There’s good news coming for Jacksonville residents suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, as a new treatment facility is returning to Jacksonville after the Wells Center shutdown due to issues with the state budget impasse.
According to the Jacksonville Journal Courier, one of the largest abuse treatment providers in the state, the Gateway Foundation, will start taking leadership of the site formerly known as the Wells Center. Illinois’ prolonged budget issues throughout 2017 resulted in a lack of state funding for the Wells Center…ultimately sinking the facility financially after nearly 50 years of local operation.
And Jacksonville may be getting its new treatment facility sooner rather than later, as representatives from the Gateway Foundation are announcing plans for a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house as the site hopes to re-open and be fully operational by spring, according to the paper. Gateway is saying that the new local facility will have residential and outpatient treatment, safe recovery housing and medication-assisted treatment available to individuals covered by both private and public insurance.
According to the paper, Kerry Henry will oversee operations at the new facility. Henry is an executive director who’s led three Gateway programs in the Springfield area and has been a member of the Gateway Foundation’s leadership team for two decades.
Gateway officials say the new Jacksonville facility should result in hiring around 80 new staff members.