(BENT COUNTY, Colo.) — Stepping foot onto Fort Lyon, it seems like a college campus, with big brick buildings, pathways filled with people, and echoing with the sounds of southern Colorado nature.
The Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community is a state program that is run by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
Those who live at Fort Lyon are called Residents instead of patients, and are working on their path to recovery and healing, addressing challenges related to substance use or alcohol. Currently, there are 195 residents at Fort Lyon, and it can serve up to 225.
“I ended up coming here voluntarily,” said Fort Lyon Resident James Glasenapp. “I had an addiction to alcohol. I was getting to where, you know, I was letting that come first before, you know, other things. The program’s been great, I wish they had more like it around.”
There are specific requirements for people to come to the recovery campus, with one being they must reside in Colorado.
“They need to be 18 years of age or older, they have to be homeless or at risk of losing their housing,” said the Program Director at Fort Lyon, Lisa Trigilio. “We really look for them [to] have a desire to recover. We don’t take court orders because they’re being told they have to come here, and that just doesn’t really sit well to start a recovery program and we do not take registered sex offenders.”
A referral application can be filled out online. There will also be an information session on Dec. 7 at the new Pueblo Rescue Mission building from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
This is the entrance way to the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community which provides recovery program for people all throughout the state.
When stepping foot onto the campus, the buildings can easily be distinguished by their past lives.
“These are very old buildings,” Trigilio said. “It was an old VA hospital at one time. The history dates way back before that, but it was also a Department of Corrections facility for ten years before the coalition came and opened up the program here.”
Once home to soldiers, now home to Coloradans on a mission to better themselves. Fort Lyon has 535 acres of land, offering housing in dorm rooms, and has ten single family homes.
“This campus is like its own little city in itself,” Fort Lyon Resident, Flash Griego said. “We have separate dorms; we have our own mail room. We have plenty of recreational facilities.”
The campus is on 535 acres offering dorm rooms, single family housing, as well as a recreational building and more.
Inside of the big buildings are different spaces for residents to spend their time and work on their healing journey. Inside of the creativity room, two residents worked on their art pieces using different style techniques.
Across the way, a bike shop could be found inside of a recreational building where one resident spends his time fixing bikes and making sure others could ride around.
“I used to work in the bike shop,” Glasenapp said. “I was in there for [al]most a year. They gave me something to do, like an outlet to do things and help other people.”
One resident could be found repairing bikes and helping make sure residents had a ride.
To help residents on their recovery journey, there are specific resources and programs that the campus offers.
“Once someone gets here, they’re assigned to a case manager and they we also have peer specialists and they work hand in hand to support the residents as they make their journey through the program,” said Trigilio.
Residents are able to find different outlets of support through group meetings, and by hearing the recovery journey of others who reside at Fort Lyon.
“We have approximately 30 meetings and groups a week,” Trigilio said. “N.A., Narcotics Anonymous, A.A., Alcoholics Anonymous. We have groups and they choose what groups and what meetings they want to go to, where they feel comfortable and where they feel supported.”
Besides substance use recovery, there is also a benefit specialist who works with residents to help them get a driver’s license and forms of IDs, all working toward the end goal of permanent housing.
Residents can spend their time as they wish, with two using the creativity room to make different pieces of art.
Over the past ten years, the recovery campus has treated more than 2,200 people coming from counties all over the state. This is a free service allowing people to receive high-quality care as they navigate their journey to recovery.
“Your homeless individual isn’t going to have the funds to find a recovery place that they can afford,” Trigilio said. “Even middle of the road people working, I mean, it is very costly. So, the state of Colorado saw this as an impact that they could make and it’s proven that it is just an amazing opportunity for people.”
The serenity of the campus and the mission of staff creates a special environment which residents come to appreciate.
“This place is definitely a dream in itself,” Griego said. “If you want to be a better person, live a better life, then this place is definitely for you.”
For staff members like Trigilio, the positive impact and change this recovery facility has on these residents is a firsthand experience.
“It’s amazing, that’s what makes you want to work here,” Trigilio said. “You see people come here, they’re not feeling well, they’re a little lost. We have a large facility here, they’re not for sure what’s going on. But as they give themselves a chance to recover and they start attending groups and meetings and so forth, you see this tremendous difference and you don’t even recognize them in a year.”
The homeless recovery campus accepts donations and is asking for clothing, bedding, and furniture, all of which can help these residents who have next to nothing.
“It’s a little scary sometimes to leave all this support and to go into your home,” Trigilio. “We want it to be comfortable for them. Any donations that we can get, furniture, clothing, bedding, household items is just wonderful.”
If you are interested in donating, details can be found here.
This unique facility is one-of-a-kind, and the positive impact on people across the state is paving the way for the creation of another facility.
“As far as I know, it’s the only one in the nation,” Trigilio. “I do know that they’re working on replicating it at the Ridge View facility in Watkins, Colorado, which I’m excited about it to work, and have options and so forth. So, the more help we can give, the better it’s going to be for everyone that needs the help.”
The Department of Local Affairs provided a statement outlining the specific services and programs in which it will offer.
The Ridge View Supportive Residential Community aims to provide the following services and
programs:
● A transitional housing program with wraparound case management with a focus on
recovery, care coordination, and employment and housing placement
● A continuum of behavioral health services and substance use treatment
● A federally qualified health center or other primary care clinic
The Department of Local Affairs
Out in the plains, surrounded by tranquility and support, these individuals are finding not just a new beginning but also hope in themselves.
“I know that this place, there’s not very many of them like this in the entire country and when I do tell people about it, they do not believe me,” Griego said. “So, a second facility would be phenomenal. I know they have a great success rate here, and it would be amazing to see a lot of people be equally successful.”
