Proposed rehab center in Waymart: Neighbors, councilors ask questions about security

Two hours of testimony and questions from a concerned audience was not enough for a hearing for a proposed inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation center with a detox facility at the former Mallard Meadows (186 Belmont St., Waymart) on April 30. Waymart council announced that the conditional use hearing will reconvene at the Waymart fire station on Thursday, May 16, at 5:30 p.m.

Most of the questions posed by neighbors and Waymart council members centered around neighborhood security.

Before testimony could begin, it took about 45 minutes to identify the 17 property owners, mostly nearby neighbors to the facility on Route 296, who were deemed qualified as parties to question and cross-examine witnesses for the project.

What is planned

Allerand Recovery Holdings, LLC is proposing a facility for men and women to receive inpatient treatment for addiction to alcohol or drugs, with a capacity of 70 to 80 beds. To staff a facility of this size and nature, 50 to 60 employees are planned, Katie McKendry testified.

McKendry is the executive director at the company's 16-bed male-only drug and alcohol recovery facility near Hamlin, known as Little Creek Lodge. She said she will serve as the executive director for the Waymart site.

Allerand is part of ARH Medical Group, which has facilities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida.

Chief Executive Officer Patrick Crilley said that they have no intention to expand the 31,000-square-foot Waymart building but will do interior renovations. He said they favored this site because the footprint of the building, with its present layout, will work well for their needs.

McKendry testified that they would give first priority to accepting Wayne County residents for treatment.

Although their lodge at Little Creek Recovery near Hamlin is not at capacity, McKendry said that there is a demand to open a second facility which will be co-ed, or because of differing patient insurance requirements.

Currently, only commercial insurance plans are accepted at Little Creek, but in Waymart, they expect to allow Medicaid, cash or commercial insurance plans, Crilley said.

Security in focus

Security was extensively discussed.

Crilley stated that a lot of their security plan is preliminary. He said that cameras will be monitoring every door. Staffing, he said, is solely responsible for watching every patient. Any time a patient goes outside, he or she would need to be accompanied by staff.

If anyone did slip out, Crilley said, an alarm would sound; he added that it is rare that they try to "just walk away."

McKendry stated that while patients, once admitted, will not have the freedom to come and go at will, the facility cannot be locked from inside to prevent them leaving. She said the doors must open in an emergency.

Asked about fencing the property, McKendry said this will continue to be discussed with the community.

Visitors would have to be approved in advance and scheduled. Currently at Little Creek they limit visits to a couple of hours on Sunday, McKendry said.

Asked what the main concern was they have had at Little Creek from neighbors, McKendry thought a moment and said it was neighbors disgruntled over GPS services sending their company to Little Creek rather than to the neighbor's address. She said they have not had patients posing a threat to the community or requiring police intervention.

Public concerns were raised in the cross-examination over the conceivability of a patient wandering away, seeking alcohol or drugs and potentially posing a threat to the community.

Asked what percentage of clients are there because they want to be, Crilley replied, "I'd say 100%... We are a voluntary facility." He added that it is not uncommon, however, that new arrivals find it challenging and uncomfortable at first. He stated he does not think there have been any incidents of a client being aggressive towards a staff member or another patient.

Cilley said their intent is not to receive court-ordered placements and doubted a court-ordered case would be sent to a facility like this.

While they do not have window alarms, he said it would be abnormal for someone to "randomly up and leave." Staff make their rounds, he said, and are aware of the motivations of patients.

Someone asked if they take sex offenders. Crilley stated he does not know, adding that their type of program is not the right facility for a sex offender.

Admissions for treatment are only pre-arranged and scheduled. Once a new patient is admitted, they must surrender their phone and wallet, and for the first couple hours wear "scrubs" while their clothing is checked and laundered to ensure no drugs have been brought in, Crilley said.

Questioned if anyone wearing scrubs would try and leave, Crilley stated, "That is incredibly rare... I don't think it has ever happened at our facilities."

Although they lack "security guards," Crilley said security is part of staff job descriptions. Waymart Borough Councilor John Thorpe asked Crilley to consider hiring a security guard, stating, "That should put the community mind at ease." Crilley agreed that they would consider it, although he does not like the title of "security guard."

Councilor Theresa Stratton asked if they would allow Waymart Police to walk around the property with their K-9 dog; Crilley said they would.

Allerand, like their other facilities, is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. Councilor Craig Spewak wanted to know if they have ever been inspected and found to be deficient. Crilley said that the most common deficiency would be related to documentation requiring a corrective action plan. Crilley called these deficiencies, "low risk, low impact."

While it was Mallard Meadows and continuing to the present, the building also has been used by Ages & Stages Child Care Center, LLC. Robert Grimm of KELG Real Estate testified he has since proposed another, larger location for Ages & Stages in the Waymart area, which he said was found to be acceptable. ARH Medical Group intends to buy the facility and its six-acre parcel from KELG Real Estate.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Hearing for proposed rehab facility in Waymart to resume May 16