Ascension Recovery Services CEO to join Scars to STARs Summit panel

By AI, Created 11:40 PM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Ascension Recovery Services said founder and CEO Douglas M. Leech will be a featured panelist at the virtual Scars to STARs Summit® 2026 on Friday, May 22. The session will focus on how trauma shapes addiction and what recovery systems need to address to improve care.

Why it matters: - The panel puts trauma, addiction and recovery care in front of a national audience of clinicians, policymakers and advocates. - Ascension Recovery Services is using the summit to highlight its role in building behavioral health treatment systems and recovery infrastructure across the U.S. - The discussion centers on a core question for the field: how trauma changes addiction risk and what comprehensive recovery support requires.

What happened: - Ascension Recovery Services announced that founder and CEO Douglas M. Leech will participate as a featured panelist at Scars to STARs Summit® 2026. - The virtual conference is scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2026. - Leech will join the panel “Addiction, ACEs & the Brain: From Trauma to Recovery.” - Behavioral health executive Doug Tieman will moderate the session from 3:25 PM to 4:00 PM EST. - The summit is open to healthcare leaders, clinicians, recovery advocates, policymakers and community stakeholders nationwide.

The details: - Panelists include John Curtiss, CEO of The Retreat; Dr. Aaron Ramirez, clinical psychologist at Ashley Addiction Treatment; Jack Britton, LPC and LADC, vice president of clinical services at Turnbridge; and Dr. Maggie Tipton, PsyD, senior director of psychological services at Caron Treatment Centers. - Tieman serves as chairman of the board of directors of the STAR Network Foundation®, advisor to Ascension Recovery Services and president emeritus of Caron Treatment Centers. - The 2026 summit brings together voices in behavioral health, addiction medicine, public policy and recovery advocacy. - This year’s lineup also includes keynote speaker the Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy, co-founder of The Kennedy Forum. - Leech said recovery works when treatment systems address trauma, mental health and long-term support. - Leech founded Ascension Recovery Services after his own recovery journey. - Ascension Recovery Services says it has helped launch more than 80 substance use disorder treatment centers across 35 states. - Leech also founded West Virginia Sober Living, a nonprofit focused on recovery housing, workforce reintegration and peer recovery support services in West Virginia.

Between the lines: - The panel reflects a broader shift in behavioral health toward trauma-informed care rather than addiction treatment alone. - Ascension Recovery Services is positioning its management model as a scalable way to expand treatment access while keeping operations sustainable. - The company is also linking its corporate work to community-based recovery housing and support services, which broadens its message beyond clinical care.

What’s next: - The panel will take place during the virtual summit on May 22. - The event is likely to continue discussions on trauma, recovery systems and treatment models that can be replicated at scale. - More information is available in the company’s announcement.