The Roque Center, a rehab institute that provides residential, social model, non-medical detoxification services to adults suffering from addiction, has lost its lease and relocated to a more modest location due to financial difficulties. Services offered to patients have also been reduced due to the institutions financial woes.
The treatment center is a non-profit corporation that has been offering their services to women and men who suffer from alcoholism and drug addiction since March 1972. Their inpatient residential program takes the 12 step approach to recovery, which focuses on affecting positive change in the clients lifestyle and behavior through counseling and support groups. Their mission being “To help those who suffer from alcoholism and drug addiction and provide them access to affordable substance abuse treatment, while turning no one away for lack of ability to pay.” The organization is known for taking in uninsured patients who are unable to pay, which is uncommon in the North Orange County area.
Originally, the Roque Center was located at 9842 West 13th Street in Garden Grove California. Individuals looking for help are interviewed, assessed then wait till a bed is available. Upon admission the patient signs a contract to stay sober for the remainder of their stay, which was originally 30 days and is assigned to a bed in a room shared by two others. During their stay a client is served three meals a day, is allowed to make calls on a public phone, attends Alcoholic Anonymous or Narcotic Anonymous meeting. However the patient is not allowed to leave the building, has a curfew and is only allowed visitors at specific visiting hours. Upon completion the client is discharged and referred to a sober living house for an out-patient three month program.
The Roque Center is now a seven day detoxification program according to Ira Futterman, the Detox Supervisor and a recovering addict. The rehab center has also relocated to a more affordable facility due to financial issues.
“We were bleeding financially,” said Flutterman, “and the person whom the building was leased from put the cost so out of reality for us that it was simply unattainable for us to stay at that facility.”
Flutterman further explained that the rehab center has been operating for over 44 years and the partially funded contract beds which are based on the ability to pay are funded by federal block grants which are disbursed to Sacramento who then disburse it to the 52 counties in California. The County of Orange Health Care Agency Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services receives the funds, then distributes it to institutions such as The Roque center. Unfortunately the grant has stayed the same for decades without adjustment to inflation.
“The funding has remained the same while bills go up. Water, electricity, everything goes up yet the funding has remained the same,” said Futterman, who then added that the rehab center has tried asking for more capital from the grants. “You can ask for more all you want, but you’re not going to get anything.”
The Roque Center is now located at 10936 Dale Ave, Stanton, California. The center takes donations and help of any kind, and holds fund raising events such as Casino night to stay open and continue to provide services for the people who need their help.
