In River Falls, Addiction Recovery Resources Remain Out of Reach

Many small American towns lack the resources to tackle addiction in their communities, and River Falls, WI, is no exception. Its 16,165 residents have few resources to turn to.

Kinnic Falls Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services is one of these resources. The rehab clinic is on the front line in the fight against addiction in River Falls and surrounding areas. Patients who have completed treatment at a primary care center–most often a medical center–can stay at Kinnick Falls’ residential facility for around 90 days.  Individuals with drug and alcohol dependency are “all treated the same,” said Tom Lutz, the Clinical and Operations Director.

The small but comfortable residential facility can accommodate 52 patients but is currently below capacity, said Lutz. While at Kinnic Falls, patients participate in individual and group therapy as well as medical-assisted treatment and more. After 90 days, clients can transfer to a nearby sober home for six months. Kinnic Falls only accepts adult males into its program.

“60% of [clients] come in with co-occurring mental health [issues] and addiction issues,” Lutz said. “[Addiction and mental health issues] intertwine so much….  Some of the mental health [issues] may be a byproduct of their addiction…. But with others, their mental health may be the reason why they started using.” Lutz said that around 35% of patients complete the program. “But that doesn't mean they don’t struggle again down the road,” he added.

When many Americans think of drug addiction, they immediately think of opioid addiction. It’s easy to see why, as opioid addiction is rampant in America. “The focus in the rural areas is methamphetamine, alcohol, and pot versus opioids,” Lutz said. “…Cocaine is more prevalent in the rural areas.” Opioid addiction is more of an issue in the “inner city,” he said.

Lutz also said, “Alcohol is still the number one killer out of all drugs.” Alcohol is especially a killer in Wisconsin counties. Pierce County, WI, was ranked the fourth “drunkest” county in the U.S. in a 2021 report by 24/7 Wall Street. According to the report, 28.9% of Pierce County adults engaged in binge drinking, and 57.7% of driving deaths involved alcohol.

“Addiction and DWI's and accidents, it hits home. It's maybe less noticeable because there are fewer [residents] in the rural areas than in the inner city, but it affects family systems no differently,” Lutz said. “It’s devastating… when a loved one has an addiction.”

Lutz said that Kinnic Falls is the only rehab clinic in River Falls. Jennifer Herink, a Personal Counselor at UW-River Falls, which is less than a mile from Kinnic Falls, said that Arbor Place, a rehab clinic in Menomonie, WI, had a branch in River Falls that addressed substance dependency, but not anymore. “They only see mental health now,” Herink said.

Despite the lack of other clinics, very few individuals from River Falls attend Kinnick Falls. “99% of our clients are from Minnesota,” Lutz said. There’s a reason for this: accessibility. “In Wisconsin, in the rural areas, [the state] doesn’t fund for [Kinnic Falls’] level of care for room and board,” Lutz said. Kinnic Fall is a DHCS Level 3.1 facility, which means it offers “clinically managed low-intensity residential services,” according to the DHCS.

“[Pierce County] will cover the room and board for those who have opiate dependence, but not for any other drugs,” Lutz said. “It's unfortunate. I hope that this changes in Wisconsin so we can take more of the Wisconsin clients in.” He said that he “absolutely” believes more River Falls and Wisconsin residents would come to Kinnic Falls if state funding were increased.

For now, however, Kinnic Falls is committed to its existing patients and their recovery.  “Our philosophy is, we’ll never give up on anyone. I don't care if it takes you 10 or 15 treatments,” Lutz said. “… I truly believe everyone has the opportunity [to recover].”