Gateway Foundation Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center is now ready for clients at its new Joliet location.
The outpatient facility recently hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1419 Essington Rd.; garnering support by city officials and other community leaders. Among those in attendance were Sen. Pat McGuire, D-Crest Hill; Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow; Joliet Mayor Bob O’DeKirk and Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet.
“Gateway is very proud to be part of the Will County-Joliet community,” said Jim Scarpace, Executive Director at Gateway’s Joliet treatment center. “We recognize that addiction is a psychological disease and physiology disease. We know it doesn’t discriminate as we’ve all heard with the opioid epidemic between not only this area but all across the United States.”
Gateway provides evidence-based services to support clients who struggle with drug or alcohol usage to achieve and sustain long-term recovery.
There are a number of ways that distinguish the treatment center, compared to other providers, Scarpace said.
“We’re the largest substance abuse treatment provider in the state of the Illinois,” Scarpace. “We’ve been doing this for over 40 years across the state as well as corresponding states. We pride our selves in being joint commission accredited and really providing… evidence-based, innovative [and] effective services. Our outcome rates are very, very successful treating clients not only with opioid use disorder but alcohol use disorder as well as other substances. We’re hoping we can make a difference in the community.”
The new facility can serve from 80-100 clients.
Manley, who serves on the Illinois House of Representative’s Human Services Appropriations Committee, said thanks must go out to the people who work at Gateway. Manley said nobody knows the impact that a lack of a budget in Illinois has had on social service providers more than she.
“We’re working everyday to try to change that,” she said. “In the meantime, you’re the real heroes here.”
Glasgow shared that sentiment.
“Agencies like yours are a godsend,” he said. “We’ve got all our specialty courts where we’re constantly looking for beds, for treatment and for care. Most of situations we deal with it’s [about helping those who enter the court system from making repeat offenses]. It’s that management. It’s that long-term management that we’re pursuing, and agencies like yours give us the resources.”
The treatment center is looking to hold an adult group program from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Medicaid certification requires that Gateway limit attendance to 16 clients.
“We’re hoping to grow from there and add additional groups for not only adults but maybe adolescents as we get our footing here,” Scarpace said.
For more information or to gain admission, call the Gateway facility in Aurora at 630-966-7466 or the 24-hour call center at 877-505-4673.