In 2024, nearly 50 million Americans met the criteria for a substance use disorder — yet only 6.5% received the treatment they needed. Millions of people struggling right now are not getting help. That gap is the reason this podcast exists.
In this special solo episode, Gary Garth steps away from guest interviews to share the deeply personal story behind elev8.io — why it was created, what it's trying to accomplish, and why helping treatment centers achieve full census is ultimately about saving more lives.
Key Takeaways
- The access gap is the real crisis. 50 million Americans had a substance use disorder in 2024 — only 6.5% got treatment. elev8.io was built to close that gap by helping the facilities best equipped to help them achieve full, sustainable census.
- The industry's core challenges are solvable. Relapse rates of 40–60%, patient acquisition costs up to $10,000 per admission, and the complexity of 95% insurance-funded admissions all create barriers between people who need care and the facilities that provide it.
- Google Ads CPCs are $100–$200 per click in behavioral health — making it one of the most competitive marketing landscapes on the planet. Without the right strategy and data infrastructure, most facilities are "flying blind" on ROI.
- Mission-driven growth is the model. Helping treatment centers achieve full census sustainably isn't just good business — every filled bed means another person getting the help they were finally ready to ask for.
- What to expect from this podcast: Marketing and admissions strategies that actually work, AI and tech transforming behavioral health, leadership lessons for sustainable growth, and M&A trends shaping the industry's future — from leaders in the trenches.
“In 2024, nearly 50 million Americans met the criteria for substance use disorder — yet only 6.5% got the treatment they needed.”— Gary Garth, Host — The elev8.io Podcast
Episode Chapters
- 00:00Why Gary created The elev8.io Podcast
- 01:00The personal story behind elev8.io's mission
- 02:00The behavioral health industry's biggest challenges
- 03:00Why sustainable growth means saving more lives
- 04:00Rising patient acquisition costs and marketing competition
- 05:00What listeners can expect from future podcast episodes
- 06:00The mission to help treatment centers achieve full census
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the behavioral health treatment gap exist if there are so many facilities?
The gap exists because of several compounding barriers: high patient acquisition costs ($3,000–$10,000 per admission), extreme competition for paid search keywords ($100–$200 per click), 95% insurance-funded admissions creating authorization complexity, and most facilities lacking the marketing infrastructure to reach the right patients efficiently. elev8.io was built to help facilities close that gap.
What is the mission behind The elev8.io Podcast?
The podcast exists to close the gap between the tens of millions of Americans struggling with substance use disorders and the facilities best equipped to help them — by sharing the real-world strategies, technologies, and leadership insights that help treatment centers achieve full census sustainably.
Who is this podcast designed for?
CEOs, founders, CMOs, admissions directors, business development leaders, and executives at behavioral health treatment centers who want data-driven strategies for patient acquisition, census growth, and operational excellence.
Full Transcript
Cleaned and speaker-labeled. Jump to any moment via the chapters above, or open the complete transcript below.
Read the full transcript7 chapters · ~7 min
Why Gary created The elev8.io Podcast00:00
Gary Garth: Welcome back to the Elevate Podcast, where we explore the strategies, innovations, and leadership insights driving growth in behavioral health. If you caught our very first episode with Trevor Rand from Google, you know we dove straight into the deep end — unpacking Google's AI Overviews, the latest search trends, and what that means for behavioral health marketing. Today we're taking a different angle. This one is personal. I want to take you behind the scenes and share the mission, the vision — the big why — behind elev8.io and this podcast. Because while trends and tactics are important, the reason we do this work is even more important.
The personal story behind elev8.io's mission01:00
Gary Garth: I've been an entrepreneur most of my life, but my journey into behavioral health — that's personal. Over the years I've seen addiction up close. I've watched people I care deeply about wrestle with substance use disorders. I've seen the toll it takes — not just on them, but on their families, their careers, the companies they work for, the communities they live in. And here's the heartbreaking part: in 2024, nearly 50 million Americans met the criteria for substance use disorder. What's mind-blowing is that only 6.5% of those people got the treatment they needed. Think about that for a moment. That means millions of people right now who are suffering are not getting the help they need. Maybe you know somebody in your life who needed help and never got it. Maybe it was because of cost. Maybe they didn't have the right insurance. Maybe it was stigma. That's the reality we're fighting against.
The behavioral health industry's biggest challenges02:00
Gary Garth: A couple of years back I started looking at this industry from a business lens, and I was shocked by what I found. Relapse and regression rates upwards of 40–60%. Patient acquisition costs sometimes ranging up to $10,000 per admission. And the insurance complexity — 95% of admissions are funded by insurance, but it creates a maze of authorizations, verifications, and billing hurdles for facilities. I realized there was a massive gap. These incredible facilities with dedicated clinicians and owners trying to make a difference — they were struggling to fill their beds. Not because they weren't doing good work. Not because they don't have the right treatment. But because they couldn't cut through the noise in one of the most competitive marketing landscapes on this planet. That's why I created elev8.io — to help treatment centers connect with the right patients, reduce acquisition costs, and grow sustainably.
Why sustainable growth means saving more lives03:00
Gary Garth: Our mission is simple: close the gap between the tens of millions of people struggling with addiction and mental health, and connect them with the facilities best equipped to help them. Our vision is an industry where every high-quality behavioral health facility can achieve full census while thriving financially — because that sustainability allows them to change more lives. More people in recovery. Stronger families. Healthier communities. That's why I get out of bed each morning.
Rising patient acquisition costs and marketing competition04:00
Gary Garth: But let's be real — it's not easy. Facilities are competing for the same high-intent keywords with $100–$200 cost per click. Some states are completely oversaturated. Without an in-house team with the right expertise, most facilities I speak with are flying blind on ROI. Every single dollar counts, and every empty bed isn't just an opportunity lost — it's a life that you could have helped.
What listeners can expect from future podcast episodes05:00
Gary Garth: What we aim to do with this podcast is change that. Every week you'll hear from industry leaders, investors, innovators — people in the trenches making things happen. We'll cover marketing and admissions strategies that actually work, how AI and tech are changing the landscape, leadership lessons for sustainable growth, and M&A trends shaping the industry's future. And I promise — this isn't theory. This is real-world, proven, actionable insight you can take back to your team and implement tomorrow.
The mission to help treatment centers achieve full census06:00
Gary Garth: So there you have it. That's the big why. That is the purpose that drives elev8.io. If you believe in what we're doing — if you want to be part of this conversation — hit subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and let's together keep building a stronger behavioral health industry. This is Gary Garth, and you've been listening to The elev8.io Podcast. See you next time.
About the Host
Gary Garth
Founder & CEO, elev8.io
Gary Garth is the Founder & CEO of elev8.io, where he helps behavioral health organizations achieve full census through integrated marketing, admissions, and technology-driven growth systems. With more than a decade of experience working alongside Google, Microsoft, and high-growth technology companies, Gary has built and implemented scalable growth frameworks now used by 55+ treatment centers across the United States to drive admissions and operational efficiency. Read more
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