York County substance use recovery center project clears first hurdle in Alfred

ALFRED — The town’s Planning Board voted unanimously Monday, Oct 23, to declare the York County government’s application for a substance use recovery center complete and set a public hearing for Nov. 27.

The Planning Board has scheduled a site walk for 9 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, near York County Jail on Layman Way, off Route 4, the location of both the recovery center and a separate first responder training center project.

The decision of the board is a first step in the permitting process and came after an hour-long closed-door session between the Planning Board and its counsel, Leah Rachin.

“I am happy that the application was found to be complete,” said York County Manager Greg Zinser following the decision.

Some Planning Board members expressed concern that the number of beds outlined in the recovery center project – 58 – exceeds the town’s ordinance limits, a point they made at an earlier meeting in September when the board voted first to deny the application, rescinded that vote, and then tabled the matter.

Attorney Dominic Parent, representing York County, asked board members to articulate their specific concerns regarding the project. Following a second closed-door session, Rachin said she would draft a letter to the county outlining the board’s concerns.

The new substance use recovery center is intended to replace the county’s 36-bed Layman Way Recovery Center, which opened in 2018. The Layman Way facility is a six-month residential jail diversion program for screened, nonviolent people charged with crimes. In 2019, Alfred adopted a Substance Abuse Inpatient Care Center ordinance limiting residential beds to 30.

Planning Board member Michael Gibney said he understands that the 36 beds at Layman Way are grandfathered and said it would be practical to combine both Layman Way and the new facility “but show me in the ordinance where you can do that,” Gibney said.

It is York County’s position that the project conforms with Alfred’s ordinances.

Zinser said he remains optimistic about the recovery center project.

“I look forward to the continued engagement as we collectively work our way through the ordinances,” he said.

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Why York County wants to build a new recovery center?

In a September interview, the county’s clinical consultant Jennifer Ouellette, citing information from the Maine Drug Data hub, said about 8.8 percent of York County’s residents older than 12 have some form of substance use disorder. She said federal statistics show 90 percent of people who need drug treatment don’t receive it for several reasons, some of which are affordability, not thinking they have a problem, and more.

“Much of that is due to inability to access treatment,” she said.

The Maine Drug Data Hub, a collaboration between the state and the University of Southern Maine, reports that there were 705 overdoses in York County from January through August this year, 83 of which took place in August. There were 47 fatal overdoses in York County in the January through August period, including three fatalities in August.

The recovery center project is among several initiatives undertaken by York County, which was awarded $40 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds in 2021. York County commissioners sought input from the public and then chose several projects – including the county substance use recovery center and a separate first responder training center. Both projects, commissioners said, would make a difference in the lives of York County residents.

Commissioners earmarked about $15 million each to the first responder training center and the substance use recovery center. They also set aside $500,000 to Sanford Housing Authority for supportive housing in that community and funds for an array of other projects, including a teen center in Biddeford, a social service hub in Kittery, a regional dredge, equipment for county use, and upgrades to county buildings.

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The recovery center would include detox beds and a combination of short-, medium- and long-term residential beds with a maximum stay of 270 days. The recovery center would be available to York County residents and would rely on MaineCare reimbursements for operational costs.

Together, the recovery center and the first responder training center are projected to cost $45 million. In addition to the $30 million in ARPA funds committed to two projects, congressionally directed funding, opioid settlement funds, and county funds will be contributed to the initiatives, leaving a $7 million gap for the two projects. York County government has expressed hope that the Maine Recovery Council will help fill the gap as it pertains to the recovery center.

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Planning Board to host public hearing on proposed recovery center

Citing space considerations and an expected large turnout, the Planning Board took the county up on its offer of the use of the large second-floor courtroom, accessible by elevator or by stairs, at York County Court House, 45 Kennebunk Road, Alfred, for the 6:30 p.m. public hearing on Nov. 27.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York County substance use recovery center project clears first hurdle