Overview
The Dr. James West Quality Improvement Award is granted to individuals or organizations responsible for new breakthroughs in addiction treatment. West was part of the team of surgeons who performed the first successful human kidney transplant from a cadaver. After a personal battle with alcoholism, in 1982, he became the founding medical director of the Betty Ford Center.
In 2001, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) established the award with a focus on organizations demonstrating continuous quality improvement (QI) that either increased patient outcomes or helped facilities deal with unsustainable financial deficits. Since then, it has expanded from local clinical improvements to innovations in foundational frameworks for clinical standards.
Past Winners
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American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) (2026)
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Recovery Research Institute (RRI) (2025)
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Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services (TPAS) (2024)
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Hanley Foundation (2023)
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The Research Institute at Cumberland Heights Foundation (2022)
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Betty Ford Center (2010)