CLINIC REMAINS OPPOSED LOCALLY

Although a proposed methadone clinic won't locate near Minvale Church
in Fort Payne, that doesn't mean it won't be coming to the city at all.

Alva Lambert, executive director of the State Health Planning and
Development Agency, attended a meeting at Ryan's in Fort Payne
Wednesday to talk with community leaders about the proposed clinic.

In January, the SHPDA's Certificate of Need Board in Montgomery voted
4-2 to approve the clinic. Since that time, two locations in Fort
Payne have been proposed - the first being near the movie theater.

The CON later approved a change to the old A&J Hosiery building at
110 20th Street, NW. - a building close to Minvale Baptist Church and
its Life Center, and less than 50 feet from a church-sponsored
children's playground.

The CON board rescinded approval to the change after community
leaders, Minvale church members, and others voiced concerns about a
clinic being so near the church and playground.

On Wednesday, Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, Fort Payne Mayor Bill
Jordan, DeKalb District Attorney Mike O'Dell and members of DeKalb's
drug treatment and law enforcement communities again voiced
opposition to the clinic being anywhere in Fort Payne.

"There is no location in any part of DeKalb County that would be
acceptable to us. We just don't believe we have a problem here," Barron said.

O'Dell said he has spoken to methadone clinic operators in cities
within about a 100 mile radius of Fort Payne, and said those clinics
show they are treating virtually no patients from DeKalb County at this time.

Holland and Heathery Inc., a Cullman based company, plans to open the
methadone clinic - a treatment center for opiate addicts - in Fort Payne.

O'Dell said he believes existing drug addiction treatment programs,
such as the county's drug referral and drug court programs, are
already serving the needs of opiate addicts.

"We have one of the best drug courts and the best drug referral
programs in the state, possibly the nation. We are already dealing
with this problem from a different perspective. From August 2005
until August 2006, we processed a total of only 25 opiate addicts
though our court system. That's a very low number," O'Dell said.

He said he takes exception to some public comments about people in
the local Christian community not working to help addicts.

"We have very, very strong faith-based initiatives in both DeKalb and
Cherokee counties to help people recovering from addictions. It's the
opinion of a lot of people that a methadone clinic would not be
conducive to rehabilitative treatment," O'Dell said.

Jordan agreed. "There just really isn't any need for us to have a
methadone clinic here," he said.

Lambert said the CON board already considered arguments against a
local methadone clinic when considering whether or not to grant approval.

"The horse is already out of the barn," he said.

Lambert said the CON board would have to approve a change of
location, and the Alabama Department of Mental Health would have to
license the facility, but said the certificate of need already
applies to the entire county. "Once that has been granted, that says
there is a need," he said.

Both Barron and O'Dell said they believe the CON board granted
approval for the wrong reason - to avoid a lawsuit.

O'Dell said community representatives went to Montgomery and opposed
initial approval of the CON.

"The CON board has not heard the last of this," Barron said. "They
seem more concerned about what the courts will say than what the
citizens of this city have to say."