‘Addiction and homelessness are intertwined’; Switchpoint opens addiction treatment facility in Hildale

HILDALE — Taking a cue from the Switchpoint Community Resource Center, a 42-bed residential substance abuse disorder treatment center located in Hildale opened its doors at the end of February and is accepting new clients.

Crossover Recovery Center by Switchpoint, Hildale, Utah, March 5, 2020 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

The Crossover Recovery Center by Switchpoint, a 12,000-square-foot home with 19 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, accepts both men and women and is geared toward serving those who are impoverished, uninsured or underinsured, and fighting to overcome addiction.

Since Switchpoint opened around six years ago, there has been a continued struggle to find addiction treatment centers for those in need, Crossover Clinical Director Klint Hughes told St. George News.

One of the barriers in finding treatment for those impoverished or underinsured is the lack of local residential substance use treatment centers that accept Medicaid.

“There’s always huge waiting lists. And they’re hard to get in,” Hughes said. “There’s a huge need. Let’s see if we can’t help fill that gap. And that’s how this whole idea was born, is filling a gap for a need that they saw in the community.”

In the five county area, there have only been two residential treatment centers that take Medicaid, both of which are in Cedar City and run by Southwest Behavioral Health Center, he said.

The view from Crossover Recovery Center by Switchpoint, Hildale, Utah, March 5, 2020 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

“They try their best, and they do a phenomenal job with their resources,” Hughes said. “But there’s just a lack of resources in our area. If you are on substances and you have no income, it’s hard for you to afford treatment or to find treatment, and it makes it a different challenge for you participate in recovery.”

Being both impoverished and addicted to a substance presents unique challenges to those suffering from financial hardship.

Through the years, many studies have looked at the link between poverty and substance use disorders. According to a 2018 WebMD article, from 2006-2018, it was reported that of the 515,000+ Americans who died from drug overdoses, the majority lived in poor areas – though the link between poverty and addiction is complex, and the causal relationship remains unclear.

Switchpoint Executive Director Carol Hollowell said their facility gives them some insight into the situation.

“At Switchpoint, we recognize that addiction and homelessness are intertwined,” she said. “We must address the underlying trauma that led to the addiction and provide the tools and support for our clients to heal and get their lives back.”

Tucked up against the pink cliffsides and picturesque sagebrush and desert panoramas, Crossover offers a serene environment for clients “to become grounded and connected to themselves void of substances, empowered to lead healthy lives,” Hollowell said.

At Crossover, clients participate in various types of group therapy, individual therapy and recreational therapy. This includes participating in social events, activities and various other treatments throughout the day designed to help clients overcome their addiction.

Finding a pathway toward long-term recovery requires a multifaceted approach, and research has shown that it takes multiple approaches for those with substance use disorder to achieve lasting success.

“We take an innovative approach to therapy to address the root causes to get the positive outcomes we seek,” Hughes said.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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