It’s opening day for a substance abuse treatment center in Bowling Green. Recovery Kentucky will begin accepting clients at its new men’s campus on Old Louisville Road.
Former heroin addict Chris Thomas is director of the 107-bed facility. He says treatment centers are an addict’s best chance at success.
"For every dollar we spend on these programs it's saving the taxpayers about three dollars. It's a big difference in terms of breaking the cycle and sending them straight from jail back into society or giving them six or seven months of treatment where we phase them back into society, and they become a lot more successful that way."
Some of the clients will be referred from the Department of Corrections while others will voluntarily report to the facility. Despite concerns from a nearby domestic violence shelter, Thomas says the center will not house violent or sexual offenders.Clients will typically spend six months there. In addition to helping them get clean, the center will prepare them to work and live on their own.
The Bowling Green location is Recovery Kentucky’s 15th center in the state. Other locations include Campbellsville, Henderson, Hopkinsville, and Owensboro.
