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By Rodd Cayton, City Desk ABQ | The Gateway Center is moving toward its goal of offering medical sobering services in Albuquerque.
The site near the VA Medical Center hosted U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra highlighted the $4.2 million in federal aid appropriated for the project.
Luján, Becerra and Mayor Tim Keller toured the sobering center and met with local officials to discuss behavioral health and substance use initiatives.
This morning, the city’s Department of Health, Housing, and Homelessness announced it is seeking a contractor to provide medical sobering services.
Luján, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury worked to secure the funding that will allow the services, according to an announcement from Luján’s office.
Luján said the sobering center is a key part of a strategy to make the city safer.
“It takes all of us working together, telling this story, and supporting one another to solve the substance use disorder crisis,” he said in the statement. “I’m glad this innovative effort will play a key role in helping our communities stay safe and well while serving as a national model for how to best address the substance use crisis.”
‘Invest in this place of hope and healing’
Becerra said his department is addressing the crisis by investing in prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support.
We’re also working hard to change the narrative in our Latino communities, and chip away at age-old stigmas that make it harder for people to reach out for help,” he said. “We will continue to do this work for as long as necessary – until we’ve followed through on our promises to families in communities across the country.”
Keller said the sobering center will ease the burden on hospitals and first responders while providing a safe place for people to sober up and find assistance on their paths to recovery.
“We appreciate the support from Senator Luján, Secretary Becerra, and all of our leaders in Washington to invest in this place of hope and healing,” Keller said.
First in the state
The 50-bed medical sobering center at Gateway will be the first in New Mexico (and one of 40 in the U.S.), Health, Housing, and Homelessness Director Gilbert Ramirez said today. He said it will be a valuable tool in preventing substance abuse-related deaths.
Department spokeswoman Katherine Simon said construction of the sobering center will conclude this fall.
“We’re hoping to have an operator in place so that the doors can open as quickly as possible,” she said.
The center will provide care and oversight to inebriated or intoxicated individuals whose medical needs do not require an emergency room. Patients will receive care for up to 24 hours and have the opportunity to connect to longer-term substance use detox and treatment services offered by Bernalillo County, Turquoise Lodge Hospital or other providers in the Albuquerque area.
Health, Housing, and Homelessness estimates the sobering center could divert 17,000-plus patients a year from emergency rooms.
The city is seeking a non-profit or governmental organization to bid on the operations of the sobering center, setting it up to open when construction concludes this fall. Proposals will be accepted until April 19. The RFP is available for viewing and submission here.
The Gateway Center is currently providing overnight shelter and housing navigation services to adults experiencing homelessness. Additional overnight beds, as well as a medical respite space for unhoused patients recuperating from illness and injury, are under construction now.