New drug rehabilitation center opens in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (WHNT) – The opioid epidemic continues to rage in northern Alabama.

Betty Dunn struggled with drug addiction for most of her adult life. She served a long prison sentence and sought help.

Questions and answers with the candidates in the race for Huntsville City Council District 5

Dunn, along with her partner Summer Burden, opened Sisters United, where they now help other women recover from addiction. They both participated in the opening of a new Resource Recovery Hub as a partner of The Partnership for a Drug-Free Community.

“Here I am 10 years later,” Dunn said. “I own my own rehabilitation home and help women who have had it just as difficult as I have.”

“We’re trying to help people seek help and show them that there is hope and help,” Burden said.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free Community is a leader in the fight against drug abuse in Madison County.

Local business owner talks about Huntsville Restaurant Week

A new facility will be officially opened on Friday in the presence of city and state leaders. The goal is to provide accessible treatment for people who are struggling to overcome their drug addiction.

For the past four years, Partnership and The Recovery Resource Hub have received funding from Huntsville and the Madison County Commission to combat the growing epidemic of substance abuse that has torn families apart.

“The difficult job our people have is getting people into withdrawal. There are still not enough places, but here they seem to be working wonders,” said Karren Crowson, executive director of the Partnership for Drug-Free Community.

Cheryl Russell, director of The Resource Recovery Hub, says the number of people seeking addiction treatment services has increased by almost 200% since the beginning of June.

Residents in the South Huntsville neighborhood are frustrated with the sewage installation

“Thanks to the peer support specialists and case managers, we have been able to accomplish a lot in our intakes and assessments,” Russell said.

According to HEMSI, the number of emergency calls related to overdoses in Huntsville has increased and is now averaging three calls per day.

“The assessment we offer here at the Hub, the peer support and the case management are all free,” said Kim Lamar of the Resource Recovery Hub. “Not having insurance and not having money should not be a barrier to access and treatment, and that’s what we’re here for.”

The Partnership for a Drug-Free Community will soon open resource centers in Marshal, Morgan, Limestone and Jackson counties.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit WHNT.com.