Women’s History Month: A Q&A with Alta DeRoo, MD
Dr. DeRoo is the chief medical officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and a board member for the American Society of Addiction Medicine
This Q&A, facilitated by Jeremiah Gardner of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, was originally published for Hazelden Betty Ford’s monthly Recovery Advocacy Update. If you’d like to receive our advocacy emails, subscribe today.
Alta DeRoo, MD, is accustomed to extraordinary roles and making history. As a pioneering female Naval Flight Officer — the first woman assigned to her combat squadron — she led major missions around the globe. As an obstetrician-gynecologist, she helped bring thousands of babies into the world. And now, 18 months into her role as the first female chief medical officer in the nearly 75-year history of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, she is helping to save lives. During this Women’s History Month, we checked in with Dr. DeRoo about recovery advocacy, her new role on the board of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and the legacies of other pioneering women such as Betty Ford and Marty Mann.
Q: What and who are you reflecting on during Women’s History Month?
I reflect upon all the women who have had to endure hardship, tough working conditions and judgment as a means to providing the opportunities we enjoy today. So many pioneers entered roles in the past that were very difficult and without much support. However, this made it easier for young girls to see themselves in these roles. Women such as Betty Ford, Harriet Tubman, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Amelia Earhart, Molly Pitcher, and Barbara Walters — just to name a few I admire.
I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, not far from Grand Rapids where Betty Ford met the future President Gerald Ford. So I’m especially thinking about Mrs. Ford this month. I have felt a closeness to the Ford family my entire life, and it continues to amaze me that I’m now working for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, where every day I walk past pictures and quotes of Mrs. Ford on our campuses.
My mother also comes to mind during Women’s History Month. She certainly played a historic role in my life! Even while supporting my father during his Navy career, she guarded the home front and was a pillar of strength for all of us. She never allowed me to be “less than” and taught me to look out for myself.
Q: What does it mean to you personally and professionally to be an advocate for recovery (and to have the opportunity every day to advance the legacies of women like Betty Ford and Marty Mann)?
It’s a profoundly humbling honor to travel in Mrs. Ford’s historic footsteps and to carry forward her commitment to helping others. And I’ve enjoyed learning about other pioneers like Marty Mann, whose biography we published at Hazelden Publishing and who really launched the entire idea of recovery advocacy that Mrs. Ford later took and ran with.
For much of my life, working in traditionally male worlds, I did not have many women I could look to as professional role models. So it means a lot to look to someone like Mrs. Ford who literally changed the world by sharing publicly about her breast cancer and then her substance use disorder. In more traditional times, when husband voices dominated, she used her platform to do uncomfortable things and expose private struggles so that others could thrive. I am one that has personally benefitted from her courage to share her struggles. She inspires me to share my struggles and challenges and be supported through recovery.
When I speak of Betty Ford and Marty Mann, I feel I channel their voices and spirit to other women in the form of hope and encouragement while at the same time normalizing all of our challenges.
Q: At a place like the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, where comprehensive services addressing all facets of addiction are offered, what can patients expect in terms of medical care?
Integration is the key word. We have treatment teams made up of multiple disciplines and are able to effectively integrate our acute and chronic withdrawal care — utilizing FDA-approved medications and addiction board certified physicians and nurses — with all other aspects of our substance use and mental health counseling and therapy, as well as peer support.
We also treat minor health comorbidities that may be a result of neglected health maintenance such as hypertension, diabetes, COPD and mental health stabilization. Additionally, we help our patients make plans for ongoing management of medications, which may include daily medications or optional long-term injections.
For those needing medical management for psychiatric purposes, we have board certified psychiatric providers who work closely with our integrated substance use and mental health counselors to achieve the best results.
It’s the combination of all these elements, along with the powerful impact of peer support, blended together in a thoughtful, comprehensive way that enables us to treat the whole person effectively.
Q: Congratulations on your recent election to serve on the board of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. What are you and ASAM focused on this year?
This upcoming year is very big for ASAM (and Hazelden Betty Ford!). The American Society of Addiction Medicine will be releasing the 4th Edition to the ASAM Criteria, and it will be published by Hazelden Publishing. The ASAM Criteria is a book of standards utilized by care providers, insurers, educators, and others throughout the country to determine the appropriate level of care for patients with addiction. The new edition will reflect the latest research and best clinical practices and help ensure that patients get objective evaluations and care recommendations. Very exciting, and some very good educational content will come out of that work too.
Also this year, ASAM will be focusing some efforts on the novel drugs that are entering our communities and changing the landscape of treatment.
Q: You made history in your Naval combat squadron and again at Hazelden Betty Ford? In between, you delivered thousands of babies. And, in your “spare time,” you earned an MBA and got involved with board service. What drives you to do such important, difficult work and to bust through historic barriers? And how do you stay grounded to maintain your own health and relationships?
I have always wanted to be the best of the best. Growing up with very humble means, I learned that hard work and education could never be taken from me, which helped drive me to achieve. This is also why I have hitched my wagon to Hazelden Betty Ford, which I believe to be best of the best.
While hard work, sacrifice and belief in myself have enabled me to achieve some great things and to help many others, I learned about humility growing up and frequently remind myself where I so proudly came from — a hardworking, sacrificing Midwestern military family that continues to keep me grounded today.
Q: Any advice or guidance you have for other women aspiring to be leadership roles?
Study the leaders who are in the roles that you wish to attain. Learn what they had to do to get there, the steps they took.
Focus on education, too. You’ll learn more than business or leadership skills. You’ll also open yourself up to a network of connections and relationships that can help you achieve your goals.
While healthy boundaries are good, sometimes we need to say “yes” to difficult roles so that we can get a glimpse of our potential. This allows us to test our skills, learn from our discomfort, and grow.
Lastly, as cliché as this sounds: You are worth it. You are worth the time and investment. Surround yourself with people who support you and your worth.
