DENVER (KDVR) — Wednesday morning, Governor Jared Polis and state leaders were in Watkins to break ground on a first-of-its-kind recovery center with wraparound treatment services using resources they already had to build it out.
The state leaders celebrated the transformation of a youth services building with a troubled past into a place where people struggling with addiction across the state can come and get help.
Sage Ridge Supportive Residential Community will provide transitional housing, recovery services, job training, and medical and dental care for Coloradans struggling with homelessness or addiction. The building housing the center used to be the Ridge View Youth Services Center.
“This entire, beautiful campus was serving 20-25 youth. And I would also add, not particularly well. There were a number of audits and issues that came out of the performance here. So when we saw it, I was like this was way under-utilized. I mean we could put the effort in to try to fix it for the 25 kids. But there is so much more opportunity here and there is so much more need with homelessness and addiction,” Governor Jared Polis said at a press conference and ribbon cutting for the new space.
Ridge View closed in 2021. State lawmakers passed a bill the following year, paving the way for the building to be developed into a community where people struggling can not only get help but live life in a comfortable and safe environment before re-entering society.
“It’s the first-of-its-kind, not only in the state but probably nationally, where we can bring everybody together to begin to not only look at behavioral health but to also look at substance use disorder. I am so happy that my department has worked so diligently to with housing to make sure all of this comes together,” said Dannette Smith, Colorado Behavioral Health Administration Commissioner.
The state already operates the Fort Lyons Supportive Residential Community in Las Animas County, but the governor said this new facility adds more services, including a detox component. Leaders said some of the residents from that facility will move here to further their journey.
“We have to be very intentional in our activation plan to do it in a very designed way because we are building a community. So you can’t just throw everyone in at once, you have to do it gradually,” said Maria De Cambra, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
Leaders hope to have this facility up and running by the end of this year, with 100 people moved in by then, before operating at full capacity by the first of quarter of 2026.
The complex was built using $45 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, $48.7 million from the State Capital Project Funds, $2 million from Arapahoe County State Local Fiscal Recovery Funds and $1.5 million from Aurora State Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
