The city of Albuquerque is advancing its efforts to fully open the Gateway Center, which will soon host a new clinic operated by Ideal Option. This clinic, located at 5400 Gibson Blvd SE, Suite 11, specializes in outpatient medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for addiction to substances such as fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol.
Ideal Option's clinic is situated within the Gateway Center, a facility owned by the city. Previously a hospital, the Gateway Center was acquired in April 2021 and now spans 572,000 square feet. It hosts various tenant organizations that provide medical, behavioral health, and social services.
The Gateway Network comprises services tailored to meet the needs of Albuquerque's unhoused community. This includes Gateway West, a shelter with a capacity of up to 700 individuals; Gateway Recovery, which offers Pallet Homes for those with substance use disorders; Gateway Family for families seeking housing pathways; and Gateway Young Adult, which aims to assist young adults in finding housing once it opens.
Gilbert Ramirez, Health, Housing, and Homelessness director for the Gateway Center stated: “Our goal at the Gateway Center is to provide wraparound community services and support to individuals experiencing homelessness, all under one roof. We welcome Ideal Option’s services as substance use can impact anyone, and lowering barriers to care is a vital step in providing accessible and compassionate support for all individuals receiving care at the Gateway Center.”
According to data from the New Mexico Department of Justice's Opioid Guide 2024 edition, about 3.9 percent of New Mexico's population suffers from opioid use disorders. Additionally, over 2,100 deaths were linked to prescription opioids in the state between 2017 and 2021.
Katrina Fuller, peer outreach specialist for Albuquerque noted: “Low-barrier MAT really rounds out the services inside the Gateway Center. Being under the same roof as medical sobering, inpatient treatment counseling housing navigation and a shelter is an incredibly rare opportunity. I can’t wait to see the positive impact this is going to have on the health of our city.”
This new clinic marks Ideal Option’s third location in Albuquerque.
Terri Cole President and CEO of GACC remarked: “We have long advocated for 24/7 sheltering that will draw people in need from Downtown and connect them to the services they need. We know there’s more to do – a lot more. But this is a welcome step in the right direction.”
