The drug treatment facility in Northeast Philly could open this fall

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration could begin accepting patients at a new city-funded treatment facility for drug users as early as this fall, an ambitious timeline for one of the mayor’s signature initiatives.

The administration wants to quickly open part of the Riverview Wellness Village and could accommodate up to 120 people in the first phase, according to documents seeking third-party service providers posted on a city website last month.

Ultimately, the administration wants the facility — located at 7979 State Road. in Northeast Philadelphia and adjacent to the prison complex – to serve more than 600 people seeking various types of care. It could take two years or more to open the entire facility.

The “wellness village” is part of Parker’s strategy to end open-air drug markets in the city, including in the long-troubled Kensington district, by expanding the city’s drug treatment capacity. Parker called on the City Council to approve $100 million in borrowings to finance the facility, which became a key sticking point in budget negotiations earlier this year. In June, lawmakers finally agreed to fund the project.

Parker administration officials did not respond to questions from The Inquirer about the progress crews have made on the site or the services that will be offered at the facility when it opens.

But the documents — which include two third-party requests for proposals that the city will hire to design the facility and provide health services — shed new light on the project, including the opening timeline and details about the types of rehabilitation services it will provide the city offers.

The 19-acre Riverview complex, located on a quiet stretch of the Delaware River Trail and overlooking the water, is a former city-run nursing home comprised of seven buildings. City officials have said they also plan to build another residential building on the site.

” READ MORE: Does Philly have enough addiction treatment beds? The city council is seeking clarity in Kensington.

Before the existing buildings become habitable, numerous renovation measures are required. Records show the city has identified environmental hazards on campus, including asbestos. Several of the complex’s facilities will need to be gutted, and the first design phase of that process won’t begin until next month at the earliest.

However, two of the existing buildings are in better condition than the others and are the facilities expected to open first. According to city documents, they will consist of 30 shared housing units with an average of four beds each.

According to city documents, the facility will accommodate individuals, couples and people with pets. This removes two major barriers that experts say can prevent people from getting into or staying in treatment.

According to the documents, people can be referred to the facility through various outreach and treatment programs, as well as through the city’s “treatment court,” which provides expedited referrals to the facility for people arrested for drug use and is still under development.

In the initial phase, Riverview will be considered a “low-intensity” residential treatment facility, which generally means residents will only be admitted if their withdrawal symptoms or other conditions can be safely treated outside of a hospital.

” READ MORE: Philly is building a fast-track court in Kensington for people arrested for drug use

Basic medical care can be provided, such as: B. Basic care, first aid and the treatment of chronic diseases. The city also expects providers in Riverview to provide residents with access to various types of medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction, such as methadone or buprenorphine.

However, due to the “low-intensity” classification, there will initially be no so-called level 4 beds suitable for intensive care. These beds are in high demand in the city because the street drugs are toxic and increasingly contain the animal tranquilizer xylazine, also called tranq, which can cause serious health complications and open wounds.

Nevertheless, the initial opening could represent a significant expansion of the city’s treatment offerings. The city has about 1,800 Medicaid-eligible treatment beds citywide, and officials estimate between 100 and 200 are available daily.