Substance Abuse Facility in Glenwood Springs Helps Mothers
A new addiction treatment facility, Momenta, offers both outpatient and inpatient mental health and substance abuse disorder services. Mandy Owensby founded the center with women and mothers specifically in mind after she herself struggled to find programs accommodating of both herself and her children.
Before launching the addiction treatment facility, she worked in human services and noticed that there was a lack of treatment for local patients. This led to patients having to be referred to programs out of state.
Clinician Bailey Allison states economic hardships have been a factor in rising addiction trends in Colorado. She added that a lack of psychiatrists and physicians to provide treatment in rural communities has compounded the problem. The Colorado Department of Health & Environment estimated that nearly 960 total drug poisoning deaths occurred in 2017- a five year high for the state. In response, Gov. John Hickenlooper passed a law to uphold the Substance Abuse Trend and Response Task Force in Colorado.
Momenta staff practice a holistic approach to recovery, and focus on the entire affected family, not only on mother-child relationships. Using the 12-step model, Momenta offers a range of courses including fitness, family therapy and nutrition. The facility consists of two buildings. The first houses 18 women in the treatment program, and the second provides room for six women who have completed treatment and are transitioning back into society.
Owensby requires that all patients commit to a minimum of 90 days treatment, believing that longer treatment services promote a better chance of successful recovery. Additionally, Owensby also believes longer treatment can help eliminate ‘triggers’ in certain patients.
Bailey Allison has worked with patients with addictions who have also experienced trauma in their lives. Experiencing trauma can put people at a higher risk of developing severe substance abuse issues in the future. In regards to this, she hopes that if people acknowledge the connection between trauma and addiction, it will help the issue be seen as a medical condition rather than a choice. With the success of Momenta growing, Owensby imagines a waiting list may soon be in place.