Norman Alcohol Drug Treatment Center Faces Closure

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- The state revenue shortfall has placed a cloud over the future of the Norman Alcohol Drug Treatment Center.

Chris Gilbert took it hard when he heard the Norman Alcohol Drug Treatment Center might be closing.

"I hated it. It put a pit in my stomach. That place saved my life," Gilbert said, who was a graduate of the Alcohol Drug Treatment Center in Norman.

Gilbert had an existing drug problem, but it worsened when Jamie Rose Bolin, his girlfriend's daughter, was murdered in Purcell by Kevin Underwood.

By the time he entered the Norman center, Gilbert weighed less than a hundred pounds.

"They taught how to live life and how to be clean, how I'm doing everything I'm doing today. If it wasn't for them I would be dead today," Gilbert said.

The threat to the center's future has lawmakers, especially those in Norman, looking for a way to save it.

"I hope that before those beds get closed we can find some revenue source that we can look at to utilize for those beds," said Rep. Scott Martin, R-Norman.

Rep. Martin said he believes there are two revenue sources the Legislature could tap to save the center. One is the rainy Day fund; the other is federal stimulus money.

Today Gilbert is clean, sober, and employed--all thanks to the Norman center, and now he has some advice for lawmakers.

"They need to fund them. They need to give 'em what they need because they are saving people's lives," Gilbert said.

Gilbert said he is living proof.

Some legislators want a special session in December to address the state budget problem, but Governor Henry wants to wait until January.