Burlington County Drug Treatment Center Gets 3-Year Extension

An addiction treatment center that was opened via emergency contract in September will be open for the next three years, county officials announced. The Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders approved Maryville Addiction Treatment Center of New Jersey to be the operator of Post House Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center in Pemberton Township for the next three years earlier this week.

It comes at no cost to the taxpayers, and runs from Jan. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2020. Maryville is responsible for paying rent and taking care of the operational expenses including utilities, grounds upkeep and insurance.

When the emergency contract was approved in September, the county began looking for a long-term operator while allowing the facility to function until the end of the year.

“It is so important that we continue to provide resources to Burlington County residents who have been affected by drug addiction,” Burlington County Freeholder Linda Hughes, liaison to the County Department of Human Services said. “ ... With Post House, we are ensuring that short-term residential treatment and detox services are located in Burlington County.”

Maryville was founded in 1949 and is recognized as a leader in the treatment of addictive disease and co-occurring disorders, according to officials. The emergency contract allowed Maryville to begin the licensure process with the State of New Jersey with the intent of reviving the 48-bed facility as soon as possible.

Maryville will provide six beds at Post House for long-term residential treatment for the Drug Court Initiative. They will also provide 12 beds for detox and 30 beds for short-term residential treatment.

"As the opioid abuse epidemic continues, the Freeholders deserve a lot of credit for taking the steps necessary to find a responsible provider to reopen and operate Post House," Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said. "It will be a tremendous asset to the county to have 48 beds once again available for our drug court program and for individuals ready to confront their addiction by seeking treatment."

As of Friday, law enforcement officers have used Narcan 268 times throughout the county. As of August, Emergency Medical Technicians had used the heroin antidote 359 times throughout the county. Hughes stressed that helping residents overcome addiction will remain a priority of the Freeholder Board.

In addition to reopening the Post House, the county has launched an Addiction Task Force. It has also held Narcan training events, support group meetings, and installed prescription drug drop boxes that allow residents to dispose of unused medications that are no longer needed. The board has also supported the recently announced Opioid Overdose Recovery Program in Burlington County.

Patch file photo