Travis County is taking a significant step forward to offer support for women grappling with substance abuse, with plans to open a new residential treatment facility. Funded by opioid abatement dollars, the Travis County Commissioners Court has greenlighted a contract worth $469,559 to establish a program specifically for women, particularly those who are pregnant or caring for children up to 12 years old. According to Austin Monitor, this initiative comes after Austin Recovery closed its doors in August 2020, leaving a considerable void in local inpatient resources for addiction.
The facility will be managed by Santa Maria Hostel, a recognized entity in the realm of substance use disorder treatment within Texas, which already operates two centers in Houston. The organization is marking its entry into Central Texas with the upcoming facility, which will start with a minimum capacity of 30 beds. "At any point, 20 to 25 women are going to need to go into treatment with their children just from that one program," said Laura Peveto, division director of the Office of Children Services, in a statement obtained by the Austin Monitor. Expansion plans are evident, and the services are anticipated to be customizable to each participant's unique needs.
This program aims to not only provide inpatient care but will also include peer support and transition services, such as outpatient care to facilitate reintegration into the community. "The ability to integrate them back into their natural support systems, for them to be able to start their recovery work in the community, is critically important," Peveto told KXAN.
However, additional operational funding is contingent upon a state grant, which Santa Maria will be applying for this fall. Precinct 3 Commissioner Ann Howard stressed the urgency of the project, as per KXAN, "The need for more local residential treatment facilities is dire." Howard added, "I can't wait for the doors of the treatment program to open so we can start helping mothers overcome their substance use challenges and set their families up for success."
