It’s been about six months since the La Sala Crisis Center opened its doors to those who need behavioral therapy or help to safely withdraw from drugs or alcohol. In that time, the 27-bed facility has helped about 600 people detox, officials say.
That means a significant increase in the capacity of the Santa Fe Recovery Center, a local non-profit organization contracted by Santa Fe County to run the detoxification program.
In 2020, prior to La Sala, the recovery center enrolled 722 patients into its program, which had a capacity of 15, Laura Grant, the center’s chief operating officer, told the county commission at its Jan. 11 meeting.
The recovery center also hired a new medical director last summer and expanded its offerings to help people suffering from a broader range of issues.
“People who were previously disfellowshipped for certain drug use are now being enrolled, so we will be enrolling patients using fentanyl, benzodiazepines and those with serious psychological diagnoses as long as they are on medication,” Grant said at the commission meeting. “This is a significant philosophical shift in how we allow clients to detox.”
But county officials say there are still unmet needs in the community and additional facilities may be needed.
La Sala has been a long time coming.
Voters approved a $2 million bond for the center in 2016, and the County Commission approved a gross receipts tax to help fund operating expenses by $1.6 million annually.
Construction at 2052 Galisteo St. began in 2020 and the center opened in two phases last summer. While the Santa Fe Recovery Center is conducting the detoxification program, New Mexico Solutions, another local nonprofit, is providing services to patients experiencing mental health crises.
The average length of stay in the detox program is five days. Patients can access medication management, therapy, 12-step meetings, help with meal stamp registration, peer support and more.
When patients leave the facility, they are tracked for six months. Over 90% of patients have continued their recovery in inpatient or outpatient treatment programs, Grant said in response to a question from a commissioner at last week’s meeting.
Center staff have worked to develop relationships with local hospitals and homeless shelters, but closer coordination with police and fire departments and the county jail is needed, Kate Field, director of crisis services for New Mexico Solutions, told the commission.
“We only had brief interviews with the behavioral health staff at the prison to discuss reentry options at the crisis center,” Field said. “This is a massive ministry and this is where we absolutely have a gap in connecting released individuals and bringing them into ministry. I would like to see this become part of our work.”
Several Commissioners have raised concerns about demand and gaps in long-term care in areas such as housing and employment.
“The need is shifting farther out on the continuum of care,” Grant told commissioners. “Recovery Housing, Workforce Development, Community – the pillars of your recovery.”
Commissioner Hank Hughes pointed to a project the county recently voted to support funding that would convert the Lamplighter Inn into affordable housing.
“I’m hoping that we can have a plan where somehow all of these things come together and eventually we can meet all of the needs,” said Hughes, who is also executive director of the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness. “We’re not close, I know.”
Commissioner Rudy Garcia raised the possibility of converting a building on Airport Road that served as the county’s juvenile detention center before the commission voted to close in 2020.
La Sala serves adults only, and there is a clear need for additional services for Santa Fe’s young people. Symptoms of depression and anxiety have doubled during the pandemic, according to a public health advisory from the US Surgeon General, and the county has no inpatient overnight services for youth.
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