The Southworth LegacySouthworth Associates was founded in 1998 by the internationally known interventionist, John Southworth. The company operated as a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) of Southworth International, Inc., which was solely owned by Mr. John Southworth, company President. Southworth Associates provided various services for clients battling Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health Disorders, and Process Addictions. Services included interventions, case management, recovery monitoring, and treatment referrals, as well as educational services. Mr. Southworth had been actively involved in the field of substance abuse and mental health counseling for the previous two decades.

Monitoring Professionals

In 1993, Mr. Southworth became involved with monitoring professionals suffering from behavioral health issues, serving as the first paid coordinator of the Physician Recovery Network (PRN) on behalf of the Idaho Medical Association (IMA) and the Idaho State Board of Medicine (ISBM). His role included assisting physicians in maintaining their productive careers while working to protect the public.

In 1996, Mr. Southworth extended these services to the Idaho State Board of Nursing in addition to the IMA and the ISBM to serve as the Executive Director for the Program for Recovering Nurses, where he oversaw the monitoring of Nurses in recovery to assist in providing public safety. After his successful coordination of the monitoring programs for physicians and nurses, Mr. Southworth established his own company in hopes of making compliance monitoring more available to professionals and the general public.

Establishing Recovery Programs

In 1998, Southworth Associates was established to provide further assistance to other professionals through the recovery process. The following year Southworth Associates established relationships with the Idaho State Bar and the Idaho State Board of Dentistry, resulting in the Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) and the Program for Recovering Dental Professionals (PRDP). From there, the private version of the PRN was formed and currently operates as the Recovery Enhancement Program (REP), which previously operated as the Southworth Associates Monitoring (SAM) program.

Performing Interventions

As the company grew, Mr. Southworth continued to perform interventions all over the world and developed a “larger than life” reputation within the addiction treatment field. His participation within leadership committees such as the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), The Federation of State Physicians Health Program’s (FSPHP), The Association of Intervention Specialists (AIS), and many more helped shape the field of addiction treatment for many years to come. In 2002, Mr. Southworth held the first International Treatment Center Cooperative (ITCC), an intimate, invitation-only, marketing conference designed to bring the best providers in behavioral health together. Mr. Southworth eventually landed a spot on the A&E series “Intervention” and went on to receive countless awards commending his work all over the world.

Under New Management

In 2011, Mr. Southworth suffered a near-fatal heart attack and was tasked by the Idaho Board of Medicine with creating a succession plan. 

Forced with facing his mortality, Mr. Southworth asked fellow interventionist and then founder/CEO of Ashwood Recovery Benjamin Seymour if he would consider stepping into the role of Assistant Program Coordinator for Idaho’s professional’s programs. Mr. Seymour accepted and began his work with the state boards and professionals.  

As time went on, Mr. Southworth and Mr. Seymour developed a strong working relationship and friendship. They would often confide in each other with struggles of running their respective businesses and helping others. In August of 2017, Mr. Seymour resigned as CEO of Northpoint and Ashwood Recovery following their acquisitions and transitions to new ownership. Mr. Seymour went to Mr. Southworth, seeking guidance on where to take his career following this large change. Mr. Southworth stated, “Trust your third step. God will put you where he wants you.” Two months later, on the morning of October 28th, Mr. Southworth was admitted to the hospital and given a dire prognosis of Leukemia. Mr. Southworth called Mr. Seymour that morning and asked him to help run the company while he was hospitalized. They spent the next two weeks in the hospital, and as the prognosis took a turn for the worst, Mr. Southworth asked Mr. Seymour to take over the company.  

Becoming an Owner

On November 9th, Mr. Southworth died from complications of Leukemia, with his sister Mary Carriker and Mr. Seymour by his side. Mr. Southworth would not let go until he knew the company and mission would carry on. Once Mr. Seymour reassured him the mission would continue, he stopped breathing. 

Overnight, Mr. Seymour took on Mr. Southworth’s hectic travel schedule and running Southworth Associates in its entirety. The company was technically the property of Mr. Southworth’s sisters, Mary and Linda, with Mr. Seymour handling operations. In 2019 Mr. Seymour purchased Southworth Associates.

After two years of operating the company, hectic travel, and fulfilling all of Mr. Southworth’s roles, Mr. Seymour knew he would need help to accomplish the future goals of the company. Shortly after his acquisition of Southworth Associates, Mr. Seymour enlisted the help of Mr. Chad Grimm. With a background in operating an intervention, sober companion, and case management company, plus experience operating a behavioral health company, Mr. Grimm was an ideal addition to the team. Mr. Seymour brought Mr. Grimm in as his business partner to assist with the growth and operations at Southworth Associates.  

The Southworth Legacy Today

Today, under the guidance of Mr. Seymour and Mr. Grimm, Southworth Associates continues Mr. Southworth’s vision, offering help anytime, anyplace. All while remaining ahead of behavioral health trends and needs within the space. Southworth Associates continues to provide intervention services all over the world and facilitate the State of Idaho’s wellness programs for licensed professionals. Southworth Associates is also the leader in compliance monitoring for private individuals all over the US. Today, the ITCC Conference is one of the most coveted invitations in the industry and has grown to provide events in Vero Beach, Florida, and Huntington Beach, California. We are proud to continue this legacy.

Seek Interventionist Services Today

Whether you knew John Southworth or not, the need for your loved one to seek addiction treatment remains the same. However, convincing them to seek treatment can be challenging. As such, we provide a range of services, such as:

To learn more about our services or the Southworth legacy, please contact Southworth Associates today at (866) 460-9014.