[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 19092-19093]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE WESTCARE FOUNDATION'S 35TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 15, 2008

  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the WestCare 
Foundation, headquartered in Las Vegas, which is celebrating its 35th 
Anniversary this year.
  The WestCare story begins in 1973, the same year that saw the launch 
of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In that year, a 
residential treatment program called Fitzsimmons House, or ``Fitz 
House,'' was begun in Las Vegas. Adopting the therapeutic community 
treatment modality, Fitz House focused on long-term care for hard-core 
adult male heroin addicts. Within a few years, WestCare responded to 
the community's need for expanded substance abuse and mental health 
treatment and made available services to women and individuals abusing 
drugs other than heroin.
  By 1981, the Fitz House program had expanded to include adult 
outpatient and day treatment services, as well as substance abuse 
education. Within 3 years, they acquired what is now known as the Youth 
Residential Program for Adolescents, and one year later they added a 
day treatment component for probationers and parolees. Collaboration 
with Juvenile Court Services and the Nevada Association of Counties led 
to the establishment of the Regional Family Resource Center in 1986 to 
provide crisis intervention, substance abuse assessments and referral/
placement services for youth and families. In the

[[Page 19093]]

following year the agency that began as Fitzsimmons House officially 
adopted the name of WestCare.
  By 1992, WestCare had extended its focus on special populations to 
include school-based substance abuse education and prevention for 
Hispanic youth. Soon neighboring states were beginning to take notice. 
After meeting with a group of citizens from the tri-state region of 
Laughlin, Nevada/Needles, California/Bullhead City, Arizona, the 
Colorado River Region Youth Service Project (CRRYS) was established in 
Mohave County, Arizona to address gaps in services for youth 
corrections and child welfare referrals. Ironically, the program was 
based in a facility originally constructed to conceal a 10,000-square 
foot marijuana-growing operation shut down by the DEA.
  That group of citizens from the tri-state region would become the 
first in a series of local boards which oversee WestCare's community-
based agencies. That pattern was soon repeated in Fresno, California 
when WestCare assumed the fiscal and clinical management of The Third 
Floor. Originated in 1974, the program provides critical substance 
abuse treatment and prevention programs as well as support services for 
the homeless and families in need--over 3,000 persons annually--and is 
currently one of the largest community-based programs in California.
  From there, WestCare expanded its efforts to the other states now 
covered by its work (Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Nevada and 
the Virgin Islands.) Now, under the direction of its national 
leadership, over 1,100 dedicated staff members provide care at 74 
service sites. But Nevada retains the distinction of being home to the 
WestCare Foundation National Office.
  Today, the WestCare Foundation is a national non-profit organization 
with a depth of experience in providing the full continuum of substance 
abuse and addiction treatment services, including a broad array of 
health and human services, in both community-based residential and 
outpatient treatment environments. Specializing in those historically 
considered difficult to treat, the WestCare family of organizations 
provides quality substance abuse treatment services to adults, children 
and families throughout its service areas.
  Madam Speaker, I know you share my excitement and pride in the work 
of West Care and join me in congratulating them on 35 years of 
exceptional service in the community.

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