“Just people with lived experience helping other people.”
That’s how recovery director Linda Walker describes the mission behind Recovery Point, a new program launched by the Bozeman nonprofit Greater Impact.
“We will support in whatever way we can. We will have game nights, events, sober activities,” Walker said.
Unlike the organization’s traditional sober-living facilities, the new space on North Seventh Avenue is designed to guide people by connecting them with recovery services,mental-health care, and community support.
“We will come together with them here, see what needs they feel are best for them. And be able to connect them with the counselors or court recommendations, things like that,” she said.
As Walker works to build a space that feels safe and welcoming, she says being located just down the road from HRDC will help them meet people where they are.
“We’ve just been really hurrying, trying to get this going. So we will be opening the doors on Saturday officially to the public,” she said.
Walker says the opening comes at a critical moment.
Data from the Center for Network Therapy shows, alcohol and drug relapses spike 150% during the holiday season.
Go inside the new Recovery Point center opening in Bozeman and learn how it's addressing the addiction treatment gap in our community
The launch of Recovery Point also coincides with the closure of Cedar Creek Integrated Health — one of the Gallatin Valley’s only intensive outpatient addiction and mental-health providers. Cedar Creek will close Dec. 1, leaving roughly 1,000 clients in search of new care.
“You become somebody's support person, and that just gets taken away. That is hard on staff as well, so we just want to be there to support everybody throughout this,” Walker said.
She adds that additional help is on the way. Rimrock, the Billings-based addiction treatment center, is set to open a Bozeman location next month.
“There won’t be anything until Rimrock gets here,” she said.
As she prepares to open the doors, Walker reflects on her own journey — graduating from drug court treatment — and says her work is rooted in empathy.
“Just being able to watch the growth and people succeed and go from that hopeless and helpless to ‘wow, I can actually do this! I can be successful and give back and become productive members of society.’ It’s just, it’s amazing,” she said.
Recovery Point will open to the public on Saturday, Nov. 29.
