Avenues Recovery Center opens next to shuttered Praxis

 

MISHAWAKA, Ind.-- Mental health resources are expanding once again in St. Joseph County, with Avenues Recovery Center opening its doors in the Elm Road Medical Campus in Mishawaka. 

It lies one building over from the former home of Praxis of South Bend by Landmark Recovery, forced to shut down after multiple incidents of malpractice and abuse.

A lawsuit, now with more than 30 plaintiffs, against Praxis, is still pending in federal court.

However, a new recovery center is moving in next door, and they promise to be different.

"We are different and we will be protecting and equipping our staff with all the necessary tools to be safe," said Ann Hasse, clinical director at Avenues.

Avenues will offer hope and healing, and 120 beds, for those battling substance abuse and misuse disorders.

"It's hard. Addiction is hard," Hasse said. "I don't think anybody in our community can say they haven't been touched by it."

With Praxis shuttered, Hasse said the differences start with the investment in staff.

"They want to set a culture, and so they want their staff to set a culture," she said.

For one, she says, they will not overburden staff, implementing what they call a "slow roll."

"Our census grows with what we feel comfortable with," she said.

She also says they have strict contraband prevention.

"Really tight search policies, we do round the clock perimeter searches, we do round the clock facility searches," Hasse said. "So I feel like that's another way we've trained and empowered our staff to protect themselves, the facility, and most of all, to protect our clients."

Avenues Recovery Center soft-opened in November, but the official grand opening and open house will be this Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 1:30 p.m.