The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a contract for services with St. Thomas More Hospital to open the Fremont County Sobering Center. The center will open the first week of November.
The center will offer a safe place for citizens to sober up providing they have medical clearance. The agreement is the result of a year-long effort by community partners including law enforcement, human services, public health, substance abuse specialists and the medical community, especially St. Thomas More Hospital. Currently, those in need of sobriety are directed either to the hospital or the Fremont County Jail, using countless resources that could better be used elsewhere.
The ad hoc group quickly found that a traditional detoxification center was not financially feasible, so began searching for a new idea. The sobering center is a model currently in use in several other communities throughout the United States, but is new to Colorado.
“The most important thing we are going to do is to continue care and offer them a hand in getting – and staying – sober,” said Commissioner Debbie Bell. “Fremont County is providing a Care Manager, a new employee by the name of Pat Cox, who will talk to folks when they’re ready to leave the center.”
Cox also will follow through with clients. He will offer to help them with whatever kind of assistance they might need, whether they are homeless, in need of food or warm clothing, Medicaid, AA meetings, addiction counseling, all the way up to inpatient treatment services. He is making the connections and finding the resources to help folks create a life without alcohol.
“The Sobering Center will be much more than a place to sober up,” Bell said. “We truly believe it will be a place to change lives.”