Arcadia House, Treatment Center For Opioid Addiction, Opens In Montgomery County

Eagleville Hospital and the Montgomery County Department of Human Services are behind a unique new program to combat opioid and heroin abuse.

Arcadia House is an evidence-based treatment program for young men aged 18 through 26.

"This development will allow Eagleville Hospital to expand services to specifically reach the increasing number of young adults in Montgomery County with substance use disorders," a spokesperson for Eagleville Hospital said. "Pennsylvania now leads the nation in drug overdoses among young adults in this age group and ranks 9th in the country among the general population."

The program was made possible through a $600,000 reinvestment grant from the Montgomery County Department of Human Services, officials said.

Opioid abuse has skyrocketed in Pennsylvania and across the nation in recent months and years. In 2015, overdoses increased 138 percent in Montgomery County, according to estimates. Thus far in 2016, there have been 260 overdoses and 85 deaths. In 2015 altogether, there were 187 overdoses and 78 deaths in 12 months. That's a 1238 percent increase into 2016.

Lack of treatment options and available facilities is frequently cited as one of the leading causes for relapses and deaths.

The House is located in temporary quarters in a modular unit on Eagleville Hospital’s 43 acre campus. The small, 16 bed program will allow Eagleville to serve between 200 and 300 new patients per year, according to estimates.

The facility opened with a ceremony on Wednesday morning attended by Eagleville Hospital CEO Maureen Pollock and Valerie Arkoosh, Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and Interim Medical Director of the Montgomery County Health Department.

Eagleville Hospital is located on 100 Eagleville Road in Eagleville.

Patch file photo.