BOULDER -- The Elkhorn Treatment Center -- a new women's corrections and meth treatment facility in Boulder -- will accept its first six residents on Tuesday.

Once the treatment center opens, officials say that at least half of the residents will likely turn their lives around, going from addiction and crime to a fresh start.

The facility's treatment program will be unique in the country, said Michael Ruppert, chief executive officer with Boyd Andrew Community Services, which is building and operating the center on a contract for the state.

In the hours leading up to the grand opening, there's a flurry of activity at the center on the south edge of town.

Armies of workers are completing masonry and wiring, installing everything from kitchen equipment and computers to bedroom furniture.

Monday, citizens and officials will get a closer look at the 22,500-square-foot, 40-bed facility during an open house from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

When visitors walk through, they may be struck by the building's openness, abundant light and its views of mountains and nearby fields.

The interior space feels more like a dormitory than a prison. Bedrooms in the two residential wings are furnished with wooden beds, desks and wardrobes.

"We want people to be comfortable," said Ruppert.

A laundry room is down the hall.

In the center of the building is a well-lit recreational room that will be equipped with exercise equipment and a large-screen TV. Nearby is the dining room and kitchen.

Out the window is a fenced exercise area.

There's also a therapeutic wing housing counselors' offices and rooms for group therapy.

And there's a computer room/classroom, where GED classes and technology classes will be offered.

What's not as apparent to the casual visitor are the security measures.

Residents will wear identification bracelets that emit distinctive radio frequency identification signals, Ruppert said.

A computer in the central duty station tracks each resident's movements.

An alarm goes off if anyone should tamper with the bracelet or try to remove it.

There's also a security fence, security glass windows, video monitors, a secure sally port entryway, and an electronic monitoring system that records when staff make their rounds.

Staff are equipped with panic buttons, which are also monitored from the duty station, Ruppert said.

Staff just completed six weeks of training, covering security, self-defense, first aid and an overview of the physical and mental impacts of addiction, as well as successful treatment strategies.

"All of the residents are felons," said Ruppert. "They've been convicted of either a possession charge or a crime related to drug usage, not only meth, but that is a priority."

Prior to placement at Elkhorn, they've been screened by an eight-member local committee that includes law enforcement, an area citizen and treatment professionals.

The screening packet for each person contains information gathered during pre-sentence investigations, prior treatment and court orders, said Susan Carroll, corrections operations officer for both the Elkhorn Treatment Center and the Helena Prerelease Center.

Women are referred from the women's prison in Billings, district courts, or by probation or parole officers.

Residents will stay nine months, followed by six months in a pre-release center. Those who don't cooperate in treatment are returned to the regular corrections system.

Treatment will be geared to the individual. Since chronic meth use causes brain damage, treatment will be progressive and geared to an individual's brain function. "Early on, it's very repetitive," Carroll said.

During the 15 months they are at the center and in pre-release, their brains have time to heal, she said.

While at Elkhorn, they will have treatment groups in the morning and afternoon, individual therapy sessions, workshops, educational training and recreational programs.

There will also be Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings available.

The center will specialize in treatment for those who have co-occurring disorders -- both an addiction as well as mental health issues.

"The whole thing about our program is novel," said Ruppert. "We're the only kind of facility that is long-term, residential that focuses on gender-specific treatment for women and treats co-occurring disorders." The staff includes specialists in chemical dependency.

Ruppert predicts a success rate of at least 50 percent. Success is measured based on abstinence from drugs the rest of their lives, he said.

"We're shooting for way better than that," he added.

Besides receiving treatment for addiction, residents can re-enter the world with a GED, computer skills and money they've saved from an allowance they earn at the center.

Some Jefferson County residents are benefiting from the center as well.

Eleven of the 19.5 staff members are Jefferson County residents, said Carroll.

Seven other county residents were offered jobs, but chose not to accept them, she said.

The center's annual payroll is $1 million, with salaries ranging from $10 to $21.63 per hour.

The center's annual budget is $1.85 million, and it is paying the county $12,000 annually as payment in lieu of taxes, Ruppert said.

The $3.4 million facility could expand in the future. It contains space to expand to 49 beds, said Ruppert.