Since its founding in 2006, Solutions of North Texas (SONTX) has provided treatment for those battling substance use disorders and advocated for their clients and their families. Now, the non-profit organization may be forced to close its doors permanently, leaving the hundreds of people who rely on the organization without the support they desperately need.
SONTX provides reduced-rate programs that aid addicts on their road to recovery. Their treatment services include residential transitional living for 64 men and women at a time, outpatient clinical services for an average of 120 men and women, family services to assist with the recovery of the family unit, free non-medical detox services for anyone in the community, and so much more.
In 2020, SONTX served 482 people, not including interventions without enrollment or family services, and gave away $136,264 in services. Over four years, the number of people served has increased exponentially to 893 served in 2024 with the cost of services totaling $432,686. Despite their growth, donations, grants and sponsorships decreased by 40% in 2024, resulting in a loss of revenue of over $250,000 which is devastating to a nonprofit.
“We have always depended on grants and donations,” said Solutions of North Texas Executive Director Scott Wisenbaker. “Now, over the last several years grants have been reallocated to different areas and the economy has freaked a lot of people out, and giving has stopped. The services we are giving away have by far outmatched what we were expecting and we’ve been reaching out [for funding] in different ways but the bottom has just fallen out.”
With funding depleted and SONTX at risk of shutting down, Wisnbaker’s team has reached out to the Denton County Commissioners with a request to tap into the $400,000 Denton County received from the Opioid Abatement Funds. This money is intended for opioid prevention and related services.
The future of SONTX, Denton’s only non-profit treatment center, is dire. Wisenbaker estimates that without money from the county or aid from the community, the organization will be shut down in about 30 days.
But, there is hope. SONTX has started a GoFundMe where they will be accepting donations from the community to help them towards their goal and encourage the greater Denton area to support the cause. With this critical funding, SONTX aims to continue providing vital addiction treatment services to individuals who might otherwise not have access to the care they desperately need.
SONTX has been an essential lifeline for many individuals in Denton, offering affordable and compassionate treatment options for those in need. The organization’s staff is dedicated to providing personalized care and support, helping clients rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
As the deadline approaches, Wisenbaker and the team at SONTX remain hopeful that the community will rise to the occasion.
“Denton [is going] to lose a valuable service,” said Wisenbaker. “If people can begin to fully understand the impact that this will [have on the community] then maybe they’ll finally wake up.”
Bella Castillo can be reached via email Isabella Castillo
Be First to Comment