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Roots Recovery Center marks one-year anniversary, reports admissions, readmissions and service gaps
Summary
Roots Recovery Center told the commission it received 452 referrals and admitted 287 people in its first year, highlighted dual-diagnosis care and alcohol-withdrawal risks, and said the city will carry operational funding for three years while the center seeks state grants to expand services.
Roots Recovery Center officials briefed the Drug and Alcohol Commission on the center’s first-year operations, referral and admission counts, clinical challenges and outstanding service gaps.
Dr. Rianne Martinez, representing Roots Recovery Center, said the facility opened Feb. 5 after a January licensing and has registered 452 referrals in its first year and admitted 287 people. She said 91 admitted clients have a confirmed dual diagnosis (mental health plus substance use disorder) and that the center recorded a 28 percent readmission rate among clients.
Why it matters: staff and commissioners emphasized that residential and detox capacity are limited in the region and that clinical precautions are driving some admission requirements. Martinez said the center treats adults 18–75 (median in the late 30s to early 40s), has admitted 238 men and 49 women so far, and does medical detoxification and short-term stabilization (up to 72 hours) for people with substance use disorders.
Clinical complications: Martinez told the commission that alcohol and sedative withdrawal are among the most clinically difficult conditions to manage; staff reported five patients seized from withdrawal while in care and were transported to hospitals and later returned to continue treatment. The center also reported six women who learned they were pregnant only after the center’s intake pregnancy tests; Martinez said treating pregnant people requires different protocols and resources that the center currently cannot provide without expanded funding.
Funding status and state applications: Martinez said Roots submitted requests for state funding (an RFA for five-year grants) and is hopeful state support for detoxification services will be available; commissioners said the city has committed to carry the center’s operations for three years while the center pursues grants. Martinez and other speakers also said federal-level funding for some harm-reduction programs may face reductions, and the center is pursuing multiple funding lines.
Peer-support concerns: Martinez described repeated complaints from clients about one specific volunteer-run AA meeting and said patients reported feeling demeaned or triggered by language used during meetings. Martinez said center leadership has paused that group’s access after repeated incidents and will continue to coordinate with peer organizations; commissioners noted the importance of linkages but emphasized client safety.
No vote: commissioners received the report but took no formal actions because the commission lacked quorum.
Provenance: Roots Recovery Center’s operational statistics and clinical concerns were presented by Dr. Rianne Martinez.
