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Rio Arriba Detox Center Gets Funding

Austin Ban via unsplash.com

A Rio Arriba County detox center is getting $45,000 from a state-funded grant. The county’s Community Health Council voted to award the funds Wednesday.

Hoy Recovery Center is the only place in Rio Arriba County where people can go for detox services, and the center pretty much always has a waiting list for beds for men.

"We have call after call on a daily basis of consumers reaching out for services," said Director Ambrose Baros, adding that the money will get more services to more people. 

"And then we need to bring more awareness into the community on how to access that service.  Again I think the bigger barrier for consumers is they find many barriers to get into detox rather than there not being a bed."

Things like transportation, fees, medical clearance can be just as much of a problem for someone needing detox as a waiting list for beds, Baros says, and the new grant money can pay for staff to help people navigate those barriers. 

Ed Williams came to KUNM in 2014 by way of Carbondale, Colorado, where he worked as a public radio reporter covering environmental issues. Originally from Austin, Texas, Ed has reported on environmental, social justice, immigration and Native American issues in the U.S. and Latin America for the Austin American-Statesman, Z Magazine, NPR’s Latino USA and others. In his spare time, look for Ed riding his mountain bike in the Sandias or sparring on the jiu-jitsu mat.
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