Chanelle Surginer had a family, a career and a home when trauma derailed her, resulting in substance abuse. She lost her job, custody of her children and her house.
Within three months she lost everything that she worked so hard to achieve, Surginer said during an open house at the newly renovated Inspirations facility in Yakima. “I found myself in a domestic violence relationship and in no time I was living on the streets of Yakima, living out of a backpack.”
Surginer spent three years living on the streets and struggling to get clean, she said. “I had lost all my self-worth, my dignity and my will to live,” she added.
On Wednesday Surginer — happy, sober and reconnecting with her children — shared her story with a standing-room-only crowd in the dining room of Inspirations, located at 3300 Roosevelt Ave.
The intensive inpatient intensive drug and alcohol treatment recovery program for women is among several inpatient, residential and outpatient programs provided by Triumph Treatment Services for substance use and mental health disorders.
Inspirations opened in 2014 with 16 beds. With the renovations, there are 34 beds.
Surginer’s experience as an Inspirations client changed her life. She had entered treatment a few times prior, she said, but upon finally completing one program, she relapsed afterward. After going through detox and entering Inspirations, she received multifaceted support. That included hearing the message of her worth as a person and embracing it.
“I will forever be thankful to Inspirations for giving me a chance when everyone else had given up on me,” Surginer said before enthusiastic applause.
Reopens in March
Inspirations staff and Triumph officials provided tours of the building after a short program featuring Surginer and a ribbon-cutting. The facility reopens for clients in early March.
It includes 34 beds for Inspiration’s intensive inpatient program. The building also features a medical suite, mental health and psychiatric services, medically-assisted treatment and medication management. Following an integrated care model, Inspirations has on-site substance use disorder counselors, recovery support staff and health care professionals.
Overall, it’s an environment designed around clients’ wellness, officials said.
“This beautifully renovated facility reflects our belief that every woman deserves a safe, supportive, and dignified environment as she navigates the journey of recovery,” Jolene Seda, chief executive officer of Triumph Treatment Services, said in a news release.
Work for the new building began a little more than two years ago, Seda said at the open house. The renovated structure was originally a nursing home. In planning the renovation, officials, staff and clients not only wanted additional space and a structure designed specifically for their needs, but also a different atmosphere.
The renovated structure features expansive indoor spaces with multiple large windows that provide views and natural light. Gathering spaces are flexible. While the top two floors are dedicated to housing, the first floor’s features include a meeting room with a nearly wall-sized whiteboard, which reflects the multipurpose nature of the area.
“When we designed this building, we had a couple things in mind,” Seda said. They wanted a building that gave clients a sense of dignity. That fosters hope, she said.
Laura Crooks, a Triumph board member, said the previous building “didn’t look like a place where dignity lived,” she said.
“The building is a sign that says you matter,” Crooks said.
