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Bucks eyes $10M “stabilization unit” on Doylestown Health campus

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Plans for use of the first installment of Bucks County’s share of a national $1 billion opioid lawsuit settlement were laid out for commissioners during a recent meeting.

While there are few specifics yet for how the county’s opioid advisory council will spend the approximately $1.8 million, Diane Rosati, executive director of the county’s drug and alcohol commission and chair of the OAC opioid advisory council said the money will go toward a wide variety of existing programs and the establishment of new services.

The initial funds are a fraction of the nearly $45 million Bucks will receive over 18 years, according to terms of the settlement. Payments are expected to be distributed annually, said Rosati.

Among the notable new programs proposed is a stabilization unit that will offer short-term care and treatment for those suffering from substance abuse disorder, as well as “thorough assessments” to determine mental health needs, said Rosati, in an interview. Additionally, the behavioral health center will offer 24/7 needs assessments for patients and provide peer support and transfer to other appropriate services, as needed.

While the facility will include beds for clients, Rosati said, it is “not meant to be residential.” The number of beds has not been determined, the director said.

The unit, estimated to cost about $10M, will be built on the Doylestown Health campus and both the hospital and Lenape Valley Foundation will be involved with its operation. Nine hundred thousand dollars from the initial settlement disbursement has been earmarked for the care center, said Rosati.

Gaudenzia, a similar drug and alcohol treatment center in Lower Bucks, will remain in operation, she noted.

Other planned services include $50,000 for mobile prevention education units, $125,000 for Narcan purchase and distribution and $200,000 for women’s and children’s housing.

Besides the $900,000 for the stabilization unit, $300,000 has been designated for increasing the length of stays for treatment and $150,000 for medication-assisted treatment.

Recovery efforts will be supported with $200,000 for co-responder programs, $200,000 for drug court probation staff, and $100,000 for grief support groups, among other programs.

The county plans to hire a financial manager to oversee the opioid settlement program which, Rosati said, is expected to receive about $2.5 million each year.


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