Oral history interview with David A. Deitch, 2015

Biographical Note

At the time of the interview, David A. Deitch was Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. He had founded the Center for Criminality and Addiction, Research, Training, and Application (CCARTA) at UCSD in 1999. He previously held academic appointments at Temple University, the University of Chicago, and the University of California at San Francisco. In the non-profit public health sector, he was a co-founder of Daytop Village, Inc. and served as Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for Phoenix House. He has also served in the Carter Administration and the United Nations and has consulted for the Johnson Administration and other government agencies around the world

Scope and Contents

Deitch begins by discussing his early drug use and exposure, as well as his struggle to get clean at Synanon. After narrating his experience with the Synanon group, Deitch explains how he tried to impact policy as an administrator at Synanon, and eventually again at Daytop Village. Through his connections with the rehabilitation world, Deitch met Mitchell Rosenthal before Phoenix House is established, and uses his knowledge to help advise Rosenthal. After leaving Synanon, Deitch discusses his subsequent involvement with Daytop Village and briefly touches on his time working for the New York City government

Subjects

• Bertin-Mahieux, Caitlin, interviewer.
• College teachers--Interviews.
• Daytop Village, inc.
• Deitch, David A.--Interviews.
• Drug abuse--Treatment--United States.
• Interviews.
• Murphy, Kristin L., interviewer.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Phoenix House (Organization)
• Rosenthal, Mitchell S., 1935-
• Substance abuse--Treatment.
• Synanon (Foundation)
• Therapeutic communities.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 2014-2015