Next week, planning commissioners and supervisors will receive public comments regarding an application to operate a substance abuse treatment center in Madison County.
In April, Dr. Christopher von Elten, Noel Jewell and William Manning of NWC Investments LLC (also known as Addiction Allies) applied for a special use permit (SUP) to operate a licensed substance use disorder treatment center on the current 120-acre Sevenoaks Retreat facility. The treatment center would be a licensed day treatment service and intensive outpatient treatment service with overnight guest accommodations. Licensed services would be provided by behavioral health providers with staff on-site to assist with accommodations. All clients and patients would be medically and psychiatrically cleared by a physician prior to receiving services. There would be no detox on-site.
Addiction Allies currently operates two licensed drug and alcohol treatment programs from an office in Charlottesville.
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These include day treatment consisting of five to six hours of face-to-face behavioral health education and support seven days per week up to six weeks. There’s also intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) consisting of three hours of face-to-face behavioral health education and support three days per week lasting up to 12 weeks. IOP is often a stepdown from day treatment and patients have typically already participated in four to six weeks of day treatment.
Elten said the Sevenoaks property would allow the programs to move out of a Charlottesville into a space more conducive to healing. He said the Sevenoaks property, which has seven different lodges on-site, would allow for patients to have housing at the center. Currently, those in need of housing are put up at local hotels and driven to and from the Charlottesville office. Elten said they would start small with just 15 overnight guests and eventually expand to allow more. A peer recovery person would be in each dorm and an additional recovery person would be on-site overnight.
“There’s a great need for this,” Elten said. “We think this would be of great benefit to Madison County and local counties. It’s extremely common. One in eight would benefit from substance abuse treatment.”
Elten himself became interested in substance abuse treatment when his sister was dealing with her own alcoholism.
“When my sister passed away, I vowed on her deathbed to help as many as I could regardless of ability to pay,” he said.
In 2011, Elten started a licensed treatment center on 100 acres in Amherst. That facility was sold to the local hospital system years later and the Charlottesville office was started.
Manning, who is the director of Addiction Allies’ therapeutic services, said all those who come to the program are doing so of their own freewill. There are firm boundaries and safety is an important aspect.
“I have a vested interest in bringing in [patients] who behave safely,” Manning said. “You can’t help folks in an unsafe environment.”
Planning commissioner Fay Utz said treatment centers are needed now more than ever. She said she had trouble getting a family member services when they were in need.
“We give Narcan to high school students so they can save a life,” she said. “That’s where we are.”
Planning commissioner Pete Elliott expressed concerns about the safety of the community.
“I understand there’s a real need for this, but my biggest concern is the health, safety and wellbeing of Madison County residents,” he said. “I’m not saying these are bad people, but I have [seen the things that can happen].”
Dr. Phil Sansone, who owns property adjacent to the Sevenoaks Retreat, said he’s been a licensed psychiatrist and has lived in Madison for 30 years. He said the state has increased funding for treatment centers, which is a good thing, but they can’t be taken lightly. He said there are many problems to consider including patients escaping, stealing, obtaining drugs and more.
“We’re not talking about Disneyland here,” he said. “There are people very near there would who would willing to share drugs. I’m concerned about the impact on the area.”
Susan Thesenga, who founded Sevenoaks in 1972 with her late husband Donovan, said she’ll maintain her current home on 10 acres of the facility. She said she and her husband obtained their permit because they convinced people they were sincere about what they were doing and she feels the same about Addiction Allies.
“I will believe they will do God’s work and help people live better lives,” Thesenga said. “I’m ready to pass it on.”
Madison County resident Judd Buchanan also voiced support for the SUP.
“Too many in the county are dying too young,” he said. “I see this is a positive thing for the county.”
The SUP application will be the subject of a public hearing Wednesday, June 7 at 7 p.m. at 414 N. Main Street, Madison.