This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Many Americans face a serious monster that approximately 20.6 million others over the age of 12 face. This monster is addiction.
The statistics for addiction are overwhelming. In a 2011 survey done by the Addition Center:
- Alcoholism was found to be the most common addiction affecting 16.6 million Americans
- 2.6 million Americans have an addiction to both illicit drugs and alcohol
- 6.8 million Americans facing addiction also suffer from mental illness
- 100 people die every day from drug overdoses
According to Narconon, only about 2% of individuals who struggle with addiction recognize and seek help.
In Longmont, the options for addiction assistance is limited but is available. Once such place is The Redpoint Center.
The Redpoint Center is a for-profit outpatient rehabilitation center located at 1375 Ken Pratt Blvd. in Longmont.
The organization was founded by Cody Gardner in February of 2018. Since its creation, the center has helped over 170 clients find a path to a better life.
The Redpoint Center seeks to "empower our participants through clinically robust programming that places an emphasis on practical recovery skills and a multi-layered approach to addressing trauma and addiction," states the center's website. But ultimately, according to Rachael Messaros, admissions and marketing director for The Redpoint Center, the goal is to help people find a "life worth living."
Clients who seek out The Redpoint Center receive care for the whole person and not just a therapy session. Redpoint strives to help people find a path back to themselves or to personal growth and not just a journey through a short rehab process.
This outpatient rehab center is one of the few that offers services to adolescents as well as adults. They accept clients as young as 13 years old.
Because of this dedication to care, The Redpoint Center encourages patients to utilize their services for at least 90 days, however, 4.5 months is the recommended amount of time to build new neuropathways for a good behavior, which happens to be the average amount of time clients remain in the care of The Redpoint Center.
The Redpoint Center doesn’t just focus on the client’s addiction. They have joined forces with Sober AF to show clients that even when combating addiction, one does not have to exclude themselves from activities they enjoy or activities generally associated with addictive substances such as concerts and sporting events.
The Redpoint Center has become a community member in its short time in Longmont by working with key Longmont Public Safety initiatives such as The Angel Initiative, CORE, and LEAD. These groups are designed to help those facing addiction find services to help them with their addiction and mental illness before facing the legal system.
The Redpoint Center joins community-based meetings in order to take on as many clients from this system as their scholarships will allow. Additionally, if they are unable to provide full scholarships, the organization works with clients’ insurance or economic situation to find a way to address the treatment needs of each individual.
The Redpoint Center team recognizes the challenges of facing addiction alone and the hardships the families face as well. The group decided to open up a family counseling session to help. It is open to the public, free of charge in order to provide a support system for those helping their loved ones through addiction. “Because sometimes we all need support while we help others,” states Messaros.
While addiction is on the rise across America, there are those in Longmont who want to help in our community. “It just takes a moment to reach out and start the process and become a part of our family,” states Messaros.
