Crossroads rehabilitation center coming to Pueblo West after proposed Pueblo site nixed
The Pueblo West Metro Board on Monday paved the way for a Crossroads Turning Points rehabilitation center to be built at 355 E. Spaulding Ave. by approving the sale of a 1.5-inch water tap for the new facility.
Crossroads hopes to build a $5.4 million, 20-bed rehabilitation center for its Pueblo Circle Program as soon as 2024. Administrative offices will be included to accommodate a staff of nurses, administrators, counselors and case managers.
Crossroads Turning Points Chief Operations and Innovations Officer Rob Archuleta said the organization has identified "a need in the community for more services" and is "super excited about having the Circle Program in a building it deserves to be in.”
The Circle Program originated at the Colorado Mental Health Institute, where it operated for about 17 years before closing in 2017 due to a staffing shortage. Crossroads took over the program in 2018 and runs it out of a 16-bed facility, serving eight men and eight women at its East Evans Avenue location in Pueblo.
The program offers high-level substance abuse and mental health treatment for patients who have co-occurring disorders.
“We are building on the shoulders of the amazing work at the state hospital and we are moving it forward into a new era of treatment," Archuleta said. "We took it over and it’s really flourishing, but it needs to be in a new, big building where we can provide those life-saving services."
Crossroads CEO Charles Davis presented details of the project to Pueblo City Council during a work session Feb. 21, indicating the new building would cost $5.4 million to build. Crossroads initially proposed in 2021 to build what was then a $3.6 million facility on a 2.65-acre site at 1725 W. Pueblo Blvd. in Pueblo, but that proposal did not proceed beyond the zoning and special use permitting process.
The Crossroads board has pledged $1 million to the project, the state has pledged $1.3 million, and Crossroads is borrowing about $3 million through a nonprofit loan from the Bank of the San Juans to complete the project, Davis said.
Davis asked if the city would pitch in $750,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the project, pointing out that about 50% of the organization's patients are from Pueblo and that Crossroads was "already on track to see 140 patients this year when historically that number was 75 to 80.”
Pueblo City Attorney Dan Kogovsek said Crossroads' proposal calls for help with debt service, which disqualifies it from receiving ARPA funding. He said the city could earmark those federal funds to help with treatment.
After hearing a majority of city councilors support the idea of helping, Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar said he and city staff will meet with Crossroads staff to modify the proposal and bring it before city council for its consideration.
“A good percentage of our patients are on Medicaid or are indigent, so we operate on a sliding scale. Our objective is to serve the community and make sure nobody goes without treatment — payment should not be a barrier to treat,” Archuleta said.
Pueblo's need for mental health treatment facilities has been especially prevalent since Parkview Health System announced plans last May to close its 25-bed in-patient adult psychiatric unit because of declining user numbers.
More on Crossroads:Crossroads proposed treatment facility stalls; fails to advance to Pueblo City Council vote
Road maintenance equipment, materials to transfer to Pueblo County
In other business, the Pueblo West Metro Board agreed to transfer 36 pieces of heavy equipment and $240,000 worth of road maintenance materials to Pueblo County. The county agreed to handle Pueblo West road maintenance starting this year after voters approved a 1% sales tax in November to help fund the improvements.
The board also addressed concerns voiced by resident Christy Fidura, who said she has served as a volunteer helping with elections. Fidura said she and others would be willing to count ballots during the district's May 2 election to help save $73,000 in taxpayer money going to Community Resource Services of Greenwood Village to oversee the election.
The board voted to hire the service after newly elected Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder Candace Rivera announced she would not be able to handle the election for Pueblo West. Fidura said spending those funds would be "fiscally irresponsible."
However, Pueblo West Board Vice President Doug Proal said the board was surprised by Rivera’s decision and did not have much time to react.
“I don’t know we have the option to do the election ourselves,” Proal said.
May 2 board candidates announced
Voters will choose two new board members from a slate of seven candidates during the May 2 election as Pueblo West Metro Board President Kim Swearingen and board member Jami Baker Orr have opted not to run for reelection.
Candidates include Gregory Roberts, Kenneth Murray, Brian Lucas, Robert Karasawa, Brian Axworthy, Liza Reyes and Bill Vickers.
More election news:Pueblo West hires contractor to handle May 2 election after county clerk declines
Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Mental health and addiction treatment center coming to Pueblo West
