JCC psychiatric, rehabilitation facility expansion approved

Jan. 12—JAMES CITY — The James City County Board of Supervisors approved a request on Tuesday to expand a psychiatric and rehabilitation facility to help increase mental health services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The expansion was requested by the Pavilion at Williamsburg Place and the Farley Center to address "the increasing demand for the need for mental health care and services in the community in large part due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic," according to the facility's application for a special use permit.

The expansion of the Mooretown Road facility will be supported within the existing buildings on the property and also within new building additions. The permit was unanimously supported by the county Planning Commission last month. It's the fourth extension of the facility over the years.

The newest expansion will include 41 new in-patient beds, 28 new outpatient beds and the addition of new office space for the facility's staff. Other additions are expanded indoor/outdoor kitchen and dining facilities — such as the creation of a new outdoor dining terrace located off of the newly expanded kitchen and dining facility. The expansion will bring the total number of inpatient psychiatric beds, intermediate care substance abuse beds and outpatient domiciliary beds to 98, 40 and 76, respectively.

"The 41 inpatient psychiatric beds, which have been licensed by the state, will be housed within a new wing being added onto the Pavilion," the applicant's spokeswoman, Samantha Steketee, said at the meeting. "(A)nd the remaining beds will be located within the existing building."

Ten intermediate-care substance abuse beds will be provided within an addition to the existing Farley Center building, Steketee said. Eight out of the new 28 outpatient beds will be provided within two existing Farley Center buildings.

The Pavilion was acquired by Summit BHC from Diamond Healthcare in 2021. Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, "Summit's primary focus is on the provision of psychiatric services and substance use disorder treatments within a flexible and dynamic continuum of care," Steketee said. Summit BHC operates 32 locations in 19 states.

The Farley Center at Williamsburg Place offers professional services to adults and families experiencing issues relating to alcohol and other substances.

The Pavilion at Williamsburg Place offers professional psychiatric care to adults, where "each individual is assessed by a team of professionals led by a psychiatrist to determine that they meet the medically necessary criteria for inpatient level of care," according to its official website.

In other business Tuesday, the board elected Michael Hipple as chairman and Ruth Larson as vice chair. Hipple, who was first elected to the board in 2013, represents the Powhatan District. Larson has represented the Berkeley District since 2015.

Dominic Catacora, dominic.catacora@virginiamedia.com, 757-798-9833

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