APARTMENTS SET FOR 4 GETTING PSYCHIATRIC, DRUG-ABUSE TREATMENT

Wellspring To Hold Open House Today

A renovated fourplex in the Bonnycastle neighborhood soon will be home to
four women who are being treated for substance abuse and chronic
psychiatric illnesses.

It's the first home in the Highlands administered by Wellspring, a
20-year-old, nonprofit agency with headquarters at 1882 S. Third St.
Wellspring's goal is to rehabilitate people with persistent and severe
mental illness and to provide them good housing.

An open house is planned at the site today.

The women will be overseen by a part-time, nonresident social worker but
will live independently in the Murray Avenue Apartments, which are designed
to be a permanent home. All the residents will be graduates of a nine-month
residential treatment program at Wellspring's Journey House, on West St.
Catherine Street in Old Louisville.

Steve Huelsman, a member of the Bonnycastle Homestead Association's board,
lives across the street from the apartments. He called the new situation
''a little scary'' and questioned what might happen if its residents quit
taking their medication and ''go bonkers'' or visit Bardstown Road bars.

''These people are in treatment,'' said Steve Perkins, Wellspring's
executive director. ''It's people not in treatment that we need to be
concerned about. . . . People who have disabilities have a right to live in
the community. With support and decent housing, people can make it in the
community.''

If they stay on medication, attend group programs and visit their
psychiatrists, ''they're on their way to recovery,'' said Linda Bukszar,
Wellspring's development director.

Third Ward Alderman Bill Allison said that as long as Wellspring officials
stay in ''good communication'' with neighbors and the neighborhood
association, ''I think any problems can be resolved.''

Huelsman, who has children 13 and 7 years old, said he didn't know about
the plan until he was told by an occupant of the building who was moving
out after Wellspring bought it last spring.

''It could be fine; I hope it is,'' Huelsman said. But ''I don't care how
much rehabilitation they've had; I just don't feel comfortable with this
situation.''

Donna Hartman, who lives nearby and has two teen-agers, said she had
thought the home would be for ''handicapped'' people. ''There's always a
chance they could go back on drugs, and drug dealers would be coming to the
home,'' she said.

Perkins said he had talked to Huelsman and Rob Riley, another board member
who lives nearby, about the plans last year and had communicated with a
couple of other neighbors. But he has not met formally with the
neighborhood association. Perkins plans to attend its March 2 meeting, to
be held at 10 a.m. at Twice-Told Coffee House, 1604 Bardstown Road.

Riley, a public defender with three children, commended Wellspring for its
work. But, he added, ''I'm much more concerned about what happens after
they move people in . . . and what level of assistance they're going to
provide.''

Buying and renovating the building cost more than $300,000 -- $75,000 of
which came from the city, sponsored by 1st Ward Alderwoman Tina Ward-Pugh.
She had worked in the past with Perkins, who lives in the 1st Ward, through
the Coalition for the Homeless.

Wellspring has 19 residential sites, consisting of apartments (including a
fourplex in Shelbyville) and group and single-family homes.

A 46-year-old woman named Margaret who likely will move to the Murray
Avenue Apartments from Journey House said she's looking forward to it,
although she has some fears.

''I'm really just taking my time and doing what the staff here has advised
me,'' she said recently. ''I think I've learned a lot. We're working it out.''