Turning Point Offers Walk-In Access to Opioid Treatment on Minneapolis’ North Side
For families seeking immediate help for a loved one struggling with opioids, Turning Point offers walk-in assessments designed to respond quickly when someone is ready for care. As part of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s Help Is Here series, Turning Point represents a culturally specific North Minneapolis treatment option focused on holistic healing, co-occurring mental health care, and long-term recovery planning for Black Minnesotans.
For families trying to help a loved one struggling with opioids, the hardest part is often the first step: finding a place that will respond quickly while a person is still willing to accept help.
Turning Point, a North Minneapolis substance use disorder treatment provider intake process is built for that moment, a Turning Point staff member said.
“If there’s someone who has nowhere to go, we don’t schedule an appointment,” he said. “We tell them to come in, and we get them an assessment and figure out where they need to go.”
Turning Point describes its approach as culturally specific, centered on holistic healing and “reintroduction” into community life. For Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s “Help Is Here” public-service reporting series, which highlights pathways to opioid treatment and recovery resources for Black Minnesotans, the organization represents a North Side option for people seeking structured care.
An intake coordinator described Turning Point as a co-occurring program that addresses substance use disorders alongside mental health needs. He said Turning Point provides residential treatment for men and intensive outpatient services primarily for men and more limited services for women, with clients often stepping down from residential to outpatient care as they stabilize.
Turning Point is not a locked facility, he said. Clients are not physically prevented from leaving, though staff emphasize the risks of leaving treatment early—especially when cravings and triggers remain high and a person may be returning to an unstable environment.
Turning Point’s current residential capacity is 24 beds, the intake coordinator said. But plans in process to expand to a 60-bed facility in the same location or not far from its present location. Programming includes clinician-led groups and skill-building work that focuses on communication, boundaries and routines—tools staff say are essential for long-term recovery.
Asked who the program currently serves, the intake coordinator said the population is predominantly Black. “I would say over 90% currently, right now,” he said when asked about the share of clients who are African American or Black. “Yeah, primarily it’s African American.” He said, however, Turning Point doesn’t turn anyone away based on racial or ethnic identity.
For families, the first contact should be practical and direct: Can Turning Point complete an assessment today? What should be brought? What level of care is recommended? If there is no immediate bed, what is the next best step, so momentum isn’t lost?
Families can also ask what happens after the first placement. Will the client be stepped down to intensive outpatient? Are there sober housing or supportive housing options tied to completion? Does the program coordinate transportation or provide help replacing basics—ID, medications, clothing? So, a person does not return to the same conditions that fueled use. The intake coordinator said questions like those help families understand whether the program can support the whole recovery journey, not just a short stay.
The intake coordinator said an assessment typically takes about an hour to an hour and a half. After that, staff determine the appropriate level of care and help coordinate next steps, including communication with referral partners such as probation officers, courts, social workers and community-based recovery navigators.
Not everyone can start treatment the same way, and families should be clear about withdrawal risks, he said. Turning Point does not currently provide onsite detox or medical withdrawal management, so when someone needs that higher level of medical supervision first, staff work with other providers to connect them to detox and then re-engage them for residential or outpatient treatment. Families should ask directly: Does this person need detox first, and where should they go today?
Coverage and cost can also stop a person from getting through the door. “Insurance is probably the biggest barrier,” the intake coordinator said. Turning Point, he said, is largely funded through Medicaid/Medical Assistance, and intake staff work to confirm coverage and align clients with appropriate services. If a person is uninsured, ask what options exist and whether staff can help with eligibility steps.
Turning Point is also part of a broader recovery ecosystem. The intake coordinator said the organization has communicated with Twin Cities Recovery Project and other community groups that help people navigate referrals and openings—especially for individuals coming from shelters, detox placements, or systems involvement.
Winter adds urgency, he said, because cold weather can increase instability for people who are unhoused or “couch-hopping,” and instability can increase relapse and overdose risks. His message to families is to use any window of willingness—however brief—to move quickly toward assessment and placement.
Help is here: How to contact Turning Point
Turning Point, Inc.
1500 Golden Valley Road, Minneapolis, MN 55411
Phone: 612-520-4004
Email: info@ourturningpoint.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Scott Selmer is assigning editor for MSR
