PHOTO BY PAULO MURILLO
Now open in West Hollywood, serving the LGBT community.
BY PAULO MURILLO
The City of West Hollywood has a new treatment center that specializes on the needs of LGBTQ people who suffer from substance abuse. Pride Recovery LA treatment center celebrated their grand opening on Thursday, October 26.
“This is our introduction into the community as a premier LGBTQ treatment center,” Pride Recovery admissions and community outreach coordinator Matthew Bianchi stated.
“We’re having this event to let people know that we are here and we’re offering this specialized experience for LGBTQ people in our community so they have the ultimate safe experience where they don’t have any fears or anxieties about really digging deep and doing the work that needs to be done in order to secure lasting sobriety.”
The treatment center aims to address the shame that is often attached to addiction and build pride. Pride in Self. Pride in Sobriety. Pride in Community.
“It’s really exciting to see all of the support that Pride Recovery is receiving from—not just the LGBT community, but the overall community and treatment professionals,” Zack Ament the founder and marketing director of Westwind Recovery tells THE FIGHT.
”There are people who tell me this has been needed in a while. It’s been something that we at Westwind Recovery have always wanted for our gay clients. My partner Justin Wells and I went through a treatment center and found it difficult to be vulnerable amongst people who weren’t gay themselves.”
Treatment professionals and community leaders from the recovering community joined Mayor Pro Tempore John Duran at the launch. Duran was the main speaker at the event in honor of the opening.
The specialized LGBTQ treatment center currently shares a space with the CORE (Complete Outpatient Recovery Experience) building located at 8300 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.
According to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), LGBTQ people are about 30% more likely than members of the general population to suffer from addiction. The report states that LGBTQ people who go to traditional treatment for their addiction have a recovery rate that is 60% lower than non-LGBTQ people who access that same treatment.
Pride Recovery LA aims to address the shame that is often attached to addiction and build pride. Pride in Self. Pride in Sobriety. Pride in Community.
To learn more call (844) 303-5551.
