August 17, 2021 3:40 a.m. 

Adapt has announced the opening of a sobering center for people who are experiencing the effects of alcohol and other drugs.

A release said the facility began accepting referrals from local law enforcement on August 13th. Adapt CEO Dr Gregory Brigham said, “Although the idea of establishing a Sobering Center in Douglas County has been discussed for several years, it wasn’t until 2020 that the idea became a reality”. Brigham said despite setbacks due to COVID-19 he is pleased the resource is now available in the county.

The release said last year the Sobering Center was identified by the community as a way to increase cross-system collaboration to reduce involvement in the justice system by people with substance use disorders. Rather than remaining on the street, publicly intoxicated individuals are removed from an unsafe situation and are brought by law enforcement to a safe, secure and supervised environment. The release said individuals are referred and transferred to the Sobering Center by law enforcement only. It is not a place where family or friends can bring someone to sober up.

Roseburg Police Chief Gary Klopfenstein said the goal is to provide a safe holding facility for people to sleep off the effects of public intoxication, while diverting them from jail and the emergency department. He said, “…we will also take the opportunity to help connect people with the services they desperately need”.

The release said the center was built using renovated shipping containers placed on property already owned by Adapt and is near the agency’s residential treatment facility. Sobering Center Manager and Certified Health Education Specialist Trina Wheeldon said the center is an 8-unit facility for adult men and women, with separate fully-contained sobering units to house each individual client. The facility is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is staffed with 7 Adapt employees who are trained to work with this population.

The release said in addition to Adapt, the Sobering Center is made possible with broad community support from Douglas County, Umpqua Health Alliance, Oregon Health Authority, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, the local public safety coordinating council, the cities of Roseburg, Sutherlin, Winston and Myrtle Creek and by David and Kelly Trinchero.

For more information, go to www.adaptoregon.org/sober.