Specialized Shelter Aims to Aid Families Battling Addiction in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In a city grappling with addiction and homelessness, the Bernalillo County Family Wellness Shelter stands out as a beacon of hope for families in need. The shelter focuses on providing specialized support to individuals battling substance abuse while ensuring a stable environment for affected families.
Khristen Phillips, a 28-year-old mother of two, exemplifies the challenges faced by many in the community. Having struggled with addiction for over a decade, Phillips has experienced both recovery and relapse. “It’s been a struggle since I was 15 years old,” she reflected, articulating the cyclical nature of addiction. Just when she managed to carve a path toward stability, circumstances changed dramatically when she and her children were evicted from their apartment last August, leaving them without a home.
Phillips sought refuge at the Family Wellness Shelter but encountered setbacks, stating, “I was really hurt that I lost everything.” This emotional turmoil led her to relapse and eventually resulted in her exit from the program. However, after committing herself to recovery through a one-month rehabilitation stint, Phillips returned to the shelter and successfully completed the full 90 days of the program. Benton Chavez, the program manager at the shelter, praised her resilience, describing her story as one of the best success narratives within their operations.
The Family Wellness Shelter operates out of a converted motel in Albuquerque, offering 23 rooms to families who often find themselves in precarious situations, ranging from single mothers to multi-generational family units. The demand is high, with 30 to 40 families frequently on a waiting list for available accommodations. “There’s a diverse range of families,” Chavez noted, highlighting the different backgrounds and needs of the shelter’s clients.
To enhance the effectiveness of their services, case managers work diligently to provide participants with essential resources, such as food, counseling, and support tailored to individual circumstances. Phillips credited the shelter’s resources for her recovery, stating, “There’s a bunch of resources that they gave me that I had no clue about.”
In response to the increasing need for behavioral health-related housing, Bernalillo County is advocating for million in funding during the legislative session. This funding would enable the county to purchase its own motel, thereby increasing capacity and staffing while expanding services. Chavez articulated the potential benefits: “We’d be able to serve more families, get more staff, and provide many more services that families need.”
As families like Phillips’ work toward rebuilding their lives, the commitment of the Family Wellness Shelter remains steadfast. “I have a housing voucher, my kids are in a safe environment, and I’m clean. Yeah, things are a lot better. They’re looking up,” Phillips concluded, reflecting the transformative impact the shelter aims to have on families dealing with addiction and housing instability.
In a time when community needs are pressing, initiatives like the Family Wellness Shelter offer essential support, aiming to restore dignity and stability to families at a critical juncture in their lives.
