Presbyterian Medical Services reports rising use, yearlong treatment outcomes at Tota sobering center and Joint Intervention Program

Presbyterian Medical Services (PMS) officials told the San Juan County Commission on Feb. 4 that demand for services at the Tota campus sobering center and the adjacent Joint Intervention Program (JIP) rose sharply in 2024 and that program leaders are testing operational changes to serve more people.

The presentation, led by Jill Adair, northwest region director for PMS, and Christine Rito, regional behavioral health clinical administrator, said the sobering center — open 24 hours a day and founded in March 2016 — handled 12,271 admissions in 2024, up from 9,472 in 2023. Staff reported 1,155 unduplicated individuals served in 2024 with an average daily census of about 37.

County officials said the figures matter because the center is a voluntary medical-management alternative to emergency-room visits, law-enforcement transports and detention. “We plug them in with primary care so they’re not always going to the ER,” Esteban Rodriguez, JIP administrator, told commissioners, describing the program’s approach to reduce repeated use of costly services.

PMS described the campus and programs. The sobering center provides medical monitoring by EMTs on shift rotations (11-hour assessments), a voluntary space where people can rest or be engaged by staff, and an adjacent expansion that serves as an overnight crisis shelter and dormitory for JIP participants. The JIP is a yearlong program (six months treatment, six months aftercare) that can house up to 36 people at present (30 males, six females). The dormitory can theoretically hold more, but staff said 36 is the practical limit now.

Program leaders highlighted operational changes and outcomes. The expansion opened in 2019; year‑round operations began in 2022. During a recent cold spell the expansion stayed open outside normal hours and received 57 unduplicated visitors during that short extension, including 25 admissions the center said would otherwise have been exposed to extreme cold. Staff described a pilot to open intake earlier at 5 p.m. to reduce morning crowding when local transport partners arrive.

PMS reported some outcome metrics derived from before-and-after comparisons for JIP participants: reductions in emergency-room visits, detention-center stays and sobering-center usage among enrolled participants; staff emphasized the program also connects relatives (PMS’s preferred term for clients) with primary care and supports to reduce public-system use. Esteban Rodriguez said local law enforcement coordinates with staff to bring named high-utilizer individuals to campus rather than arrest or transport them.

Relatives who completed or are active in the program addressed the commission. Preston Bill said the program helped him obtain identification and employment support. Derek Allen credited the program and staff for providing shelter, daily basics and structured supports that made sobriety and reintegration possible.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about metrics. When a commissioner asked what “unduplicated people” meant, Rito explained it refers to distinct individuals rather than admissions counts (for example, one person may be admitted multiple times). PMS officials provided historical context: the sobering center first opened in 2016, the expansion in 2019, and year‑round service began in 2022. Staff said the center remained operational through the COVID period with only a short, planned deep-cleaning closure.

County funding and logistical partners were noted repeatedly. PMS credited San Juan County, the city of Farmington, the regional medical center and other local partners with supporting the center’s year‑round operations and expansion. Staff also said food and staff costs remain significant; despite serving more people in 2024, PMS reported lower per-person food spending but a higher aggregate food budget due to increased volume.

PMS asked commissioners to continue support as the program pilots earlier intakes and seeks to sustain expanded operations and staff training. Commissioners thanked staff and the relatives who spoke, saying the public presentations helped put a face to the statistics.

The commission took no formal action on the presentation; it was an informational briefing.