Boucher (VA09 - Press Release - Drug Treatment Facility To Be Established In Lee County Using Federal Funds

	CONGRESSMAN BOUCHER ANNOUNCES FEDERAL FUNDING TO ESTABLISH DRUG TREATMENT FACILITY IN LEE COUNTY *$375,000 in Federal Funding Will Enable New Beginnings of Southwest Virginia to Purchase Facility for Drug Rehab Center in Dryden*

	September 16, 2004

	(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Rick Boucher announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through its Rural Development Agency, is providing a low-interest federal loan in the amount of $375,000 to the New Beginnings of Southwest Virginia organization. The federal funds will be used to purchase an existing facility in Lee County to serve as a drug rehabilitation center for residents of Southwest Virginia, East Kentucky, South West Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. "The provision of federal funding which I am announcing today will enable the New Beginnings of Southwest Virginia organization to establish a residential treatment facility with rehabilitation programs for individuals with alcohol and drug dependence problems. The new facility will be an asset to our region and will enable individuals with dependence problems to have a second chance at a healthy lifestyle," Boucher said. New Beginnings of Southwest Virginia is a local non-profit organization which was founded with the goal of establishing a 90-day alcohol and drug treatment facility in the coal producing region of Southwest Virginia. Since it’s founding, the organization has raised funds to purchase, renovate and refurnish the old nursing home facility located in the Town of Dryden into a rehabilitation facility. The group has raised approximately $150,000 in private donations for the project, and many members of the community have donated time and talent to renovate the facility. The local Job Corps provided the labor and materials to paint the 15,000 square foot facility. In addition, computer and office equipment and furniture have been donated to the treatment facility. With the federal funding which is being announced today, New Beginnings will have the financial resources to purchase the old nursing home facility from the Lee County Coalition for Health. The Coalition acquired the building from a donation from Beverly Enterprises, the corporation which operated the nursing home before it closed. The Coalition has also agreed to donate the proceeds from the sale of the building back to New Beginnings to assist with the start-up costs in opening the alcohol and drug treatment center. Once renovated and refurnished, the old nursing home will serve as a 40-bed residential alcohol and drug treatment facility. The center will provide long-term, in-patient treatment of at least 90 days to its patients. The facility will have the capacity to provide treatment to 16 women and 24 men at a given time, and treatment regimens will be grounded in the twelve-step program. New Beginnings plans to provide treatment to approximately 130 individuals per year. "A critical need exists in Southwest Virginia, particularly in our coal-producing region, for an alcohol and drug treatment facility. I am pleased that the Rural Development Agency has agreed to provide this significant allocation to New Beginnings to enable the organization to establish a rehabilitation facility in Southwest Virginia, and I applaud the outstanding and selfless work which the volunteer members of the organization are performing in their efforts to open this much needed facility in Lee County," Boucher concluded.