Hospital plans inpatient addictions expansion as need remains sharp

In a bid to keep up with demand, Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston is working to add another two dozen addiction treatment beds.

The hospital has applied to the state Department of Health to convert 24 medical/surgical beds to chemical dependence/rehabilitation beds in its Clearview program at the Lewiston campus, a $1.2 million project.

The 175-bed hospital, part of Catholic Health, has already expanded the inpatient rehab program twice since 2017: The most recent expansion took place in summer of 2018. The project, which requires an administrative review, would grow the chemical dependency program from 45 to 69 beds and encompass the entire third and fourth floors of the hospital.

CJ Urlaub, president at Mount St. Mary’s and Catholic Health's senior vice president of strategic partnerships, integration and care delivery for Niagara County, said there’s unfortunately plenty of need for both drug and alcohol addictions treatment in the region.

“We’ve got a really good program, so it makes sense for Catholic Health and Mount St. Mary’s to meet the need in the community,” he said. “We’re anxious to get approval so we can get going.”

The expansion comes as the state continues to ramp up access to care: On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the availability of more than $3 million in funding to expand mobile treatment and telepractice services for addiction across New York state in underserved areas.

Karen Hogan directs Mount St. Mary’s chemical dependency program, which served a record 711 people in 2019. While the majority come from Erie and Niagara counties, others came from Orleans, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties, as well as from Rochester.

Before all of the expansions, the facility typically served about 200 people per year. The program has remained at 93 to 96 percent occupancy, with a waiting list at any given time of up to 12 people. That’s tied in part to being the program of choice for several insurance plans, as well as the referral choice of drug courts and detox units at other hospitals, she said.

“We are the highest level of care,” she said. “Most of those who come to Clearview have been to four other programs.”

Once patients complete the 28-day program, they move on to a longer-term residential program like those managed by Horizon Village in Sanborn, or possibly to a halfway house if they are determined to have the skills required to live more independently.

The expansion will also require expansion of the workforce, with about 30 or more positions to be filled, including registered nurses, credentialed counselors, licensed mental health counselors and several clerical or administrative positions.