Rising addiction rate results in new Fargo recovery center
The clients may be emaciated, losing hair, have thinning fingernails and need severe dental work.
But they’re still welcome at the Robinson Recovery Center, a new meth addiction center in Fargo.
The center is an affiliate of ShareHouse, a nonprofit addiction recovery center that has been in Fargo since 1975.
In recent years, ShareHouse has seen a significant increase in the number of clients who come to the center because of meth addiction, Andi Johnson, director of operations, said. In 1999, the center treated its first meth-addicted client; at the end of 2005, 270 people had utilized the center’s services.
The Robinson Recovery Center, located next door to ShareHouse, is a direct result of legislation N.D. Sen. Larry J. Robinson worked hard to pass.
“ Meth is finally being seen as an addiction, not a crime,” Johnson said. “Legislators have provided a huge step forward for this problem.”
ShareHouse can accommodate 20 men and women in its 24-hour residential treatment program.
Clients who are referred to the center must complete an application process to provide “bare facts” about themselves.
A history of violence or conviction of a sex offense will preclude entry to the center, Johnson said.
Once admitted to the center, clients begin treatment. ShareHouse does not provide detoxification services for clients. The only medical intervention the institution provides helps clients shake the residual effects of meth, such as lethargy or inadequate nutrition, Johnson said.
There is no average length of time a client remains at ShareHouse. The length of treatment is directly related to how long a person used meth, how it was used and what exactly was used.
Treating a meth addiction is “profoundly different” compared to other types of chemical dependence treatment because the devastating effects appear in such a short time, Johnson said.
Treatment for the addiction slows down because clients need to reestablish their cognitive abilities. Many times, those addicted cannot grasp the connection between the educational information they receive at the center and real-life experiences.
“ It’s a matter of time,” Johnson said. “The connections will take time, usually a minimum of a year while engaging in the treatment process.”
A primary treatment objective at ShareHouse is to endow its clients with the tools and information they need to succeed in the community.
“ We want to provide a seamless transition into the community,” Johnson said.
The center directly works with human service centers across the state to offer clients job opportunities, affordable housing and transportation options.
The most important aspect of treatment is based on the value of life after clients leave the center.
“ To base treatment on having no relapses is unrealistic,” Johnson said. “It is setting up society and the client for failure. (ShareHouse) gives them the tools to productively intervene on addiction. Anyone struggling with an addiction has the possibility of a relapse.”
With the increasing use of meth, the need for more treatment centers grows every day. ShareHouse is looking to expand its facilities to accommodate more clients. The project proposal will be presented to the legislature during its next session in January 2007.