Appalachian Community Services The Balsam Center

The Balsam Center operates both residential treatment and outpatient program tracks for adults in recovery. Their Adult Recovery Unit provides intensive residential care for individuals requiring structured 24-hour support, while outpatient services accommodate those transitioning from residential treatment or entering recovery while maintaining work and family responsibilities.

This dual-level approach supports continuity of care throughout different phases of the recovery process. Adults can access residential treatment during acute phases, then step down to outpatient programming as part of comprehensive aftercare planning, maintaining connection with the same clinical team and treatment philosophy.

The facility specializes in treating substance use disorders alongside mental health conditions, providing integrated care for clients with dual diagnosis needs. Under the medical direction of board-certified psychiatrist Benjamin Crawford, DO, the center addresses both addiction and psychiatric symptoms through coordinated treatment planning.

Clinical Director Betty Aldecoa, Psy.D., leads the mental health treatment components, ensuring that co-occurring disorders receive appropriate clinical attention alongside substance abuse treatment. This integrated approach prevents gaps in care that often occur when addiction and mental health services operate separately.

Since 2012, The Balsam Center has filled a critical gap in addiction treatment access across six western North Carolina mountain counties. Their service area spans Haywood, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon, and Swain counties, bringing professional recovery services to communities where specialized addiction treatment was previously limited.

The center's sliding scale payment structure specifically addresses economic barriers common in rural Appalachian communities. Combined with telehealth capabilities, these accessibility features ensure that geographic isolation and financial constraints don't prevent individuals from accessing quality addiction treatment and ongoing recovery support.