Thousands of Alaskans struggling with drug and alcohol addictions have gotten clean and sober, thanks to the Salvation Army's Clitheroe Center. However, the 30-year-old Anchorage lifeline has shut down its detox program. Since Alaska has one of the highest rates of alcohol and drug abuse in the country, it raises concerns--not only from addicts, but the community as well.
Doctors at Providence Hospital say a lot more people will be walking through their emergency room doors now that the doors to Clitheroe's detox program are closed.
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"We'll have to do some of the work in the emergency room ourselves, and then the rest of the community is going to have to take care of these folks as well," said Dr. Marc Pellicciaro of Providence
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Major Doug Tollerud of the Salvation Army
Hospital Psychiatric ER.
Doctors and nurses don't have very many options for treating addicts, now that the Clitheroe Center has shut down its detox unit. The Salvation Army, which ran it, says it was a difficult move to make, but a necessary one.
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"We could not staff it any longer with nurses. The nursing shortage that has hit the nation has also hit Alaska and has also hit the Anchorage community," said Major Doug Tollerud of the Salvation Army.
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He says the state was giving the Salvation Army 870,000 dollars every year--but the detox program costs more than a million dollars to run. Doctors say addicts require special care.
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"Hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, disorganized thoughts, violent thoughts, or agitations. So we often see an agitated person whose depression
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Dr. Marc Pellicciaro of Providence Hospital Psychiatric ER
is worse, or having some psychosis from their drug or alcohol abuse, basically confused and out of their mind," said Dr. Pellicciaro.
The Salvation Army is working with both city and state officials to see if Clitheroe's detox program can be reopened in the future. Doctors say it's an indispensable program.
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"Alternatives are second best alternatives, which is often going back with families, going back to homeless shelters or going back to the streets," said Dr. Pellicciaro.
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Because of a shortage of state funding, in the past 14 years, Clitheroe detox went from 20 beds, to 12, to eight, to now--none.
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To contact Grace, call 907-273-3186.
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