COUNTY STUDIES DRUG REHAB OPTIONS

The Salvation Army needs cash for its adult rehabilitation program.

Mesa County has cash and a commitment to help methamphetamine addicts
recover from their addictions.

Tuesday, County Commissioner Janet Rowland, Department of Human Services
Acting Director Sue Tuffin and Chief Deputy District Attorney Dan
Rubinstein toured the two Grand Avenue homes that serve as the Salvation
Army's rehab program.

County officials are researching the possibility of Mesa County paying for
drug rehabilitation as a diversion to jail for some drug offenders.

County officials are looking at the possibility of paying the Salvation
Army as well as the Colorado West Mental Health Center some of the costs
for their rehab programs. Another option involves the possibility of the
county opening its own treatment center within its community corrections
department, Rowland said.

The Salvation Army program houses 18 men and 10 women in an intensive
six-month, state-licensed program intended to help people kick their
additions for good.

What's special about the Grand Junction program is its success rate. When
other programs have an average success rate of 40 percent, the Grand
Junction Salvation Army rehab program keeps 80 percent of its graduates
sober one year after their graduation, said program Director Robert Deal.

But the program has suffered recently from financial sources drying up,
said Maj. Alfred Parker.

With an annual budget of slightly more than $500,000, the rehab program has
historically been funded by thrift stores operated by the Salvation Army in
Grand Junction and neighboring communities. However, lately, revenues from
the stores has been falling, Parker said.

In addition to thrift store revenues, donations fund the rehab program,
Parker said.

That's where Mesa County comes in.

Mesa County has applied for a $200,000 federal grant and has committed a
$200,000 match to help pay for rehab programs for meth users, Rowland said.

Rubinstein created the Fast Track Program, still in its formulation stages.
Under fast track, first-time meth offenders could enroll in treatment
instead of receiving a jail sentence.

Rowland said she would prefer to pay for treatment for meth users over the
alternatives - jail or seeing users commit more crimes while they're out on
bond.

Society saves money - in jail time and in crime - by keeping people off
meth, said Rubinstein.