History
We get our name from United States Sen. Thruston B. Morton. His sister, Jane Morton Norton, and counselor John P. Walsh founded The Morton Center in 1984 in Senator Morton’s memory. He died in 1982, after representing Kentucky in the U.S. House and Senate as well as serving as chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Mrs. Morton planned to do that by creating something unique in Kentucky. Over 25 years later, her legacy, The Morton Center, recognizes that chemical dependency and other destructive, addictive behaviors tear families apart.
- In 1989, we established an Intensive Outpatient Program in partnership with Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Louisville.
- A year later, we established an IOP program in Lexington and then expanded the program to other parts of Kentucky.
- Our IOP program continued to grow along with our other services, and in 2001, The Morton Center moved its statewide headquarters to its current, 14,500-square-foot facility in Louisville.
The Morton Center is widely known for treating healthcare and other professionals with addiction problems. That began in 1993, when we first partnered with the Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation and its Impaired Physicians Program.
Since then, The Morton Center has assessed and treated thousands of physicians and other licensed professionals in Kentucky for chemical dependency, including…
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
- Physical Therapists, and
- Dentists
We also partner with the Kentucky Bar Association to offer treatment to attorneys with chemical dependency problems.
Mission
Our mission is to provide treatment services, within the limits of our resources, to chemically dependent persons of all ages and to persons of all economic abilities, as well as to the members of their families touched by the disease.
Vision
Jane Morton Norton had a clear vision in mind in 1984, when she founded The Morton Center with John Walsh. She wanted to honor the memory of her brother, U.S. Sen. Thurston Morton, who died in 1982.
Mrs. Morton planned to do that by creating something unique in Kentucky. Over 25 years later, her legacy, The Morton Center, recognizes that chemical dependency and other destructive, addictive behaviors that tear families apart.
The Morton Center has championed Mrs. Norton’s wisdom of treating the entire family, including children, affected by the disease. This is our core belief.
The Morton Center’s vision is unique in other ways. We are the quality alternative for anyone who either does not have the resources to go into inpatient treatment or is better served in an outpatient setting. This is important because…
- While 97 percent of our clients are employed,
- Over 50 percent are experiencing a financial crisis that is often attributable to their addiction.
So, The Morton Center provides services, often with financial subsidy, to all chemically dependent individuals and families regardless of their ability to pay. Our staff comprises caring and empathetic specialists who have been trained and educated as professionals in the field of chemical dependency.
