Behavioral health expert Ben Brafman and recovered investment banker Jaime Blaustein join forces to establish SBMHC
In 2010, 21-year-old Jaime Blaustein, a drug addict declared “hopeless” by several prominent doctors and experts, boarded a plane to South Florida en route to his 4th rehab in 3 years. Here, he met Ben Brafman, then owner of Destination Hope and a widely recognized mental health expert.
Jaime ultimately had reached his bottom and could not stay clean. He was dismissed from Ben’s treatment center after several months. Over the next three years, Jaime’s life consisted of hospitals, overdoses, legal trouble, emotional turmoil, and strained family relationships. But on Christmas Day of 2013, Jaime experienced the miracle of surrender and found a solution that had been so elusive. He was catapulted into a brand new life with the proper guidance, the willingness to do the necessary work to recover, and, eventually, rigorous work with others who struggle with mental health and substance abuse.
Jaime was given a second chance at life – his internal condition was brought to a place of contentment he didn’t even know existed. He resurrected his career, repaired previously neglected relationships, and became a sponsor to dozens in recovery. His family could sleep at night, knowing he was recovering and thriving. In 2016, he was accepted to Duke University’s MBA program, where he went on to lead the investment banking club, travel the world, make life-long friends, and continue to live by his primary purpose of helping others along the way.
Following Duke, Jaime moved to New York City and started working on Wall Street as an investment banker for Credit Suisse, focusing on mergers & acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, and various debt and equity financings within the Industrials sector. His new life was nothing like that of a struggling addict. But deep down, he wanted to pursue his passion for helping others recover and experience a second chance at life.
Meanwhile, Ben Brafman continued successfully operating Destination Hope in South Florida, helping thousands of patients with mental disorders and addiction. He continued to build his national presence as a respected authority on mental health. He had been following Jaime’s progress and got a gut feeling that the two of them could develop something special.
So, in early 2021, Ben called Jaime to see if he was interested in establishing a world-class behavioral health center focusing primarily on mental health, while leveraging their collective experience helping addicts recover from addiction. On the verge of a promotion to investment banking Vice President, Jaime hesitated, thinking about this big decision for a few days. It became clear what the right decision was and that his experience could be much more impactful in saving lives and helping others realize the same blessings he had experienced. And thus, The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center was born.
