Mankato’s Beyond Brink to help out with sober housing shortage

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Mankato’s Beyond Brink has 67 beds for people looking for addiction recovery housing-

“There’s definitely a need for that support in our community,” said Founder Brandy Brink.

But... the beds fill up fast, and the waitlist keeps growing-

“I hate to say we’re stretched thin. We do always encourage everyone to apply 30 to 60 days prior to the need of housing,” Brink said.

The demand for residential housing for substance-use recovery continues to grow in the greater Mankato area.

But some programs have struggled to keep up.

The New Ulm Medical Center plans to close its residential addiction services unit, after staffing shortages and financial difficulties.

The announcement comes just months after Mankato’s House of Hope Men’s drug addiction program closed due to staffing shortages--

And the Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge addiciton recovery center continues to look for a Mankato location, after pushback this summer to operate on Good Counsel Hill.

But, some existing programs, like Beyond Brink and Nuway, say there’s still hope for those searching for sober housing...

“To hear programs are closing down, I know, can be very difficult and very scary, but there are so many resources within our community,” Brink said.

“Substance-use disorder is a disease and everybody comes to treatment and services at a different spot. And we just try to meet them where they’re at,” said Amy Stephan.

Although Nuway offers in-patient housing in the Minneapolis Area, they can provide transportation to those sites for anyone across the state.

“If somebody is in the Mankato area and needs to be in a residential setting, we’re pretty low barrier and it would just be arranged through our admissions department to have a driver pick that person up,” said Stephan.

And even though the New Ulm Medical Center closes housing, the program will offer partial hospitalization and day treatment programs.

Plus, Mankato’s House of Hope women’s residential program is still open.

And Beyond Brink expands across the greater Mankato area.

“To add to our Mankato area capacity within the next year because the need is so great,” said Brink.

The Minnesota Department of Health will host a virtual hearing on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. on the planned closure of New Ulm residential addiction services.

For more information check out:

Beyond Brink Recovery Housing:

https://beyondbrink.com/recovery-housing

Nuway Residential Treatment:

https://www.nuway.org/residential-treatment/

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