. (RASI) serves the Western New York Community providing residential substance abuse treatments services to adolescents and young adults. We are the largest, licensed Residential Rehabilitation Services for Youth provider currently in New York State. We offer three levels of care on the Renaissance Campus, Stabilization (2022), Rehabilitation and Reintegration. RASI operates on an almost $5 million budget and currently offers 77 beds for treatment.
