New Texas Sobering Center Offers Hope And Healing For Addicts

Addiction is a thief. It robs you of time, health, relationships, and, sometimes, hope. I speak from experience, as someone who has walked the road of addiction and recovery. For those of us who have been caught in the grip of addiction, what we need most isn’t punishment—it’s a place to find support and healing. That’s why the news of El Paso’s new sobering center matters so much.

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Recently, El Paso County Commissioners approved a $2 million investment from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to open a sobering center at an Emergence Health Network (EHN) facility in central El Paso. This new resource will provide a critical option for law enforcement and first responders when they encounter individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

As Rene Hurtado, the Chief of Staff at EHN, explained, the sobering center will “alleviate some of the pressures for law enforcement to figure out where to take someone when they are intoxicated and need help. Where it used to be, maybe, an emergency room, which is an inappropriate place, or even jail.”

This new center provides a safer, more appropriate alternative. Instead of taking someone to jail or the ER, which often lacks the proper resources to handle addiction crises, law enforcement can now bring them to the sobering center where they will receive immediate care.

A Much-Needed Resource for Our Community

I know firsthand how difficult it is to navigate addiction. In those darkest moments, what you need most is a place where you can go to clear your head and get support—not punishment, not shame, but real help. That’s why this new sobering center is such a vital addition to our community.

The $2 million in funding will cover the costs through 2026 and will provide 24/7 access to mental health providers and clinical professionals. Ariana Parra from EHN reports that the facility, located off Montana Avenue, will have three beds available for individuals in crisis. These stays will be short—anywhere from two hours up to fourteen—designed to stabilize those in need quickly. It’s not about long-term rehabilitation, but it’s a crucial first step in diverting people from more harmful outcomes, like jail time or unnecessary ER visits.

As Hurtado stated, “First of all, people don’t stay there very long. It could be a stay as short as two hours, all the way going up to maybe 14 or so. So, think about short stays.” While three beds might sound small for the $2 million price tag, the quick turnaround means that many people can be helped in a relatively short time, and the program has room to expand as it grows.

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Therapy and Mental Health: The Key to Lasting Recovery

For me, what ultimately made it possible to break free from my addiction wasn’t just getting clean. It was the mental health support I received—the therapy, the counselors, and the resources that helped me understand the deeper issues behind my substance abuse. Therapy gave me the tools I needed to not only get sober but to stay sober.

Addiction is rarely just about the substances themselves. There are underlying causes—pain, trauma, mental health struggles—that often drive people to use in the first place. Without addressing those, it's easy to fall back into the same patterns. That’s why this new center’s focus on mental health is so important. The fact that it offers 24/7 access to mental health professionals means that people won’t just be sobered up and sent back into the world. They’ll have the opportunity to start dealing with the emotional and psychological issues that led them to addiction in the first place.

In my journey, this was the turning point. It wasn’t enough to just detox or be kept away from drugs; I needed to work through the reasons I turned to them in the first place. The therapy I received helped me rebuild myself from the inside out, and that’s the kind of support that can change lives.

A Better Path Forward

This center is a start for El Paso. It’s not a complete solution—yet. But it’s a move toward a future where people struggling with addiction aren’t treated as criminals, but as individuals in need of care and compassion. The program is designed to grow, and as it does, it can offer even more beds, more services, and more hope for those who need it most.