By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor
KEYSER — The Mineral County Commissioners Tuesday moved to write a letter of support and contribute $1,000 to an agency looking to establish a comprehensive substance abuse treatment facility at the former Potomac Valley Hospital.
The Rev. Mel Menker of Living Hope House of Keyser had appeared before the commission in June seeking the officials' support for their proposal. At the time, he told the officials that he was also seeking support and monetary contributions from Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, Tucker and Pendleton counties, as they are included in the service area of Living Hope of West Virginia.
Tuesday, Mineral County Coordinator Mike Bland told the commissioners he had spoken with Menker and all five of the other counties have agreed to support Living Hope.
The contributions from the counties will be used toward the $17,000 estimated total cost of a feasibility study for the proposal.
The agency is seeking the remainder of the money from Gov. Joe Manchin.
During his June meeting with the Mineral County officials, Menker said Living Hope plans to use the former PVH site as its headquarters, with treatment facilities to be located in each of the other five counties. They also hope to bring Tucker and Morgan counties on board with the program at a later date.
Menker noted that the comprehensive program would provide all levels of treatment and would be the first facility in a large region to be able to provide that service.
“There are basically no beds for substance abuse treatment on the eastern side of West Virginia,” he said, noting that current programs are forced to move clients from place to place as they progress through the stages of therapy.
“At each stage, they change location, they change program, they change the people they're dealing with ... and we're losing approximately 20 percent of people at every stage,” he said.
“By putting everything under one roof, I believe we can expand the program and help these people.”
Purpose of the program would be to help substance abusers complete their therapy while receiving counseling, job training, taking GED classes, participating in apprentice programs, or even attend college.
“Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College has agreed to facilitate a vocational program for us,” he said.
Those clients who are working would be asked to pay their way for participation in the program, while others may be covered through programs such as Medicare or Medicaid.
“We know there are clients who wouldn't be able to pay anything, but we believe this program will be viable,” Menker said.
He estimated the facility would bring between 60 and 65 full-time jobs, although the CEO and CFO would initially be brought in from out-of-town in order to help train their successors.
Menker also emphasized that Living Hope is not in competition with any other, similar programs. Using Allegheny Mountain House, the transitional living facility proposed to open soon at the old Alkire Mansion in Keyser's Mill Meadow Park, as an example, he said the two facilities could work together to help the many substance abusers in the area.
Commissioner Janice LaRue made the motion Tuesday to support Living Hope, and Commissioner Cindy Pyles seconded it. The motion passed unanimously.
Keyser, W.Va. —
