BUILDING HOPE

Canon City Treatment Center Expanding

CANON CITY - Rocky Mountain Behavioral Health Inc. broke ground on a $1
million-plus headquarters Friday, a venture that will enable it to help
more Southern Colorado clients with substance abuse, domestic violence and
outreach crisis counseling.

The 11,000-square-foot center, which will be located just south of the
Canon City police station, will provide space for two day-programs that are
offered as alternatives to hospitalization for women and children as well
as adolescents, according to Judith Bridgeman, executive director.

"This has been 28 years in the making. We've had crowded, awful conditions
and moved lots of times," Bridgeman said.

"Substance abuse is a very difficult field to practice in and the buildings
have represented the diversity we, and certainly our clients, are up
against. This building is going to represent hope," Bridgeman said, wearing
a bright red "boss lady" hard hat presented to her during groundbreaking
ceremonies Friday.

Bridgeman expects the project will become a reality by next July.

Rocky Mountain board member Margaret Linscott, a local Realtor, said she is
excited that the new building will enable the nonprofit agency to help even
more people.

Rocky Mountain, which currently works out of temporary offices at the Holy
Cross Abbey and a branch office in Salida, serves clients in Fremont,
Chaffee and Custer counties.

"We offer substance abuse treatment for everything from heroin and meth
(methamphetamine) to alcohol on a volunteer and court-ordered basis,"
Bridgeman said.

Rocky Mountain Behavior Health Executive Director Judith Bridgeman wears
her new red 'boss lady' hard hat while addressing the crowd at
groundbreaking ceremonies Friday for a $1 million facility in Canon City.
Looking on are board treasurer Frank Jaquez and board member Jehnell Giganti.

"Methamphetamine is a tremendous problem in Fremont County because we are
at an important crossroads for transportation of illegal drugs. We are
currently ranked No. 3 in the state in methamphetamine use as a region,
which includes Lake, Park, El Paso, Teller and Fremont counties," Bridgeman
said.

Bridgeman said part of the reason that rural areas like Fremont County
attract methamphetamine manufacturers is because the drug can be made a
little easier and with less detection than it can in big cities. She said
as a county, Fremont County's No. 1 drug problem is a tie between marijuana
and alcohol, followed by methamphetamine.

"All drug use combined in Colorado makes us No. 2 in the United States, but
we are funded at the 47th level," Bridgeman explained.

Through domestic violence programs, all parties - perpetrators, victims and
their children - receive treatment. In addition, support services include a
domestic violence children's group, family and individual therapy and
education.

One of the new areas Rocky Mountain is branching into is the outreach
crisis counseling arena. Assistant director Debbie Reno-Smith is overseeing
a program for traumatized victims of the June 2 Iron Mountain Fire.

Free outreach support for fire victims is available both locally and in the
Chaffee County area, Reno-Smith said.

For information about Rocky Mountain Behavioral Health Inc. programs, or to
donate to the new building fund, call 275-7650.