Rehab facility plans for new building

Officials with Boxwood House, the area’s only publicly funded substance abuse rehabilitation facility, are soliciting bids to construct a new building, a project they say is long overdue, much needed and years in the making.

Run by the Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services Board, a regional human services agency that receives state and local funding, Boxwood offers a month-long residential drug and alcohol treatment program at its location on U.S. 29 south of town.

The treatment includes counseling, lectures and meetings and educational opportunities to help residents overcome their addictions — or any mental health issues that may contribute to their substance abuse problems.

Most people come to the center voluntarily, while others are sent by court order.

But housed in a former motel complex built in the 1960s, board officials say the building’s dilapidated condition has put the program in jeopardy.

“This project has always been about replacing the existing facility,” said community services board executive director Brian Duncan. “The condition of that building is just unacceptable and has been for a number of years. We have always sought to replace that facility.”

John Waldeck, the director of clinical services, and a 28-year member of the community services board agreed.. “If we had not gotten the approvals to go ahead with it, we’d be closing Boxwood,”

The new building, which would cost an estimated $6 million, would occupy a site on Guinn Lane just north of the Bus. 29 retail corridor off Brandy Road, would be about 21,000 square feet and have bed space for 32 people. Because of the old building’s age and condition, remodeling would not be practical and the building would likely be demolished.

Background
After trying but failing for three years in a row to get funding from the General Assembly, the Community Services Board hired a consultant in 2001 to conduct a feasibility study on replacing the old building.

The group also sought federal money from the Rural Development Authority, a move the Board of Supervisors approved in November 2004.

However a year later, the supervisors split on allowing Boxwood to build on the site, with the dissenting supervisors saying that doing so would go against the county’s comprehensive plan which zoned the area for rural use.

To address that issue, the supervisors earlier this year granted a special use permit for the project. Duncan said the community services board would still borrow money for the project and thus far, hasn’t had a problem doing so.

This year, the Community Services Board received about $211,000 in funding from Culpeper County, said county finance director Valerie Lamb. The board’s service area also includes Fauquier, Madison and Orange counties.

Future plans
Bids for the new building are due in early December and Duncan said if everything goes according to plan, construction should be underway by February. Once underway, construction will probably take about a year and half. Waldeck said no significant staffing changes are expected.

Waldeck also said the new building will be fully computerized — something that’s not possible right now — and more meeting space will be available.

With all those factors combined, Waldeck said he hopes that will help Boxwood receive accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, an international accreditation organization.

In addition to serving residents more effectively, Waldeck said he expects the new facility will become a regional and even perhaps a statewide center for training.

“This is going to be one of the best residential facilities in the state and we’re really excited about that. We have been working on trying to get a new facility for close to a decade,” Waldeck said. “This is kind of an exciting time.”

Nate Delesline III can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 110 or .