SPRINGFIELD, Ky. — Washington Facility and Land Company (WFLC), and Addiction Recovery Care (ARC), a Cornerstone Partner of SOAR, recently announced that the former St. Catharine’s College campus soon will be home to ARC’s highly regarded “Crisis to Career” rehabilitation and job training services.
The two parties reached an agreement in May, but were waiting on a zoning permit before moving forward. The public meeting for the permit was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. During the August 27 public meeting, held in a large church to allow for social distancing, the Springfield Board of Zoning Adjustments unanimously approved a Conditional Use Permit. To maintain the permit, ARC must annually provide a copy of required certifications or licenses.
As property owners, WFLC believes ARC will prove to be a long-term partner and asset for the region, which is known for its family values, work ethic and compassion.
“When we purchased this property in 2018, our plan was to bring some life back to this facility and add value to the community,” said Jake Schirmer, CEO of The Walker Company, which manages the facility. “ARC will occupy the property promptly, which means this beautiful campus will once again be productive – offering opportunity and jobs for the region and the state.”
ARC’s founder and CEO, Tim Robinson, echoed those sentiments.
“We cannot wait to expand our programs into Springfield. This property will enable us to help so many more people while offering great jobs to residents in the area,” he said. “With this permit, we now have all the approvals needed to proceed.”
ARC operates a network of over 30 addiction treatment centers in 16 Eastern and Central Kentucky counties. The organization, headquartered in Louisa, Kentucky, offers a full continuum of care including detox, residential, transitional, intensive outpatient, outpatient, medically assisted treatment (MAT), vocational rehabilitation, and job training. The treatment centers are holistic with CARF-accredited clinical programs, medical services directed by an addictionologist, a Christ-centered spiritual emphasis that includes the 12 steps and chaplaincy care, and a broadening scope of vocational training opportunities for clients.
ARC’s unique blend of treatment has yielded staggering success rates of greater than 80% sobriety three years out rather than the 15-20% rates other treatment interventions see on average.
ARC CEO Tim Robinson said the organization’s growth is the result of increased need for its successful program in Kentucky.
“The need is real within our state and our nation for treatment programs that truly return people into the community with life and job skills that will enable them to succeed long-term,” said Robinson. “Due to a lack of treatment beds across Kentucky, we are turning people away every day who need our services. They are good people who want a productive, healthy life. This project allows more people to get the treatment they so desperately need.”
ARC will first apply for an outpatient license, which will be followed soon by an application for inpatient services. The program expects to hire hundreds of employees over the next year to provide 24-hour staff coverage and security.
“We will hire personnel for a broad range of positions. From professional services to groundskeepers and from tech support to cooks. We will depend on the Springfield community to keep our program running,” said Robinson.
The economic impact of the facility is estimated to increase exponentially with an estimated payroll of over $10 million pouring into the Springfield community.
Springfield-Washington County Economic Development Executive Director Daniel Carney pointed out that the 2016 closing of St. Catharine’s campus had a serious impact on the local economy and the culture of the community.
“We loved our college and the more than 100 jobs it gave us while in operation. Of course, we would value having another institution of higher learning take its place. But, in today’s economy, that is not realistic. Higher education is relying more on distance learning and reducing bricks and mortar,” said Carney. “Successful rehabilitation programs are needed all over the country, especially those that incorporate career training and job placement.”
Matt Brown, ARC’s Senior Vice President of Administration, said one of his priorities is promptly filling positions and providing orientation and training.
“We are partnering with the Lebanon/Marion County Career Center to announce and fill positions,” said Brown. “We will host an open house and job fair in the coming months.”
WFLC will renovate the inside of the buildings to accommodate the program, including dormitories, dining halls, recreation areas, and medical facilities.
“We have made necessary improvements to the property since purchasing it, kept up the extensive grounds, and provided security. Now we are pleased to be able to make more updates and put these beautiful buildings back to work,” said Schirmer.
To learn more about Addiction Recover Care, visit arccenters.com.