Vause witnessed the power wielded by Newton, and also got a sniff of the cash-flow. It was inevitable that Vause would copy Kids, since the idea was for him to have a fiefdom like Newton. As a total amateur, Vause could not have been Executive Director of a real teen rehab program. It was vital to follow the Kids model wherein a totally non-verifiable, non-scientific approach is taken, thus avoiding any adherence to ethical, scientific, or legal norms. If AARC had been set up to treat only children suffering from chemical dependence on drugs, the client basis would have been tiny, and not nearly so lucrative. AARC was set up to provide parents with a pscyhological release from responsiblity for their children, not to treat adolescent addiction. AARC wins no matter the outcome. Kid isn't really addicted to drugs? Great, not hard to wean someone off drugs who doesn't use them and then take credit for overcoming the non-existent addiction. Kid leaves AARC and becomes a hard-drug user? Doesn't matter, blame the disease. Kid kills themself or someone else? Same thing, blame the disease. The only thing that matters is that the parents feel that AARC has provided them with what they need.
This is why the parents continue to support AARC, no matter the outcome for their child. Vause sells people peace of mind. No matter how poor a job of parenting was done, the child's anti-social behaviour, or deviance from the wishes of the parents, can be blamed on a disease. And folks will pay whatever they can for this psychological freedom.
AARC had to be set up as an incarnation of Straight/Kids, because like those programs, the reason for it's being was to provide a service to parents, not to the children, and to create a position of power for the Leader. It is a religious entity that exists to take away the psychological burdens of parents. As the man who provides this invaluable gift to the parents, Vause has reaped the rewards of power and prestige.
