Hill Health Set To Expand Substance Abuse Center

Shovels should be in the ground next spring to start building an expanded treatment facility for those recovering from substance abuse disorders in the Hill neighborhood.

That was the promise as Gov. Dannel P. Malloy joined officials from the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center and state and local elected leaders Tuesday to announce that the state Bond Commission had awarded the center $10 million for the development of a new Recovery and Wellness Center.

The Recovery and Wellness Center will replace the center’s smaller existing Grant Street Partnership treatment program. The new center will be on Minor Street adjacent to the South Central Rehabilitation Center, which sits at the intersection of Minor and Cedar streets. The Recovery and Wellness Center will also be home to a new kitchen that will serve inpatient residents and those of the South Central Rehabilitation Center.

Cornell Scott-Hill CEO Michael Taylor said construction is expected to begin in spring 2019 and take about 12 – 15 months.

“We are thrilled to receive this generous award,” he said. ​“It will allow us to expand our capacity to care for the increasing number of people who suffer from substance abuse disorder.”

Cornell Scott-Hill Board President Angel Fernandez-Chavero said the name of the new center is important because for so many who utilize the services of the center it is a place to recover from whatever ails them so that that they are well enough to go back to being productive members of society.

As much as Tuesday’s announcement was a celebration of the future four-story, 52-bed, facility for both men and women, it also was a chance for New Haven’s elected leaders to praise Malloy and reflect on his eight years of service.

State Rep. Toni Walker thanked Malloy for being a governor who understood the value of second chances, particularly in a state where 85 percent of the prison population is battling substance abuse and addiction.

“This is a good thing,” she said of the new center.

“He started it for us,” she said of Malloy’ second-chance criminal justice efforts. ​“We have to keep the momentum going.”

Mayor Toni Harp pointed out the irony of New Haven being home to a world-class teaching hospital while simultaneously being home to so many who can’t access that care because of ​“economics, language, or cultural differences.”

“The underserved in New Haven deserve effective health care,” she said. ​“Cornell Scott-Hill has been bridging that gap for 50 years.”

She pointed out that the center has grown to 23 locations with more than 500 providers. She said the state partnering with the center to build out the new treatment facility ​“makes perfect sense.”

Harp also pointed out that under the Malloy administration the state is leading in gun control efforts and addressing shootings as a public health issue. The state also is a leader in addressing the opioid crisis that has swept the country.

“And whenever Gov. Malloy comes to New Haven, he always comes bearing gifts,” Harp joked.

With all the public praise, Malloy reminded the crowd, ​“I’m not dead yet.”

Malloy said he inherited concern about public health from his mother, who was a nurse. He said community health centers have bridged the access gaps for years, and the state has some of the best centers in the country.

He said given the opioid crisis facing the nation, community health centers are more important than ever in giving people a chance to turn their lives around. Whether a person’s life is saved ​“one time or 25 times,“he said, every time is ​“a chance to change their life and make a difference.”