BEAUMONT — Kim Arrington saw a huge need in her community. The Lamar graduate has been around the world opening substance abuse treatment facilities, and decided when she came back to Beaumont 4 years ago, that this area needed help.
“Most people in this area they choose the 12 step programs, which are very strong here,” said Arrington. “And the reason they’re strong is because there haven’t been a lot of treatment options other than that.”
In April she opened the only state licensed private outpatient substance abuse program in Jefferson County in the Woodlands Recovery Centers. A business that seems to be needed in the area after Jefferson County led 15 other nearby counties over a 16 year period in drug induced deaths with 525, and alcohol induced deaths with 220.
“You know really having a safe place to go, just to be an addict in recovery,” said Arrington.
The Woodlands Recovery Centers won’t be alone after Beaumont City Council voted Tuesday to allow a residential substance abuse treatment facility on Collier Street.
The facility will potentially be known as Adam’s House, the name the facility was known as before it shut down due to poor funding. It will service boys between the ages of 12 to 17. A demographic that Arrington says is in desperate need of help in the South east Texas area.
“Quite frankly they weren’t able to keep the doors open,” said Arrington. “Which is shame. I was actually working in Houston at the time for another adolescent facility, and called them to send two of the boys over here for residential (treatment), and they weren’t open. We had to send them to Dallas.”
For Beaumont city Council woman Virginia Jordan, who serves ward 1 where Adam’s house will be, although she sees a need, she also saw security issues.
“There is a certain element of risk involved, and if the person in charge of this has covered that thoroughly, then the surroundings areas shouldn’t have any problems,” said Jordan. “And you hope that they live happily ever after so to speak.”
Where Jordan sees risk, Arrington sees hope
“You have to remember someone who has been able to live through addiction, there has to be something to them anyway,” said Arrington. “Because not everybody lives through that experience.”