By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor
Licensed psychologist Gerard Figurelli testified as an expert on behalf of Alpha Healing Center as to the need for a treatment center for moderate- to high- income inpatients with substance abuse and co-occurring psychiatric disorders in Middlesex County.
Alpha Healing Center representatives currently have an application before the Zoning Board of Adjustment that proposes the adaptation of the existing 87-room hotel (Staybridge Suites) at 1272 South River Road into a privately owned inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. The for-profit facility would be licensed by the state of New Jersey after the conversion of the ground floor into common space. The facility would have a commercial kitchen, dining room, administrative office, recreation facilities, etc. The facility would have around 36 full-time employees during regular business hours and about 20 after hours including security staff.
Patients would be there on a voluntary basis but they would have limited access to the outdoors and the environment would be heavily controlled by security. Daily schedules would include therapy, training, meals and activities. Medical detoxification and a dispensary would be available. Visiting hours would be limited.
Dr. Figurelli said the facility would not be a criminal justice referral facility or a methadone treatment facility. He said it would not treat sex offenders, adolescents, pregnant women, women with children or patients with Medicare or Medicaid. He said patients would have commercial insurance or the ability to pay themselves, with an average income of $120-$150,000 per year. He said patients would most likely be employed, married and between 24-50 years old.
Quoting statistics from the New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System, he said, Middlesex County ranks the fourth highest county in the state for drug overdoses, has the fifth highest number of residents admitted to substance abuse treatment facilities in the state and has the third highest unmet inpatient facility need in the state of New Jersey.
“Clearly there is a need for substance abuse treatment services in Middlesex County,” he said.
Of those admitted to treatment services, 32 percent were admitted to inpatient treatment and 57 percent were admitted to treatment for co-occurring disorders, according to Dr. Figurelli. Eleven percent (180 Middlesex County residents) of those treated with inpatient care were treated in Middlesex County, he said.
Zoning Board member David Nissen said Dr. Figurelli did not make the case that being treated in the county is inherently good.
Board member Sean Deverin also questioned if there was a benefit to going for treatment outside of the county.
“You haven’t made a compelling argument,” he said.
Mr. Deverin also said he wouldn’t be convinced there was a need for a inpatient facility in the county until he could compare Middlesex County’s statistics with other counties’ statistics. He also wanted to know more about Middlesex County’s demographics.
“If this county is mid to low in demographics you may be exacerbating the problem you are trying to eliminate,” Mr. Deverin said.
Board members asked for statistics from Mercer, Monmouth and Somerset counties. The board also asked for the demographics of those who need inpatient care for substance abuse and co-occurring psychiatric disorders in Middlesex County. A member of the public also asked Dr. Figurelli to regionalize the data and to talk about the need locally at the next meeting.
