Austin Sobriety Center has a soft opening date

Since 2001, Austin has been working to offer its citizens a sobriety center in lieu of hospitalization or jail time. Now, after years of waiting, the Austin/Travis County Sobriety Center finally has an expected opening date. With the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office finally out of the space slated to become the downtown sobriety center, the expected opening date for this institution is between April and May of next year, said attorney and vice chair of the sobriety center’s board, Andy Brown. On Oct. 11, Brown approached City Council’s Health and Human Services Committee to discuss the appointment of additional members to the board of directors of the sobriety center. After deliberating in an executive session, the committee held a public discussion where members inquired as to what the board requires in terms of skills and expertise. Brown said, “What we really need is people who have budget, marketing or recovery experience.” He explained that “we probably don’t need any more legal expertise.” Council Member and Committee Chair Ora Houston said that marketing was perhaps the most critical skill set to help this sobriety center thrive and gain traction within the city. “In order to get attention to the mission of the center, it’s really important that people know what it is,” she explained.