DAPHNE, Ala.—Townsend Recovery, a hotly contested drug rehab facility—will close its location at Mercy Medical on Jan. 14, citing uncontrollable economic forces, dwindling patient enrollment and a lack of understanding from the community.

Townsend will consider reopening in Daphne if economic and demographic factors change, according to its chief executive officer, Michael Handley.

“When we decided to open our center in Daphne, it was with the intention to help those local residents in need of effective treatment options,” Handley said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the community’s lack of understanding about addiction treatment prevented us from achieving that goal."

Townsend—which leases office space from Mercy Medical, off Old County Road—treats people with opiate dependence. The facility's' residential location concerned some residents, who last month spoke out on the facility at a community gathering, and later addressed the City Council, which in turn scheduled a Jan. 20 public hearing on the matter. The hearing is still scheduled, according to city clerk David Cohen, who said that Mercy Medical’s expansion plans will also be addressed.

Olde Towne Daphne Association President Kären Nady, having learned of the news from a Daphne Bulletin reporter, disagreed with Handley’s claim that the community was unaware of the importance of opiate treatment addiction, noting the public address Christopher Hill made to the city council that included compassionate remarks; information on the association's Web site also contained sympathetic and caring notes about addiction.

“It’s never really been against people who need treatment,” Nady said. “It was against the appropriateness of the location of the site.”

Members of the Olde Towne Daphne Association met in a town meeting Dec. 9 to discuss the clinic’s impact on the neighborhood.

Residents claimed increases in petty vandalism and erratic driving could be directly linked to the clinic.

However, queries performed by the Daphne Police Department and the Daphne Municipal Court could not confirm the allegations.

Questions over the legitimacy of Townsend’s business license were also raised. Townsend had been leasing part of the first floor of Mercy's administration building.

Cecilia Mace, communications director for Mercy Medical, confirmed that Townsend Recovery Center is not officially part of the hospital.

Mace also indicated that Councilwoman Cathy Barnette’s claim of Townsend’s business license being misleading because it insinuated that Townsend is part of Mercy Medical was inaccurate.

Handley said the center has seen a decrease in available patients willing to come in for treatment.

“The center was treating roughly 40 patients,” Handley said. “A typical center would have twice that number.”

Townsend plans to continue treating its patients through its nearest facility in Pensacola, Fla.

“We would refer them to Pensacola if it makes sense,” he said. “We’re interested in doing whatever is in the best interest of each patient.”

Townsend intends on continuing its educational campaign about drug education awareness.

“We do a tremendous amount of public speaking,” Handley said. “We’ll continue those efforts wherever it makes sense.

“Our objective is to erase stereotypes about addiction and encourage local communities to embrace Townsend as a partner in the fight against addiction,” he said.

Handley feels that public opinions of addiction are relegated to the ‘wino in the gutter’ image, when in reality, addiction is a mainstream social epidemic.

“People don’t typically think of the soccer mom shuffling kids in the mini van as an addict,” Handley said. “People think of drug addicts as sharing needles when one of the biggest problems in this country is an increase in prescription drug abuse.

“It affects Park Avenue as well as park bench,” Handley said.

The reaction Townsend experienced from its Daphne neighbors is typical when a methadone clinic moves into a residential neighborhood, according to Handley.

“But for our type, when no drugs are dispensed on site, it’s very rare,” Handley said.

While Nady feels that Townsend’s decision to close its Daphne facility will benefit the neighborhood, she understands the need current patients have in finding substitute treatment.

“There’s been a lot of neighborhood concern,” she said. “This might be a good solution, as long as the existing patients have a place to continue their treatment.”

Baldwin County patients who were receiving opiate dependence treatment at Townsend can transfer to The Harbor at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope.

The Harbor offers a similar program as Townsend; it uses Suboxone to treat withdrawals, coupled with addiction counseling.

“We do have outpatients for opiate abuse,” Susie Carpenter, director of the Harbor, said. “One of the things we have is Suboxone treatment.”

Carpenter expressed the importance of maintaining opiate treatment services in the community.

“We really do need these services here in town,” Carpenter said.