Council Approves Utility Easement So Work Can Continue On Detox Center

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By Tammy Gray-Searles
    A utility easement that will allow work on the Holbrook detoxification center to proceed was approved by the Holbrook City Council during a special meeting May 22.
    The council had previously tabled a request from Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority (NARBHA) for the easement, citing concerns regarding an Arizona Department of Environ-mental Quality (ADEQ) inspection that found buried waste on the site of the detoxification center. Council members asked NARBHA officials to provide a “hold harmless” letter to the city to reduce the city’s liability in the event that additional waste was found while placing poles for electric lines.
    NARBHA provided a hold harmless letter to City Attorney Sterling Solomon, and the council unanimously approved granting the easement. Councilmen Stuart Szink and Kent Darris were not in attendance, but were excused from the meeting.
    Without the utility easement, construction of the detoxification center could not be completed. NAR-BHA Business Manager Jim Steinshouer explained that much of the interior construction was at a standstill without the easement, because electricity is needed to run the heater and create a stable temperature above 75 degrees for laying flooring. Many other components, such as bathroom fixtures and furniture, cannot be installed until the flooring is finished.
    Licensing of the building must still be completed before the facility can open. According to Steinshouer, the state health department has put the detoxification center on a “fast track” for licensing in order to try and meet grant deadlines. The treatment center is supposed to be open by May 31 under the terms of the grant being used to construct it, but it is unlikely that deadline will be met. Steinshouer noted that there could be sanctions for failing to meet the deadline, but NARBHA officials have been working closely with the state to try to avoid sanctions.
    The sister facility in Winslow is nearly complete and should be open by the May 31 deadline, according to Steinshouer. He noted that as of last week, furniture was being placed in the building and licensing was complete. Issues with the site of the facility in Holbrook put its construction several weeks behind the Win-slow center.
    Both centers received construction funding through an Arizona Department of Health Services grant. Initially, the grant was awarded for a 32-bed facility in Holbrook, but changes in healthcare regulations reduced the number of beds allowed. As a result, the decision was made to construct two 16-bed centers, one in Holbrook and one in Winslow.
    At the Holbrook facility, the majority of the operational costs will be funded by the Navajo Nation. Re-imbursement for the treatment of clients will also come from Medicare, the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and Indian Health Services.
    A multi-pronged treatment approach will be taken. Native American clients, for example, could receive treatment in traditional healing ceremonies, a sweat lodge or a hogan. Christian clients will have access to faith-based treatment. Western treatments, such as counseling and medication, will also be offered. The method of treatment will depend on each client’s individual needs.
    NCI, the organization responsible for a successful treatment program in Gallup, N.M., will oversee the operation of the Holbrook facility. Transportation will be provided for individuals who complete treatment and wish to return home. Those who decide to continue treatment can enter the program offered at the nearby Bread of Life Mission.