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Employees stand in front of grand reopening in Richmond.

Richmond’s long-awaited rehab center for men reopens

on November 6, 2020

Earlier this fall, Richmond’s long-awaited rehabilitation center for men reopened, providing community support to local substance users who previously had to drive as far as San Pablo to receive treatment.

The newly named WestCare California Richmond Health and Wellness Center on 23rd Street reopens at a time when reports show that methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin use are spiking across the country.

Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, Suzanne Tavano, director of the county’s Behavioral Health Services and other prominent speakers celebrated the center’s opening at a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 14.

Among those most excited to see the return of the center is Katree Harvey, a former client. 

“I am happy to see it has reopened again and hopefully it can help people the way it once helped me,” said the 42-year-old Harvey, who went to the center in 2003 to overcome a cocaine addiction. 

Fátima Matal Sol,  program chief of the county’s Alcohol and Other Drug Services, says the center will help with continuing recovery and establishing a strong base for rehabilitation.    

“While it’s nice that the county has the capacity in Clayton, Antioch or Martinez, they shouldn’t have to travel from Richmond all the way to Clayton,” said Sol. “When somebody is detoxing, they are not in the best state. They need support in that state.” 

Before the opening of this center, the county had the ability to serve only seven individuals in detox at a time.  Though the new center has 25 beds, it’s operating at half-capacity because of COVID-19 restrictions.

“We are not fully staffed and have to comply with COVID-19 health order requirements,” said Sol. “But I know the program is going to maintain the agency because the agency is really structured.”  

Shawn Jenkins, deputy chief director at WestCare’s Western Region, collaborated with Sol and many others to open the new center. And he says he couldn’t be more excited.

“Not only do we want to provide them a good opportunity at a place where they can address their issue and start their journey in recovery,” he said.
“But we want to make sure that their physical health is taken care of and watched after, too.” 

(Lead photo: Employees at grand re-opening of center in Richmond. Credit: WestCare Facebook Page.)

3 Comments

  1. Deborah on November 7, 2020 at 9:31 pm

    I’ve been waiting trying to help a friend. The doctor told him if he drinks again he could die. I called at your time to open and was told to have him call. He needs confined treatment. He was told to attend classes which has done absolutely nothing. Im starting to wonder if CCC has any idea how to treat an alchoholic. He has binged 4 times in 3 weeks. Im totally frustrated.



  2. Ericka Njemanze on November 8, 2020 at 1:57 am

    Awesome thank you Richmond!



  3. Diana M Carlsen on November 8, 2020 at 10:34 am

    Wow opportunity for 25 men to get off the street this winter thats amazing that this day in age women are left behind… Addition effect both men and women but yet there r more programs for men



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