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Substance abuse clinic in Butte says addiction rates likely to increase during COVID-19 pandemic

Posted at 7:26 PM, Jul 29, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-30 13:25:27-04

BUTTE - When the operators of Alpenglow were looking for a place to open their third addiction recovery center, they saw a definite need in Butte.

“Silver Bow County has the number one beer consumption rate per capita of any other county in the state of Montana,” said Clinical Director Chad Kingery.

The clinic opened in June on West Park Street and serves clients with alcohol, drug and other addictions. Clients attend classes and sessions, as well as have a safe space to socialize with their peers.

“So the idea behind that is, treat each client with respect like they're family and let them know they have value and that they're welcome and that there is something different besides what they do on their normal daily basis,” said Kingery.

Alpenglow, which has clinics in Kalispell and Columbia Falls, reports that in-person treatment is more important than ever in treating addiction, especially in this time of coronavirus.

“The relapse rates, the ingestion rates, the isolation rates have skyrocketed. People that are struggling with addiction have seen kind of an increase and we’ve kind of seen that with some of our clients,” said Kingery.

The Alpenglow clinic is located in the heart of Uptown, Butte, surrounded by bars and casinos and other temptations, and that’s why those who run this clinic say this service is very important to have in Butte.

“Pretty much anywhere we put a clinic and location in Montana specifically, not just Butte, you know, there’s going to be the bars and casinos,” said Kingery.