Press Releases

SALIDA – U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) recently stopped by Chaffee County to visit facilities that she championed through state and federal funding, including the historic McGinnis Gymnasium in Buena Vista and Solvista Health’s Regional Assessment Center (RAC) in Salida. 

At Pettersen’s first stop in Chaffee County, she visited Solvista Health’s RAC in Salida, a substance use disorder recovery center that she helped secure funding for alongside former state Representative Jim Wilson during her time in the Colorado state legislature. As chair of the Interim Study Committee on Opioids and Other Substance Use Disorders, Pettersen helped establish the Building Substance Use Disorder Treatment Capacity in Underserved Communities Grant Program, delivering $700,000 to Solvista Health’s RAC in Salida. In Congress, Pettersen has built upon this work by calling for increased funding and expanded access to mental health and substance treatment programs.

Following her visit to Salida, Pettersen joined the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the McGinnis Gymnasium in Buena Vista, reopening the facility after refurbishments. Originally built in 1936 through the Public Works Administration as part of the New Deal, this gym holds a unique place in Buena Vista’s history. Pettersen wrote a letter of support to the Environmental Protection Agency for a Brownfields grant that was awarded to the gym. Now, the facility will serve as a safe, indoor recreation space for children and the Chaffee community for generations to come. 

“Projects like these are a testament to the positive difference that state and federal dollars can make in our communities,” said Pettersen. “I supported funding for these facilities because I know investments like this will elevate the entire Chaffee community. The McGinnis Gym will foster creativity and community engagement in Chaffee for generations to come.”

Pettersen continued, “It was amazing to tour Solvista Health and see this center come to fruition after years of dedicated work during my time in the legislature with former Rep. Jim Wilson. This facility provides desperately needed care to those who have often been left behind. As the only place in this region to provide detox and withdrawal management services, Solvista has served over a thousand people in the last year and no doubt has saved hundreds of lives. I remain committed to advocating for the people of Chaffee in Congress, ensuring critical investments continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of this community.”