Addiction Recovery Care has submitted an application for a license from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to provide residential substance abuse care at the drug treatment center recently built in Dickenson County.
ARC is a for-profit company headquartered in Louisa, Kentucky, that operates a network of more than 20 licensed addiction treatment centers in 17 counties in that state. It plans to operate two drug treatment centers in Dickenson County, which will be the company’s first foray into Virginia.
The first one, Wildwood Recovery Center near Clintwood, is for men. Construction of the modular facility has been completed.
Primrose Recovery Center will be for women and will be built at a former school in Nora. Primrose is still in the planning stages.
Dickenson County has one of the highest overdose death rates in the state, which has negatively impacted the county’s economic development efforts.
Dana Cronkhite, the county’s economic development director, who has been a leader on the two treatment centers, called submission of the license application a “huge milestone.”
“From the county’s point of view, basically our work is complete,” she said Wednesday. “Now it’s just a matter of the operator gaining the licensing and credentialing from the state Department of Behavioral Health and then from the Virginia managed care organizations, which is needed to be able to accept Medicaid.”
After two years of planning and construction, ARC has already obtained the approvals required before the initial licensing application could be submitted, including the state building code certificate of occupancy, the state fire marshal certificate and the county health department certificate, the company said in a news release.
Construction of Wildwood took longer than expected due to supply-chain issues, and to the fact that it was the first time the county had built a facility using modular housing. Some drainage issues also had to be taken care of, Cronkhite said.
ARC is seeking a license to provide the ASAM 3.5 residential level of care, which is designed for those with complex needs who require structured, intensive services to support their recovery journey, the news release states.
The company said in the release that it remains “steadfast in its mission to deliver holistic recovery services that integrate clinical treatment, vocational training, and faith-based support.”
ARC’s model is a four-phase, year-long program that combines substance use disorder treatment, primary care, counseling, and peer support with life skills, education and job training to set clients up for success long term.
The company has been under investigation for possible health care fraud by the FBI. No charges have been filed, and a company spokesperson said Friday that ARC continues to fully cooperate with the investigation. ARC and Dickenson County officials have said the probe won’t affect the two projects in Southwest Virginia.
Greg May of Pikeville, Kentucky, has worked with ARC on several centers in that state and is the developer of both centers in Southwest Virginia.
No date has been set for Wildwood to open.
