McHenry County welcomes new rehab facility

About 10 years ago, Chris Reed turned his life around.

Since then, the former drug addict has committed to helping McHenry County’s drug-afflicted community achieve sobriety. His most recent endeavor includes a rehab facility that offers a range of on-site counseling and medical services to recovering addicts.

The Northern Illinois Recovery Center will open its doors to the public from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at its grand opening in Crystal Lake.

Reed, the president of New Directions Addiction Recovery Services, has spent the past 1½ years working toward the area’s new recovery center. The privately funded rehab began operating May 27 in the 10,500-square-foot building at 620 N. Route 31 that formerly housed the Alexander Leigh Center For Autism. It can accommodate about 25 to 30 people, Reed said.

“We’ve finished half of the building and we will be expanding as we grow into the other half of the building,” Reed said.

Substance abuse treatment services include dual diagnosis therapy, detox referrals, and standard and intensive outpatient programs. The facility also offers medication-assisted treatment, or the use of prescription medicines such as suboxone in combination with counseling to treat substance abuse issues, according to the center’s website.

“During the whole extended care program that we offer, someone will typically be with us anywhere from 35 to 60 days,” Reed said. Clients do not stay over at the facility.

Unlike the three sober living homes Reed previously opened through his organization, New Directions Addiction Recovery Services, the Northern Illinois Recovery Center is licensed with the state of Illinois, he said.

Patients still will have access to housing and transportation as needed through the Northern Illinois Recovery Center, however.

“That is the number one and number two reason that somebody will not engage in or not succeed in their path to recovery, is that they don’t have stable housing and reliable transportation,” Reed said.

Tenants are expected to help pay rent, or they can opt to make their own transportation and living arrangements, he said.

The center accepts medical insurance providers including United, Cigna, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana. including on-site medical staff and counselors, according to its website. Anyone interested in the rehab’s services can learn more on www.northernillinoisrecovery.com or by calling 855-234-5672.