Cenikor Foundation
 | |
| Company type | Non-profit |
|---|---|
| Industry | Behavioral Health, Addiction Treatment, Long Term Care Facility |
| Founded | Lakewood, Colorado, U.S. (1967) |
| Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 14 facilities (2025) |
Area served | Texas and New Mexico |
Key people | Bill Bailey (President and CEO)
Kellee Webb (Chief of Staff) Matt Kuhlman (CFO) |
| Services |
|
| Revenue | 21,514,981 United States dollar (2017)  |
| Total assets | 46,211,968 United States dollar (2022) |
Number of employees | 300 (estimate) |
| Website | www |
The Cenikor Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing drug rehabilitation and mental health services. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Cenikor operates residential treatment centers and outpatient programs for adults and adolescents in Texas and New Mexico. Initially focused on the therapeutic community model, Cenikor now offers a range of services including detoxification, medically-assisted therapies, short-term residential treatment, and outpatient care.[1][2]
History
[edit]1960s
[edit]Cenikor was founded in 1967 by James "Luke" Austin while he was incarcerated at the Colorado State Penitentiary. Austin had previously worked at the new religious movement Synanon in California, and initially sought to start a Synanon spinoff group for Colorado prisoners. When his request to start a group under the Synanon name was rejected by prison leaders, Austin renamed the group Center of the Core of the Individual, shortened to "Cenikor," and reframed Synanon's confrontational attack therapy approach as reality therapy.[3] The first Cenikor facility was established in a former Denver, Colorado bakery, supported by a donation from businessman Charles Kettering III.[4]
1970s
[edit]
In 1972, Cenikor relocated to Houston, Texas, experiencing significant growth fueled by private philanthropy. The Houston facility initially operated at 1101 Elder Street in the Jefferson Davis Hospital before moving to the William Penn Hotel in the late 1970s.[5] A partnership with the Astrodomain Corporation in 1977 created the Cenikor Astrodome Task Force, providing work experience for patients and contributing to a significant portion of the organization's budget.[6][7][8] A substantial donation from Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. in 1979 enabled the establishment of a North Texas facility in Fort Worth.[9][10]
After an investigation by the IRS, Houston district attorney, and a state senator found that the Austins had been misappropriating funds, Luke and Dottie Austin were fired in 1977. Board members Ken Barun, Doug Sadbury, and Edward Fresquez took over leadership of the organization. In July 1978, Luke Austin and several other individuals, including his mother Helen Thompson, were arrested for attempting a violent takeover of Cenikor's Houston and Denver facilities.[3][11]
1980s
[edit]Cenikor received national recognition in 1983 following a visit from President Ronald Reagan to the Houston facility. President Reagan commended Cenikor's success in operating without government funding and securing private sector support. First Lady Nancy Reagan also visited Cenikor facilities, demonstrating support for the organization's mission during the national anti-drug campaign.[12][13]
1990s
[edit]In 1994, Cenikor's Houston facility moved to a larger location in Deer Park. The organization further expanded its reach in 1995 by opening an outreach office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, providing referrals to Texas facilities.[14]
Growth and Expansion
[edit]Its commitment to reach those most in need drives its consistent growth and expansion. It has opened new facilities in Waco (2012), Tyler (2015), Austin (2016), Corpus Christi (2018), Amarillo (2019), and Farmington, NM (2022), each a testament to its dedication to helping people in underserved areas. The integration of Charlie's Place Recovery Center (Corpus Christi) in 2018 and Amarillo Recovery from Alcohol and Drugs (ARAD) in 2019, as well as twelve more nonprofits in 2022, significantly broadened its ability to offer life-changing services.[15][16][17] It is proud of its recognition as one of the largest Houston-area nonprofits in 2023.[18]
In 2019, an investigation by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, (affiliated to NPR and Public Radio Exchange) reported on coercive and dubious practices (including physical and psychological abuse) in conflict with Cenikor stated rehabilitating mission, including patients being assigned to perform physically demanding unfree labour for major companies including Exxon, Shell, and Walmart. Reveal reported that "tens of thousands" of patient-workers have worked without pay in Cenikor programs, and that this practice has resulted in nearly two dozen serious on-the-job injuries and a 1995 death.[19][20][21] Following the report's release, state officials in Texas and Louisiana launched multiple probes into Cenikor's operations. In addition, the Compass Group and others who had employed Cenikor patients as low wage labor ended their contracts with Cenikor.[22]
Leadership
[edit]- James "Luke" Austin - Founder, 1967
- Bill Bailey, appointed President and CEO in 2004, and was the first non-graduate to lead Cenikor.
References
[edit]- ^ "Denver Public Library Databases: Login". login.denverlibrary.idm.oclc.org. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Ft. Worth". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 5 September 1977. p. 17. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ a b Clark, Claire D. (2017). The Recovery Revolution: The Battle Over Addiction Treatment in the United States. Columbia University Press. p. 155. ISBN 9780231544436. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ "User account". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Dr. Kelty R. Baker in Houston, TX". www.houstonmethodist.org. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ School, McGovern Medical (11 April 2023). "Schmitz named SRNT fellow - McGovern Medical School". John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Ralph Hawkins". D Magazine. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ CHANDLER, CHIP. "Hastings CEO earns recording award". Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Steps business owners can take that could preserve and strengthen their business for the future". www.bizjournals.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Abel Reyna". Patterson + Sheridan. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Cenikor's founder Luke Austin's mother in simultaneous raid on facility in Denver". Newspapers.com. Valley Morning Star. 30 July 1978. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ "Our Story". Rose Garden ReMake. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ HealthLeaders. "Hilda Dalfonso Takes Over As CFO For Corpus Christi Medical Center". www.healthleadersmedia.com. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ COPELAND, MIKE (25 August 2015). "Hobbs Bonded Fibers bought by New York company". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ Incorporated, Comerica. "Comerica Incorporated Names Melinda A. Chausse Chief Credit Officer; Peter W. Guilfoile to Retire in the Third Quarter of 2020". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "User account". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Cenikor-Foundation-210286". CARF International. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "May 11, 2019, page 1 - Waco Tribune-Herald at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com". www.newspapers.com. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "They worked in sweltering heat for Exxon, Shell and Walmart. They didn't get paid a dime". Reveal. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ "When "rehab" means patients do unpaid work for big companies". cbsnews.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ "Recovering from Rehab: Work-based Therapy in the US". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Walter, Shoshana (16 May 2019). "Drug rehab faces investigations into labor practices and Medicaid fraud". revealnews.org. The Center for Investigative Reporting. Retrieved 18 May 2019.