NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Great Lakes Recovery Center has finished construction on its new facility, aiming to better serve those in recovery. The new facility is now called the John Kivela Center, focusing on behavioral health care. The total investment into the project from community donations and state funding was around $3.4 million.
Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony had elected officials, community leaders, and family members of the late former state representative give comments on the impact the project will have and how this upholds John Kivela’s legacy.
“We address not only an addiction issue or behavioral health issue but they may have issues with medical related concerns vocational and educational issues that they may be facing,” commented GLRC CEO Greg Toutant.
“The center is just so incredibly beautiful John’s slogan was always ‘fight the good fight’ This was a cause he truly believed in and knew that we needed in our community,” commented John Kivela’s Wife, Sandra Kivela.
Great Lakes Recovery Center has also become the second facility in the state for women in recovery who can also bring their children. Organizers comment that this updated facility will help local communities like the UP change and embrace the future of behavioral health care.
The center is also able to offer both mental health and substance abuse outpatient counseling for all ages. The center explained that its goal is just that—to evolve the future of behavioral health care. Clinic Director Jessica Murawski commented on that by saying the *whole-person approach* to behavioral health care is the way to do that. “Substance use disorders can be very complex so it’s really important to treat the whole person right mind-body and spirit so being able to help them with food and transportation and spirituality is really critical to a well-rounded recovery,” commented Murawski.
One of the biggest points that the new center wants to focus on is not just when the patient is in recovery but throughout their whole life, and naming it after the late former representative who faced his own battle is one way they can. “This has been a passion project for a number of years to develop our behavioral health campus and the new Kivila center and all the partnerships that went into it so to be able to celebrate that with so many people today makes it that much more meaningful,” continued Toutant.
The center expects to open its doors for occupancy on October 1st.
Click here, for more information and services from the Great Lakes Recovery Center.
