Easter Seals Farnum Center Expands

Responding to the growing statewide need for substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation, Easter Seals Farnum Center is breaking ground on a major new expansion in the city of Franklin.

The nonprofit agency is working to offer new treatment services of all levels in two separate locations, Farnum Center in Manchester and Farnum North in Franklin, which includes efforts to create 62 new beds for people struggling with substance abuse issues.

“We are all too familiar with the number of souls being lost to the heroin epidemic that has gripped our state,” said Larry Gammon, president and CEO of Easter Seals, in a press statement. “We need to take aggressive and immediate steps to help those who are caught in this deadly addiction. And we must make treatment immediately accessible to those who are fighting any substance abuse in their lives.”

The $1 million expansion will essentially reconstruct the former Phoenix House treatment center in Franklin. Along with providing separate inpatient facilities for both men and women, the center will be expanding its capacity for out-patient services, group meetings and other activities related to treatment and counseling.

Last year, 321 people died of heroin overdoses in New Hampshire, the highest number in our state’s history. Unfortunately, the numbers look equally high in 2015, which proves an urgent need for more treatment options for families.

Farnum has applied to the state in order to boost our capacity by 62 beds, which includes an application to approve 42 beds at the Webster place and remodeling this facility will expand our capacity by an additional 20 beds.

“This project will double our capacity and we are proud to work with the state to respond to this rising demand for treatment,” explains Cheryl Wilkie, senior VP of Substance Abuse Services at Farnum Center. “We are working to blend the successful peer counseling that has been offered in these facilities, with the fully licensed and trained counselors and medical professionals who need to be a part of the lives of those people who are fighting to break free from the grip of addiction. We will offer real help, right now.”

The groundbreaking is another step in a statewide effort to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic, led by Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, and Jack Wozmak, Senior Director for Substance Misuse and Behavioral Health in New Hampshire.

The goal of the Franklin project is to have full approval and completed construction by February 2016.

“Increasing the state’s treatment capacity is critical to combating the substance abuse crisis, which the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing New Hampshire,” Hassan said, who explained that this project answers part of her recommendations to address New Hampshire’s heroin crisis. “This expansion is an important step toward implementing our initial recommendations to strengthen our efforts to combat and heroin and opioid abuse, and I applaud Easter Seals for their commitment to partnering to respond to the drug crisis. Farnum Center has demonstrated an absolute commitment to serving the citizens of this state in this most important area.”

“This is a critical step in making a real difference in peoples’ lives,” said Wozmak. “People need and deserve access to affordable treatment services and we are committed to providing an effective and immediate response with the help of agencies like Easter Seals.”

Jane Doe, a former client of Farnum Center, believes this expansion project will save lives.

“Just knowing that help is available will offer a peace of mind to people who are addicted to heroin or other substances. These programs work and we need to expand access as quickly as we can so we can save lives.”