Addiction and homelessness are crippling social woes that intersect on the streets of many Colorado communities. To an extent, they are one and the same. And they take a toll not only on those in the midst of those maladies but also on everyone around them.

Essential to tackling both issues — and too often missing from attempts to address either one — is accountability. Many a well-intended program to house the homeless or reach out to addicts instead wind up aiding and abetting what afflicts them.

What will heal them is holding them accountable for their actions — giving them responsibility for their personal welfare, setting expectations and helping guide them to achieve their goals.

Just such an effective approach exists in Colorado. It’s the long-standing nonprofit Step Denver, and it now has spun off a sister operation in Colorado’s No. 2 city.

Step Springs will bring to Colorado Springs what Step Denver has done for the Denver metro area just up the road. It will transform lives — as its motto states — through, “Sobriety.  Work.  Accountability.  Community.” Think of it as a four-legged stool that offers a step up rather than a handout.

The endeavor, which celebrated its imminent launch in the Springs last week and is scheduled to begin operations next month, promises to be a lifeline for men battling substance abuse, offering a proven path to sobriety, employment and stable housing.

Step Springs’ model, Step Denver, has been a cornerstone of recovery in the Denver area since its startup 42 years ago as Step 13. Step Denver serves men who are homeless or at risk with a rigorous, accountability-driven program. It challenges rather than coddles, requiring sobriety, coaching life skills, providing career counseling and expecting behavioral change.

The results speak for themselves. A 2023 survey of Step Denver graduates showed 88% of those who completed the program remained sober; 90% were employed and 91% had stable housing a year after participation.

Now, Step Springs, with 50 beds, is poised to carry on Step Denver’s success in Colorado Springs, where an estimated 70% of homeless men struggle with addiction.

The $6.5 million project, including a $2.3 million property acquisition and extensive renovations, has renovated a 55-year-old office building into a modern recovery hub. Paul Scudo, CEO of Step, points to the program’s no-cost entry, requiring only a sincere desire to get sober. The program’s focus on immediate admissions, without waitlists, ensures timely intervention — critical for those ready to commit to sobriety.

And by serving El Paso, Pueblo and Fremont counties, Step Springs will extend its impact regionally.

Clients advance from congregate living to private rooms, paying modest fees once employed. It’s all part of a step-by-step return to real-life responsibilities. The process is a veritable metamorphosis and takes an average of 30 to 45 days. It fosters accountability, turning participants back into productive employees and community members.

Central to the Colorado Springs startup are community pillar Steve Schuck and major funders including the El Pomar Foundation, Adolph Coors Foundation, Anschutz Foundation, Daniels Fund, Colorado Springs Health Foundation and Dakota Foundation. Local partners such as Serenity Recovery Connection and Springs Rescue Mission are joining in.

It is encouraging to see the remarkable work of Step Denver expand along the Front Range. Colorado has been caught in the throes of addiction for too long and still is reeling from the opioid epidemic. Step Springs opens a new front in the war on addiction and homelessness, restoring hope for many more lives.