A twin cities based counseling agency, NUWAY, one of Minnesota’s most substantial non-profit addiction and mental healthcare treatment providers, is welcoming clients to its Duluth Counseling Center at 4615 Grand Ave W, Suite 300, Duluth, Minnesota.
Opened September 2019, NUWAY accepted its first client in October 2019. Today there are 31 people enrolled in the program. The average length of treatment is 85 days, said Program Manager, Angela Gilbertson.
“That [treatment plan] depends on the individual’s goals,” said Gilbertson. “Some clients finish faster and some take longer than 85 days. I tell the client to work the treatment plan, not a timeline, and if needed, we can provide extended services for those people who need to take longer to finish the treatment plan.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, intakes, individual counseling services and groups are offered online through a secure system. Gilbertson noted the epidemic and stay in place orders have been emotionally hard for most of us, and can be especially hard for someone who is dealing with addiction.
With that, the Duluth/ Counseling Center provides a much needed daily routine for clients, offering stability despite the stay in place orders.
Describing what she calls the “new norm,” Gilbertson noted,
“We offer accountability and structure through our group and individual counseling sessions. Those sessions are held Monday through Friday.” She added staff at NUWAY had adapted well to working remotely with clients.
Gilbertson touted the success the Duluth Counseling Center has had working online with individuals, adding this newfound method, “has really opened doors for our clients and us.”
In its brief history here in the Northland, the addiction counseling center has worked with one person from Cook County, who was referred by a probation officer. Still, Gilbertson added the door is open to other Cook County residents and Northlanders who need help battling their addictions.
When asked what types of problems people are suffering from at this time, Gilbertson said sometimes it’s opioids, other times it’s alcohol or amphetamines. “It comes in waves. One week it’s opioids, other weeks it’s mostly alcohol, then it’s amphetamines. It ebbs and flows.”
Finding housing for patients has always been tough in Duluth, which has a notoriously expensive and tight housing/apartment rental market.
“The lack of stable recovery housing has been a significant treatment barrier in Duluth, and the fact that NUWAY can offer help with finding quality recovery housing is a big plus,” explains Gilbertson.
The new facility in Duluth has licensed clinicians that provide intensive outpatient services utilizing a holistic care model. This includes helping clients access community recovery support services and recovery housing – a crucial link for sustained recovery.
A stable recovery environment is vitally important for clients, Gilbertson said.
“We offer 20 hours of intensive outpatient addiction treatment, including therapy for co-occurring mental health conditions. Additionally, we provide transportation assistance, if needed, and one nutritionally based snack each day of service.”
Bottom line, said Gilbertson, the Duluth Counseling Center offers a safe environment for adults with substance use disorder to get treatment and support. Anyone seeking treatment services for themselves or loved ones are encouraged to contact the center at 218-207-2130.
Leave a Reply