It is with great sadness and deep concern that I read May 30 of the closing of Mercy Hospital’s Mercy Recovery Center in Westbrook (” ‘People will die’ without Mercy addiction center, former client says,” Page A1).

A member of my own family received excellent services at this facility, services that changed the track of some very destructive behavior. In a time of crisis, this excellent center was available right away, and the staff was incredible.

As a family, we were welcomed into the process, and a plan for continued recovery and education was made at the end of the initial treatment.

Recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is a delicate and personal process. If an alcoholic or drug addict is ready to seek treatment, it’s essential that a safe haven staffed by professionals (who speak the language of recovery and can support people with addictions through the hardest moments of their life) be available immediately.

Of course this facility is losing money – but what will we lose as a community if it closes? What is the much higher cost of not treating addiction properly and in a timely manner?

The cost of jailing addicted people, treating them in emergency wards and living with the mistakes and destruction of addiction is so much higher. The destruction of families, homes and lives affects all of us – directly and indirectly.

I understand that Mercy Hospital expects to develop monetary profit from its services. But, in addition, doesn’t it have a larger responsibility to the community it serves?

We all gain a much larger profit from the continued services of this clinic. It is a lifesaver. It is a family saver. It is a place for rebuilding, for finding dignity and for facing the hardest truths. It is a place that leads our families back to hope, honesty, productivity and health.

Tiki Fuhro

Portland

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