Oregon Opens First Latino Residential Treatment Facility

When language and culture become barriers to healing, lives hang in the balance. That reality is changing in Madras, Oregon, where construction just began on the state's first residential treatment facility designed specifically for Latino men battling substance use disorder.

BestCare Treatment Services broke ground on May 20 on the 8,000-square-foot facility that will house 16 beds. The new center expands Programa de Recuperación de Madras, a culturally specific program that's been serving the community for over 20 years.

What makes this facility unique isn't just the Spanish language services. The entire environment reflects Latino culture, from the design to the treatment approach, which centers on family involvement and cultural reconnection.

"By helping them reconnect with their heritage and recover their Latino identity, we are helping to provide a solid foundation from which they can begin to heal," said Salvador Amezola, the program's director. The approach focuses on dignity and belonging, elements proven critical for long-term recovery.

The need couldn't be more urgent. Oregon's Latino population has doubled since the program started two decades ago, yet culturally responsive treatment options haven't kept pace.

"There are lots of folks that don't engage in treatment because of a language barrier or because of a cultural barrier," said Melissa Thompson, incoming CEO at BestCare. Fear and shame compound these obstacles, keeping people from accessing life-saving care.

The project carries a price tag between $6.5 and $8 million, with $3.4 million in public funding already secured. The facility will include outdoor recreation areas and walking trails, recognizing that healing happens in community spaces, not just treatment rooms.

The Ripple Effect

This facility's impact extends far beyond 16 beds. KC Ledell, senior behavioral health advisor for Governor Tina Kotek, emphasized that culturally responsive treatment delivers the most powerful results.

When people receive care in their own language, surrounded by their own culture, recovery rates improve dramatically. Families stay connected throughout treatment instead of being sidelined by language barriers. Communities grow stronger when their members can access dignified care without losing their cultural identity.

Catalina Sánchez Frank from the Madras Latino Community Association presented BestCare staff with a commemorative plaque during the ceremony. "This is a sincere thank you for putting our community first," she said.

The facility represents something larger than addiction treatment. It's a recognition that effective healthcare must meet people where they are, speaking their language and honoring their culture.

Thompson captured the moment's significance at the groundbreaking: "We are planting trust and opportunity and a future where more people can access care that truly sees them, hears them and understands them."

One shovel of dirt at a time, Oregon is building a future where language and culture open doors to healing instead of closing them.