RAPID CITY, SD — While narcotics and their abuse is politicized heavily in the modern day, what attention is spared for its use in legislation and use in arguments about everything from education to immigration is often not spared for those most directly affected by the abuse of drugs and alcohol: their victims, and the communities that surround them. Oftentimes in our society, which touts the power and autonomy of the individual, recovery is left to the individual’s personal willpower– a dangerous, difficult, and at times potentially fatal affair which leaves those seeking to live life sober alone in a world that can feel uncaring.
Especially in Rapid City, where residential options for addiction recovery have not existed historically, recovery can seem impossibly lonely, however Buffalo Plains Recovery seeks to be the answer to this glaring lack. The passion project of CEO Ryan Letterman, who moved into the Black Hills after visiting for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally three years ago.
“There are some great resources [In the Black Hills], but they’re woefully inadequate. There’s nowhere near what we need in the ratio of what we have for a problem versus what we have for resources. The gap is staggering,” said Micheal “Mike” Dupre, Business Development Manager for Buffalo Plains.
The facility, currently consisting of a residential center, allows patients to receive the standard addiction services of medical treatment, as well as individualized and group therapy, but also seeks to foster live-in community and friendship between patients, with outdoor activities and other social events, such as group puzzles and board games. “If you are in love with sobriety, and that’s not just abstaining from substances, it’s walking a spiritual path. It’s having, you know, a holistic approach, living a solution and freedom, true, true freedom. You are passionate about it and want that for other people. And it is regardless of whether Buffalo Plains would be standing or not, that’s how we operate in the world as individuals, and so to bring it together as a collective, it only makes sense.” said Chelsea Dupre, Buffalo Plains’ Medical Director, who went on to say “everybody’s had a bottom at some point in their life, and it takes people to kind of surround you and rally around you and teach you tools and ways of living differently.” and noted of patients that “They were really into playing ‘Risk’ for a while, actually”.
The three were quick to note their own experience at “the bottom” as they phrased it, and that this experience of personal recovery has contributed to their approach. “I hope you wouldn’t guess by looking at us, but the three of us are have been in the gutter, and so we speak a language that you only hear from the gutter,” said Mike “as someone that’s been in recovery for a real long time, you get excited, you think, oh, gosh, is there? Are there more improved services? Are there more resources? Are more of my fellows going to receive aid? One thing that gives me great heart about this place is so many of us were in recovery. And that’s not to discredit good people with good intentions and good hearts, but I think sometimes they don’t quite understand the nature of the beast”.
Buffalo Plains at this moment is looking for options to expand to an outpatient facility in the near future, and in this time has asked the public to spread the word to those seeking help. “This has not existed basically ever for the lifespan of a lot of people. You don’t even think to Google it,” said Mike, followed by Letterman, saying “really honestly, it’s making sure people know we exist and we’re just creating help”.