May 2, 2018 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – In an effort that’s the first of its kind for Southwestern Pennsylvania, Greenbriar Treatment Center will establish a residential substance abuse treatment program at WHS-Greene hospital in Waynesburg.

The long-term residential treatment program, also known as a 3C level program, will accept patients from across the region, but prioritize residents from Greene and Washington counties.

The current closest 3C facility is in Erie, filling a hole in the region at large. A 3C program is designed to help those in chronic distress, like those with multiple overdoses or several treatment attempts that require round-the-clock care.

The 3C program will occupy WHS-Greene’s current behavioral health unit. According to a release, Washington Health System is funding $250,000 for renovations and improvements to the 28-bed program.

“This 3C program will treat patients in a supervised environment for up to 100 days in order to promote adjustment to new life skills. Funding of the program is subject to discussions with managed care payors in the region,” WHS-Greene and Greenbriar officials said in a joint news release.

Greenbriar CEO Mary Banaszak said the hope is to be open by late summer, and officials are in the process of securing the proper contracts, licensing and accreditation. The facility will create about 20 new jobs for Greene County, and Banaszak said they hope to involve the local recovery community in their work.

Talks for a Greenbriar 3C facility have been in the works for about a year, with serious planning starting about two months ago, Banaszak said.

This move will eliminate inpatient behavioral health services in Waynesburg. Those patients will now need to travel to Washington Hospital, which will also prioritize patients from Greene and Washington counties. Banaszak said the transition should be seamless.

“When Washington Health System makes a move like that, they do it with high quality and careful consideration,” Banaszak said of the merge.

Outpatient behavioral health services will still be available in Waynesburg, officials said.

Medical supervision of the new 3C program will be provided by John Six, who is Greenbriar’s medical director.

Karen Bennett, Greene County’s human services administrator, said the facility will be an asset to the region beyond the county. Local residents, in her experience, often don’t require the level of care this facility will provide.

The treatment facility will meet a regional need, but also enhance access to services, which Bennett said would be a huge benefit for the community. Her hope is by fostering a relationship with Greenbriar, a local resident in need of treatment might be able to access it faster.

She said the main benefit Greene County will see is the chance to work with Greenbriar. With a facility here, Bennett said her hope is those in Greene County can be connected to Greenbriar’s other offerings, like detoxification. Greenbriar offers many levels of care that aren’t available in Greene County. Banaszak agreed Greene County will benefit to access the entire Greenbriar system.

However, the loss of the inpatient behavioral health will be challenging, Bennett said. She hopes not to lose the current coordination of services. For example, her case managers will now need to travel to Washington to connect local residents with services. She hopes there’s a plan in place to ensure a smooth transition.

Washington has been offering behavioral health services for some time, so Bennett said she has no concerns about their quality or ability. She just hopes those going to Washington County for help get connected to Greene County services once they leave.

Greenbriar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Washington Health System and offers inpatient, outpatient, residential and halfway house treatment.

Anyone who needs help finding a treatment provider or funding for addiction treatment can call the state 24/7 hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or contact a local county drug and alcohol office. For Greene County, call the Human Services program at 724-852-5276. Washington’s Drug and Alcohol Commission can be reached at 724-223-1181.