The Healing Place of Hampton Roads
Recently published in the Daily Press, an article featuring The Healing Place of Hampton Roads (designed by HBA):
Healing Place of Hampton Roads aims for 2016 opening
By Theresa Clift, tclift@dailypress.com
8:09 p.m. EDT, September 29, 2014
NEWPORT NEWS — The Healing Place of Hampton Roads, a long-term detox and rehabilitation facility for the region’s homeless, could open as early as 2016.
The roughly $18.6 million facility will serve 26 jurisdictions across Hampton Roads, western Tidewater, the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and Eastern Shore.
The location for the facility is not yet finalized, said Ruth Hill, executive director.
Leaders have asked the state to pay 20 percent of the cost, about $4 million, Hill said. The rest would come from the localities and private donations.
Newport News City Manager Jim Bourey said he would likely recommend the City Council approve the funding.
There’s also a Healing Place facility in Richmond and another is being planned in southwest Virginia.
Residents of Healing Place stay for nine to 15 months, going through several phases of getting sober, getting professional training and finally become peer mentors for others in the program.
About 65 percent of those who graduate are still clean and sober a year later, Hill said.
The factor that makes the facilities unique is their sobering-up centers, where police can take people they are familiar with — “frequent fliers,” they’re sometimes called — to sober up instead of taking them to jail or a hospital, which is more costly, Hill said.
“It’s an alternative we don’t have in this region right now,” Hill said.
People can use the detox center, usually for about two to five days, without enrolling in the long-term program, although enrolling is encouraged, Hill said.
At this year’s count, there were 525 homeless people living on the Peninsula — 497 sheltered and 28 unsheltered.
The facility will contain about 200 beds for men and 100 beds for women.
Clift can be reached by phone at 757-247-7870.
