About the Center & History

About the Center

About the Center

The Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment, located in Duluth, Minnesota, is a nonprofit agency dedicated to assisting people seeking recovery from substance use and mental health disorders. The Center believes in meeting patients where they are at in their recovery journey and implements harm reduction strategies as well as more traditional approaches to treatment.


The Center offers a full spectrum of care including: detoxification, withdrawal management, medications for opioid use disorder (suboxone and methadone programs), residential and outpatient substance use and mental health treatment, gambling, walk in comprehensive assessments and more.

  • Mission & Vision

    The Center's Mission is to improve, family and community health through addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

    Our Vision is a community in which people's potential and quality of life are not limited by addiction and its consequences.

  • Core Values

    Compassion:

    We have a desire to help other by temporarily suspending judgment so we can appreciate others' perspectives and/or situations when different from our own. We show compassion by the way we treat people. We put people first. This value is demonstrated by making patients, guests and new staff feel welcomed and by being inclusive of others. It is showing patience and understanding for another's circumstances-without judgment, shame, or blame. Qualities include patience, kindness, respect, perseverance, warmth, and resolve.

    Integrity: 

    We Live our values in relationship with patients, coworkers, and our community. We build rather than break help rather than hurt connect rather than crumble, and contribute rather than take. WE are fully transparent, fair, honest, and upfront in all our interactions. We do the right thing, period! Qualities include honesty, authenticity, reliability, ethical behavior, and consistency of character.

    Community: 

    We strive to work together within and outside our agency. We are a network of people with a common purpose and interest, who collaborate by sharing ideas, information, and resources. We are bigger than any one person, program/department, or agency. We strive to serve our patients and shareholders by exceeding expectations. We believe in teamwork, collaboration, advocacy, diplomacy, and openness.

    Joy: 

    We have fun at work while producing results within a sustainable business. We believe that a positive attitude and a happy atmosphere help us achieve better. By achieving better, we can also provide our patients with the very best services. Qualities include positive attitude, acceptance, gratitude, and service to others.

    Stewardship:

    We are accountable and responsible for the planning and management of resources and results. Whether these resources are our staff, finances, facilities, or the valuable time our patients share with us, we want to make sure we use all of them to the best of our ability and for the best possible outcomes. Qualities include structure, sustainability, and trust.

Center History

The Center was founded in 1961 as the Center for Problem Drinking. Originally having three employees. A counselor, business manager and a director provided information and referrals for individuals with drinking problems. Over the past 60 years, the Center has changed in many ways. CADT has changed in many ways, adding programs, improving existing programs, and collaborating with other community organizations to provide treatment and support to individuals with substance use disorders, gambling disorders, and more. 

  • Landmarks In the Center's History

    1971: Marty Mann and Howard Friese Halfway houses become a part of the Center. Offering support and halfway house services to clients in recovery.

    1972; Minnesota law makes it illegal to arrest someone for public intoxication, so in response to community needs, the Center opens Duluth Detoxification Center. The first detox program in northern Minnesota.

    1981; The Center starts offering outpatient treatment services to clients with alcohol & drug issues.

    1987: The Center diversifies its ability to provide outpatient treatment by programs at the Northeast Regional Corrections Center (NERCC) for incarcerated men in need of treatment.

    2001: The Duluth Detoxification Center moves from the St. Luke's Hospital campus to its 1402 East Superior St. Duluth, MN. The Center also opens its first high intensity residential treatment as a part of the detox center.

    2002: The Center works with Woodland Hills Academy to provide treatment and educations services to adolescents who need treatment.

    2007: The center makes great strides in the community by opening the San Marco Group Residential Housing facility, along side Center City Housing - San Mar GRH is a 30-bed housing facility for active alcoholics to provide housing in hopes of reducing the harm caused by alcoholism. 

    2008: Marty Mann and Howard Friese houses change their programming from halfway houses to medium intensity extended care residential programs.

    2009: The Center joins forces with Gambling Intervention Services to expand the types of addiction services provided by offering gambling treatment to the community. 

    2011: The Center celebrates 50 years of providing addiction treatment services to the community. 

    2013: Marty Mann Houses move to the Prindle Mansion and expands its capacity from 12 to 24-bed to serve more women in the community. 

    2015: The Center opens a second Howard Friese House in order to expand the number of beds from 14 to 24 beds to better serve men in the community.

    2015: The Center opens the Clearpath Clinic, a Medication for Opioid Use Disorders (MOUD) clinic, to meet the community need for opioid addiction treatment. Clearpath is still the only MOUD clinic in northern Minnesota.

    2017: As an addiction to care for the growing opiate crisis in the community, the Center opens Withdrawal Management Unit to work in conjunction with the Detox Unit, to provide withdrawal management services to individuals in the community.

    2021: The Center collaborates with Duluth Police Department (DPD) to create a Crisis Response Team to assist individuals with crises related to addiction, mental health, and other crisis situations.

There Are Many Ways to Support the Center!

The Center can receive donations through the Recovery Assistance Fund and we are always looking for talented individual's to join our team! You can look for current openings by visiting our Employment Page. We are always looking for individual's passionate about recovery and supporting the community. Email Adam at akrisak@cadt.org if you have questions about opportunities with the Center.


Together We Can Strengthen Our Community

Share by: