Drug Treatment Facility In the Works
By Cathy Patton
FACES joined Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center (SHCMHC) Tuesday morning in hosting a meeting on a proposed drug treatment facility for McDowell County. The two organizations, along with the County Commission, have worked since last year on the project.
Steve Mason, director, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Bureau for Behavioral Health & Health Facilities, provided an update on the funding. Mason noted that the facility is estimated to cost $3.2 million, and must be approved by the Department of Justice. The funding for the project will come from the Purdue-Pharma state settlement funds. Five hundred thousand dollars in annual operating costs are also available for the center.
Mason said that a lot of community input would help create a center that is best suited for the area. He advised the group that funding constraints necessitate that the residential treatment facility would be limited to 16 beds. It is up to the group to decide how in-depth the treatment at the center would be, and whether the drug treatment facility should be gender specific or coed.
Tug River Health Clinic Medical Director Dr. Paul Little opined that a coed facility would be best for the county. Dr. Little said that the number of male and female addicts that he treats in his practice is about equal. Because the law limits how many patients he can treat with Suboxone, Dr. Little said that he has a waiting list of nearly 200 patients who currently need the treatment.
Mason added that Suboxone stabilizes the addict so that he/she can participate in a recovery program.
County Commission President Gordon Lambert related that the County Commission has two sites available for a drug treatment center. One is located near the airshaft at Welch Elementary. The other one is located in Edmore Village and butts against the federal prison site.
“Both are available. It’s up to you to decide,” Lambert said.
Rose Lockhart, SHCMHC, explained how the Mercer County treatment facility, Legend, operates and stressed that drug addicts can become contributing members of society, if given the proper treatment. In today’s society, Lockhart said that nearly everyone knows someone who is addicted to drugs.
“They’re no different from you and me,” she said. “They know the stigma attached to their addiction.”
FACES Director Kathie Whitt questioned whether a Letter of Intent should be written to insure that the funding for the drug treatment center remains in place for the McDowell County Facility.
Though there are other competitors for the funding, Mason replied that the county is unlikely to lose it as long as the project proceeds in a timely manner.
SHCMHC Director Judy Akers responded that she would write the Letter of Intent and forward it to the proper authorities.
In closing, Akers said she would arrange for a few members of the coalition to tour the Westbrook and Legends facilities to learn how they function. Following the tours, Akers said she and other members of the group would develop an initial plan for the proposed McDowell County Drug Treatment Facility within 60 days, and complete the final one in 120 days.
The coalition is tentatively set to meet again, May 19, 1:30 p.m. at Southern Highlands.
Other participants in the meeting included WVU Extension Agent Donald Reed, Stephanie Morgan and Christy Lester, FACES: Cheryl Mitchem, Tug River Health Association; Kathy Brunty and Tammera Cook, Wyoming County Family Resource Network; Welch Community Hospital Administrator Walt Garrett; Erin Bailey and Georgia West, McDowell Day Report Program; Director Rachel Lester and Stephanie East, McDowell Economic Development Authority; Bill Moorfield and Tina Borich, SHCMHC, Mercer County; Delegate Clif Moore, Merritt Moore, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and Bob Johnson, NCFRN/PIP/CEASE.
WORKING TO CREATE A DRUG TREATMENT FACILITY - Pictured are a few of representatives from various organizations who are working to develop a drug treatment center for McDowell County. Shown are Rose Lockhart, Southern Highlands, FACES Director Kathie Whitt and co-worker Christy Lester, NCFRN’s Bob Johnson, Southern Highlands Director Judy Akers, Day Report Director Georgia West, WVU Extension Agent Donald Reed, Director of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Steve Mason and County Commission President Gordon Lambert. (Photo by Cathy Patton)
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS - This trio of heath care professionals is working with FACES, Southern Highlands and the McDowell County Commission to develop a local drug treatment facility. Pictured are Welch Community Hospital Administrator Walt Garrett, Tug River Health Clinic Medical Director Dr. Paul Little and Steve Mason, director, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Bureau for Behavioral Health & Health Facilities. (Photo by Cathy Patton
